Downtown in Candi Dasa East Bali

Coming back from East Bali I stopped in Candi Dasa, the main tourist center on the SE coast. As many people know the locals destroyed their beach by smashing the reef for lime to make cement. Since those days Candi Dasa has been in decline but still makes a good place for a pit stop. The main road is lined with restaurants and hotels, in typical Bali style (most of them empty right now). I find most of the street-side restaurant affordable, a main course for maybe 35,000rp and of course there is a great deal of the same food at each place. Candi Dasa has some internet connection too. Nightlife in Candi Dasa is limited with the occasional live-music being advertised on fliers.

The tourist developed around the lagoon in the center of town that is across the main road from Pura Candi Dasa, the village temple. For me Candi Dasa marks the place where the special part of Bali starts. Senkidu, Mendira, Buitan, Manggis and Padangbai are to the west. Amlapura and Tirtaganga are to the east. Candi Dasa is still scenic and actually small chunks of white sand beach if you look for them. Heading east up the windy road and dropping down to view rice fields (sawah) I always get a rush.