Travel Guide Candidasa

The small village saw its environment change abruptly in the late 70s, when it became the focus of a few big investors who saw an alternative to the over-saturated Kuta on the horizon. Unfortunately, poor construction and tourism professionals built a mass of hotels on a few narrow kilometers of beach, accelerating the erosion of the thin coastal strip. Not least because one of the materials used in the 90s was coral, which at the time formed a last barrier in front of Candidasa. Today, there is no beach, except in a few places, but this in no way detracts from the charm and beauty of a site underlined by strength and singled out by its sea. The sea has advanced and, to stop it, concrete walls have been erected offshore, pending the development of ongoing coral reconstruction programs. So it's best to make do with the hotel pool. That said, while Candidasa may resemble a missed Kuta from the 70s, there's still the calm and nonchalance of this small seaside resort. It's a place where the shade of coconut palms is reflected on a lotus-covered lake at sunset. An ashram has taken up residence near this oasis. From Candidasa, excursions are possible either to the sea (snorkeling and diving) or to the mountains (Tirtagangga, Tenganan), making it a good base for exploring the eastern part of the island.