Amed is a small fishing village along the picturesque east coast of Bali and often refers to the surrounding villages of Jemeluk, Bunutan, Lipah, Selang, Banyuning and Aas as well. It has only recently seen tourism development, mostly catering to divers wanting to explore the sunken USS Liberty at Tulamben which lies to the north and is considered one of the world’s best wreck dives.
Amed is renowned for its beautiful volcanic sand beaches and picturesque rural villages, having escaped the mass development of southern Bali. Salt production has long been an important industry in the region, with open drying pans crusted with salt crystals visible along the coast. The main activities in Amed are snorkelling, scuba diving and freediving, with a vibrant marine life in the offshore coral reefs and along the deep coral walls of Jemeluk Bay, as well as in the ecosystems that have evolved around the shallow wreck at Lipah Beach and the USS Liberty in Tulamben. Traditional outrigger fishing boats line the beaches and can be hired for fishing charters along the coast, with mackerel, barracuda and tuna all found in Amed’s waters. It also makes an ideal base for sunrise treks to nearby Mount Agung and Pura Besakih, as well as visits to the water palace at Tirta Gangga.
Shuttle buses connect Amed with Padang Bai further south, from where there are connections to Ubud, Denpasar and the southern beaches. It’s around a 3-hour drive from the Ngurah Rai International Airport, and taxis are available in the arrivals terminal for fixed price journeys.
The Liberty was a United States Army cargo ship that had served in animal transport during World War I and for defence purposes in World War II, before being torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942 and beached on Bali. In 1963, a volcanic eruption shifted the Liberty off the beach and into the water near Tulamben, resulting in the world renowned wreck dive site seen today.