2nd visit to Bali since last year. Me and my belove wife.
Day 1 - Arrived Bali at 3pm. Pass customs within 1/2 hour. Im from Malaysia, so visa not required. Saw a lot of driver at the arrival gate. Found our driver and head to Candidasa. Stop by a small cafe once we are out from the airport. bought some mineral water for my wife and a BINTANG for me. Had been craving for a year. Take the 1st sip of Bintang, then only feel that my holiday has started. 2 hours drive to Candidasa. Check in Rama Candidasa Hotel. Booked from time share. Small room but clean. Had dinner at Garpu Restaurant. ordered nasi campur & soto ayam. Not very nice. I think they are good in Western food but not local food. Head back to room, slept at 930pm. too tired due to long travel time.
day 2 - woke up at 7am. took free shuttle from hotel to Candidasa town. Take a short walk and rented a Motorbike. Wanted a big bike (tiger) but they dont have it. So just scooter. Pump full tank and head for our road trip to AMED. The driver from airport recommended me to take the east coast road. the best scenic road in Bali. I don't have a detail map for East Bali. but who cares, thats the fun of road trip. so just ride. reach Amlapura. take a few round in town to look for sign to Ujung. Cant find it so ask some locals. found Ujung. Stop by Ujung water palace and snap some photo. then reach Seraya. trying to figure which way to Seraya Timur (east). Never think of asking local this time. Men's ego i think. :P just go straight. head into a hilly mountain road. pass by some village. saw some very nice padi field in the forest. Kids waving hands. after 1/2 hour, saw the coast line. opps.. its on my left?? something is wrong. ask a local. he pointed the way i came from. Im in Seraya Barat (west) now. totally opposite direction. so turn back and continue riding. thats the fun of road trip. getting LOST. lolz... at least i saw something that most of the tourist cant see.
keep asking for direction from locals, reached Seraya Timur. hooray.. breathtaking views from the east coast road. right side was blue sky & blue sea. Left was mountains and greens. Reach Aas, stop by Wawa-wewe Rock Restaurant. Had some fruits and salads. Very hot sun. You get to see a very nice view from this restaurant.
Continue our journey, pass by Amed. Lots of hotels. saw Mount Agung in front of us very clearly. Reach Culik, turning point for our round trip. Head to Abang. on the way saw some marvelous rice field scenery. Pass Abang, stop by Tirta Gangga Garden. Pay rp50,000 to a guide to walk with us. Back to Amlapura then Candidasa. took 7 hours for this trip.
Dinner at Vincent's. Saw some good food and bad service review online. but still decided to try. ordered some apetizers, catch of the day, Pork chop with cheese & a bottle of wine. Food was excellent!! Service was great too. very nice jazz music.
Day 3 - Booked a snorkeling trip to Blue Lagoon from a waiter at Vincent's last night. cost us rp300,000 for 2 person. quite expensive actually. but since Candidasa is famous for crystal clear water and corals, just give it a try. 1 hour boat ride. Snorked for an hour. Blue Lagoon is a lot better than Nusa Lembongan. But can't compare to Redang Island or Tioman Island in Malaysia. Malaysia east coast has more variety of fishes and corals.
After the trip, hang out and relax at hotel pool. get some tan color for my body. Lunch at Bali Bagus Restaurant. Cheap and good food. Head to Tenganan Village. Pay rp50,000 to the guide that brought us to snorkeling to walk with us. Get to see the real balinese village. very beautiful Double Ikat Weaving.
Head to White Sand Beach. The sand not really white. Disappointed. But still a very beautiful and quite beach.
Dinner at Water Garden Cafe. They are having some events about Storm Beer. Free flow for the whole night. Plus the outdoor BBQ is just too good. Ordered Suckling pig and Smoked Pork loin. yummy..... Drink like a fish... drunk.....
day 4 - check out Rama Candidasa and go for a day trip with private driver. Went to Mount Batur Volcano at Kintamani, Balinese Coffee testing, Tirta Empul Temple to perform a Holybath, lunch at Murni's Warung, Ubud. They served the best Bebek Betutu in Bali. Which is true! Head to Goa Gajah, then back to Legian. Check in The Lokha Hotel. Very nice and cozy hotel. Clean room, clean toilet and a pool with swim up bar. Rest, went to Bounty Disco. met a lot of nice people around the world. Party like animals, drink like a fish again, drunk again....
to be continue........