Amed, Bali’s Best-Kept Secret
Amed is a sleepy little coastal town that is full of charm, located in the northeast of Bali. If you enjoy the water but dislike the crowds that come with places like Canggu, Sanur and Uluwatu, then this is your spot. I’ve spent so much time in Bali and I honestly can’t believe I haven’t been here before. It was such a nice change of scenery, that we extended our stay to 5 days and wish we had spent longer.
In honor of such a magical little place, I’ve put together a simpe guide to Amed to get the most of your stay.
♥What makes this area special
♥How to get there
♥Where to stay
♥Where to eat
♥Things to do
Amed: Why This Bali Hideaway Should Be on Your List
Amed is the perfect mix of relaxation, adventure, salt water, and delicious food. Since it is quite far away from the main areas of Bali and the airport, it is still relatively off people’s radar. And between you and me, I hope it stays that way.
The way of life here is much slower and the people are so friendly. There is definitely more of a laidback fishing village vibe here. It’s honestly so special and has that true authentic Balinese charm that attracts travelers to Bali in the first place. I hope you get the chance to experience it for yourself.
How To Get To Amed
I recommend renting a motorbike if you’re comfortable and have experience driving one so that you have complete control over where you’re going. I rented a motorbike and did a 2 month trek around Bali and the surrounding islands, this was perfect for me as it gave me complete freedom over where I wanted to go.
The drive is about 3 hours from Canggu and 2.5 hours from Ubud to give you an idea of how far away it is. It’s a fantastic drive and I highly rcommend it as you go through rice fields, drive along the coastline and have scenic backdrops of the mountains and volcano. We drove from Padang Bai after getting back from Gili Islands and Lombok and it was only a 1.5 hour drive.
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If you’re not comfortable riding a motorbike, you could just rent a go-jek or grab and have it drop you off or take a bus from one of the other cities. Although I am not sure how you would get around once there since there is no grab or gojek. The actual town itself you ould walk around as it’s not very big and you can snorkel off the beach. I’d just recommend meeting someone else and riing with them to go places that are out of the main town.
The other recommendation would be to hire a driver for a day or a multi day tour to allow you to make the most out of your stay. If you do get dropped off just note there is no grbb or gojek to leave so you may have to find a bus out or organize a private taxi.
Where To Stay In Amed
Amed is a long skinny town along the coastline and there’s just one road going up and down it. I think you can’t really go wrong staying anywhere along it as you’re right at the beach. However I really recommend staying in either Jemeluk Bay or Lipah Beach. These are two amazing areas for snorkeling right off the beach. My preference is Jemeluk Bay as I felt it had the best snorkeling and you’re in walking distance to some of the best sunset spots.
I stayed at Warung Ombak in the oceanfront room for 450K IDR or $28/night. The room was large and the view off the balcony was the best part. The bathroom was okay but I didn’t mind because of the view and location to be honest. It was exactly what I was looking for: giant room with big balcony for the sunrise. This location was perfect to go snorkeling right outside the door and to be in walking distance of the best sunset spots.
If you have a bigger budget, I highly recommend you staying at the Solaluna Beach Homestay. This property is GORGEOUS, has a pool, and includes free breakfast. You won’t be disappointed here. This is for $104/night.
Where To Eat In Amed
Despite being a small town, there were so many amazing options when it came to food. I wanted to try them all but of course being there for a limited time we ended up eating back at the same places where we loved their dishes.
Our favorite was a toss up between the fresh fish and curry at Warung Made’s or La Cocina Mexicana. Both are so delicious and so different so you have to try both. La Cocina uses real corn tortillas and the taste is spot on, as someone from the USA. And they have a homemade dragonfruit hotsauce that is to die for.
Other places that were definitely on the list was Warung Asri. Warung Asri also has an amazing fresh fish and my boyfriend says the best gado gado he has had. Plus you can’t beat the view as it’s situated right over the water. We love a good breakfast as well and found that Small Point Cafe had everything we wanted for a really good price.
And if you’re a coffee lover, Wedang Amed has cheap coffee and Kopi Di Tymor is a cute little place with good coffee.
Things To Do In Amed
♥Snorkel or Dive
If you love snorkeling, your going to love it here. There are reefs along the entire coast making it the perfect place to snorkel without the need of a boat or tour – everything is accessible by beach. The water is crystal clear, usually quite calm, and there is a vast array of fish. I could have spent hours chasing the fish around. We rented snorkeling gear local for 40K IDR or $2.50 for the day.
You can also choose to scuba dive or freedive if you like at the shipwrecks or even get certified.
Places To Snorkel or Dive:
Sorry I don’t have any photos as I forgot to bring my gopro. Super sad!
Jemeluk Bay – this one is my favorite. It’s a huge area in a bay so you are protected from wind and waves. Be careful swimming along the south side as it’s quite shallow and the current can move you around alot running the risk of getting hurt on the coral. This bay has an underwater temple you can go down and photograph.
Lipah Beach – the other popular area to snorkel with lots of reef and fish to explore.
Selang Beach – another stunning place to snorkel
USS Liberty Shipwreck – this one is the best of the two shipwrecks in my opinion. You can snorkel or dive it it, you’ll usually see. alot of divers here. You. can swim right off the shore to it as it’s not that far out. It’s super cool to see the size of the ship and if you can freedive you can get a closer look. Free to do it.
Japanese Shipwreck Point – this is another shipwreck that is right off the beach. I felt like you couldn’t see it as good but I think it’s because the water was a bit cloudy that day. There are also people that scubadive here. The entry is not free but you pay maybe 30K IDR (I forget) and it comes with a free drink.
To Scuba Dive The Shipwreck:
Padi No Fear Diving – This is a great company to get PADI certified scuab diving with. You will also get to go on the famous shipwreck. It’s much quieter up here compared to other areas in Bali making it a great place to get certified. If you don’t want to get certified, you can also do an introductory course where you can experience it for a day to see if it’s something you’d like. You can check them out here.
♥Do A Boat Tour
You can hire a boat to take you out to snorkel at other beaches, to go fishing, or to go out for sunrise. The coastline is very quiet makes a great place to do a boat tour without the crowds. This is a great company to do that with, you can check them out here.
♥Relax On The Beach
So many amazing beaches here that have warungs right up against the water so you can eat, drink, and relax in the sun all day. Plus there’s not that many tourists so the beaches are relatively empty compared to Canggu and Seminyak.
♥Sunrise At Lahangan Sweet
This is an insta-famous spot to see the sunrise over Mount Agung. I recommend getting here early to avoid the crowds of people who wait in line for a photo. There’s an entry ticket of 50K IDR and you can enter at anytime you want I believe.
Just know that when the sun does rise the workers who sit in the chairs to take photos arrive and you’ll have to get off the platform. Also don’t be like us and completely miss the actual sunrise that happens to the right over the ocean.
Tip – check the weather before you go for clouds. If it’s cloudy you won’t see the volcano. If you’re traveling solo don’t worry because the guys who take the photos know every angle in the book and will take amazing photos for you for a tip.
*Warning. If you are riding here by motorbike be careful because the road is really steep and pretty rocky and when you think you can’t drive anymore, believe me you can keep going.
♥Tirta Gangga Water Palace
This is a lovely temple to visit about 30 minutes out of Amed. I recommend going after you visit Lahangan Sweet since you’re already out that way. This is the water temple where you can feed the fish. Be sure to bring cash for your entry ticket and for the fish food. The entry ticket is 50K IDR. There’s some food stalls and coffee there as well. The drive is absolutely gorgeous on your way.
♥Watch Sunset
The sunsets here are simply amazing. I did watch one sunrise but to be honest I am more of a sunset gal myself because I am not a morning person. I recommend going to these spots to watch it as you won’t be disappointed. They are all nearby Jemeluk Bay too.
The first place is Sunset Point Amed. It has an infinity pool, cocktails, food, and DJ. If you want to see how sick the place is, check it out here. 100K IDR minimum spend but so worth it for the place.
The other places are Joli Best View Cafe, See You Again Cafe, and Blue Earth Village. Super cute cafes that are on the side of the mountain offering you amazing views. ofthe sunset and the bay below. Recommend getting to these places early so you can snag the best seat. There’s also live music.
xx, christine
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