While my family and the group of friends i was travelling with stayed in the Rama Beach Hotel i decided a while ago that i would like to see a bit more of the eastern highland area so arranged a villa in Sideman for 1 night .
A friend and i along with our driver travelled up into the hills via sanur,klung kung,Selat and arriving in Sideman in the afternoon where we relaxed with some drinks and the quiet of this beautiful area.
The villa i had booked on the net is Villa Cepik. pronounced (Chepik)
It consists of two rooms,one has a double bed and a single bed and the other a double bed only. The caretaker, Ida is also the resident cook and we enjoyed a nice meal in the evening ,of nasi goreng and satay.
I must say Ida's Satay sauce is the best i have ever had.
They grow their own peanuts and vegies here and the quality shows.
The villas vary in price from $35.00 USD to $45.00 USD including breakfast.
The scenery around this area is fantastic and a photographers paradise.
Rice terraces,meandering river,Gunung Agung and the hills around it , as well as the activities of duck herders and the colourful flora,all made for a good stopover from the hustle and bustle of Kuta/Tuban.
The next morning we drove towards Candi Dasa via Tangenan(spelling)?
and visited the Bali Aga village which is set up as an ancient balinese traditional village.
Interesting to see the old ways but it seemed a bit early for the displays and shop vendors as there wasn't a lot going on so we didn't hang around too long.
More ricefields and good scenery on the way to Candi Dasa and after a brief stop in Candi Dasa we headed back to Tuban.
I don't think i would ever bother staying in Candi Dasa unless i was going to hang around a hotel all day. The beach is non existent and appears to have been swallowed up by the tide. Not sure how long ago but the photos i've seen of Candi Dasa clearly show a beach.
Anyway,a worthwhile drive into the hills and east coast.
Good to see more of the real bali.