Amed: East Bali's Quiet Side
Two hours from Canggu and a world away from it. Amed is east Bali's answer to slow travel - fishing villages, black sand beaches, the best wreck diving in Southeast Asia, and water that glows blue on moonless nights.
What Amed actually is
Amed isn't one village - it's a string of small fishing communities along 8km of east Bali coastline: Amed, Jemeluk, Bunutan, Lipah, Selang. Black volcanic sand beach, traditional jukung fishing boats at dawn, Mount Agung filling the inland horizon. Amed is what Bali looked like before the tourist boom reached everywhere.
The diving and snorkelling here is among the best in Bali. The USS Liberty shipwreck at nearby Tulamben is one of the most accessible dive wrecks in the world - you swim to it from the beach.
USS Liberty Shipwreck: Tulamben
A US cargo ship torpedoed by Japanese submarine in 1942, now resting 10–30m deep just 30m from shore. The wreck is completely covered in coral and fish - it's a reef ecosystem now, not a wreck site. Nudibranch, bumphead parrotfish, white-tip sharks and schooling fish in the thousands. Accessible to beginner divers and snorkellers.
USS Liberty at a glance
Bioluminescent plankton
On moonless nights, Amed's water glows. Bioluminescent plankton lights up with movement - wave your hand through the water and it sparkles blue. Running into the sea at night creates trails of cold blue light. It's one of those experiences that sounds exaggerated until you see it. Best in June–October when plankton concentrations are highest.
Dolphins at Tulamben and Amed
Spinner dolphins frequent the bay in the early morning. Boat trips leave before dawn - by 6am you're in the water with dolphins doing aerial spins around the boat. Unlike the dolphin-watching circus at Lovina (where boats chase dolphins at speed), Amed encounters tend to be calmer with snorkelling from anchored boats.
Getting to Amed from south Bali
- From Canggu: 2–2.5 hours by scooter or car via the bypass and coastal road
- Scooter recommended - the coastal road from Candidasa to Amed is one of Bali's best rides
- The road climbs and descends dramatically - great views, worth going slow
- Alternatively: combine with Kintamani and approach from the north (mountain route)
FAQ
Getting there by scooter or car?
Scooters and cars from local owners. Delivery to your villa or hotel is usually free.
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