12 Top Things to Do in Amed & East Bali [+ Map]

Sitting in the shadow of Mount Agung, Amed is a charming coastal fishing village with a relaxed vibe and low-key local charm. It's one of our favourite places to visit on the north coast of Bali.

The region is best known for its marine biodiversity, with some incredible diving and snorkelling spots along the coast. You’ll notice a huge diving community here with many dive centres and resorts throughout the area.

The village of Amed doesn’t have many major landmarks itself, so we’ve expanded this guide to include things to do in Amed and the broader Karangasem Regency of northeast Bali. Everything included in this guide is easily accessible from Amed.

Map of Amed

Things To Do in Amed

1. Snorkel along Amed's coastline

Amed’s long coastline is known for its warm, crystal clear waters, vibrant corals and marine life, and unique underwater landmarks. It’s one of the best places to snorkel on mainland Bali, making it a must-do in Amed.

Our favourite snorkelling spots in Amed are the Japanese Wreck and Jemeluk Beach (more below). Both of these are close to the shoreline, so you can reach them by swimming directly from the beach. We tend to hire a scooter to drive around the different snorkelling spots by ourselves.

You can also take a snorkelling boat tour where all of the gear is provided, and a guide will show you the best spots to jump in. This is a more expensive option, but it's more convenient if you don't have your own bike to get around.

The Japanese Wreck

The Japanese Wreck is one of two famous shipwrecks off the coast of Amed (the second being USAT Liberty - more later). It’s located in Banyuning Bay and is easily accessible by swimming from the beach. The top of the wreck is just a few metres below the surface, so it’s easy to see with just a snorkel.

Interestingly, nobody knows what ship this is, or if it’s even Japanese for that matter. The only identifiable feature on the wreck was a toilet, which experts believe was from Japan.

To visit the wreck, we went to Kawi Karma Beach Restaurant. There is an entrance fee of 25,000 IDR , which includes parking, a drink, and access to their toilets, changing rooms, and outdoor showers. If you don’t have your own snorkelling gear, you can rent a mask and fins for an extra 25,000 IDR each.

The wreck has been colonised by corals, and the bay is packed with colourful marine life. We were surrounded by schools of fish as we swam to the wreck, including cardinal fish, damsel fish, and the long trumpet fish. We’re told there are also pygmy seahorses here, although we didn’t see any.

Jemeluk Beach

Jemeluk Beach is a crescent-shaped bay with calm waters and heaps of underwater life, making it another of the most popular snorkelling spots in Amed.

Within the large bay, there's a whole host of underwater statues that have been placed there to encourage coral to grow on them. The most iconic of these is the underwater temple (more like a small shrine).

We ate at Green Leaf Café (a fantastic vegan cafe) and left our belongings there while we snorkelled. We had to ask the staff to point out the exact location of the underwater temple, as the buoy marking it is no longer there. Most Amed snorkelling trips also spend time here.

2. Dive at the USAT Liberty shipwreck

Snorkelling only scratches the surface of Amed’s underwater life. As you venture further beyond the shallow reefs, expect steep drop-offs and submerged cliffs that are home to diverse marine life.

The most famous dive spot in Amed is the USAT Liberty Shipwreck, just off the coast of nearby Tulamben Village. The wreck was caused when the ship was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during WWII. It sits on the ocean floor between 5-30 metres below the surface.

You don’t need to take a boat out to the wreck as it’s close to the shoreline. You can see most of it with a PADI Open Water certificate, but you’ll need the advanced certificate if you want to see the whole thing. With an advanced certificate, you can also swim through parts of the wreck.

Most of our friends choose to dive in Amed with Dive Concepts. Their most popular package for certified divers is the three dive sites package which includes the Liberty Wreck, Coral Gardens, and Tulamben Drop Off.

If you're not a certified diver, you can still dive the Liberty Wreck, but you'll need a training session first and a dedicated dive master, so it's a bit more expensive. Dive Concepts also offers a package for non-certified divers.

The Liberty Wreck doesn’t have the best marine life, but plenty of other dive spots in Amed do. Jemeluk Bay has a vertical wall in the ocean floor that's full of rich coral reefs that shelter nudibranchs and reef fish. Next to it is a site known as The Pyramids, where concrete pyramids provide artificial reefs from 10-25m.

Whilst most people diving in Amed use scuba gear, it’s also becoming a popular spot for free divers. You can improve your freediving skills with a course at Apniesta in Amed.

3. Discover how salt is made at Amed Salt Centre

Amed has been producing salt for hundreds of years. It was once exclusively gifted to the kings of the region. But today they produce around 38 tons per year, selling it across Bali and wider Indonesia.

Their use of local production techniques has seen Amed Salt earn Geographical Indication status, which acknowledges its quality and distinguishes it from salt produced elsewhere.

In Amed, a small centre has been set up to try and preserve this cultural heritage and educate tourists about Amed salt. The centre is free to visit, although you can leave a small donation to support the local farmers.

We visited Amed Salt Centre and joined a short tour of the salt farm, where we learned about the process of local salt production. The guide told us about the history of salt in the area and some of the challenges faced by farmers today.

While the centre is open year-round, you'll only actually see farmers making the salt if you visit during the dry season, as salt can't be produced during the wet season.

Our tour only lasted 10 minutes. We then spent some time at the on-site shop, which had more even exhibits about the salt process and old photos of salt making in Amed over the years. We got to taste some local salt here too.

4. Relax on Amed’s black sand beaches

Black sand beaches form from volcanic material, and Amed’s proximity to Mount Agung makes them common here. While not quite as picturesque as the white sand beaches of the south, the dark sand contrasting with the turquoise water gives the coastline a distinct and memorable look.

Our favourite black sand beach in Amed is Lipah Beach. It’s located about halfway between the village of Amed and the Japanese Wreck snorkelling spot, so it’s ideal for a stop on the way.

You can park for free at Vienna Beach Resort and use their facilities if you are planning to buy something. Or head through the resort to the beach for free.

Lipah Beach has some shaded areas, which we were very grateful for under the intense sun. There’s also a row of beach recliners you can pay to use.

5. Enjoy golden hour at Sunset Point

Our favourite place to spend the afternoon and evening in Amed is Sunset Point. This large clifftop bar has loungers, bean bags, and a huge wrap-around infinity pool overlooking Jemeluk Bay.

The bar is a fantastic spot to watch the sun disappearing behind Mount Agung, which peeks out over the coastline on a clear day. A live band performs around sunset most evenings too.

Every time we return to Amed, Sunset Point gets bigger and better. While it’s free to enter, there is a minimum spend of 125,000 IDR ⓘ per person. We easily spend this on a couple of rounds of drinks and snacks.

As well as table service, you can also get pool service - sunset cocktails in the pool, what's not to love?! We’ve never had a full meal here, but we've tried some of the snacks, and they were pretty good.

Things To Do Near Amed

6. Learn to write in the Balinese alphabet at the Lontar Museum

The Lontar Museum is one of our favourite hidden gems in Bali. The museum is run by locals from Penaban Karangasem village who aim to educate tourists about the Balinese language and how lontars (a type of manuscript) have been created and used for written records.

Our workshop was led by Kadek, who first explained a little about the Balinese language and how it’s different from Bahasa, the main language used in Indonesia. She then introduced us to the Balinese alphabet, known as "aksara".

Next, we learned about lontars. These are traditional types of paper used by the Balinese people to keep written records throughout Balinese history, including holy scripts, information about medicines, stories, poetry, and art.

Lontars are made from palm tree leaves that are soaked, pressed, and dried. They are written on using a special knife (called a pengrupak) and coloured using burnt macadamia nuts which are rubbed into the etchings.

After the explanation came the fun part – we got to try writing on the lontars for ourselves. We learned how to write our names in the aksara alphabet and wrote them onto two lontars. One which we would leave behind at the museum in a special display area and another that we could take home with us.

The museum is free to visit, but you must make a small donation to take part in the lontar writing. 50,000 IDR ⓘ per person is recommended.

7. Enjoy the view of Mount Agung from Bukit Cinta Viewpoint

For an incredible view over Mount Agung, don't miss Bukit Cinta, an amazing free viewpoint not far from Amed. With lush rice terraces in the foreground and an unobstructed view of Bali’s largest volcano in the background, it’s a wonder that this viewpoint isn't more popular.

The viewpoint is about a 30-minute drive from central Amed, hidden down an unassuming lane. However, it's fairly close to the Lontar Museum, so we'd recommend combining the two.

To get here, simply head to this pin on Google Maps, where you’ll find an elevated platform. Look for the sign that marks the viewpoint. We had to go through the garden of an abandoned home to get up to it.

The platform is not far from the roadside, so it’s pretty easy to reach. However, we recommend taking some bug spray with you, as there were soo many mosquitoes during our visit.

8. Snap some epic photos at Lahangan Sweet

Lahangan Sweet is a series of viewpoints that overlook Mount Agung from the top of a neighbouring mountain. It has several photo spots, including a tree platform, a swing (extra fee), and Balinese split gates - a quieter alternative to the Gates of Heaven nearby (which can often have lines of 3-4 hours).

There's also a lovely little warung on the hilltop with amazing views over the surrounding valley and out to the coastline. We'd definitely recommend stopping here for a coconut or a Bintang.

Right now, the viewpoints aren’t too busy, and we didn’t have to queue at all. But we predict this will become a tourist hotspot over the next few years as more people learn about it. Head here soon before it gets too crowded!

The entrance fee for Lahangan Sweet is currently 50,000 IDR ⓘ. The road to reach it isn’t the easiest to drive up. If you're travelling by car, you’ll need to get out at the bottom and either walk up or take the shuttle for 50,000 IDR return.

If you’re travelling by scooter, you can drive to the top yourself. But that doesn't mean you should. We recommend stopping at the mid-way parking area and walking the final stretch, as the top of the track is muddy and challenging to drive on.

With all of the beautiful photo spots and the small warung, it's easy to spend an hour or two at Lahangan Sweet. We'd recommend visiting just before sunset for the perfect golden-hour lighting.

9. Enjoy coffee with a view at Berina Rice Terraces

Many of Bali’s rice terraces have become overrun by tourists in recent years. But not the Berina Rice Terraces on the outskirts of Amed. Here, luscious green paddies run for miles, with just a few locals peacefully tending to the fields.

You can see the sweeping terraces from the main road as you drive through the area. But we'd recommend making a stop at the lovely little roadside cafe that overlooks the rice fields.

They have a small menu of hot drinks, fresh coconuts, and light snacks made using homegrown produce. Make sure to try their pisang goreng (fried banana) made from their own freshly grown bananas.

The cafe at Berina Rice Terraces is open from 9am-7pm. There isn't much information about it online, but here's a Google Maps pin to help you find it.

10. Visit a lesser-known water palace at Taman Ujung

Taman Ujung is a palace that was built between 1909 and 1921 by the ruler of the region at the time, Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, who also built nearby Tirta Gangga.

One of the architects hired to build the palace was a Dutchman (Bali was a Dutch colony at the time), which is why you can see a unique mix of Balinese and European architecture throughout. It had beautiful manicured gardens, three large ponds, and floating pavilion-like buildings connected by long bridges.

Inside the main building are relics and photos that remain of King Karangasem and his family… he had A LOT of children!

You can climb a long staircase to reach a viewpoint overlooking the entire complex, which covers approx. 10 hectares of land, making it one of the island’s largest historical landmarks.

We’d recommend giving yourself at least an hour or two to fully enjoy the entire site. Entrance costs 100,000 IDR per person and you can pay with cash or card.

11. Feed the Koi Fish at Tirta Gangga water temple

Not too far from Taman Ujung is Tirta Gangga, a second palace built by the same ruler, Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, in 1946. It is named after the River Ganges, which is considered sacred in Hinduism.

The buildings that once existed here were mostly destroyed when Mount Agung erupted in 1963. However, you can still enjoy the manicured gardens, ponds, and intricately carved statues and fountains that depict characters from Hindu mythology.

The most famous thing to do at Tirta Gangga is cross the trail of stepping stones over the main pond and feed the koi fish that swim beneath. Although, judging by the size of some of them, they really don’t need much more food!

Vendors in the car park will try to charge you an inflated price for fish food, the best place to get it is from right outside the entrance where it is 5,000 IDR for 4 packs.

As well as exploring the complex, there's one pool dedicated to bathing, and you can take a traditional boat around the largest pool. Both of these activities have extra fees. We spent around an hour at Tirta Gangga.

We're not entirely sure why, but Tirta Gangga is far more popular than Taman Ujung, so it can get pretty busy. Both are worth visiting, but if you only have time for one, we prefer the more peaceful Taman Ujung.

12. Visit the iconic Gates of Heaven at Pura Lempuyang

Pura Lempuyang is a temple complex with breathtaking views of Mount Agung. Even if you’ve not heard of the temple, you will probably recognise the photos of the temple gateway - an iconic Bali photo spot known as the ‘Gates of Heaven’.

Although we are including this on our list - we know many of you will want a photo here - we think it's important to understand the reality of visiting Pura Lempuyang. It's not quite as it seems from the photos you see on Instagram!

Firstly, the reflection is created with a mirror. There’s no lake in front of the gates. Secondly, it’s not the peaceful oasis the photos suggest. Pura Lempuyang is one of Bali’s most overcrowded tourist spots, with people waiting between 1-4 hours to use the photo spot for a few minutes.

Upon arriving, you're given a numbered ticket, so you don’t need to stand in line physically. But you must still wait near the gates until your number is called. Unfortunately, you can't spend this time exploring the temple itself, as only worshippers can enter the main complex.

For the reasons above, we haven’t visited Pura Lempuyang ourselves. We'd recommend visiting an alternative gate photo spot, such as Lahangan Sweet mentioned earlier.

Where To Stay in Amed

Amed is very spread out along a 14km stretch of coastline. While there are some main hubs, such as Amed Beach, Jemeluk Beach, and Lipah Beach, there isn't really a 'best area' to stay so to speak.

You're going to need transportation to get around, no matter where you stay. Ride-hailing apps such as Grab or Gojek don't work here, so your best option is to hire a scooter from your hotel or book taxis/drivers. Most snorkelling/diving trips offer hotel pick up.

Where To Eat in Amed