Dive Site: Amed

Posted on April 5, 2024April 5, 2024 by Annabel Thomas

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Dive Site Amed: A Little Known Treasure

Amed, the village, is located on the north east coast of Bali. Amed was traditionally dependent on salt-panning and fishing. Despite the arrival of tourists, Amed has retained the feeling of making it a place where people stay for weeks at a time.

Amed area is quiet with a lovely scenery. It makes a great location for 1 Day Bali Dive Trips. Conditions here, from the sandy shore or using an outrigger boat, are easy, with good visibility.

The dive sites actually stretch along the coast from Amed village (muck site) to Jemeluk and Bunutan, and beyond to Lipah Bay (Japanese Wreck site). Access to the various Amed dive sites is either from the shore or by jukung (local boat).

Popular Dive Sites in Amed

Popular sites in the area include Bunutan Point, the Japanese Wreck and Gili Selang.

Amed Reef (depth 12-22m), with many different kinds of sponges and Gorgonian seafans, is home to marinelife that includes lobsters, shrimp and goby sets, Blue-spotted rays, pygmy seahorses, and schools of fish from anthias to barracuda.

White-tip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, Giant trevally and large schools of bannerfish, snapper, and fusilier can be found at Amed Wall (10-35m). The deep slope after the wall is rich in invertebrates with crinoids and commensals.

Bunutan Point (18-25m) starts with a gentle sandy slope which often has many different nudibranchs and other macro critters. Visibility is usually good although sometimes there are thermoclines.

Lipah Bay (3km south east of Amed), a small black sand bay, is home to The Japanese Wreck, a 20m steel freighter wreck (5-15m) that is encrusted with sponges, Gorgonian seafans and coral bushes, and inhabited by anthias, parrotfish and angelfish. The deeper slope has interesting seafans and is often dotted with a wide variety of nudibranchs.

The small island of Gili Selang on Bali’s eastern point has some protected areas with big bommies and low-lying, healthy corals where you may see White-tip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses. The more exposed areas may have strong currents but can provide the opportunity to see large pelagics. Gili Selang can also be reached by fast boat from Padangbai.

100% AWARE Partner for More Than a Decade

Posted on March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 by Annabel Thomas

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AMD-B has been a 100% AWARE Partner for More Than a Decade

by Mardia, AMD-B’s 2023 Divemaster Internship

As a business that heavily relies on the ocean, AMD-B understands its moral responsibility to protect and conserve the well-being of the undersea. As dive operators, we recognize the critical role we play in offering the opportunity to experience the never-ending beauty of the ocean while promoting environmental and marine conservation.

To fulfill this purpose, AMD-B has been an ardent 100% AWARE partner for over a decade. We actively promote a thriving and bountiful ocean by contributing donations to Project AWARE on behalf of every student who is certified through PADI PIC Online with us. Moreover, every student certified with us receives the Project AWARE version of their PADI certification card. This allow students to proudly display their support and cherish their positive experiences for a better ocean with us.

We have also dedicated our company to becoming a PADI Eco Dive Center, supporting conservation through PADI AWARE Adopt The Blue to increase awareness of conservation issues and take responsibility for their resolution. The ‘Blue Project’ serves as the foundation of our Eco Dive Center. Through this initiative, we actively support conservation efforts by adopting dive sites, undertaking reef restoration, and organizing regular beach and underwater clean-up events.

This year, we are thrilled to share the significant progress we have made in our conservation endeavors. We have installed 45 hexagonal reef stars, providing a habitat for marine life and contributing to reviving marine ecosystems. Additionally, we have successfully restored 810 coral fragments, aiding in the recovery of fragile coral reefs. Furthermore, in our ongoing commitment to reducing marine debris, we have made substantial efforts in our adopted sites, Padangbai Beach, The Jetty, and Blue Lagoon. As of 2023, we have removed 120.325 kgs of marine waste and 129.23 kgs of coastal waste.

As a PADI Eco Dive Center, we strictly adhere to the environmental guidelines set by PADI and Green Fins. We aim to minimize our impact on marine ecosystems by following sustainable diving practices. We take great pride in our marine conservation efforts and ensure that our dive operations have a minimal ecological footprint.

At AMD-B, we firmly believe that education and awareness are key drivers of change. In addition to our conservation efforts, we have conducted community outreach programmes in local schools to raise awareness about ocean protection and educate students about the importance of preserving our oceans. Moreover, we have collaborated with local organizations to further our cause. By joining forces, we can amplify our impact and work towards a sustainable future for our oceans.

Being a Responsible Dive Tourist

Posted on March 15, 2024March 15, 2024 by Annabel Thomas

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Responsible Diver Preserve their Environment

When planning your holiday, choose resorts and liveaboards that have environmentally conscious policies; look for any awards they may have received. Ask: Do they actively contribute to the sustainability and preservation of topside and marine environments?

Encourage your guides to act responsibly; often they are simply over-zealous in their desire to please.

Be sure to streamline your equipment, ensure you are correctly weighted, and watch your buoyancy when diving near a coral reef or other sensitive environment. Be careful not to kick sand onto, stand on, or touch coral.

Educate yourself about seafood and the source of the seafood that you eat. Check www.fishonline.org. Do not patronise restaurants that serve Shark Fin Soup and Napoleon wrasse. Be aware that any live reef fish have often been caught using sodium cyanide – poisonous to you and to the reefs.

Buy your dive gear from manufacturers that contribute to the welfare of the ocean. Contact the company directly if you are unsure.

If you see pictures showing animal harassment or articles that are ecologically offensive, please write to the publisher. They exist because you pay to see or buy their products so tell them when they are wrong.

Research and educate others on the issue of captive dolphins and whales.

Increase your knowledge of the environment, above and below water, by attending (marine) ecology programmes. Participate in eco-tourism and research diving expeditions.

Use operators who employ local people thereby providing them with education and training, as well as bringing direct and indirect benefits to their communities.

When you have the opportunity to meet local people, talk to them about environmental issues that affect the area, while ensuring you show respect for their traditions and culture. All grassroots efforts start from just one or two people having an idea.

Never throw anything into the sea and set an example by not removing shells, corals or fish (alive or dead). If you collect rubbish while diving, be careful it hasn’t already been adopted by local marinelife such as an octopus in a broken bottle.

Report environmental damage, or practices that could be damaging, and encourage responsible behaviour such as the use of permanent moorings, even if it means a longer surface swim.

Donate time and/or money to conservation efforts at home and overseas. Support Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) such as Marine Parks.

Tell others about your experiences, good and bad; never be afraid to lead by example.

Remember: More than seven-tenths of the world’s surface is covered by water; we need it for our very survival. All education, for yourself, for children, for anyone, is an investment for the future.

“In the end, we will conserve only what we love,
we will love only what we understand,
and we will understand only what we are taught.”
Baba Dioum, Senegalese Conservationist