Candi Dasa offers excellent diving and snorkelling, interesting historical villages, some great trekking opportunities — and beautiful beaches within easy reach. A range of good accommodation across the board, most of it within earshot of the lapping waves, qualifies Candi Dasa as an excellent base for exploring East Bali. One long road edging the coast forms the main centre of Candi Dasa, with hotels oceanside and restaurants mountainside. This road forms a section of the main around-Bali route, so traffic noise can be a concern when thundering trucks roll through town. Bear this in mind when you are choosing somewhere to sleep. Rooms closer to the sea don’t have the same issue.

In the centre of town, a pretty lotus-filed lagoon sits between the main temple and the sea — particularly lovely at sunrise or sunset. At the northeastern end of town, the road spurs to follow the coast as the main highway does a sharp turn continuing to Amlapura. This coastal area houses most of the local inhabitants of Candi Dasa, and a growing number of hotels — it’s a quieter option than the main road. The villages along the coast to the west of Candi Dasa are much sleepier, and here you’ll also find a small selection of accommodation. You won’t be in the middle of the action, but you won’t be too far ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 1,100 words.)