Amed

Amed is not one beach but a string of fishing villages stretched along about 14 kilometres of Bali’s east coast: Amed, Jemeluk, Bunutan, Lipah, Selang, Banyuning and Aas. Each has a small bay of dark volcanic sand, a row of colourful jukung outrigger boats and a reef close enough to reach with a few fin kicks.

Mornings set the tone. At sunrise the fishing boats head out from Jemeluk, the sea is glassy, and Mount Agung shows its full outline behind the hills. By midday most visitors are underwater, drifting over coral gardens, and by late afternoon the strip slows to a hammock-and-sunset pace.

It is a place for snorkellers, freedivers and divers first, and for anyone who wants Bali at a quieter volume. The villages also keep alive one of the island’s few traditional sea-salt farming crafts.

What to see

Jemeluk Bay is the classic first snorkel: sheltered, usually calm, with coral, an underwater shrine and submerged statues just offshore, and a viewpoint above the bay. Further south in Banyuning, a Japanese shipwreck, a World War II patrol boat broken into sections, lies just off the beach in shallow water, marked by buoys. Lipah offers easy shallow coral gardens, and around 20 minutes north, Tulamben holds the USAT Liberty, a US Army transport ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942 that now rests close to shore and is one of Bali’s best-known dive sites.

How to visit

• Best window: snorkel between about 07.00 and 10.30, before wind and chop build. Mid to high tide is easiest over the reefs.
• Season: April to October usually brings calmer seas and better visibility; heavy rain in the wet season can cloud the water.
• Gear: warungs rent mask, snorkel and fins for around IDR 50.000-100.000 a day; dive centres charge more. Booties help on the stony entries.
• Currents: mild in Jemeluk, Lipah and at the Japanese wreck; stronger off Bunutan point and Selang. Watch for boat traffic and skip the wreck in rough seas.
• Jukung trips: local fishermen run snorkel trips between bays in traditional outriggers; agree the price and route first.
• Getting around: the coast road is narrow and hilly. A scooter or driver makes hopping between bays easy.

Etiquette & dress

Swimwear belongs on the beach and in the water; cover up in the villages, shops and warungs. Never stand on or touch coral, do not feed fish, and use reef-safe sunscreen. Give way to fishermen launching and landing their boats.

Combine it with

• Tulamben the USAT Liberty wreck, snorkelled from the shore, around 20 minutes north.
• Tirta Gangga Water Palace royal water gardens with stepping stones and fountains, around 30-40 minutes.
• Virgin Beach a rare white-sand cove near Candidasa, around 1 hour.

Sources

Prices and opening hours checked on 02/11/2026 against the sources below. They can change without notice, so confirm on site before you go.

• Love Bali (Bali Provincial Government): Amed
• Love Bali (Bali Provincial Government): Tulamben
• Honeycombers Bali: Amed Bali travel guide
• Bali Holiday Secrets: Snorkelling in Amed: Best Spots, Prices, & Marine Life
• Snorkeling Report: Snorkeling the Japanese Wreck, Amed
• Wikipedia: Amed (Bali)
• Love Bali (Bali Provincial Government): Tourist levy inspection at Bali destinations