Welcome to Amed, the Prettiest Place in Bali
It’s insane to think about. I’ve been traveling to Bali for the past four years. I’ve visited this island a whopping six times, spent a total of six months here and thoroughly explored seven different areas of the island. Yet somehow before my recent trip to Amed, I had never traveled to northern Bali.
How is that even possible?
During my latest stint in Bali, I figured it was about time to change that. So, last week I decided to take a much needed break from work and embark on my first ever trip north — to the unbelievably gorgeous town of Amed.
Amed is located on the north-eastern tip of Bali. While it’s not as touristy as Seminyak or Ubud, it is definitely becoming increasingly popular. In recent years it’s become famous for a lot of things, including this view…
If you’re pondering a visit to this little slice of paradise, check out my guide: 7 Incredible Things to Do in Amed, Bali
As I came to find out, Amed proper actually consists of a handful of tiny fishing villages that extend along 14km of stunning coastline. Drive up the coast and you’ll spot black sand coves, a mind-boggling amount of fishing boats and unreal vistas courtesy of Mount Agung, Bali’s largest volcano.
I honestly didn’t know all that much about Amed prior to my visit. But the second I landed in Amed Beach I was head over heels in love. Literally, I’m pretty sure I want to move there.
After checking into our hotel, Aaron and I immediately rented a scooter and zipped down the coast to see what we could find.
It’s hard not to be impressed by Amed. On my left were picturesque fishing villages and the glimmering ocean that extended as far as the eye could see, and on my right were rugged green mountains that reached so high their peaks were ringed with clouds.
There’s a lot of natural beauty to get distracted by in Amed. So it’s no huge shock that after about 15 minutes we were lured by the waters of Lipa Bay, one of the best-known snorkeling spots in Amed.
Because the weather was perfect and the water so clear, we decided to rent snorkels and masks and dive in. After all, Amed is famous for its lively coral reefs and excellent offshore snorkeling. How could we resist?
We immediately spotted giant purple starfish, enormous angelfish and so many other colorful sea creatures that I won’t attempt to identify.
After snorkeling, lounging on the beach and sipping on Bintangs in the ocean, we sped up to Sunset Point, which is the place to watch the sun sink behind the massive Mount Agung (aka the most picturesque volcano ever). Sure it was touristy and yes the food and drinks were a tad overpriced, but man the show was magical.
And that kind of sums up how I spent my time in Amed. I snorkeled my days away, got lost in tiny fishing villages, marveled at rice terraces and splashed around in beautiful bays.
There’s not all that much to Amed, but I suppose that’s part of the appeal. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was discovering a new facet of Bali. And I couldn’t help but wonder what had taken me so long to visit this place.
I realize that my time in Bali is winding down. I only have two more weeks before I head back to my normal life in Beijing. But the next time I have the chance, I’m going to explore the hell out of the less visited parts of northern Bali, because I was absolutely blown away by Amed. Now that I’ve gotten a taste, I can’t help but wonder what other gems are up there just waiting to be explored.
If you’re thinking of traveling to Amed, I’ve compiled a detailed travel guide complete with tons of tips on things to do in Amed and pretty pictures!
Have you ever explored northern Bali? Do tell!
I heard about Amed when I was on Bali last summer, but when I googled it it did not look that spectaculair. The beaches did not look that great.
But I can imagine the water being perfect for snorkelling 😀
x
Yeah, I suppose it depends on what you’re looking for. The whole setting is unbelievably beautiful and definitely spectacular. But, the beaches are black sand and a bit rocky because of the volcanoes. They’re not the best swimming beaches but you can still swim and dip in and snorkel! I do recommend it 🙂
I was just in Amed last week too. We were probably ships passing in the night. The next time you’re in north Bali, I highly suggest you add scuba diving to your list of activities to do so that you can see the famous USS Liberty Wreck and some of the incredible drop-offs. Menjangan Island is also another must-see destination, further up north on the northwest coast.
Hey, I recognize this name! I just saw your email the other day. FYI, sometimes I’m the worst about checking my emails. I have way too many! I can’t believe you were in Amed last week too! Haha, we were probably in the same hotel and didn’t know it. I know, I need to get into the whole diving thing. I’ve done it once but that was a long time ago and never tried it again. And I’ve never heard of Menjangan Island. I’m googling it now. So are you still in Bali? When are you heading back to Beijing? I go back in two weeks. I don’t feel ready to leave Bali though…
Wow it looks beautiful there. I am yet to go to Bali but when I do go – I definitely want to get to some of the lesser known parts (although Ubud still sounds very inviting to me too!). Thanks for sharing 🙂
I definitely recommend the more well-known areas (like Ubud) but it is nice to get a bit off the beaten path in Bali. There’s just so much to discover!!
Awesome pictures. I am planning to visit Indonesia after two months. Please suggest me the best time to visit this places. Thank You.
That water is so beautiful! I don’t know how I would ever leave once I have seen a place like that! Fabulous photos!
It was magical. I would have loved to stay for so much longer!!
I’m going to Bali as part of our 5 month south east asia trip, and considering adding Amed to my itinerary – would you say 2-3 days is enough?
I stayed for three nights and I’d say that’s a decent amount of time. It’s definitely a lazy town so you can fit in snorkeling and/or diving and if you like riding motorbikes it’s a stunning area to explore. Enjoy!!
Hi. I’m thinking about going to Amed with my two small kids. However I m working online as well. Do you recommend it or is it better to stay in Sanur?
Amed is a great place to work from and it’s so beautiful! It’s very mellow and small but has everything you need. The only thing is that everything is a bit spread out so you need transportation to get from place to place (restaurants, beaches, etc.) with your kids. If you’re comfortable with a motorbike or car then you’ll be fine. I was just there and I miss it already. Enjoy!