In Reply to: candidasa posted by chizz on Saturday, 8. March 2014 at 14:34 Bali Time:
Well, you have come to the right place at last (lol).
Have met so many people that have come and stayed up here that have told us "we have come to Bali many times, but the first time out of Kuta (!) or just other places down south ... oh its so nice up here".
Shangrila, hmmm, ok, not a very big pool, and for me it's a little claustrophobic, but it does seem clean and tidy. You may get hassled by their timeshare / holiday points sellers, but just say no thanks. They keep selling time there, but have sold more time than what is possible, so then tend to (for the people that have bought time there), put them into the Palms (sister / brother to each other).
You are located at the north east end of Candidasa, just off the main road (you are still in Candidasa, but just into the next village called Samuh). Candidasa is just 1.2 km long from end to end, so easy to walk from one end to the other. Doing this walk, you can get an idea of the look and feel of some of the restaurants that have direct street access ... but look out for some that are down small driveways or at the ocean end of the hotel that maybe out front, like Alam Asmara Dive Resort ~ at the ocean end of the property is Rendezvous Restaurant which has good food, nice ocean views and sea breazes. Another one is Ashyana Hotel, which has Le Zat restaurant at the back / ocean views etc, and again great food.
At your end of CD, there is some other good restaurants like Warung Astawa, Friends, and (what is rated on Trip Advisor as No. 1) Vincents - which has Jazz on at least once a month (sometimes more). Vincents is a high end type place, as is La Rouge (at the other end of town) and from La Rouge, a little bit more towards your place, is also Joglo.
If you want cheap, and you like local food, try Nyoman's Warung - and just ask her for 1 or 2 chili (1 is good, 2 is hot, 3 I can only just stand).
Grumpies up your end has good ice coffee - or if you like it milky, ask for an ices cappuccino (always ask if they put in / or can they put in a blob if icecream - if you like it that way).
There is other places up that end, they are all good, have not had a bad meal where I would say don't go there.
And, if you are haning out for a traditional Aussie hamburger, you have to go to Ari's Hot Dog Shop (locally known as Gary's Hamburger shop) ... he even has (most of the time beetroot - if you like it). Very good burgers !
If you are looking for a nice pub style place, they also have good food, you must again head down the other end of town (again it is all walkable, but you can get transport - there is a lot of restaurants that even offer free transport to / from local hotels) .. anyway, you must go to The New Queen Pub and Restaurant - bands play Mon / Wed / Sat (and some Fridays as well). Great atmosphere.
Crazy Kangaroo is also a good place to eat - and they also have live bands some nights (and no, not Aussie owned, actually it's a Dutchman).
Oh, so many choices !!!!
While here, you must go snorkelling at Bloo Lagoon, also across to the islands just off CD, and also around at White Sand Beach (WSB). you can do the snorkelling do to these places and include WSB, or even go to WSB by car - up to you. There is plenty of warung style places at WSB, where you can get cold drinks and food (while BBQ'd snapper is my choice when I go around there). they also have lounges to sit on out front of the restaurants. Just cream up, a day in the sun snorkelling and WSB is the only time I get burnt in Bali (I usually try and wear a t-shirt while snorkelling now, and even swim it it if staying a while at WSB).
If you sit in the morning and watch out across the water (just a few hundred meters off shore), you can sometimes see dolphins - nice !
You can take a tour to Goa Lawah (Bat Cave) or try and drop in there on your way up here), also Tenganan Aga Village, Tirtagangga, Ujung Water Palace, there is some drives where you can see some nice rice terraces, stop on monkey hill (in the afternoon there is many monkeys ~ there is a warung on the hill - great place for a photo / lookout across the valley to the sea, and you can buy some small packets of peanuts to feed the monkeys. You can also drop into the chocolate & soap factory in Jasi. If you go on the swing, just remember to keep your feet up or you can wack them on the ground on the way back.
There are a few Spa's in town as well, we can recommend Andre Spa (they have a shop type place in town, and a larger garden setting one out of town, but will pick up and drop back for free).
Exhausted yet ?
You can find other info on CD on the Trip Advisor "Candidasa Forum" as well.
Have a great time, we know you will :-)
Regards, Geoff (and Louise) - Candidasa