Candidasa
Description
It is located in the eastern part of Bali at a sufficient distance from the airport nearly 2-2.5 hours by car. Candidasa looks like a very long street of several kilometers, a road on the way to Amed to be exact. The local infrastructure is not very developed although here you can find nice small stores, fruit shops, spa salons, restaurants, and bars. It is local land with the magic volcano Agung view if you cross the street and look at the opposite side of the beach. There is no active nightlife so it is better to go to other regions like Kuta and Seminyak for a noisy club vacation. Perhaps Candidasa is one of the best places for snorkeling and diving. The area is known for its famous temples, beautiful beaches, the opportunity to explore the marine underwater world as well as the port of Padang Bai where you can start your journey to other islands of Indonesia.
For whom
The region is suitable for those who come to the island to take a break and be away from the glitz and glamour and explore new directions and even better if they go off the beaten track. The keyword when looking for the perfect vacation spot is comfort, silence, and unity with nature. Candidasa is ideal for the perfect diving scenario. If you take a trip to Bali for snorkeling, diving, beautiful calm beaches for swimming - all these benefits are available on request for sure.
Candidasa undoubtedly has several motivating factors that can make this area the best vacation spot on the island. Firstly, this place is chosen by those who appreciate the proximity to water as well as the opportunity to go to neighboring islands by speed boat. Secondly, this area is loved by tourists who prefer to stay in small and cozy comfortable hotels, villas or bungalows, rather than luxurious chain hotels. This travel option is ideal in this case when tourists can enjoy friendly hospitality and delicious Balinese home cooking watching picturesque panoramic ocean views of the neighboring islands like Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan.
Where to stay
A number of secluded comfortable villas provide the most serene holiday in Bali to the guests of the island.
Beaches
Staying here you will definitely want to get acquainted with the ocean. This area is perfect for family holidays with children as the sea is quite calm and many beaches are located in the bays. There are several beaches and all of them are with their own character.
White Sand Beach or Virgin Beach is one of the best white sand beaches in Bali, at least in the eastern part of the island. The water here is blue and clear. If you move away from the central part of the beach, you will be lucky to see the amazing underwater world with corals and beautiful fish.
Local beach bars offer food, cold drinks or fresh coconut and sunbathe using sunbeds and a shower. Here you can also rent a mask, flippers and the necessary equipment for a comfortable rest on the water. Blue Lagoon is a recipe for a perfect holiday with a secluded beach with romance and a gorgeous panoramic ocean view. There is a beautiful descent to the water, one small restaurant with fresh juices and a modest beach with one dozen sunbeds.
There are other good beaches in this region such as Padang Bay, Bias Tugal or Secret Beach, black volcanic sand beach Kusamba Beach. The coast on many beaches of Candidasa is mostly stone and sand and sometimes it seems to be dressed in granite. It is the most comfortable for fishermen where the coastline is full of boats.
What to do
Having been to quiet Candidasa everyone wants to take a photo of the most beautiful and famous places. And there are not so many of them in the very heart of the region. It is impossible to pass a lotus pond indifferently. After a sensational photo was taken with the hashtag #bali in this beautiful place and posted in social nets this location has become incredibly popular with Russian tourists. Opened lotuses can be observed early in the morning from 6 to 8 am.
When to go
You can come here at any time of the year as the average air temperature in day time varies 29 - 31 degrees and the water is warm 26 - 28 degrees. Do not forget about rainy seasons that are usually from November to February on the island when rains and severe thunderstorms can bother your peaceful, quiet life and serenity in the evening hours.
Entertainment & leisure
Practical and intelligent tourists expect something more from the vacation than just an escape from everyday life. For example, they are attracted to the sea with all the amenities like sailing, snorkeling, diving, fishing tours, excursions to neighboring islands.
To get the maximum amount of pleasure in one day you should devote yourself to scuba diving. It is easy to find professional driving school services and rent the necessary snorkeling equipment. So, Orca Dive Clubs has a great team and good places for diving. Bali-Club Dive Center offers fantastic diving and boat tours. Alam Candi Dive Resort in addition to underwater excursions offers a great place to stay and the most delicious master classes in cooking Balinese cuisine.
Many travelers are very fond of getting acquainted with the cultural heritage of other countries meeting national traditions and lifestyle. A visit to Taman Sukasada Ujung Water Palace would be an ideal experience for them. Constructed as a residence for the Karangasem royal family nowadays Ujung has lost its original function. Now it is one of the favorite tourist destinations for walking, weddings and photo sessions. There are pools with yellow carps, as well as many sculptures, a lotus-shaped fountain consisting of 12 tiers, a Raja residence, as well as guest bungalows on the territory of the Water Palace.
Another water palace is Tirta Gangga which is an amazing labyrinth of pools, fountains, and bridges in a beautiful green garden with many paths. One of the alleys is decorated not only with elegant statues but also with figures of demons.
Being the oldest and one of the main shrines on Bali island Pura Luhur Lempuyang or Lempuyang Temple is responsible for the spiritual balance of the island. This is a complex of seven temples, the main of which is located at an altitude of 1058 m above sea level with more than 1500 steps. It will take 4-6 hours to visit all the temple complex. The most famous is Chandi Bantar with a split gate, its halves symbolize good and evil which should always be in balance. It is the most popular sightseeing for beautiful pictures.
It will be interesting for extreme sports lovers to climb the Agung volcano. There are two routes to the top: one 6 hour trip to the very top with the crater and the second one that is a simpler 3 hours trip that is suitable for tourists. Trekking to the volcano starts from the famous Besakih temple where you can take a guided tour.
A fabulous and very beautiful tourist destination near Candidasa is Charlie Chocolate Factory. This is the place that you don’t want to leave immersed in your childhood. A wonderful small space in the jungle by the ocean with several bamboo houses where chocolate and incredibly fragrant soap are made by local people. In addition to tasting chocolate, you can try honey and coconut syrup. And everything is so tasty that you definitely won’t leave the factory without a purchase!
Plan a sightseeing tour or a relaxing beach holiday at the neighboring Gili Islands where you can go from the nearest Padang Bai port by speed boat. Island cruises will create the right balance: it is exactly here where you can relax with a glass of tropical cocktail in a beach bar, enjoy sunbathing, and cycle around for a change of scene and go snorkeling. Boats depart usually in the morning and if you buy tickets in advance, you can get a good discount.
Where to eat
This oasis of cozy restaurants and cafes is a concentration of the best viands that could satisfy the most exquisite culinary preferences in Candidasa.
Vincent's Restaurant is a restaurant with French atmosphere and cuisine at a high level. Here is a great menu with a beautiful presentation of dishes. And desserts are one of the best in Bali and can overshadow the rest of the food with its incredibly chocolate cylinder decorated with delicious berry mousse, ice cream, and chocolate. This is just the top of pleasure! And they have live jazz performances on Thursdays that are appreciated by visitors.
Loaf Candidasa is a small piece of Australian cuisine and a pleasant European-style pastry shop. You will definitely want to come back here for delicious pastries.
If you are looking for a place for an evening cocktail or want to have dinner then Lezat Beach Restaurant with a beautiful terrace is an ideal place that adds another great choice to Candidasa dining scene with its cuisine and healthy herbal cocktails. There are several of them in the menu and each has a detailed description and benefits.
Joglo Restaurant & Bar is suitable for aesthetic lovers where delicious BBQ dishes and drinks are served with an amazing atmosphere: a fountain, garden, and quiet music. What else do you need for a relaxing vacation and evening meal?
The Hungry Crocodile is set to become a dining destination for a dating or a special occasion to celebrate with a glass of wine and enjoy local band music playing in their own original style. A trip to Candidasa can be one of those unforgettable journeys that change something in your life and inside your soul. Some new principles will appear inside you. Here you are even sharper and brighter aware of your own connection with the world with every paw print on wet sand, with every scarab beetle, with magic banana trees, sharp coral reefs and with every amazing sunset by the ocean.
Candidasa gallery
