Are you looking to escape the touristy areas of Bali? Places like Kuta and Ubud are places in Bali are great to explore and unwind but they southern Bali can be crowded and at times, hectic. I found Amed, Bali to be the perfect mix of tranquil paradise hosting enough attractions to keep anyone busy for days. With its pristine volcanic black sand beaches, beautiful coral reefs, and stunning views of Mt. Agung, Amed is the perfect place to visit to relax and unwind. If planning on staying in Amed, I’ve outlined in this post all you need to know, to include must visit attractions, finding a dive shop, recommended places to eat, and snorkeling the beautiful Amed Beach.
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Amed is on Bali’s north eastern side of the island. Amed consists of several small fishing villages that run along the coastline.
Getting to Amed is fairly straight forward, as it is a 2-3 hour drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport in southern Bali. From Ubud, it is about a 2 – 2.5 hour drive. Keep in mind traffic can be a huge influence on arrival times. From the airport, the main road hugging the cost line takes you past Manggis. Right after Bugbug Village, the road heading north takes you to Amed.
Typically, the best way to get to Amed from others places around Bal is to simply hire a personal driver. We hired a driver on various occasions and found it to be cheap, easy, and hassle free in Bali.
Staying in Amed, Where to Stay
If staying in Amed, Bali chances are you are visiting this area for water activities such as diving or snorkeling or you want to escape the crowded places in southern Bali to relax on some of Bali’s best beaches.
Amed is a growing community and many hotels are appearing along the coast line. Many dive shops even have accommodations. So when booking places in Amed, a lot comes down to your interests, budget, and needs.
For me, I visited Amed strictly to dive the USAT Liberty Shipwreck and stayed here to explore more of East Bali. At the same time, I wanted a place that was centrally located, near Amed Beach, and a place that I could stay at that made me feel like I was on vacation.
We ended up staying at Amed Oasis, and booked it through Agoda. We were pleasantly surprised. Amed Oasis had a pool, private rooms, breakfast, helpful staff, and was close to a dive shop, grocery store, and an abundance of restaurants.
Amed Oasis blew my expectations and was exactly the type of hotel in Amed I was looking for.
Tips and Helpful Information
- Amed is a newer tourist area. It wasn’t really built for tourism until recently. In fact, they are currently (2024) in the process of adding sidewalks throughout town.
- There is a grocery store in town called Solaluna Mart that had a lot of snacks, food items, and beverages. This place was quite popular.
- There are at least 3 ATMs in Amed, that we know of. There was one inside the Indomaret, one outside Solaluna Mart, and one inside Solaluna Mart. The one inside Solaluna Mart appeared to be the best working ATM in Amed.
- The beaches in Amed are very nice but trash does wash ashore. You even see plastic floating in the water. Be a good person and pick up trash when you see it.
- Amed and most of Bali does have a stray cat and dog problem. Be kind to the animals and help if needed.
Things to do in Amed
For a laid back fishing village located in East Bali, Amed offers plenty of things to do. Whether you are here just to go diving for the day or staying in Amed for multiple days, you definitely won’t get bored here. We stayed in Amed for 3 days and honestly, I could have stayed longer. In those 3 days, we managed to dive the USAT Liberty Shipwreck, went snorkeling at the black sand beaches in Amed, took a day trip around East Bali, and even managed to find time to get massages and relax. Here are a few of the recommended things to do in Amed.
Dive at one of the Many Dive Sites near Amed
Amed is a mecca for diving enthusiasts. With dive sites like the USAT Liberty Shipwreck or Jemeluk Reef, it’s no wonder people flock to Amed to check out the worlds most accessible shipwreck or come to see the beautifully vibrant coral reefs and marine life that calls this area home.
In Amed, dive shops line the street, honestly most of the shops offer similar dives and competitive prices. I went with Bali Dive Cove based on the location to my hotel and was very pleased with their service, professionalism, and respect for Bali’s waters.
Snorkel Amed Beach or Any Other Nearby Beach
We stayed across the street from Amed Beach, so I made it a goal to snorkel Amed Beach daily. I’ve snorkeled beaches in so many amazing places around the world and this has to be among my favorites.
The water or coral doesn’t look as healthy off the shores as Amed as other place I’ve snorkeled, but the marine life was next to none. I saw so many new species I’ve never seen before to include Mantis Shrimp, Garden Eels, Bluespotted Ribbon Rays, shrimp fish, and so much more. We even swam with a hawksbill sea turtle. The sea turtle frequented Amed Beach as we saw the same one every time we snorkeled.
Sign Up for a Half or Full Day Trip
2 days in Amed is more then enough to see the town, relax on the beach, and partake in some of the amazing water activities. But if staying in Amed more then a couple days, I highly recommend a half day or full day tour to see more of what Bali has to offer.
Amed is a great jumping point to explore East Bali. We booked a East Bali Tour through Viator and the tour included well known sites like Lempuyang and Tirta Gangga.
I recommend the Lempuyang Temple and East Bali Private Tour or the Explore East Bali: Full-Day Tour.
These tour offer pick up and drop off services and hit all the highlights. Sometimes, the tours are somewhat customizable and the driver will recommend other stops along the journey.
Recommended Places to Eat in Amed
After spending several days in Amed, Bali I managed to try several restaurants both for lunch and dinner. Many of the warungs (small, family owned restaurant) in Amed offer freshly caught seafood and both Balinese and Western dishes. Many of the restaurants in Amed do cater to tourists but you can find a good mix of restaurants in Amed. Here are a few of the warungs we went to and highly recommend.
Massimo Gelato: Perhaps the best ice cream in Amed? Massimo Gelato was located at the hotel I stayed at, so there was no reason to try ice cream anywhere else. Massimo Gelato is a chain ice cream shop in Bali, I saw another location in Sanur. The gelato here is fantastic with so many rich flavors. I had ice cream at Massimo Gelato every day I stayed in Amed, highly recommend!
Moon Cafe: Located across the street from our hotel, Amed Oasis, was this little local restaurant serving fresh fish and local specialties. It was just one person working that night. Both Jill and I ordered the Fish of the day, which was grilled Mahi Mahi.
Rimba Cafe: This cafe was next door to our hotel, Amed Oasis. We came here due to the high praises from Google Reviews. The outdoor seating area was lovely and the atmosphere was very laid back. We each ordered wraps. I had a fish wrap with fries and it was a delight. For lunch, the wraps were refreshing, filling, and most importantly, delicious!
Small Point Cafe: Another great lunch spot in Amed was the Small Point Cafe. They specialize in Pizza, but I was looking for Fish and Chips. The fish was locally caught and the breading used was perfect. I’d love to come back here for some pizza, next time.
Warung Bobo: Perhaps one of the more popular places we went to for dinner in Amed was Warung Bobo. Warung Bobo’s menu was extensive, they had everything from western food like burgers and ribs to Indonesian dishes like Aya Jamur and Ikan Goreng Saos Taoco.
Conclusion
Staying in Amed, Bali offers an incredible experience for those looking to escape the crowded touristy areas of Bali. Known for having some of the best dive sites in Bali, Amed is a destination that s somewhat off the beaten path, for now. If you are a diver, someone who loves the beach, or just want to explore a different part of Bali, Amed offers something for everyone.
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Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇮🇩
Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖
For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com
Activities and Tours 🏖️🚁
Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.
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