It's the most urbanized tourist area in East Bali. Access to Kuta is good and takes only 2 hours. Candi Dasa is an ideal place from which to base you for exploring East Bali, or as a base to stop by once in a while for a choice of restaurants. As well as the main strip of hotels and guesthouses in Candi Dasa, there are others close to the beach forest at the Eastern end of town. Buitan, Mendira and Senkidu to the West offer more accommodation options.
It was in the 60's when hippie discovered Candi Dasa as a sleepy fishing village. It is laid out along the main road, with guesthouses, small hotels, warungs and a few bars. Candi Dasa enjoyed more business in 1990's than it does now. Flicking through a guide book from the early 90's, it says "Candi Dasa is a nice, relatively unspoiled getaway if you want fine dining, few sellers, and nothing to do but soak up the sun by day, or go diving by day, and lulls you to sleep with the sound of crickets and crashing surf by night."
The old name "Cilidasa" means "10 children" (Pan Brayut). The village was actually a settlement going back before the 11th Century. The temple, which is located on the mountain side of the main road, across from the lagoon, contains a statue of Hariti, the Buddhist fertility Goddess. Basically what happened was that Candi Dasa got popular, the white sand beach drawing.
Dive Sites
Gill Tepekong
The old name "Cilidasa" means "10 children" (Pan Brayut). The village was actually a settlement going back before the 11th Century. The temple, which is located on the mountain side of the main road, across from the lagoon, contains a statue of Hariti, the Buddhist fertility Goddess. Basically what happened was that Candi Dasa got popular, the white sand beach drawing.
Dive Sites
Gill Tepekong
Tepekong, a small outcrop 100 meters long 50 meters wide has the best diving. A short ride from Padang Bay, a volcanic lump rising out of the water, close to the shore. Situated at Southeast of Candidasa, Tepekong is drift dive for advanced divers. The water temperature may reach a chilly 19-degree Celcius. Covered in snake life coral heads of many sizes. Bloodred sea fans, tunicates and many different kind of sponges. Golden jacks, huge batfish, groupers, blue lobster, and sometimes, near the channel facing Nusa Penida; the Mola Mola enjoy the cold up welling. Gray reef sharks, white-tips nestle in caves and holes on the Western edge of the island.
Gili Mimpang
Gili Mimpang has some challenging currents, which supports the platonic life that draws large marine-life like the whale shark, which have been seen, but rarely in these waters. Only 5 minutes by jukung (traditional boat) to reach this site. The colored sea fans along the islands decorated reefs and channels, each have at least a dozen crinoids.
Gili Biaha
Gili Biaha is located in the East of Tanjung Biasputih. It has a large of marine creatures, triggerfish, surgeonfish, and large schools of brilliant-blue yellowtail fusiliers, who will come daringly close to drivers. The terrain slopes gradually beyond 37 m. In the strait between Bali mainland and the island. Depending on the sea and tide, an incredible current can pick up along the slope. Up and down currents combined with horizontal currents giving divers the drift of their lives. It can also be very calm here too.
Similarly, information about the best diving sites in Candi Dasa. Snorkeling and diving is the right thing if you want to see the location of underwater paradise that is located here. Hopefully this article can serve as a reference for the tourists who will plan dives in Candi Dasa, Bali.
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