Amed Bali Snorkeling – What You Can Expect
Amed Bali Snorkeling – Our Tour Experience
Our search for the best Amed Bali Snorkeling led us to some fantastic locations. In fact, snorkeling in Amed, Bali is arguably one of the most enjoyable activities you can experience there.
Unlike the golden, soft beaches of southern Bali, Amed boasts black, rocky sand. Don’t let this fool you—the snorkeling here is still incredible.
I spent a fortnight on Bali’s north coast in Amed, and I can confidently say the water activities deserve high praise.
In this post, I’ll share details about our snorkeling tour, including its cost, the best locations to snorkel in Amed, and whether booking a tour is worthwhile.
Before we dive in make sure you check out my posts about the Things To Do In Amed, Bali: 15 Brilliant Activities, Tirta Gangga Water Palace, and Lahangan Sweet: Bali’s Best Viewpoint.
Let’s do it!
Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means that if you make a booking through them, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Amed Snorkeling Map
The Best Snorkeling Locations In Amed Bali
Jemeluk Beach (Underwater Temple)
Okay, this was easily my favourite.
Due to the underwater temple of course!
The water here is very clear and fish were abundant while we spent about an hour splashing around. Though it was a little tricky to find the temple our guide steered us right!
We could see it from the surface or dive down to it and see it up close. I have never seen as much beautiful marine life before. The water was full of different species such as Parrotfish, Triggerfish and common reef fish.
You can expect to see many scuba divers here too. Jemeluk Bay felt like the busiest of all the snorkeling spots we visited in Amed.
Our guide gave us a small piece of bread to feed the fish. Once we crumbled it in our hands under water the fish surrounded us in a wonderful close-up experience.
Looking to book a hotel in Amed? Check out my post about the 12 BEST Hotels in Amed Bali: Where To Stay
Lipah Beach
This place is a popular area to go to in Amed.
The water is fairly clear but nothing compared to the water on the Gili Islands which is simply special.
You can see plenty of colourful fish here and we got to explore the Coral Garden too which made the experience much more exciting. You can rent snorkel equipment on most beaches in Amed which makes life easier.
Check out my article about the 8 Best Beaches in Amed, Bali.
I have to be honest and say we swam with a ton of jellyfish that would only occasionally hurt a little. You could ignore them for the most part but if you are sensitive it may be best to rent or buy a wetsuit.
I simply wore a training t-shirt and it was a game-changer.
Japanese Ship Wreck
Another of exploring Amed led us finally to the Japanese shipwreck.
This is one of the more popular snorkeling spots in Amed due to wreckage found only a dozen or so metres from the shoreline.
And dang it did not disappoint!
We saw so many fish here as well as people. The water gets deep very suddenly and there is a market in the water highlighting the wreckage location directly underneath.
We rented snorkel gear(fins and snorkel) here for 75,000 IDR per person and we did it for about an hour or so. There is a 25,000 IDR cost to enter but you can put that toward a drink at the shop.
The beach is very rocky here but like I said it is a short swim to the ship.
Read my article about how best to travel from Ubud to Amed.
Amed Beach (Pyramids)
Turtles, turtles and more turtles.
What an experience it was to see my first turtle underwater in Amed. The pyramids feel like a huge expansive underwater location perfect for snorkeling or scuba diving for that matter.
I noticed the entire length of the beach was covered in blue starfishes that were big and you could find them every few metres.
Occasionally we spotted a turtle and we would swim a little closer to see.
Don’t forget to look up once and a while and see Mount Agung looking down on you. When you are snorkeling on Amed Beach it can be awesome to take a moment and see the amazing nature found all around you.
Selang Beach
A little further west of the Japanese shipwreck is Selang Beach.
This place is perfect for shallow swimming that leaves the bigger crowds behind. There are plenty of pretty corals to be found.
You can pick up equipment Budi snorkeling tour and rental or book in with them for a great day out too.
The beach is small but is a good option to consider when planning a snorkeling trip.
Amed Bali Snorkeling Tour Cost
In total, we paid 350,000 IDR (€20.00) per person for a three-hour snorkeling tour.
Important to note – we approached a guy in the street selling tours. There are many of these small stalls in Amed. I had to give him a deposit of 200,000 IDR the night before we booked the tour.
However, if you are on a budget you can go directly to the many companies located on the beach you will get a better price. When we walked along the beach they will be calling you asking if you need a tour tomorrow.
We later realised we got charged a much higher price by going further away from the beach.
Our Amed Snorkeling Tour Itinerary
We had agreed with Amed Bagus Snorkeling and Fishing to explore the following locations:
- Amed Beach, Pyramid
- Jemeluk Beach and Underwater Temple
- Lipah Beach
- Japanese Ship Wreck
However, on the morning of our tour, the guide informed us that due to current and sea conditions, visibility at the Japanese Shipwreck would be poor. As a result, he altered our plan.
This experience taught us that it’s best to confirm beforehand whether conditions are suitable if you’re set on following a specific itinerary.
Before we departed our boat glided onto Amed beach right in front of our hotel and right on time.
I must say, it is very interesting to watch this. It seems like the boats are going to crash because it looks way too fast. But every time, they simply slow and come to a rapid stop on the black, rocky sand. These guys are experts!
We were given a snorkel and fins and even a wet bag to put our phone in so it was protected from any unwanted splashes.
We now only had three stops on our tour. Where each one lasted about an hour.
Our boat driver instructed us to swim against the current at first, ensuring we’d naturally drift back towards him when we were done enjoying the snorkeling spot.
Although the tour was enjoyable, I believe there are better snorkeling spots to explore in Amed. I’ll share what I consider the best places to snorkel, including locations beyond our tour experience.
This list should help you choose the ideal spot for your underwater adventure.
What Equipment Do You Need to Rent/Buy?
Our first tour included all the equipment, but the second one didn’t provide fins. Having fins is essential—they help you swim longer distances with less effort and conserve energy.
To ensure a great snorkeling experience, bring these items:
- Waterproof phone case for underwater photos
- Snorkel
- Fins
- Wetsuit covering your torso and arms (helpful for jellyfish protection in Amed)
- Sunscreen
- Water
Amed Bali Snorkeling Tour Options
East Bali: Snorkeling Day Trip to Amed
Amed Snorkeling Trip Only with Private Boat plus Guide
Amed: Snorkeling Tour with Japanese Shipwreck and Coral
Think About Safety When Snorkeling
It is important to understand the risk involved when in the sea.
If you are inexperienced in the ocean it can be dangerous. Listen to your guide and locals. Ask them what you should and shouldn’t do.
Find out where you should and shouldn’t go. Try and keep educated about the sea and currents.
For example, we were told not to go west past the Japanese Shipwreck because it can get dangerous due to the currents.
Our guide also advised us to swim first against the current so it would bring us back naturally to him when we finished in each location.
Ask questions and it will help ensure a safe and relaxed experience.
Important – DO NOT DAMAGE THE CORAL
When we went on our tour, our guide didn’t mention the corals apart from the fact that they are beautiful. This was surprising.
It is best practice not to step on any coral when snorkeling in Amed. Standing on coral is extremely damaging to the underwater marine system. It is a good idea to keep your distance and move slowly.
Keep your arms close to your body when you can and do your best not to stir up any of the sediment.
I read later that feeding the fish is not good for the coral yet, but our guide and others encouraged it. So this was a little confusing.
In hindsight, I would choose not to feed the fish.
Final Thoughts on Amed’s Best Snorkeling Spots
In summary, Amed is a great place to explore the underwater life found around Bali.
While sadly our GoPro was broken during our time in Amed we couldn’t take any underwater images. So you will just have to visit for yourself and do some snorkeling in Amed!
The water can be very clear and offers a great chance to see colourful fish, temples and turtles. Heck, you may even see sharks too if you are lucky.
My favourite places were the Japanese Shipwreck, Jemeluk Beach (Underwater Temple) and Amed Beach.
I enjoyed the tour a lot. It was worth the money. The boat we went on was very narrow and private. It offered a different experience to that of Thailand’s long tail boats.
We could decide which direction to swim which you may not be able to choose in a larger group tour.
If you are more experienced at snorkeling I would also suggest looking at the USS Liberty Shipwreck about 30 minutes drive north of Amed. While Guada loved scuba diving here it is possible to explore with only a snorkel.
Hopefully, you have a brilliant snorkeling trip in Amed’s best locations.
If you enjoyed this post you will find my South-East Asia packing list post very helpful as well as How To Get To Amed, Bali!
Thanks for reading,
James
FAQs
Is Amed Bali good for Snorkeling?
Amed is a great place to spend some time snorkeling whether on a tour or privately. Though the sand is black and more rocky than the south of Bali there is plenty of places to explore in the water including the Japanese Shipwreck, Jemeluk Beach Underwater Temple and Lipah Beach. Expect to see some amazing coral reefs too.
What is the Underwater Temple in Amed?
The underwater temple is a Buddhist design which can be found off the coast of Amed, Bali. Here many travellers snorkel and scuba dive down to see the temple. It looks epic with the marine life swimming around the temple. It is marked with a water bottle floating in the water and is tied down to mark the location of the temple.
Is Amed Bali worth visiting?
Certainly, Amed is a place well worth visiting if you go to Bali. Located on the North of the island, it is a great place to snorkel, scuba dive and visit temples found close by. It is much more relaxed than Ubud, Jimbaran or Canggu. Expect hard rocky black sand beach rather than soft golden sand found elsewhere in Bali.
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