Amed Beach

This guide to Amed Beach in Bali starts with the black volcanic sand underfoot, ground down over centuries from Mount Agung looming behind the shore. It follows the families of Amed who turned that sand into a livelihood, pouring seawater over it and raking up crystallized salt on coconut-wood trays, a craft passed from parent to child. You'll hear how that tradition nearly disappeared during the twentieth century, squeezed by cheap factory salt and the arrival of tourism. Look for the fishermen's painted outrigger boats still working the same shore.