Amed (Bali, Indonesia)

Amed:

On our three-hour drive from Munduk over to Amed, we cruised right along the north coast of Bali, hugging the ocean and passing through the beach town of Lovina.  Let me tell you, Amed is a world away from the chaotic tourist centers of South Bali like Kuta and Seminyak, and it’s nothing like Ubud.

Amed isn’t just one town—it’s actually a stretch of small, traditional fishing hamlets running right along the coast.  Starting from the north, you’ve got Jemeluk (where we stayed) and Bunutan, which are the most popular spots.  Further down,  Lipah and Selang are a bit quieter.  The whole area is just a super-relaxed beach community with guesthouses, resorts, scuba shops, and cafes lining the coast for an hour all the way down to another popular beach area called Candidasa. If you want an extreme chill environment in Bali, this is where you head.

The Crack of Ass Sunrise Dilemma

Aside from world-class diving and snorkeling, one of the main activities here is getting up at the crack of ass to hike up Gunung Agung for the sunrise.  Because this requires waking up at an ungodly early hour to catch a “supposedly” incredible view, Barbie flatly proclaimed, “I am more of a sunset person rather than a sunrise person.”

Translation: Barbie likes to sleep in.  So, sleep in we did.

Washing Away Sins at Tirta Gangga

Instead of hiking at dawn, we took our scooter up into the mountains to visit a very cool outdoor water temple called Tirta Gangga.  Now, I’m not typically a big temple guy, but the major bonus here is that they let you swim in one of the temple’s outdoor pools.  It’s supposed to wash away your past sins… and hopefully, all my bad handicapping practices, too.

Man, dipping into that pool was so damn refreshing in the stifling Balinese heat. Even Barbie got in after some serious persuading. That’s a massive feat in itself because she absolutely despises being submerged in cold water.  But since she has an abundance of past sins, I told her it was probably a good idea to get her butt into the sacred water.

The scooter ride up to the temple through local villages and rice fields was incredibly scenic.  It was worth the journey just to see the smiling faces and waves from all the locals as we rode by.

The Eight-Hand Massage Dream

I am very happy to report that I’ve been keeping up with my strict regimen of a one-hour, full-body Balinese massage every other day.  In Amed, it only sets me back $8 bucks.  They offer a “four-hands” massage (two masseuses) for $14, and I’m seriously contemplating doubling down and going for an eight-hand massage for $28.  Imagine that—four masseuses working simultaneously on Big Doug.  That’s living life.

Our time is up in Amed, and we’re about to catch the fast boat for a one-hour ride over to the Gili Islands in Lombok for some serious beach time.  Overall, Amed’s black sand beaches aren’t anything spectacular on their own, but the hyper-relaxed atmosphere of the whole coast is what makes this place so cool.

The Amed Stats

• Top Restaurants: Sama Sama, Wayan’s Warung, Amed Cafe, Reef Bar, Warung Enak, The Grill, Galanga, Pantai Seafood
• Beaches Visited: 4. The area is definitely more geared toward scuba divers and snorkelers due to the coral beaches.
• Loose Stools Index: 7. Holding steady.

Thru the Binocs (Money Matters in Bali)

• Barbie the “Big Spender”: Barbie doesn’t quite have a handle on the currency exchange here yet, though she’s getting better. The other day she tipped the bellman 2,000 Rupiah and walked away feeling like a total sport.  Little did she know that “this sport” just greased the guy with exactly six cents.
• King of the Castle: I just withdrew 5 million Rupiah from the ATM. That officially makes me the King of Amed.
• The $14 Feast: Last night we ate dinner right smack on the ocean. We ordered two appetizers, two mains, two blended iced watermelon drinks, and two desserts. Total bill: $14 USD.
• Scooter Deals: Rented a scooter for three days at a grand total of $3 per day. Plus, there’s no tipping culture in Indonesia. I do not fancy tipping, so that puts a massive smile on my face.