Wisnu
Contributor
There's lot trip reports and discussion about Tulamben in this forum but few about Amed, a fishing village located on the north east coast of Bali , 30 minute drive from infamous Tulamben.
Many people underestimate Amed. The fact, more non-diver visit Amed vs all divers visitor for Tulamben; might support the conclusion that Amed is not for serious divers. Amed is a very cozy and pleasant location to stay - more options on accommodation and restaurant to choose.
Amed beach by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
End of August, after 6 days in Komodo marine national park, we spent another 4 days in Hotel Uyah (salt lodge); the first hotel upon entering Amed street; situated right next to the beach with its restaurant - Café Garam - features a salt (salt = garam = uyah) production. It is not the cheapest resort in Amed, The room is spacious, comfortable bed, clean sheets, mosquito net, large bath room; well manicured garden and great pool area with loads of sunbeds; for less than Euro 50 during peak season is corectly priced. The A / C is not powerful, but sufficient to help us for a good sleep.
We love our family bungalow. From our verandah, we enjoy a direct view of Amed bay and the mighty Mount Agung .
Breakfast was not bad, choice between 5 menu's such as fried noodle, fried rice, pan cake, freshly baked bread with fruit platter or juice.
The diving?
The resort's inhouse DC Amed Dive Center - is only few steps from our room. They use a wooden boat with cover and ladder; larger and much more convenient than using outrigger Jukung (small wooden fishing boat, just enough to put your butt) which is typically used by most of diving operator in the area. They also operate larger boat Condor Sailing typically use for longer trip, fishing trip or LOB but this boat currently on dock. The drawback, they only have one boat; so the dives selection will have to compromise with other divers or snorkeler, if any.
The resort's house reef - Ghost Bay, is located right on the front of our room, is an artificial reef with small sculptures made of bottles, wheels, concrete, terracotta pots, steels, wood trunks etc. No colorful and healthy corals; but it is a wonderful place for underwater macro photography. The dive site is gentle slope and flat bottom with some steep slope in places.
This artificial reef is home to large stonefish, moray eels, snake eels, lionfish, scorpion fish, boxfish, ghost pipefish, seahorse, and other small critters and fish. Long arms octopus (seem like mimic) and snake eels are common on the night dive.
Unfortunately, we do not see the Mimic octopus and painted frogfish which is claimed frequently seen there.
However, long arm octopus ( I thought it was mimic octopus) is very common on night dive.
On nearby site, less than 5 minutes boat from the house reef - we saw not only one or two, but at least 8 beautiful harlequin shrimps including very tiny juvenile.
Amed Harlequin Shrimp 4 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
The Jemeluk bay and Amed wall is also nice dive site, the drop-off is steep slope with healthy soft and health corals drops down into 25 35 m depths. I enjoy the relaxing drift on the wall with large red barrel sponges and huge gorgonian.
The dive guide brought us to a gorgonian fan on the sandy bottom, home to 5 Bagibanti pigmy sea horses. Unfortunately, once we approached this gorgonian to take picture a dozen divers realized what were doing; only gave us few minute to shoot; and this was what happens after we left the place ... poor pigmy
Amed pigmyseahorse by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
The other attraction in Jemeluk bay is the pyramids, ie. artificial reef structures built in 1990 from a mixture of concrete slabs and car tires that seem has shown very promising result. The structures are encrusted with colorful corals home of anthias, parrotfish, angelfish, surgeonfish. moray eels, giant frogfish and playing ground of fusilier. During our dive practically almost no current, very easy dive but we do not see many pelagics, and no sharks.
Mel at Pyramid Amed by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Although Amed diving is nice, but we could not resist not to dive Liberty wreck Tulamben and Seraya secret. They used the same boat, and took approx. 40 minutes to reach the Liberty wreck.
On the first trip to Tulamben, we had to wait other divers and snorkeler who came late almost one hour - so, the boat depart from resort at around 09:30 and we jumped in the front of Tauch Terminal at 10:30 to find there was no bumphead, no jackfish school, no barry barracuda on the wreck but dozens divers (could be more than hunderd) and bubbles every where. No single shoot my camera free from bubble.
Not very happy with diving condition, we asked to visit the wreck on the next earler morning, departing 07:30 am sharp from the resort which was too early for other divers. Good. The boat and the guide was ours.
Diving Liberty at 08:30 will not give whole wreck for you but at least we did not miss the bumphead. Still no jackfish school. We saw the Barry baracuda on the blue water from the distance and disappeared when we approached him.
Bumphead Tulamben 2 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
On the way back, we stopped at Seraya secret and spent 75 minutes in the water.
Seraya Filefish by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
More pics Amed ...Amed August 2013 - a set on Flickr
Tulamben and SEraya ... Tulamben & Seraya August 2013 - a set on Flickr
Many people underestimate Amed. The fact, more non-diver visit Amed vs all divers visitor for Tulamben; might support the conclusion that Amed is not for serious divers. Amed is a very cozy and pleasant location to stay - more options on accommodation and restaurant to choose.
Amed beach by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
End of August, after 6 days in Komodo marine national park, we spent another 4 days in Hotel Uyah (salt lodge); the first hotel upon entering Amed street; situated right next to the beach with its restaurant - Café Garam - features a salt (salt = garam = uyah) production. It is not the cheapest resort in Amed, The room is spacious, comfortable bed, clean sheets, mosquito net, large bath room; well manicured garden and great pool area with loads of sunbeds; for less than Euro 50 during peak season is corectly priced. The A / C is not powerful, but sufficient to help us for a good sleep.
We love our family bungalow. From our verandah, we enjoy a direct view of Amed bay and the mighty Mount Agung .
Breakfast was not bad, choice between 5 menu's such as fried noodle, fried rice, pan cake, freshly baked bread with fruit platter or juice.
The diving?
The resort's inhouse DC Amed Dive Center - is only few steps from our room. They use a wooden boat with cover and ladder; larger and much more convenient than using outrigger Jukung (small wooden fishing boat, just enough to put your butt) which is typically used by most of diving operator in the area. They also operate larger boat Condor Sailing typically use for longer trip, fishing trip or LOB but this boat currently on dock. The drawback, they only have one boat; so the dives selection will have to compromise with other divers or snorkeler, if any.
The resort's house reef - Ghost Bay, is located right on the front of our room, is an artificial reef with small sculptures made of bottles, wheels, concrete, terracotta pots, steels, wood trunks etc. No colorful and healthy corals; but it is a wonderful place for underwater macro photography. The dive site is gentle slope and flat bottom with some steep slope in places.
This artificial reef is home to large stonefish, moray eels, snake eels, lionfish, scorpion fish, boxfish, ghost pipefish, seahorse, and other small critters and fish. Long arms octopus (seem like mimic) and snake eels are common on the night dive.
Unfortunately, we do not see the Mimic octopus and painted frogfish which is claimed frequently seen there.
However, long arm octopus ( I thought it was mimic octopus) is very common on night dive.
On nearby site, less than 5 minutes boat from the house reef - we saw not only one or two, but at least 8 beautiful harlequin shrimps including very tiny juvenile.
Amed Harlequin Shrimp 4 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
The Jemeluk bay and Amed wall is also nice dive site, the drop-off is steep slope with healthy soft and health corals drops down into 25 35 m depths. I enjoy the relaxing drift on the wall with large red barrel sponges and huge gorgonian.
The dive guide brought us to a gorgonian fan on the sandy bottom, home to 5 Bagibanti pigmy sea horses. Unfortunately, once we approached this gorgonian to take picture a dozen divers realized what were doing; only gave us few minute to shoot; and this was what happens after we left the place ... poor pigmy
Amed pigmyseahorse by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
The other attraction in Jemeluk bay is the pyramids, ie. artificial reef structures built in 1990 from a mixture of concrete slabs and car tires that seem has shown very promising result. The structures are encrusted with colorful corals home of anthias, parrotfish, angelfish, surgeonfish. moray eels, giant frogfish and playing ground of fusilier. During our dive practically almost no current, very easy dive but we do not see many pelagics, and no sharks.
Mel at Pyramid Amed by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Although Amed diving is nice, but we could not resist not to dive Liberty wreck Tulamben and Seraya secret. They used the same boat, and took approx. 40 minutes to reach the Liberty wreck.
On the first trip to Tulamben, we had to wait other divers and snorkeler who came late almost one hour - so, the boat depart from resort at around 09:30 and we jumped in the front of Tauch Terminal at 10:30 to find there was no bumphead, no jackfish school, no barry barracuda on the wreck but dozens divers (could be more than hunderd) and bubbles every where. No single shoot my camera free from bubble.
Not very happy with diving condition, we asked to visit the wreck on the next earler morning, departing 07:30 am sharp from the resort which was too early for other divers. Good. The boat and the guide was ours.
Diving Liberty at 08:30 will not give whole wreck for you but at least we did not miss the bumphead. Still no jackfish school. We saw the Barry baracuda on the blue water from the distance and disappeared when we approached him.
Bumphead Tulamben 2 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
On the way back, we stopped at Seraya secret and spent 75 minutes in the water.
Seraya Filefish by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
More pics Amed ...Amed August 2013 - a set on Flickr
Tulamben and SEraya ... Tulamben & Seraya August 2013 - a set on Flickr
I'll take a pass on the Japanese wreck though, too much surf and churn. . .
