Bali Reef Divers , Amed

The many bays along the coastline are sheltered from the strong currents of the Lombok Strait but still have some great diving on offer.  Compared to the dive sites of Padangbai and Candidasa, conditions are normally a little easier, the water is warmer and clearer and access much simpler - several sites are reached simply by walking off the beach.  The marine life is still very rich and there are some beautiful reefs at sites such as at Gili Selang and Lipah and a classic drift dive around the headland at Jemeluk Bay.

Amed’s best diving lies right off the bay around the headland of Jemeluk. Here the currents bring in plenty go bigger fish and create prefect conditions for coral growth. There are schools of sergeant majors, fusiliers, midnight and red snapper, bannerfish and pyramidfish, small schools of barracuda, hunting bluefin trevally, even bumphead parrotfish in the shallows.  There are schools of surgeonfish out in the blue, dogtooth tuna, whitetip sharks, batfish, redtooth triggers, big angelfish and coral groupers - the list goes on! Inside the bay there are also some great areas to dive, with some interesting macro, turtles, small schools of fish, plenty of corals and some pyramid-shaped artificial reefs.

Further along the coast at Banyuning is a pretty, pebble beach jammed with colourful jekungs, and popular with both snorkelers and divers who come to explore the 'Japanese Wreck' which lies only a stones throw off the beach.  In fact, the wreck is not much of a wreck.  The original boat was small and the wreck has since been broken up and scavenged - there is little real sense that you are exploring the remains of a boat. But the coral is very pretty around the wreck and there are some nice schools of fish - and the remains of the toilet at the stern of the wreck!

At Gili Selang there is a beautiful coral garden on the sheltered side of this tiny island, with big barrel sponges, gorgonian fans, plate corals and undulating fields of brown soft corals. Fish life is prolific, with dense schools of flashing green and blue damsels above the hard corals, big angelfish, and lots of groupers, parrotfish, sweetlips and triggerfish.