Nestled on the East coast of Bali, lie a series of tranquil coastal villages dotted alongside shallow coral reefs with Mount Agung volcano as a backdrop. The stunning scenery and excellent and accessible diving make Amed and its surrounding village one of Bali’s most famous dive spots.
I was keen to use my open water qualification which I gained in Ko Tao at the popular Bans diving resort 11 years ago back in 2008, and decided to head to Amed for a few days to do just that. I did some online research and a few companies stood out. I contacted one – Eurodive and they got back to me very quickly and they suggested that I do my advanced open water qualification there. It made sense- it included five dives for around 230 euros including a few fun dives of my choice!
I arrived at Amed after hiking up Mount Batur that morning, and the dive company were keen to send one of their instructors to meet me and to hand over some manuals and quizzes to read and complete that evening in preparation for diving the next day! Amed is lined with dive shops, I was happy that the one I found had an English speaking instructor and I was the only one doing the course so basically I was getting one on one tuition!
Getting my advanced open water diving qualification in Amed …
The next day Eurodive picked me up from my hostel and took me to their dive shop in the pretty area of Lipah Bay about 15 minutes from Amed. It was stunning further over on this side of the coast. I recommend visiting or staying here if possible.
I had to set up my own equipment before embarking on a water buoyancy dive which also served as my refresher course as the last diving I’d done was around two years ago in Mexico. It took a while to get the hang of controlling my buoyancy with my breath- my skills were definitely rusty! The equipment all seemed new which was reassuring. I definitely trusted this company which is probably the important factor when picking a company to dive with.
Next up was the navigation dive, another of the essential skills based dives in the advanced open water course. I learned to use a dive computer to check my depth, and a compass which I had to use to navigate my way to a spot and back, and navigate my way in a square. I did this perfectly first time. I also had to navigate myself back to a spot using natural features such as the reef and light shadows. I found this a bit harder but somehow managed it! On these dives I also saw a range of cool fish including a tiny yellow seahorse, many lionfish, cuttlefish and a few turtles!
Night dive in Amed
Finally to round off the diving that day was the night dive, this was a dive I elected for out of the fun dives. We submerged in sunset so that we had some light to set up our equipment, as we dived we used our torches to guide the way. The colours of the reef really stood out in the night dive- as we shone our torches the coral and fish were lit up, they looked almost luminescent against the black backdrop of water…stunning. After a while my instructor switched off his torch and signalled for me to do the same. He waved his arms around and thousands of lights glittered and glowed in the black water- I did the same mesmerised by the show of the bioluminescent plankton which glow in the dark when they’re disturbed. Our planet really is incredible! I definitely enjoyed the night dive, it gave an added excitement and exhilaration to the diving.
Diving the USS Liberty wreck in Tulamben
The next day we headed to Tulamben, a 20 minute journey from Amed. This is the most popular dive site in Bali due to the USS Liberty shipwreck. This was an American cargo ship that was torpedoed by the Japanese in WW2. They managed to get to to shore, where it lay abandoned until Mount Agung erupted in 1963 and the lava pushed the ship back into the ocean where it lay to rest. Today it’s inhabited by a range of marine life. It’s shallow depth and easy access makes it a popular ship wreck to dive.
First up was my deep dive. With the open water I can dive to a maximum depth of 18m. With my advanced I can go to 30m! We descended a reef wall until we eventually reached a 30m depth. My instructor asked me a few questions using the dive computer and he also got me to write down on a board what colours I thought some boxes were. When we emerged he showed me the results- underwater colours look very different! I thought the red was brown, the yellow was green and the green looked blue. So strange!!
Getting out of the water at this dive site was a challenge- we had to walk back to the beach but with the equipment on my back, and a painful stoney beach with giant waves crashing behind me it was difficult to keep my balance and I toppled over. Oh dear!
USS Liberty shipwreck Dive
Next up was the wreck dive! This was really interesting, it was cool to see the steering wheel of the ship and explore the different nooks and crannies amongst which many marine life had claimed as their home! We saw pipefish – a relative of the seahorse and a huge variety of fish.
Fun diving in Amed
Over the next week I went on four different fun dives.
My first was at the pyramids at Jemuluk Bay which are artificial underwater structures which also provide a habitat for marine life. Here I saw turtles, triggerfish, blue spotted stingray, blue starfish and mantis shrimp to name a few!
Next up was the Japanese shipwreck. Beyond the wreck is a stunning reef where the dive guide pointed out a Pygmy seahorse- this is less than an inch in length so I couldn’t really see it properly but cool to know it’s there! They are very rare in that area now. We also saw batfish and many colourful and cool coral and fish. I love the giant clams which close up as you pass overhead!
My favourite diving was from the local boat. Again it was just me and a local dive guide and the boat guy. We sailed along the coast which was incredibly stunning, it looked kind of like Italy with its rugged shoreline and deep blue sea.
The boat stopped at the dive site of Bunutan point , as we descended we were greeted by thousands of garden eels. It was a spooky sight, the eels are half submerged in the sand and emerge swaying Medusa style, they then rapidly retreat and disappear from sight in the sand when they detect motion from larger potential predators – in this case us. As we continued to swim, a giant eagle ray slowly swam around in front of us, a reef shark glided past in the background. That was quite a surreal sight. The dive guide was particularly excited by the eagle ray as he said it’s rare for him to see it for so long. We stayed and watched it for about five minutes as it danced in front of us. We also saw barracuda, ribbon eels, cuttlefish and scorpion fish. To be honest I get just as excited over the more “common” yet extremely colourful fish that the dive guides just swim straight past without a second look. It’s hard to not get too distracted by the rainbow of colours darting in each direction when I have to focus on my buoyancy, staying close to the dive guide and so on.
Next up was “the deep” where I saw four white tip reef sharks, including two that were resting in a cave. The current was quite strong and we stayed and watched the sharks for a while. We also saw lots of fish including clownfish aka nemo, three different types of turtle and a school of rainbow runners and a school of oriental bonito fish. The schools of fish look like a pack of glistening knifes underwater- it is an impressive sight! I really like the cuttlefish- they are so cool!
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my diving in Amed and highly recommend it as a place to visit and dive. It’s suitable for all levels so a great place to learn to dive!
Amed backpacker travel guide
Eating:
There’s so many cafes and restaurants to choose from. All are fairly similar in what they offer – the usual Indonesian options, grilled fish, then often Some western options – for example pasta and pizza. I recommend eating by the beach whenever possible.
Some popular eating options in Amed…
Bobo cafe on the beach- head here for sunset drinks for one of the best views of the sunset!
Blue Ocean – this is the fanciest restaurant in town perched on a hilltop overlooking Jemeluk Bay. Come early at sunset as it gets packed out.
In terms of drinks in Amed. Avoid the wine – it’s horrific and the cocktails – they don’t have a clue how to make cocktails anywhere in Amed and go for spirits or beer instead. But NOT Arak, I had a bad experience where I was vomiting until 5pm the next day after drinking some Arak… never again!
Warung Enak – a popular cozy restaurant located in Amed serving a range of Balinese and European options. I had the fish sate.
Where to stay in Amed on a budget:
My top tip is not to book until you arrive. You will find much better deals just by asking around in person and guesthouse that aren’t on the usual websites.
There are plenty of guest houses, homestays and bungalows. Some on the beach. Head to Lipah for more peaceful and stunning scenery. Amed tends to have the cheapest options. Jemuluk is the busiest but popular for its bay.
Some hostel options:
Pacha hostel. One of the cheapest options in Amed for backpackers and includes a pancake and coffee/tea for breakfast. They have a bar with live music a few times a week. However, it is a little far from everything, fine if you’re happy to rent a scooter otherwise you may find the location a little inconvenient.
Sama Sama hostel. Located at the busy Jemulek Bay with a range of cafes, restaurants and dive shops. A good budget option.
Bulikh Bungalows. For around £15 a night I got my own bungalow complete with a sea view. There are many similar options, get the best rates by turning up in person.
Pondok Aldi hostel. Located at the bottom of the sunset hill- walk up the hill for stunning sunset views over the bay.
Bulikh Bungalows- a friendly owner with simple, clean bungalows right by the beach. Turn up for best rates.
Watch the sunrise and sunset:
Head to the beach or up to the top of sunset hill at a Jemuluk to watch the sun set and the sky change colour. However, by far the most impressive Sky was on a morning for sunrise.
Nightlife:
Each night in Amed there is a dedicated night at a bar with live music.
Saturday night- Amed Kedai – reggae music
Thursday night- Wawa wewe – live music playing 80s hits.
Friday and Tuesday night- Pacha Bar- reggae music.
Reggae bar on the beach also sometimes has events and live music. It’s also a great spot to sit and watch the sunset.
Things to do in Amed:
Snorkelling – rent goggles and fins from most restaurants and spend the afternoon snorkelling in the Bay. Jemuluk Bay has coral reefs steps away from the shore.
Diving: Diving is probably the main reason people come to Amed. It’s coral reefs just off the shore and gentle currents make it an ideal location for divers. It’s also one of the cheapest spots to dive.
After my advanced course I also did four fun dives after – two on two different days, and saw reef sharks, turtles and an eagle ray amongst many other marine life! My favourite dive was going out on the boat
Who to dive with:
Located in popular Jemeluk Bay is Eco Dive one of the most renowned and long running dive shops with a range of instructors speaking a variety of languages.
Located further down the coast at the stunning Lipah Bay is Euro Dive, a small long standing Dive shop with a no nonsense and friendly approach ran by British/Germans. They have French and Spanish speaking instructors too. It’s worth heading here to see this stunning bay. You can also snorkel here. I recommend this dive shop but it is quite far from Amed and Jemuluk compared to most others, although they do pick you up for free.
Best company to dive with?
There are plenty of dive shops in this tiny area and they all visit the same places. It’s worth shopping around for the best prices and to find a shop you trust. It all a matter of personal preference but check the equipment, check the Padi rating of the shop and ask to speak to the instructors and manager before booking particularly if you’re doing a course.
Watch the sunrise and sunset
Head to the beach at Amed or at the top of sunset hill past Jemuluk Bay for stunning sunset views. Personally the best sky I saw was sunrise from Amed beach…
Yoga-
For 100 rupiah take a yoga class at Blue Earth – it is located on top of the hill with views of Jemuluk Bay and Mount Agung, a class at sunrise or sunset is really special. The class I did was quite challenging but I felt so much better afterwards and the instructor makes you feel relaxed and reassured you that you can do child pose at any time.
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