Amed
Amed is a string of fishing villages along the dry northeast coast: black-sand coves, calm clear water, and some of the most accessible snorkelling in Bali.
The water is the reason to come. The coast here faces the sheltered Lombok Strait rather than the open ocean, so the coves are generally flat and clear, and the reef starts close enough to shore that a child who can snorkel does not need a boat. For families whose children are old enough for a mask, it is one of the best things Bali offers.
It is also dry, hot and stark compared with the green south — this is the rain shadow of Mount Agung, and the landscape shows it. The beaches are black volcanic sand and stony rather than soft in most coves, so water shoes make a real difference.
Amed is a long drive from the airport and the south, on winding coastal roads, and is best treated as a several-night stop rather than a day trip. Accommodation is small-scale and dive-oriented, with few facilities aimed at young children. It suits families with school-age kids and snorkels considerably better than families with babies.
