Candi dasa, a little coconut town
on Bali's east-coast

Candi dasa was another piece of paradise in Bali during the 1970's. Word came out that here you could find palm fringed golden beaches, beautiful diving spots, colorful fishing boats, friendly people and stunning scenery...

Since then travelers came here to spend their days in paradise and more guest houses and hotels had to be built to accommodate them.

Everything is still true about this little place except for the golden beaches.

So what happened?

The local people from Candi dasa needed construction materials to build their hotels and they used the reef to get it.

They started to blow up the reef with explosives and hotel after hotel was built with what were once amazing fields of coral.

Now without the reef the sea had free play and bit by bit took away the stunning golden beaches that this coconut village was so famous for.

Today only at low tide you can see some patches of what was once the beach.

To bring the beach back to life the local government has recently built several breakwaters to trap the sand but it will take many years for the beach to return to its former grandeur.

Same counts for the numbers of travelers, it's a quiet sleepy town now that funny enough appeals mostly to Golden Girls ;-)

Nonetheless it is still a great little town to spend a couple of days when you are on your way to the northern part of the island, the central mountains of Bali or the dive sites at Padangbai, Amlapura and even Amed.

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Getting Around Candidasa

Getting around this tiny village is easy and if you don't look at the signs properly chances are you've passed this little fishing village already.

The busy main road through town is called Jalan Raya Candi dasa and links the city of Klungkung with Amlapura.

The village is so small that it lacks a town center but if you take the big lotus lagoon you are pretty much in the 'center'.

The lotus lagoon...

The main temple Pura Candi dasa is located across from the lagoon and is dedicated to the Gods Shiva and Hariti. Here you can see motor bike drivers stop to place offerings and to get their blessing before they hit the road again.

If you follow the road (starting from the lagoon) to the south for 1km you can turn to the right to visit the Bali Aga village of Tenganan, which is another 3 km inwards on the slopes of the fertile green hills.

Here the original habitants of Bali live and follow the same customs as centuries before. Try to visit this village early in the morning when the tourist buses haven't arrived yet.

The main temple located on the road running
through the village

If you don't have your own transportation, you can always travel as the locals do. Every now and then a bright red bemo will pass either going to Padangbai or to Amlapura. Just wave when it approaches you and hop on...

Another comfortable option is to rent a motor bike. There are many shops who rent bikes, but you can also approach the reception of your hotel who will be able to arrange one too.

And of course you can arrange a driver who can take you to all the highlights of East Bali. When we are in Candi dasa we meet up with Sugiyo, also known as John.

He is originally from Java, but lives in Bali for many years so he knows all the nice places.

He is a very good driver with a comfortable car who does what you both agree on.

He will bring you safely to your destination without any nonsense. So no sudden stops at factories or shops, unless you want to of course ;-)

Our driver John with his car in the back

You can contact him by phone +61 081336219373 or by email which is rajas_resotoran@yahoo.com. He is also the owner of an restaurant in Candidasa, hence the email address.

If you plan to go further to Bali and head for Lombok or the Gili islands then Candidasa is a good place to rest before you take the boat.

The boat leaves from Padangbai, a harbor village just a 20 minutes drive from Candidasa. Ferries leave from Padangbai throughout the day.

Ferries to Lombok leave from Padangbai harbor

Important addresses and handy phone numbers

For emergencies or small accidents: Amlapura hospital at Jalan Ngurah Rai, contact through 363-21-011.

Perama tourist shuttle bus, which links to the major places of interest such as Ubud, Kuta, Singaraja etc, contact through 0363-41114.

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Things to do

Candi dasa is ideally located in the Karangasem regency where you can enjoy Bali's astounding nature and culture.

From here you can easily go hiking, dive at the best Bali dive sites, visit the village where the original Balinese people live or explore Padangbai which is easy to get to.

Here are a couple of great things to do when staying in Candidasa...

Tenganan is located near Candi dasa and its inhabitants are considered to be the original Balinese people. They still live according to ancient traditions. They are known for their unique ikat weaving and palm leaf calendars. If you plan to visit, go early in the morning before busloads of tourists arrive.

Tirta Gangga is a ancient water palace located just north of Amlapura. Even though it has been destroyed by an earthquake it's still the best preserved water palace in Bali. It has a wonderful garden to walk around but the best thing about it is that you can actually swim in one of the royal pools. A very refreshing treat...

Taman Ujung is one of the two water palaces in East Palace. It was built by the same king who built Tirta Gangga. In the past it was a beautiful retreat for the king, however after the earth quake in 1979 and due to lack of maintenance the palace is not as it used to be. It's still open for public and nice for a stroll.

Hiking: Candi dasa is a fantastic starting point to go hiking through the rice fields and the mountainous terrain in the area. There is a good hiking trail from the village Tenganan to Macang and Ngis and then back to Tenganan.

Another option starts from Tenganan and ends at Tirta gangga. Search for the temple complex at Tenganan and from there head for the forests. There is a stone wall that will guide you to a school in Gumung. There are beautiful views on the rice fields from this village.

You continue your walk by passing a dam, a shrine and by crossing a shallow river. At the village Kastala head towards the main road and walk to the village of Bebandem.

From here you can continue your hike to the village of Budakling and after hiking along the country roads you will end at Tirta gangga.

Diving and snorkeling Candidasa: Candi dasa is also a good starting point for diving and snorkeling nearby. There are some excellent spots such as Tepekong Island and the Mimpang Islands, the tree rock islands in front of Candidasa's coast.

This dive site has several walls and a good variety of sea life. There is even a shark junction so you will likely see numerous sharks and sometimes even manta rays and the Oceanic Sunfish. Visibility is 30+ meters. Tours can be organized from Candi dasa and Padang Bai.

Diving and Snorkeling Padang Bai: Padangbai is 20/30 minutes down the road of Candidasa and has 6 excellent spots for snorkeling and diving. Famous sites are Blue Lagoon, Ferry Channel, Tanjung Sari, Temple, the Wall and Bias Tugal.

While the diving conditions are good in this area, the water can be very cold and visibility is not always crystal clear.

Jasri Beach: Just before Amlapura there's the small town of Jasri where you can do some surfing with the locals. However there's no beach here, just some black volcanic rocks which can easily cut you. So make sure you have enough surf experience before you head for this beach.

Pasir Putih: Just 5 km north of Candi dasa you can find the superb white palm fringed beach of Pasir Putih. It takes some adventure skills to get here but once you pass the dirt road you end up at the amazing white beach. There are a couple of 'warungs' here where you can relax, sip a beer and lounge on one of the beach chairs.

Padangbai: Another nice activity to do when in Candi dasa is to visit the relaxing beach village, Padangbai. Padang means 'grass' in Balinese and Bai is from the dutch word 'baai' meaning bay. Well that is what the village basically is as most activities are concentrated around the bay.

Candi dasa is the perfect spot to drive around the stunning scenery of east-Bali. One of our favorite routes goes from Candidasa to Amed via Tirta Gangga. Here palm trees and rice fields dot the landscape between the gorgeous mountains and the sea below.

Another favorite route of ours is the drive from Candi dasa to Ubud via Manggis, Putung, Selat, Rendang and Bangli. From the mountains of Manggis you have a view to die for and along the way you will pass amazing rice terraces and you can visit one of the ancient temples of Bali.

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Restaurants in Candidasa en Padangbai

Most of the restaurants here are located along Jalan Raya Candi dasa and are disappointing compared to the restaurants in other tourist areas such as Sanur or Legian.

The restaurants have surprisingly the same menu, the same background music and the same legong dance performance. Luckily there are still a couple of restaurants worth mentioning with dishes you definitely want to come back for.

Toke restaurant: This restaurant serves tantalizing seafood and a twist of Indian, all prepared in the open kitchen. Having drinks only? No problem, there's a cozy bar and lounge area where you can sip cocktails all evening.

Vincent's restaurant: If you love eating with music in the background of jazz legends such as Diana Krall or Ella Fitzgerald than this restaurant is the place to go to. Fortunately their food is as good as their music and style. Not to be missed on your visit to East Bali...

Lotus Bungalows restaurant: This Italian restaurant should not be confused with the Lotus Seafood restaurant which I think is rather boring. Lotus Bungalows restaurant is located next to the bungalows and has a view on the swimming pool and the ocean nearby. It serves excellent dishes and the service is exemplary...

Rendez Vous restaurant has one of the best settings in Candidasa for a delicious lunch or dinner. It's located right at sea side from where you can enjoy the view. It's part of the Alam Asmara Dive resort. So when you stay at this resort the big Rendez Vous breakfast is included.

If you feel like a change of scenery and want to try out other restaurants you can easily drive to Padangbai where you can have lunch or dinner right at the beach.

Topi Inn: This is one of the most colorful places in Padangbai which offers a playful menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's located right at the bay under the palm trees, so plan to sit here for hours, relax and try out all the nice things they have to offer.

If in Padangbai you should try out the local fish. Grand Cafe PB Harbor is a great place to enjoy fish satay or grilled fish topped with different types of sauces. If you go for the garlic sauce, expect your fish covered with fresh cloves. It might sound weird, nonetheless it was delicious.

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Hotels and luxury Villas in Candidasa

There are some excellent choices of resorts and villas to spend a couple days at this coconut village. None of them are located on the busy main road but in quiet and smaller side streets instead.

Candi Beach Cottages: This 4-star resort is set amidst a huge coconut grove garden and has two big swimming pools with views on the Bay of Amuk. Their rooms and bungalows are freshly decorated and have all the modern amenities you could wish for on your holiday. Fresh frangipani flowers are brought to your room every day...

Rama Resort and Spa: This resort has 72 air-conditioned traditional Balinese styled bungalows and a wing room building with disappointing bathrooms. Nonetheless they have one of the best (if not the best) spa facilities in town. This is the place to go to for some serious Balinese pampering with herbs and mud.

Puri Bagus Resort: This resort was one of the first tourist resorts in this little town and is still a surprisingly good mid-range alternative with its ocean view and garden view bungalows. There is also a spa, a dive school with lessons in the pool and gazebos at the waterfront....

The Alila resort isn't located in Candi dasa but just outside Candi dasa in a village called Manggis. It belongs to the Designer Hotels and it's easy to see why with the immaculate tropical scenery and the award winning SeaSalt restaurant. If you're looking for a lazy holiday with extremely good service, this is the place to be...

Ida's homestay: This homestay is the best we've seen near the beach until now in Bali. The only drawback is that it's located on the busy main road through Candi dasa. Nonetheless this homestay is covered with huge palm trees and you have fantastic views on the sea and the local fishermen from their pavilion. Their bungalows are..  

Bali Luxury Villas in Candi Dasa

Villa Gils is one hell of a villa with two floors, 3- bedrooms, a huge private kitchen, classy living room, outdoor dining room, lounge gazebo and a massive private swimming pool only a stone-throw away from the sea. I think this is the best value for money villa in East Bali. 24 hour staff is available to provide you with whatever you need...

Villa Rumah Kecil is next to Villa Gils and located right on the beach. This place really feels like home with two double bedrooms in small Balinese buildings, a turquoise plunge pool, indoor/outdoor shower and bathtub, outdoor dining room and a gazebo with stunning ocean views...

Villa Dua Gils is neither a resort or a huge villa. Instead it's in between and features three small buildings and one big kidney shaped public pool with restaurant. They look small from the outside but are comfortable enough for two with indoor/outdoor bathroom and lounge area with coffee table and pillow on the second floor...

Villa Sasoon is like candy to the eye with their minimalist interior; wooden floors, an 8 meter high ceiling, marble kitchen, paintings, Balinese statues and private plunge pool. This villa has two separate pavilion bedrooms, ideal for couples, friends or families...

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