Amed - group of fishing villages in Karangasem Regency on the east coast of Bali

For the city in Turkish Southeast Anatolia with the Kurdish name Amed, see Diyarbakir.

Amed is a long coastal strip of fishing villages in East Bali running from the village of Culik about 14 km eastwards incorporating the seven villages of Amed, Jemeluk, Bunutan, Lipah, Selang, Banyuning and Aas. The pace of life here is slow and the coastal scenery quite stunning making Amed the perfect place for a relaxed holiday in Bali. It is the most commonly used base for visitors wishing to dive the USAT Liberty wreck at Tulamben. There are other good dive sites close at hand and a thriving dive industry has developed all the way along the coast here.

Understand

Amed was developed for tourism in the early 21st century: in 2000 tarmac was laid on the roads, telephone lines were installed in 2003, and in 2007 a bridge was built over a section of the main road that regularly washed away during the rainy season.

Amed's inhabitants live from fishing, salt-making and tourism. The lack of tourism-based revenue, its remote nature and the generally harsh environment for farming, meant that this area was very much one of the poorer areas in Bali. Amongst others, the East Bali Poverty Project drew attention to the plight of the local villagers in this area and that, together with recent tourist development, has gone a long way to improving general standards of living, health and education.

Get in

Amed lies on the north-eastern tip of Bali, a little more than a 2-hr drive from the Ngurah Rai International Airport. A taxi service to Amed is available at the airport for about Rp 400,000.

Amed is accessed by turning east at the village of Culik which lies on the main east coast road from Karangasem to Singaraja.

Shuttle buses regularly serve the destination from Candidasa and Lovina and now that the road has been greatly improved, they take you all the way into Amed.

Perama operates a daily shuttle bus from Kuta, Sanur and Ubud, and goes through Padang Bai, Candidasa around Tirta Gangga. Arrival time is around 11:00. Departure time is 11:00 for Tulamben and 11:30 for Amed. The bus stops are located at Amed Cafe & Hotel and Wayan Restaurant Tulamben.

The easiest way into Amed though is to hire your own transport with a driver. Be aware that the Amed district is stretched out over more than 10 km. Transport by local drivers is widely available in Amed. Transport to Padang Bai should not cost more than Rp 150,000.

If you are coming from the islands to the east, Amed Sea Express offers pick-up in Lombok, Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air with twice daily service to Amed arriving at 09:15 & 13:15.

Get around

Public transport in Amed is rare. There are bemos (mini buses) from Culik as far as Aas (that pass through Amed) but mainly in the morning. Later in the day it is almost impossible to find public transport. The easiest way to get around is to hire a car and driver. Motorcycles are widely available for rent and you should expect to pay Rp 50,000-80,000/day.

See

Amed's beaches, are lined with traditional outrigger fishing boats, which depending on your point of view make a scenic photo or restrict walking on the beach. Amed village beach consists of coarse black pebbles; as you move further east (and away from Mount Agung), the beaches become sandier but remain somewhat grey-brown in colour. The prettiest bays are probably those at Jemeluk and Lipah but the whole stretch of coastline is very attractive.

Salt production is a declining but still important industry in this area. As you drive along the main coast road through the villages you will see large open drying pans crusted with salt crystals. Those little boxes of gourmet Bali salt crystals you see in delicatessens and speciality food stores all over the world may have started their long journey from these very pans.

There is vibrant marine life close offshore in clear seas.

• Mini Zoo, Selang (at the Selang Resort), -8.358°, 115.694°, +62 852 37506739, info@selangreesort.com. 07:00-21:00. Many kinds of birds (cockatoo, lory, hornbill), reptiles (python, tortoise, skink) and mammals (slow lori, palm civet, porcupine). Rp 20,000
• Shell Museum, Bunutan (at the Aiona Garden of Health), -8.3428°, 115.6682°. An odd little place and a very charming one to boot. Exactly as it says, shells. Rp 20,000

Do

Most people come to Amed as a getaway, including expats from other parts of the island. It is a favorite honeymoon destination for tourists and is very popular with divers and snorkelers. Day trips to local places of interest such as the water palace at Tirta Gangga and Bali's most sacred temple, Besakih, can easily be arranged. Mount Agung with lots of trekking options 30–40 minutes from Amed.

Traditional outrigger boats are available for fishing charters from the main beaches in the Amed area. This normally involves early morning trolling for mackerel.

Have a traditional massage on the beach. Women from the local villages are always on hand for an invigorating massage, speciality so at Lipah Beach.

Enjoy nature and go with the wind on a traditional sailing boat for diving, fishing, exploration, dolphin watching, snorkelling or just swimming and relaxing.

You can get your visa extended here for Rp 500,000, and it takes a week. Dive Concepts can tell you where to go for that and other dive centres may also assist. The standard charge at a Kantor Imigrasi (Department of Immigration office) for a 30-day extension is Rp 250,000 for a VOA, 211 class SOSBUB visa, presumably they are supplying the standard forms (normally Rp 5,000) and the footwork. You will need to provide 2 passport photos, and your passport. A receipt should be provided for your passport and ensure that you have a couple of photocopies of the photo page, your arrivals card and the visa you used to enter. Do it at least one week prior to expiry date.

• Condor Sailing (at Hotel Uyah Amed), +62 363 23462, info@ameddivecenter.com.

Yoga

• Coconut Yoga. A quiet shala in the forest, a little set back from the main road, at Kelapa Cottage. Daily yoga classes, retreats and yoga teacher trainings. Classes are accessible to all levels. 2017-07-24
• Viktoria. Hatha Yoga since 2006. Lessons are 90 min in duration. 2017-07-24
• Apneista Yoga and Freediving School. Beachside yoga sala and training in Jemaluk bay. Most days there is a 90-min Asana class in the evenings and often in the mornings. Workshops in pranayama and meditation. 2017-07-24

Snorkelling

Amed has some good snorkelling within metres of the shore. A reef follows the majority of the coastline and is quite close in. Due to the limited number of visitors to the area and a growing conservation awareness among the locals, the sea life is healthy and abundant. There is a small wooden wreck in only 1.5 m of water off Lipah Beach. Banyuning is great for diving & snorkelling with abundant coral & fish life - this dive site is locally known among the dive operators as the "Japanese Wreck" and is clearly signposted with ample car parking and snorkel equipment rental on location.

Best places for snorkelling are:

• Japanese Shipwreck Banyuning 📍 , small ship at 20m from the beach, awesome corals with tons of fish
• Jemeluk 📍 , an absolute highlight with beautiful coral formations and loads of fish
• in front of Pondok Vienna Beach 📍 , in Lipah. Waters can be very rough here.
• small wooden shipwreck 📍 , at Lipah beach
• Bunutan beach 📍 , very good stretch between Bedulu Resort and Hotel Santai (eel garden, beautiful coral, not so many fish
• Selang beach 📍 , in front of Good Karma Bungalows (visibility isn't always good because of strong currents
• in front of Amed Cafe 📍
• Liberty shipwreck 📍 , at Tulamben, some of which is in water shallow enough to allow snorkelling
• Coral garden 📍

Diving

There is some fine diving in Jemeluk Bay both from the beach and from boats in deeper water. After a gentle slope out from shore, the wall here drops off dramatically to depths of 40 m. The coral is healthy and fish life abundant. There are some good drift dives further east at Selang and Bunutan but these are generally only suited to more experienced divers.

Beware of diving after a heavy rain; the water from the run-off can greatly reduce visibility in the water.

• Adventure Divers Bali, Jl Jemeluk, +62 813 5313 6113, adventurediversbali@gmail.com. PADI and SSI dive shop offering a full range of courses. Instructed by David, an Englishman who moved to Amed with Liselotte, his Belgian wife. Together they run the diving school and Geria Giri Shanti Bungalows. Great couple that makes you feel at home. 2019-12-22

• Amed Dive Center, Jl Pantai Timur 801 (Hotel Uyah), +62 363 23462, info@ameddivecenter.com. Full range of PADI courses, fun dives, diving and sailing trips. English, French and German speaking.

• Amed Fun Divers, Jl Raya Amed 10, +62 813-3753-3339, info@fundiversbali.com. 07:30 - 20:00. SSI dive school offering dive courses and fun dives. The school is teaching every course level including dive master and instructor training courses.They have a variety of dive sites to choose from in Amed and Tulamben areas. They also offer night dives and dive safaris. The school is devoted to helping the young local people get into the diving industry and increase their environmental awareness. Languages spoken: French, German, English, Spanish, Chinese, Indonesian. Price for fun dives starts at €45 for 2 dives, depends on the entry methods and distance

• Amed Scuba, Bunutan, +62 81 999 123 847, halloscuba@yahoo.com. Offers diving tours around Bali, local Amed-based dive-safaris and yoga classes. Instruct all PADI courses from Open Water to Divemaster. German, English and French speaking. Instructed by a German biologist.

• Baliku Dive Center, Banyuning (Baliku Dive Resort), +62 363 430 1871, diving@amedbaliresort.com. PADI and SSI dive shop offering a full range of courses. Managed by a Belgian, courses and dives are available in French, English, German and Indonesian.

• Baruna Dive Bali, -8.335637°, 115.651288°, divebaruna@gmail.com. 07:30 - 19:00. Founded in 2012. PADI and SSI dive centre. French management with professional and local staff, multilingual courses and dives. Courses are available in French, English and Spanish. Small groups of maximum 4 divers per instructor or guide. 2019-07-24

• Dive Concepts, Bali, Jl Raya, Amed & @ Pura Aries Hotel, Tulamben (In Amed, directly after crossing the bridge entering the first village), +62 81 21 684 5440, info@diveconcepts.com. 09:00-18:00. PADI dive centre offering local fun dives around Amed and on the USAT Liberty wreck. Day trips to Nusa Penida and Menjangan Island, multi-day dive safaris and courses from Discover Scuba Diving to Assistant Instructor. Foreign instructors and divemasters emphasis speaking French and English but also offer courses in Italian, Spanish and German. The shop has multiple locations; in addition to the Amed and Tulamben shops, there are offices in Kuta, and Gili Trawangan. They also know a local travel agent who can arrange visa extensions for Rp 500,000 that take a week. Rp 500,000 for 2 dives

• Ecodive Bali, Jemeluk, +62 363 23482, info@ecodivebali.com. Amed's oldest and largest dive centre, established in 1997 and run by a PADI Master Instructor/SSI Instructor Trainer with over 35 years professional experience. Daily dive trips and a full range of courses from Open Water to Instructor. Languages served: English, French, German, Dutch and Indonesian. Responsible and sustainable tourism policies; pledges US$1 from every dive and US$10 from every course to local social and ecological projects.

• Euro Dive, Lipah, +62 363 23605, eurodive@telkom.net. PADI dive centre established in 1999. English, French, German and Indonesian speaking. Associated with Hidden Paradise and Coral View cottages.

• Fusion Freedive and Yoga, Jl. I Ketut Natih, +62 82 339 313 998, info@fusionfreedive.com. Freediving school - offers freedive courses in AIDA, Pure Apnea and SSI systems, coaching, depth and pool trainings for all levels, monofin clinic, freedive and spearfishing gear rental, spearfishing courses and trips, fun-dives, manta trips, wreck diving, breath-hold clinic for surfers, freedive/spearfishing shop.

• Jukung Dive Bali (Formerly known as Euro Dive), Jl Jemeluk, +62 363 23469, welcome@jukungdivebali.com. PADI 5-star Gold Palm Resort run by a Dutch family. They speak English, French and Dutch. The 2 swimming pools are used for instruction sessions but are also a place to relax. 3 bungalows with sea view available, A/C, hot water and a restaurant with very good food. Bali Dive Safaris is part of Jukung Dive and offers dive safaris to dive spots in Bali.

• La Bila Dive Resort, Jl. I Ketut Natih, -8.33576°, 115.64897°, +62 878 61748686, biladivingamed@gmail.com. PADI dive centre that offers a range of dive courses from Discover Scuba Diving to Dive Master. The staff and instructors are very friendly, helpful and competent. They offer fun dives to a wide variety of dive sites around Amed and Tulamben. It has a great restaurant and accommodation with A/C and hot water available. Languages spoken: English, German, Indonesian and Spanish.

• PLOUF Diving, Jl Jemeluk, +62 896 8819 9250, ssiitc@gmail.com. SSI dive center opened in 2015 led by two French instructors within a family atmosphere. Full range of courses from Discover Scuba Diving to Instructor. Large swimming pool available for dive training and relaxing. English, French, Spanish and Indonesian speaking. Offering local fun dives and night dives around Amed and Tulamben (including USAT Liberty wreck) and multiple Macro spots for photography lovers.

• Bali Reef divers, Jl Raya Bunutan, +6281236627648, info@balireefdivers.com. 08:00-19:00. PADI dive shop managed by 2 Belgians, offering a full range of courses, in Amed & Tulamben with adjacent accommodation - Amed : Puri Wirata dive resort & Tulamben : Bali Reef divers Tulamben. Dives in the Amed, Tulamben and Kubu area and lessons in French, Dutch, German, Indonesian, Balinese and Chinese. 2019-07-29

Tulamben

Tulamben is a small fishing village, 30 km north of Amed, about 20-30 min by road. As well as local dives off the various Amed beaches a notable attraction is diving the wreck of the USAT Liberty at Tulamben. Some divers base themselves at Tulamben itself where all of the hotels have either in-house dive operations or are associated with one of them. Local operators run shore dives, since both the wreck and the two other local dive sites are within 100m of the shore.

The Liberty is a US Army transport ship torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942. The wreck lies about 30 m offshore and is covered in soft corals. A huge range of reef fish have made this their home with occasional visits by pelagics. Some of the wreck can be seen by snorkellers. There are other dives in the Tulamben area and keen divers will have no problem entertaining themselves for a few days in this area. A night dive on the wreck is strongly recommended, with bumphead parrotfish looking for a place to sleep and chances of seeing the Spanish dancer. The Liberty is a very popular dive and unless you are actually staying at Amed or Tulamben and get there early in the day, it can be very crowded indeed.

• Ocean Sun Dive Resort Tulamben, Jl. Raya Kubu Amplapura +62 81337573434 , info@ocean-sun.com, SSI Diamond Dive Resort with 10 bungalows and the restaurant "Chops and Hops". Daily dives, full range of dive course from Open Water Diver till Instructor and Technical Diving is offer by the Dive Resort.
• Aqua Dive Paradise, Jl. Raya Amplapura, Tulamben (At the north end of the strip, down towards the shore, follow the signs towards Liberty Dive Resort and Ocean View), +62 812 3793 3104, +62 817 0661 347, +62 817 475 6420. A small, locally-owned place with friendly, professional local staff and negotiable prices. They also have three new, clean, affordable, fan-cooled rooms available (a decent breakfast included). Rp 250,000 per dive or Rp 350,000 per night dive (Aug 2011)
• Dive Concepts, Bali, Jl Raya, Amed & @ Pura Aries Hotel, Tulamben (In Amed, directly after crossing the bridge entering the first village), +62 812 1684 5440, info@diveconcepts.com. 09:00-18:00. PADI dive centre offering local fun dives around Amed and on the USAT Liberty wreck. Day trips to Nusa Penida and Menjangan Island, multi-day dive safaris and courses from Discover Scuba Diving to Assistant Instructor. Foreign instructors and divemasters emphasis speaking French and English but also offer courses in Italian, Spanish and German. The shop has multiple locations; in addition to the Amed and Tulamben shops, there are offices in Kuta, and Gili Trawangan. Rp 500,000 for 2 dives
• PLOUF Diving, Jl Jemeluk, +62 896 8819 9250, ssiitc@gmail.com. SSI dive center driven by two French instructors within a family atmosphere. Full range of courses from Discover Scuba Diving to Instructor. Large swimming pool available for dive training and relaxing. English, French, Spanish and Indonesian speaking. Offering local fun dives and night dives around Amed and Tulamben (including USAT Liberty wreck) and multiple Macro spots for photography lovers.

Buy

There are a few shops in Amed selling basic necessities as well as sarongs and T-shirts. It does not have the range of handicrafts and clothing that you find in other more developed tourist areas of Bali.

There are ATMs in Amed.

Eat

Most restaurants in Amed cater only for tourists and no local can ever or can afford to eat there. It is virtually impossible to find any food that is not adapted to a western palate (read: bland). In some restaurants you can ask and they will be happy to make it a little more authentic.

Budget

There are not many budget options, unless you want to eat satay from the stalls and instant noodles every day. And even those will try to get more money from you than they ask from the locals.

• Warung Enak. Small clean restaurant, with around 6 tables. Local & western cuisine. from Rp 20,000
• Warung Bobo II, Jl Jemeluk (200 m from Kembali Beach Bungalows). Fresh fish and local cuisine. Located at the edge of the waves, popular at sunset.
• Warung Kemulan, Selang. On a hill with views and a traditional style menu.
• Warung Makan TriYoga, Bunutang-Lipah (opposite 'The Grill' restaurant, a little hard to find, as it is very local. There is a big babi guling sign.). The place where the locals get their babi guling and one of the few places which are not adapted for western palate. Serves breakfast as well. Rp 14,000-25,000
• Warung Mama I. Run by a very friendly local family who are happy to look after your kids while you eat. Good local food, fresh local fish each morning. Their western breakfast dishes are pretty good also. Rp 15,000-32,000
• Warung Pantai I. excellent local food. Best curry in amed. Tofu tempe curry with rice only 16,000. Great nasi campur special also. Rp 15,000-40,000
• Warung Segara, Amed, Main Rd. Authentic atmosphere, tiny restaurant, one woman show, varied menu all items under Rp 20,000, locally made arak, take away half litre bottle Rp 15,000.

Mid-range

There is a huge selection of mid-range small family restaurants. Most of them have the same items at the same prices, but quality can be vary greatly. It is worth trying a few of them as alternatives to the more expensive places, as some of the mamas cook a lot better.

• Chops & Hops Restaurant. The restaurant in the Ocean Sun Dive Resort is popular for the steaks and burgers, curries, Indonesian dishes, and home-made ice cream.
• Ary Warung and Homestay, Bunutan. Small family restaurant serves good food. They have some bungalows as well. Free WiFi. Rp 20,000-45,000
• Bedulu Resort, Bunutan (traditional grass roof and bamboo Warung about 150 m towards Amed from the Hotel Santai on hill-side of road), +62 821 4625 6165, sikaamed@yahoo.com.au. Cheap delicious local dishes and seafood as well as great Italian/Western dishes such as wood-fired pizzas, fresh pastas, cappuccino/espresso coffees, desserts & more all with a sea-view. Includes very nice/clean accommodation also with sea view and a great pool. Cheap to mid-range
• Jukung Dive, Jukung Dive Center. Nice little restaurant operated by the diveshop. Very friendly and well trained staff. Excellent local and western food. Rp 20000-50000
• Titi Sedana, Jl Raya Bunutan-Amed (opposite the Bali Dream House), +62 877 62023711. Small family restaurant with 4 tables serves absolutely delicious food. They have 2 bungalows as well. Free WiFi. Rp 20,000-45,000
• Wawa Wewe, Lipah (near Hidden Paradise), +62 363 23522, wawawewevillas@yahoo.com. Restaurant with bar serving cocktails, attached to Wawa Wewe I bungalows. On Tu and Sa a band is provided. On W and F traditional Legong Dance is performed.

Splurge

• Amed Cafe, Jl Jemeluk, +62 363 23473, info@amedcafe.com. A cafe attached to the 23 bungalows of the same name. Serves fresh seafood, Balinese food and international style food. Public internet access is available. From Rp 200,000
• Barong Cafe and Restaurant, +62 818 05585010, sawyerkomang@gmail.com. Balinese, Indonesian and international cuisine. Provides free pick up and drop-off around Amed area.
• Garam Cafe (Salt Café), Jl Pantai Timur 801, -8.33502°, 115.64361°, +62 363 23462, sawyerkomang@gmail.com. 07:00-22:00. Part of Hotel Uyah Amed&Spa. Built behind the salt production fields and uses salt production as a theme aiming to preserve traditional salt production and explaining the production process to visitors. Souvenir shop, billiard tables, table tennis and salt panning. Western, Indonesian, Balinese and regional Asian style menu. Free Wifi Rp 30,000-120,000
• Sails, Lipah, +62 363 22006. A very good, more upscale restaurant in great headland setting. Modern and clean with an extensive well thought out menu. The restaurant specialises in Western food but includes Indonesian favourites. Offers a free pick up and drop off service anywhere in the Amed area.

Drink

For an evening drink and entertainment, a local band performs live at the Double One Restaurant once a week and there are sometimes free Balinese dance performances in some of the restaurants. Generally Amed is quiet at night and it is certainly not a late night drinking spot.

The best places for an evening are Wawa Wewe, Wawa Wewe Beach Restaurant or Pacha Bar.

• Rasta Bar, Jl. Ketut Natih, Pantai Timur (from Amed village and bus stop, follow the beach road east for 650 m; a sign on your left points at the Rasta Bar), -8.334657°, 115.64616°. 14:00-00:00. A chill-out shack that fronts the beach with a reggae atmosphere, live music every night and a large selection of cheap, delicious and fast-served dishes and drinks. Free wifi. Owner Rusthi can provide various services.

Sleep

Budget: under rp 250,000, mid-range: rp 250,000 to 1,000,000, splurge: over rp 1,000,000 (standard double room).

There is a wide selection of hotels in the area and more are appearing all the time. Most tend to be quite small and intimate and built by westerners in partnership with local Balinese. These have brought a welcome increase in employment and prosperity to the area.

Everyone knows everyone here so there is a real feeling of village community. The hotels are well spaced out though so you feel that you have your own private space. There are few TVs in the hotel rooms, so bring a good book to read or better still, spend your time getting to know the locals. The pace of life is very slow and relaxed in Amed, the people are friendly and they have time.

There are also several hotels at the village of Tulamben to the north of Amed which specialise in providing for visitors intending to dive the wreck of the USAT Liberty. These establishments are normally affiliated with a dive operator or run their own dive operation.

Budget

• Dive Concepts, Tulamben (~500 m after entering the village, the resort is on the left), +62 81 33 076 0077, info@diveconcepts.com. (Formerly Aries Bungalows Tulamben) For divers and non-divers with deluxe, standard and budget rooms. 10 double occupancy rooms available with both twin and double bed configurations, as well as a 6-bed hostel. All rooms have fans, western toilets and showers. The set-menu restaurant provides a complimentary breakfast and also serves lunch and dinner. It has an associated travel agent & dive shop providing diving, adventure and cultural trips around the island. €5/10/15
• Beten Waru Cottages & Restaurant, Banutan, Karangasen, Amed beach, +62 817 971 0558. Peaceful with unobstructed sea views from two 1-room cottages decorated with teak furniture. Glass door gives a sea view from the bed, the half-covered bathroom has an outside shower. Cottages are well maintained and include hot water, fan or A/C. Flowering bushes are scattered around the property and a restaurant is available. Below the cottages is a 5-km waterfront good for snorkelling and scuba diving. US$20-25
• Bo's Bungalows and Restaurant, Bunutan, Karangasem, +62 813 39649131, bogirl@whale-mail.com. 3 individual bungalows with fan and cold water, each with panoramic ocean views and surrounded by beautiful gardens. Has a great hut with cushions and a hammock, free WiFi. Has a restaurant that serves fresh Indonesian food. The rooms are clean with great outdoor bathrooms. Price includes breakfast. Rp 150,000-200,000
• C'est Bon Cafe, Jemeluk. Four rooms, two of which have great views. Helpful staff and the owners speak some English. Clean and it is possible to have something cooked from 08:00-00:00. Rp 100,000
• Dillons Bungalows and Restaurant, Amed Central (on Jl I ketut Natih driving from Culik just before you reach the bridge), +62 813 37205116, +62 82146936252. 3 rooms with hot water, fan, and great views of rice paddies and Mount Agung. English/Balinese owners. Coffee machine and restaurant serving wraps, fresh fish, veg sticks and dips etc. Friendly, clean. bike hire and laundry offered. Wifi in restaurant. Rp 200,000
• Eka Purnama Cottages & Restaurant, Aas (eastern edge of the Amed area), +62 828 372 2642, ekaamed@gmail.com. Family-run budget hotel with 4 cottages in a quiet location overlooking the sea and a short step away from the beach. The cottages are comfortable with a double bed and single bed, ceiling fan, wardrobes and a spacious bathroom with shower and a western toilet.
• Fisherman´s House, Jl. Raya Aas, Bunutan, Karangasem, +62 818 0543 7543, fmh.bali@yahoo.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Main rooms are small with fans, western toilets and showers. The low budget rooms have an outside shower. The friendly Balinese family will invite you to traditional ceremonies and aim to showcase the life of local people. The accommodation price includes eating fresh fish of the day.
• Geria Giri Shanti Bungalows, Jl Jemeluk, +62 819 16654874, ggsamed@gmail.com. Very pleasant and clean rooms, lush garden property and centrally located. 4 bungalows, all have their own bathroom with warm shower and toilet. Discount offered if you're also taking diving lessons from Adventure Divers. €15-20
• Lily Amed Beach Bungalows, +62 819 36032565, pillai120@gmail.com. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 11:00. 4 room hotel with a large garden. Large clean rooms with hot shower. Rooms with built-in kitchen available. Free WiFi. Good views of the ocean and Mount Agung. Lots of fruit trees in the gardens and the produce is served for breakfast when available. Email Sasha for bookings. From US$18-40
• Mama's Homestay. Just two rooms, right on the sand and about 100 m away from the road. Very quiet and if you take both rooms the place is all yours. Run by the local family that lives in the farmhouses behind. Basic but clean rooms with ceiling fan, cold water and western toilets set is a small garden and surrounded by sand. Heaps of very friendly local kids will keep your kids (or you) amused from sunrise till sunset. The view from outside the rooms is exactly as the photo at the top of this page. Hard to find due to being away from the road - ask at Mama's Warrung I, run by the owner's brother. Rp 100,000 (low season)
• Pondok Tirta, Jln Melasti (entering amed from Culik 1 km before the bridge turn left on to jln Melasti), +62 818 05555484. 2 rooms set on a lovely quiet street. beautiful garden and just a few mins walk to the beach. Rooms have fan (you get a nice breeze so sometimes don't even need that, cold water bathroom (hot water can be provided by the bucket), and the big selling point for budget travellers is a kitchen consisting of 2 gas hobs, fridge and water cooler. Price also includes breakfast and Kadek and her husband Nyoman take really good care of you. From around Rp 150,000-200,000

Mid-range

• Apa Kabar Villas, +62 363 23492, wayanmenu@gmail.com. A small and quiet collection of ocean front bungalows (sleep four) and Balinese villas (sleep six) surrounded by lush gardens. Restaurant, swimming pool and some nice coral for snorkelling right off of their beach.
• Arya Amed Beach Resort, Bunutan, Karangasem. All have A/C and free Wi-Fi, a balcony with reclining chairs and a flat-screen TV with cable channels. Restaurant, bar, swimming pool, meeting facilities, room service. Tour assistance and airport transfer. From US$45
• Baliku Dive Resort, Banyuning, +62 82 83722601, info@amedbaliresort.com. Five free-standing villas with a dive centre overlooking the Banyuning bay, swimming pool, international cuisine and good service. From US$90, breakfast included
• Bayu Cottages, Lipah, +62 363 23495, welcome@bayucottages.com. Six ocean-view rooms on a hillside overlooking the sea. Managed by a mixed Indonesian-Dutch couple. From €27, breakfast included
• Bedulu Resort, Bunutan (hill side near Hotel Santai & Kusmajaya Indah.), +62 821 4625 6165, sikaamed@yahoo.com.au. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 13:00. Beach access via short walkway with good snorkelling directly below resort. US$25-75 (includes breakfast for 2). Great location - sea views & lovely people. Large infinity pool + 2x spa/jacuzzi. All rooms clean & include hot water, large comfortable bed & private balcony with daybed. Traditional Balinese rooms (standard room - no A/C) from Rp 250,000 (low season) to Rp 300,000 (high season). More spacious modern rooms further up hill close to pool, all with A/C, bath, mini-bar, private garden & better views. Superior Room from Rp 400,000 (low) to Rp 500,000 (high). Family room from Rp 600,000 (low) to Rp 700,000 (high)
• Blue Moon Villas, Selang, +62 363 21428, info@bluemoonvilla.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Great location on a headland just east of Selang beach. Double rooms with private balconies and a private 4 bedroom family villa. Two swimming pools, a spa and incorporates Komang John's Café-restaurant. From €48, breakfast included
• Coral View, Lipah, +62 363 23493. One of the older Amed hotels but with cottages renovated in 2012. Service is good and is located on the Lipah beachfront. All of the cottages have private terraces, hot water and A/C. Small communal pool. Deluxe bungalow US$70, family bungalow US$140, American style breakfast included
• Fun Divers Resort, Jl Raya, +62 813-3753-3339, info@fundiversbali.com. 7.30- 20.00. Check-in: 13:00 - 18:00, check-out: 07:00 - 11:00. Offering an outdoor pool, free WiFi access and free breakfast included. Rooms are provided with a terrace, wardrobe and a seating area. All rooms and bungalows have private bathroom and hot shower, bungalows have air-conditioning. There is also a dining table and outdoor furniture. You can enjoy pool and garden view from the room. The friendly staff can assist with motorbike or car hire and airport transfer at additional charges. Other facilities offered at the property include luggage storage and laundry facilities. An array of activities can be enjoyed on site or in the surroundings, including diving and snorkelling. The property offers free parking. Guests may take diving lessons at the attached dive school. Room Rp 250,000 (low) and Rp 300,000 (high). Bungalow 2 pax Rp 350,000 (low) and Rp 400,000 (high), 3 pax Rp 450,000 (low) and Rp 500,000 (high)
• Hotel Uyah Amed Spa & Resort (Salt Lodge), Jl Pantai Timur 801 (the first hotel on the approach from Culik), -8.33459°, 115.64379°, +62 363 23462, hoteluyah@naturebali.com. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 13:00. 16 spacious bungalows and one family villa (4 persons) with private bathroom and solar heated water. Takes environmental considerations seriously. Simple in-house spa, restaurant and bar. Bicycles for hire. Pool side bungalow with fan €39, ocean view bungalows with A/C & hot water €48/night/bungalow, ocean view family bungalow for 4 persons with 1 king size double bed & 2 single bed € 89. All prices include breakfast & taxes
• Kembali Beach Bungalows, Jl Jemeluk, +62 81 74768313, info@kembalibeachbungalows.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Eight spacious bungalows with a double bed, mosquito net, ceiling fans, A/C, private bathroom with toilet & hot shower, safe deposit box and large wooden veranda. The 10x6 m pool is on the edge of the resort and overlooks the sea. The restaurant next to the pool serves breakfast, drinks and simple food (no dinner). From €28-34, breakfast included
• Life in Amed Beach Cottages, Selang/Lean, +62 363 23152, info@lifebali.com. Six cottages around a large pool, in a quiet spot. Natural stone bathrooms and is well equipped and decorated. From US$45-80
• Puri Madha Bungalows & Resort, Tulamben, +62 363 22921. Rooms are in front of the Liberty Wreck. Clean comfortable beds, fan or A/C options available, cold showers. Offers a full range of PADI dive courses, air tanks may be available for rent if you have your own equipment. From Rp 250,000, simple breakfast included
• Puri Wirata Dive Resort & Spa, Jl Raya, Bunutan, +62 363 23523, info@puriwirata.com. All rooms and villas are spread out on a slope between the mountains and the sea. Tropical garden with two swimming pools. Offers a full range of PADI dive courses. From US$50, continental breakfast included
• Santai Hotel, Bunutan, +62 363 23487, info@santaibali.com. Six bungalows and 4 room units, all with Sulawesi-style architecture. 3 of the bungalows have ocean views, the others are inward facing around a large swimming pool. The rooms are nice enough with decent furnishings, open air bathrooms, hot water and A/C. From US$50, includes breakfast
• Selang Resort (Deep Blue Selang), Selang, -8.358247°, 115.6940143°, +62 852 37506739, info@selangresort.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Boutique hotel with sea-views from each of 14 rooms. Has a restaurant and a swimming pool with bar. Singles, doubles and a 2-room family bungalow. Deep Blue Dive is attached. From €35, breakfast included
• Tauch Terminal Tulamben, Tulamben. Dive Resort close to the wreck of the USAT Liberty. Run by a German dive operator and offers many different diving packages.
• Toyabali Beach Bungalows. 3 bungalows (built 2008, 2012), each with private whirlpool, free Wi-Fi, swimming pool, restaurant.
• Tulamben Wreck Divers Resort and Restaurant, Jl. Amlapura-Singaraja, Tulamben, +62 812 44407672, info@twdrr.com. Dive resort 200 m from the USAT Liberty wreck site. Opened in July 2011. 6 superior rooms, beach front villa suites, 2 penthouse rooms, swimming pool, free WiFi, attached restaurant. Dive and accommodation packages are available. From US$37 per night/room includes full breakfast for 2 and tax & service
  • Tulamben Wreck Divers, +62 363 23400, +62 363 21166, info@tulambenwreckdivers.com. Directly associated with the resort.
• Mejore Hotel, Jalan Ketut Natih, -8.334390°, 115.637680°, +62 87855221868, mejorehotel@gmail.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A resort hotel, walking distance from the beach. Rp 300,000 2020-06-03

Splurge

Connect

Phone lines are limited in the area and most hotels only have one landline each. It is wise to bring a mobile phone when visiting if you need to stay in touch with the outside world. Local Indonesian (GSM) SIM cards can be purchased in thousands of places around Bali. There is a public telephone office at Lipah Beach close to Coral View bungalows.

Internet coverage is much better now: several hotels have invested in their own ADSL backbones. Public internet facilities are available at Amed Cafe in Amed village, in Lipah next to Hidden Paradise and Anda Amed in Bunutan. Coverage is expanding fast though and any visitor should look out for public internet cafe signs.

Go next

• Lovina beach in north Bali is a good next stop for more quiet coastal life.
• Padang Bai is a nice stop and starting point for boat services to Lombok.
• A journey back to South Bali will take about 2 hours and 30 minutes.