Amed Beach may not be popular enough compared to Bali’s top beaches such as Lovina or Kuta. Located at the “tail” part of Bali, the beach is indeed rather secluded. Lucky tourists who happen to find this place will enjoy the serenity this beach offers. That and the opportunity to discover life under the sea.
Amed Beach is more known among avid divers and snorkeling enthusiasts. The seabed is covered with corals and many other sea creatures. The hidden feature of the Amed diving spot is the existence of two WWII Japanese shipwrecks. Which was a tourist’s favorite to discover!
Amed Beach has gentle waves. Therefore swimming and snorkeling here provide little to no challenge. Amed itself is also the name of the village surrounding the beach. It’s a fishing village. With residents’ main occupation is fishing and some do salt farming.
Although the sea here is relatively calm, Amed experiences one or two high waves in a year. In January 2019, a high wave hit the land. Causing quite a damage, especially on fishing equipment. Thankfully there were no casualties.
The Beach of Real Bali
If visitors hoping for a white sandy beach. Then Amed Beach is not the one. The beach is too rocky to lay a mat and sunbathe. Pebbles spew by Mount Agung eruption in the past, comprise most of the beach surface. The beach serves more like a parking space for locals’ boats.
Notice plenty of Jukung, Bali’s traditional fishing boats, park neatly along the shoreline. This is the beauty of Amed Beach. Forget about beach bars with loud music. Forget about tourists crowding the sand to sunbathe. Amed is all about the quiet and authentic side of Bali.
One can see fishermen coming from the sea with their catch or doing maintenance for the boat. Locals go about their daily activities, undisturbed by anything touristy. As a tourist, enjoy being in the middle of this mundane, yet interesting Balinese life.
Go to the beach and strike up a random conversation with a fisherman. Ask him about what he has caught or how he does his work daily. Learn a bit about salt farming too, a livelihood which is about to go extinct at Amed.
Amed Beach Snorkeling Spot & Wreck Diving
When it seems idyllic on the surface, Amed is way livelier under the water. Rent snorkeling gear to discover a whole new world. The clear water of Amed Beach is home to a biodiversity of fish and corals. In the past, some of these corals were destroyed by dynamite fishing.
These days many corals begin to grow again, becoming the colorful coral gardens it once was. Catch sight of teeming marine creatures such as turtles, various colorful fishes, rays, and various sea critters. If lucky, a diver can encounter a reef shark and even dolphins during a diving session.
The mysterious Japanese shipwrecks are located a bit far from the shore, around 15 miles. Divers who want to have a shipwreck expedition will need to rent a boat and also a guide. No worries, plenty of diving companies offer affordable diving tour packages around Amed.
Amed Beach Sunrise
Wake up at 4 AM in the morning along with the local fishermen at Amed Village. As the fishermen head out to the sea to catch some fish, a tourist gets up from bed to catch something else: the beautiful sunrise of Amed. In the morning, the sight of a giant yellow ball breaking the darkness is a view not to miss.
Especially with the silhouette of fisherman boats in a distance. There’s a better way to experience Amed’s sunrise. It is to join a fisherman while he goes fishing. Hop into his boat and help him gather the catch of the day. As the sun begins to up, take a rest to mesmerize a beauty only nature can offer.
Enjoying this sunrise from the shore is already amazing. To enjoy it from the sea, while hauling 400 mackerels, is totally something else.
Go Fishing
Arrange a fishing trip at Amed Beach. The villagers open their jukung boat to guests. It means that, with an affordable price, tourists could experience being a fisherman for one day. Renting the boat also comes with several pieces of equipment. Such as nets and fishing rods.
After a hard but fun time fishing at the sea. Bring back the catch and head into one of the restaurants here. Then ask for the fish to be grilled and cooked into any kind of mouthwatering dish.
Amed Sunset Spot
While Amed Beach is located on the eastern shore of Bali. It does not mean people can not enjoy the sunset here. The sunset here is as remarkable as the sunrise, if not better. Hike up on Jemeluk Bay by the south side of Amed for the best sunset viewpoint.
When the sun sets, it goes hiding behind Mount Agung. The shadow cast by the volcano creates such a dramatic display that will leave onlookers breathless.
Amed Beach Opening Hours
Amed Beach is open for tourists all day every day except in Nyepi. Where like every other tourist site in Bali closed. The best month to dive is between April to October.
| Amed Beach Opening Hours | |
| Every day | Open 24 Hours |
See: Gate of Heaven, Lempuyang Temple Guide & Tips.
Amed Beach Entrance Fee
Prepare Rp10.000 for ticket/donation and Rp5.000 for the parking fee. Rent for snorkeling gears is around Rp35.000 to Rp50.000. But remember to haggle. Renting a jukung or boat from a tour company will cost around Rp350.000. But it’s better to approach a fisherman and negotiate the price directly.
| Amed Beach Entrance Fee | |
| Ticket / Donation | Rp10.000 |
| Snorkeling Gear | Rp35.000 – Rp50.000 |
| Rent Boat | Rp350.000 |
| Parking Fee | Rp5.000 |
See: Tirtagangga Water Palace, Natural Hot Spring & Guide.
Facilities
There is plenty of accommodation in the village to choose from. The rate is as cheap as IDR 150k/night for a room at a homestay. Shops, diving and snorkeling rentals, and restaurants line up along the coasts.
Beach lounges are free if visitors buy food and drinks from the shops nearby. Basic facilities including toilets and parking. Note that restaurants here don’t open until late at the night as on other popular beaches.
See: Guide To Explore Taman Ujung Water Palace, Karangasem.
How To Get To Amed Beach
Visitors can use shuttle buses by Perama Tour Company to get to Amed. They offer a shuttle service from Kuta and Ubud. The ticket is reasonable at Rp175.000 for a one-way trip. Get the ticket at Perama Tour has offices throughout Bali, in Amed included. Tourists can also book a ticket online on their website.
Note that shuttle buses usually take some time at each stop to load and unload passengers. Renting a private vehicle can be a choice for anyone who has limited time. Prepare Rp70.000 to Rp100.000/day for scooter rental or Rp350.000 for a car.
The route is as follows: Ngurah Rai Bypass Road – Ida Bagus Mantra Road – Padang Bai Road – turn left at Bugbug Street to Bungaya Street – continue to follow the road northward until Amed. The whole journey takes about 2 hours from Denpasar to Amed.
See: Bali Airport Public Transportation & Guide.
Address & Location
Amed beach is located in Jl. I Ketut Natih, Purwakerti, Abang, Karangasem, Bali 80852.
