Amed Beach
Amed refers to a long stretch of coast running from the village of Culik about 14 km eastwards incorporating the seven villages of Amed, Jemeluk, Bunutan, Lipah, Selang, Banyuning and Aas. The pace of life here is slow and the coastal scenery quite stunning making Amed the perfect place for a relaxed holiday in Bali.
Amed Beach with the sun disapearing behind Mount Agung
Amed is the most recent tourist development area in Bali. It was only in 2000 that tarmac was laid on the roads. Telephone lines were installed in 2003 and it took until 2007 for a bridge to be built over a section of the main road that regularly washed away during the rainy season.
This is the most commonly used base for visitors wishing to dive the USS Liberty wreck at Tulamben and that area is also covered by this article. There are other good dive sites close at hand and a thriving dive industry has developed all the way along the coast here.
Amed’s inhabitants live from fishing, salt-making and tourism. The lack of tourism-based revenue, its remote nature and the generally harsh environment for farming, meant that this area was very much one of the poorer areas in Bali. Amongst others, the East Bali Poverty Project drew attention to the plight of the local villagers in this area and that, together with recent tourist development, has gone a long way to improving general standards of living, health and education.
Get in:
Amed lies on the north-eastern tip of Bali, about three hours drive from the Ngurah Rai International Airport. A taxi service to Amed is available outside airport (turn left after customs) van rental parking lot about Rp 450,000 as of Nov. 2014. Amed is accessed by turning east at the village of Culik which lies on the main east coast road from Karangasem to Singaraja.
Shuttle buses regularly serve the destination from Candidasa and Lovina and now that the road has been greatly improved, they take you all the way into Amed (previously all buses stopped at Culik and motorbikes ferried visitors into Amed). Perama operates optional shuttle buses from Padang Bai or Candidasa to Tirtagangga, Amed and Tulamben (Rp 125,000, min. 2 people). Depart : 9.30AM & 2PM – Return : 11AM. There is no Perama office in Amed, however there are two shops serving as pick-up/drop-off points, as well as ticket offices. One is Amed Cafe and the other one is No Problem Shop (at Amed Beach, the first village of Amed).
The easiest way into Amed though is to hire your own transport with a driver. Be aware that the Amed district is stretched out over more than 10 km. Transport by local drivers is widely available in Amed. Transport to Padang Bai should not cost more than Rp 180,000.
If you are coming from the islands to the east, Amed Sea Express offers pick-up in Lombok, Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air with twice daily service to Amed arriving at 9:15AM & 1:15PM.
See:
The black sand and fishing boats of Amed
There is vibrant marine life close offshore in clear seas – see more at Diving, Freediving.
Amed is famous for its beaches, lined with traditional outrigger fishing boats. There is quite coarse black volcanic sand at Amed village beach. As you move further east (and away from Mount Agung), the beaches have softer sand and become more of a mid grey-brown in colour. The prettiest bays are probably those at Jemeluk and Lipah but the whole stretch of coastline is very attractive.
Salt production is a declining but still important industry in this area. As you drive along the main coast road through the villages you will see large open drying pans crusted with salt crystals. Those little boxes of gourmet Bali salt crystals you see in delicatessens and speciality food stores all over the world may have started their long journey from these very pans.
Do:
Jemeluk Bay with Mount Agung in the distance
Most people come to Amed as a getaway, including expats from other parts of the island. It is a favourite honeymoon destination for tourists and is very popular with divers and snorkelers. Day trips to local places of interest such as the water palace at Tirta Gangga and Bali’s most sacred temple, Besakih, can easily be arranged. Mount Agung with lots of trekking options just 30-40 minutes from Amed.
Traditional outrigger boats are available for fishing charters from the main beaches in the Amed area. This normally involves early morning trolling for mackerel, barracuda and tuna.
Have a traditional massage on the beach. Women from the local villages are always on hand for an invigorating massage, especially at Lipah Beach.
Enjoy nature and go with the wind on a traditional sailing boat for diving, fishing, exploration, dolphin watching, snorkelling or just swimming and relaxing.
Go stand up paddleboarding (SUP) in Jemeluk bay beside Apneista freediving school, this is a beautiful way to explore the coast and stay in shape, there are amazing views of Mount Agung.
