Bali’s Amed Is Attracting A New Wave Of Nature Loving Tourists

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Nature lovers seeking a crowd-free place to reconnect with nature and discover new landscapes in Bali should head to Amed.

Located on the east coast of Bali, Amed is an overlooked destination that offers tourists a complete retreat, and nature experiences abound. 

Amed is perhaps best known for its snorkelling and diving. While Nusa Pendia is the most famous amongst tourists, dedicated divers and marine enthusiasts know that Amed is the place to be.

While Karangasem Regency, within which Amed is located, has plenty of green landscapes to explore, it really is the underwater realms that steal the show here.

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Amed is the destination of choice for hundreds of tourists to obtain their PADI Scuba Certifications every year. Home to a fantastic collection of highly regarded and licensed dive shops, Amed is considered amongst some of the best places in the world to complete PADI certifications.

Companies like Apnea Bali also offer free diving courses for those who wish to explore the ocean in a whole new way. 

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The Karangasem Coast is home to some of Bali’s most pristine coral reefs. Jemeluk Bay is best known for its calm, beginner-friendly waters and is even home to an underwater temple.

This is a much-loved spot for beginner snorkelers and divers, offering easy challenges for honing technical skills and providing an inspiring underwater landscape to explore. For those looking for colourful coral reefs, the coral garden off Lipah Beach is the place to go.

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The most famous of the dive sites off Amed is the USAT Liberty Wreck. Located closer to Tulamben than Amed, it is in fact one of the most renowned dive sites in the world.

Despite this, it never feels crowded and divers always have more than enough time and space to explore the site at a pace that suits them.

It is not uncommon to encounter turtles off the coast of Amed, which never loses its excitement, no matter how many times it happens. 

Back on land, the black sand beaches of Amed are a treat to behold. These vast stretches of coast are a hub of activity from sunrise to sunset.

Fishing is still the mainstay for many local families, and Amed Beach is at its most photogenic when all the traditional jukung boats are lined up along the shore. An early morning or late afternoon stroll along Amed Beach offers not only stunning ocean views but awe-inspiring vistas of Mount Agung.

All of Amed sits within the shadow of the majestic and sacred Mount Agung, and for those who wish to summit the peak, there are more than enough opportunities to do so from a stay in Amed. 

Tourists looking to hike Mount Agung will surely find a number of licensed and experienced local guides in Amed. It is essential, not only for safety but as a legal requirement, for tourists to be accompanied by a local guide on a trek on Mount Agung.

Trekking Mount Agung is a serious undertaking, and tourists must ensure they have all the necessary equipment and are suitably fit and healthy before setting off. The most popular way to hike Mount Agung, and Mount Batur for that matter, is to start the hike in the very early hours of the morning so as to reach the summit for sunrise. 

For those who don’t fancy the early start or steep inclines, there are many rural walking paths to explore in the Amed area. Tourists should discuss with their accommodation hosts the possibility of arranging a guided walk or obtaining directions for self-led walking routes around nearby villages.

Tourists seeking a totally unexpected landscape in Bali should be sure to check out Savana Tianyar. Indeed, a Savannah-like landscape is hidden away in East Bali.

Savana Tianyar can be found a scenic 45-minute coastal drive from Amed, and a stop off in the village of Kubu is an added treat to see Mount Agung from yet another angle.