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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Candidasa
Candi Dasa
Stay 2–3 nights as a quiet East Bali base for diving, Tenganan and Tirta Gangga; skip it if you want a real beach — the sand mostly vanishes at high tide.
Candidasa is a low-key strip of hotels and warungs on Bali's east coast, 60–80 minutes from Sanur and about 90 minutes from the airport. There is almost no beach at high tide, so people come for diving, the Bali Aga village of Tenganan, Tirta Gangga and Mount Agung — not for sunbathing. Two or three nights fits it; one night is enough if you are only passing through to Amed.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Local name
- Candi Dasa
- Best months
- Apr–Oct (dry season)
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (wet season, rough seas and cancelled dives)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp350,000–600,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp600,000–1,200,000 excl. bed · High Rp1,200,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112 · Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 113
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Nasi or mie goreng at a local warung | Rp25,000–50,000 |
| Satay lilit (minced fish satay) from a street vendor | Rp20,000–40,000 |
| Coffee or fresh juice at a seafront café | Rp25,000–60,000 |
| Bintang beer, small bottle | Rp35,000–60,000 |
| Scooter rental, 24 hours | Rp70,000 |
| Private car with driver, half day | Rp400,000–600,000 |
| Two-tank dive with equipment | Rp800,000–1,200,000 |
| eSIM or local data SIM, about a week | Rp100,000–200,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DPS · Ngurah Rai International (Denpasar)
- About 90 minutes by car along the east coast road; no public bus to the door — pre-book a transfer or taxi.
Typical fares
- Airport (DPS) → Candidasa, private car
- Rp450,000–600,000, about 90 min
- Candidasa → Padang Bai, private car
- Rp150,000–250,000, about 20–30 min
- Scooter, 24 hours
- about Rp70,000
Get around
No metered taxis and no ride-hailing coverage worth relying on; use private cars or hotel drivers and agree the fare before you get in. Scooters rent from hotels and shops for about Rp70,000 per 24 hours — bring an international driving permit with a motorcycle endorsement. Bemos still run the Klungkung–Padang Bai–Candidasa coast road but are slow and irregular; most travellers use a hired car.
See and do
Known for
- Diving at Gili Tepekong, Gili Biaha and Gili Mimpang
- Tenganan Bali Aga village and geringsing double ikat
- Tirta Gangga water palace
- Quiet east-coast base away from south Bali
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tenganan Bali Aga village | Scooter or car 4 km inland, signposted from the coast roadScooter or car 2.5 mi inland, signposted from the coast road | About 15 min each way |
| Tirta Gangga water palace | Car or scooter northeast past Amlapura | About 40–50 min |
| Goa Lawah bat cave temple | Car west along the coast road toward Padang Bai | About 20 min |
| Padang Bai | Car or bemo west along the coast road | About 20–30 min |
| Amed | Car north along the coast | About 1.5–2 h |
| Mount Agung summit trek | Guide arranged through your hotel, start around midnight | Full night, back by mid-morning |
Sleep
- Candidasa main road (Jl Raya)
- Hotels, warungs and the lotus lagoon within walking distance; noisier traffic, easiest for a car-free stay.
- Sengkidu and Mendira Beach
- 1–2 km west of the centre; resort strip with sea frontage, quieter, walk or short ride to restaurants.0.6–1.2 mi west of the centre; resort strip with sea frontage, quieter, walk or short ride to restaurants.
- Manggis
- Further west, upmarket resorts; you need a scooter or car for everything.
- Bugbug
- East of the centre; cheaper guesthouses, few facilities, 5–10 minutes by scooter.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Selamat pagisuh-LAH-mat PAH-ghee |
| Thank you | Terima kasihtuh-REE-mah KAH-see |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya?buh-RAH-pah har-GAH-nyah |
| Too expensive | Terlalu mahaltur-LAH-loo MAH-hal |
| Where is the toilet? | Di mana toilet?dee MAH-nah TOY-let |
| Help | TolongTOH-long |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- The beach is narrow and often disappears at high tide; the breakwaters are not swimming pools.
- Currents at Gili Tepekong, Gili Biaha and Gili Mimpang are strong — these sites suit experienced divers only.
- Agree every private-car fare in advance; there are no meters.
- Tenganan village is closed to outsiders after dark.
- Scooter accidents are the main risk for visitors; check your travel insurance covers riding.
Low-crime and calm compared with south Bali; the real risks are scooter crashes, strong currents at the offshore islets and unlit roads after dark. Standard travel insurance and a helmet cover most of it.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Candidasa yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Diving at Gili Tepekong, Gili Biaha and Gili Mimpang
- Tenganan Bali Aga village and geringsing double ikat
- Tirta Gangga water palace
- Quiet east-coast base away from south Bali
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Indonesia.travel — official tourism site: www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/home
- OpenStreetMap — Candidasa: www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/-8.5000/115.5667
- Wikivoyage: Candidasa, revision 5293074 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5293074
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
CandidasaCandi Dasa
Ke alamat ini, tolong
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Candidasa; consulates and embassies are in Denpasar and Jakarta. The Australian consulate-general is in Denpasar.
Save the address of your hotel in Indonesian for drivers.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/candidasa). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.