East Bali Practical Information
Getting Around: East Bali is difficult to explore without your own vehicle or a private driver. The distances between highlights are large (Sidemen–Amed: 2 hours, Padangbai–Amed: 1.5 hours), and public buses run rarely and unreliably. The best option is a scooter (from 70,000 IDR/day) or a private driver (approx. 500,000-700,000 IDR/day including fuel). The roads are mostly good, but the coastal road to Amed has some tight curves and steep sections.
Best Travel Time: April to October (dry season). The view of Gunung Agung is best in the morning. November to March is the rainy season—the rice fields are then greenest, but the volcano view is often obscured by clouds.
ATMs: There is only one ATM in Amed (at Bank BRI, often empty). Several ATMs in Amlapura and Padangbai. Bring enough cash!
Mobile Coverage: In Amed and Sidemen, network coverage is patchy—Telkomsel has the best coverage. Wi-Fi in accommodations is usually available but slow.
Achtung
Gunung Agung is an active volcano. It last erupted in 2017/2018 and can become active again at any time. Pay attention to the warning levels of the Indonesian Volcanology Center (PVMBG) and adhere to exclusion zones (usually 4-6 km radius around the summit). Ascents are prohibited at warning level II and above.