Situated at east coast of Bali, Amuk Bay could be reached approximately one till two hours from South area (Kuta, Sanur and Nusa Dua). Some of Bali best diving sites are located in this area. Padang Bai is a part of Amuk Bay which is scratched out from Padang Bai Harbor to the north and east direction.
There is small bay, with ferry harbor to Lombok. Exactly the beach is good enough, with white sand and good view. Along the beach you will find jukung (small wooden canoe with small outboard engine for fishing). Most of Padang Bai community is fisherman. They use the jukung for diving boat during the day, and the night use it fishing boat. You also find some warung (small restaurant) that close enough to the beach, usually used by dive operator as suit up area before dive or for surface interval.
There are some inn, hotel and other accommodations here, which you can find with good price depend your budget. The beach itself is not too wide, but nice enough with white sand and some of it at remote area.
Padang Bai itself is flat, shallow and covered in fields of sea grass and other algas and here there are clumps of branching corals. If you take the time to look, you can find some interesting animal here like ghost pipefish and unusual shrimps.