Is Amed good for diving and snorkelling?

Amed is not one village but a seven-kilometre string of them along the northeast coast, below Mount Agung, with black sand coves, traditional outrigger fishing boats pulled up on the beach, and calm water almost all year.

Why people come

The diving. The east coast has the clearest, calmest water on the Bali mainland, with a coral wall, drop-offs, muck diving and one of the most accessible wreck dives anywhere.

The USAT Liberty wreck at Tulamben, 20 minutes north, is a US Army transport torpedoed in 1942 and pushed into the sea by the 1963 eruption of Agung. It lies 30 metres offshore in five to 30 metres of water, which means you can snorkel it from the beach. It is one of the most dived wrecks in the world for exactly that reason, and it is genuinely extraordinary.

Japanese Wreck at Banyuning, small and shallow, good for beginners.

Jemeluk Bay for a coral garden and an underwater sculpture, snorkellable from shore.

Drop-offs and coral walls along the coast, mostly shore dives, which keeps costs low and boats out of the equation.

Snorkelling from the beach

This is the thing that makes Amed unusual. At Jemeluk, Lipah and Tulamben you walk in from black sand and there is reef within 30 metres. No boat, no tour, no schedule. Bring or rent a mask and go.

Currents are usually mild and visibility is generally good in dry season. Take reef shoes: the beaches are stone and pebble rather than sand in many coves.

When to go

Dry season, April to October, for the best visibility. Wet season brings runoff and reduced clarity, though the east coast is less affected than the south.

Mola mola season around Nusa Penida, roughly July to October, sometimes brings cooler water here too.

What else there is

Freediving. Amed is one of Asia's freediving centres, with several schools and deep, calm water close to shore.

Sunrise over Lombok. On clear mornings Rinjani stands across the strait, which is the best view in Amed and the reason to get up early.

Salt farming. Traditional sea-salt production on the beaches at Amed, using palm-trunk troughs, still done by hand.

Mount Agung treks start from this side, usually around midnight for sunrise.

Boat trips to snorkelling spots and out toward Gili Selang at the eastern tip.

Where to stay

Small hotels and guesthouses strung along the coast road, most with sea views, many with their own dive operation. The bays each have a slightly different character: Jemeluk for the main concentration, Lipah for calm swimming, Bunutan and Lean for quiet, Tulamben for wreck-diving convenience.

Prices are the lowest of any coastal area in Bali for the quality. A good sea-view room is often under 50 dollars.

Practicalities

Getting there: three to three and a half hours from the airport, two and a half from Ubud, two from Sanur. It is a long drive and a bad day trip; stay two nights minimum.

Getting around: scooter. The coast road is winding, steep in places and quiet.

Food: simple warungs, hotel restaurants and a handful of good small places. No supermarkets to speak of. Bring cash; ATMs are limited.

Conditions: hot and dry, this being the driest part of Bali. Bring more water than you think.

Who it suits

Divers, freedivers, snorkellers, and people who want the opposite of Canggu. It is not a party town, there is no nightlife, and the beaches are stone rather than sand. For anyone who wants to be in the water every day at low cost, it is the best value in Bali.