JBR Part 2......Candi Dasa
Our original plan for our trip was five nights at the villa then five at Candi Dasa as one member of the group is a keen diver and the rest of us wanted to get our PADI certificate. Unfortunately diving in Bali is one thing that is not cheap, the cheapest PADI course was around $300-$350 USD. We often see specials here in Adelaide cheaper than that so we decided against doing the full course, as we didn't want to pay out that kind of money for something we may not like. We ended up booking through Aqua Marine Diving their one day introductory package which included pick-up from the hotel, transfer to Tulamben, two dives with equipment hire and lunch at the hotel they based themselves at for the day. The first dive began at the southern end of the beach with a gradual descent to twelve meters along the coral wall. The afternoon dive was on the shipwreck at the other end of the beach. The location was brilliant, especially the wreck. We did have to struggle along the 'beach' to reach each site. The beach consisted of varying sizes of polished black rock, not unlike the river rock we may decorate our homes with. It was a struggle to keep our balance but we were all put to shame by the local women employed to carry the dive gear, they confidently strode past us with up to two tanks plus dive weights balanced on their heads.
The diver of our group had a total of seven dives with Aqua Marine diving and overall we were very impressed with their service and professionalism. I would say however that the introductory package is not for the faint of heart. The briefing, which I understand would normally happen in a classroom and a swimming pool, did seem a bit rushed. Within about an hour or so of arriving at Tulamben we had glossed over the basics, been fitted with our gear and were on our way to our first dive. Some in our group were a bit nervous about water but were determined to try it anyway. The first dive was a nice gentle decent but the second dive at the wreck dropped suddenly. For some it was a bit too quick, they couldn't get their bearings and had difficulty equalizing pressure with the quick decent. I found it OK once I realized I could still breath normally and could equalize the pressure. One member of my group freaked out a bit and couldn't continue. In hindsight I would say we would have been better off to do a course over a couple of days rather than rush into it but that is what we paid for. Most operators in Bali have these one-day packages, which are fine if you have no health problems and are OK with water. If you have some doubts but would like to try diving I would recommend taking a longer more in depth course. That said, I loved every minute of it and would certainly do it again some day. I might keep my eyes open for those cheap PADI specials here in Adelaide.
Now that we were only doing a one-day diving course I was a bit unsure how we would go staying at Candi Dasa for five nights. The only other time I had been there was April 2003, a few months after the bombing. Hotels were down to less than 5% occupancy and it was literally like a ghost town. We were very pleasantly surprised with Candi. Our hotel, The Watergarden, was full and there were obvious signs of tourist returning. The Watergarden is by far my favorite hotel in Candi, there has been some recent JBR's describing the hotel so I won't go into detail. It's just a tranquil, relaxing little getaway. Nothing like sitting on your deck at night, with a few drinks and feeding the fish. To be fair I have not seen all the hotels in the area but the Watergarden has such a great feel it was my only choice when considering Candi Dasa for our group. Our group were disappointed to leave the villa but were very happy with the Watergarden.
We followed the pattern of one day of activity followed by a relaxing day for the duration of our holiday. Some of the group arranged fishing with the locals, some more diving and some of us took a five hour guided walk from Bug Bug to Tenganen, which was definitely one of the highlights of our holiday. If anyone is interested I've got the guide's contact details. A couple from my group took the cooking class at Alila Manggis so I'm reliably informed that I can expect a supply of decent peanut sauce plus other delicacies before too long.
Just to go back to when we were at the villa, we did do the standard Ubud and surrounds market tour, Uluwatu, Jimbaran Bay and the Bedugul and central highlands tour, Tanah Lot etc. Most of us have done or will do these tours so I won't go into detail. We also had tailoring, leather jackets done etc but more on shopping and restaurants in a later installment.
In the end five nights was perfect for us in Candi Dasa. It's not for everyone but if you are looking for a relaxing few days in a place with ample good restaurants, non-aggressive sellers and plenty of nature orientated activities to occupy you then I would definitely recommend it.
To be continued.......Sanur, Shopping and restaurants