Words and photos Anggara Mahendra

For devout Balinese Hindus, beaches are where various religious ceremonies take place, including scattering the ashes of cremated bodies into the sea.

For non-Balinese, however, the beach is a place where they can relax and have fun away from their busy lives, while the shallow seas are enjoyed for the waves and underwater life.

Unlike Kuta, Sanur and Nusa Dua, Amed is relatively unknown to many tourists.

Located around 84 kilometers northeast of Denpasar, perched in the rocky hills of Karangasem, Amed is popular among divers and snorkelers, as well as being an ideal location to view Bali'€™s most sacred mountain, Gunung Agung, and to enjoy the area'€™s famed sunrise.

During the 2015 Christmas and year-end holidays, Amed beach was packed with local and foreign tourists eager to explore its rich marine assets.

There are seven good diving spots in Amed '€” Pyramid, Jemeluk, Bunutan Lipah, Deep Blue, Japanese Shipwreck and Gili Selang.

Wayan Mangku, who rents out diving equipment, said shops renting out diving and snorkeling equipment were easy to find along Amed beach.

'€œIn the low season, there are usually around 10 to 20 people coming to Amed. But during the recent holiday season, Amed welcomed hundreds of visitors,'€ Mangku said.

If you stay in Amed, you can also easily visit Tulamben, about 12 kilometers away, to dive at the famous USAT Liberty shipwreck.

As Amed gains popularity, non-starred and star-rated hotels, villas and resorts are mushrooming in the area, making a stay in Amed easily available to people on any budget.

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