Posted by Dan on Wednesday, 14. October 1998 at 18:18 Bali Time:
In Reply to: First-time visitor - any advice? posted by Camille on Wednesday, 14. October 1998 at 02:35 Bali Time:
We did not got to Kuta, Sanur, Tuban or any of the other southern beaches. We did got to Candi Dasa. The Simpathique shuttle from Ubud (on the eastern end of Jalan Raya) cost US$1 for the 2-hour airconditioned ride to Candi Dasa. It's quiet there with mostly Europeans. Because we did not want to stay right on the "strip" with smaller hotels, etc., we rented a Kjang (a Toyota truck/van thing for US$6 a day) and went to the Nirwanna Cottages (US$60 for seafront cottage - 3rd night free) just west of the main downtown. The seafront cottage we stayed in had a large Japanese style bath, and they had the best, gently sloping pool we found on Bali. Also a restaurant on premesis with quite good food. Beautiful thatched roof bungalows with airconditioning just 30 steps from the seawall and crashing ocean.
By the way, all of Candi Dasa has a seawall because they "harvested" the coral reef years ago to use the lime for cement. Minimal beach, but with a car rental on these much quieter left-drive roads, it's very doable and gives you wheels to explore much of the rural eastern side of the island via day trips from Candi Dasa. Go to Amed beach for great snorkeling, and visit Teganan, the Bali Aga village just north of Candi Dasa to see a completely different style of living from the "original" inhabitants of Bali - pre-Hindu.