Eastern Bali

Candidasa is located on the Eastern side of Bali. During the tourist boom in the 1980’s, the area needed lime for cement to keep up with all the construction. So, they mined lime out of the sea, destroying the coastal barrier as a result, the beaches in the area were washed away. Many of the remaining beaches in this area are made up of black volcanic rock pulverised into sand.

One of the unspoiled beaches in the area is called Virgin Beach. After having spent 3 weeks in Bali, enough observations were done on the road to understand the nature of driving and rules. We braved up and rented a scooter on one of the only sunny days we had and visited Virgin Beach. The beach is made up of a combination of white, gray and black sand. The water is blue, turquoise and you can enjoy a bit of snorkelling. We were able to spot a sea snake closer to the cliff wall rock. 

The locals here are very sweet and you really get a feel for the way they live. There are many small family restaurants, laundry shops and shops that you can visit and browse through without being forced to purchased items. There are only so many ATM machines available, so should they be empty, you sit with the possibility of not being able to withdraw money until the next day. 

Candidasa has been by far, the cheapest area compared to Legian, Ubud and Gili Meno.

Candidasa is also known for Lotus Lagoon. The biggest lagoon in the area where you can spot countless lotus flowers and lilies (given it’s a sunny day) or else, you may not find flowers blooming. 

We had a great experience visiting Honeybee Farm & Luwak Coffee Agrotourism (Tenganan). One of the locals will take you through their small honey farm set up and give you 18 cups of tea and coffee to try out. Note that the famous and most expensive coffee called Luwak Coffee isn’t included in the deal. For those that may have watched The Bucketlist, this is the coffee in the ending scene that they speak of. It’s the most expensive coffee in the world. It’s made of Luwak, which is a type of cat’s faeces. For those that are willing, enjoy the catpoocino experience.

A restaurant worth visiting in the area is: 

• Warung Batas Kota in Jasri