Candi Dasa could be called the ‘gateway to East Bali‘. The completion of the Kusamba highway means one can get there from Kuta in less than 2 hours with little stress. The choice of accommodation in Candi Dasa is good and there is a selection of services.
• Bicycle rental
Candi Dasa itself is one strip of businesses along a busy coastal road. This is not exactly the type of place you’d choose to cycle, but for those wishing to explore the area around the Bali Aga village of Tenganan and the neighboring village of Tenganan Dauhtukad, a bicycle would work fine. Many guest houses will be able to rent you a bicycle or point you some a place that will. Likely price is 25,000rp-30,000rp per day.
•Book shops
The Candi Dasa bookstore, located on the main street next to Maoka Dive Center, offers the largest selection of new and used books.
• Car & Motorbike Rental
A much better option than cycling if you actually want to get out of the immediate area. The main road in Candi Dasa has an abundance of places offering cars and motorbikes for rent. Your hotel / guest house may also offer them. Prices are always negotiable and as Candi Dasa is quiet, you may be able to find a good deal. Expect to pay somewhere around 90,000rp per day for a Suzuki Katana and 150,000rp per day for an older Kijang. Motorbikes will be around 50,000rp per day. Both cars and motorbikes require an International Driving License although in practice you can rent a vehicle by saying you didn’t bring your license with you. For people who got to Candi Dasa by Perama bus, renting some local transport is a great idea a it will give you the freedom to explore areas such as Pasir Putih, Jasri, Tirtaganga and other great parts of SE Bali.
•Charter Transport
It is possible to rent transport and a driver in Candi Dasa, which can be a convenient way of getting a small group of people around. If you let the locals quote you prices, you’ll end up paying 300,000-400,000rp per day. Best bet is to rent an older Kijang for 150,000rp per day, then ask if they can provide a driver for 60,000rp extra. Labor is cheap, so locals are often happy to get that price for a few hours of driving. When you hire a driver, he knows he can go back to anywhere you eat and get a commission, so its all gravy for him. Likewise, if you want to be dropped back in Kuta, or up in Lovina, you might rent a Sukuki for 80,000rp per day and get a local to drop you there for 60,000rp, instead of paying 250,000-300,000rp for the one-way trip.
Recommended charter transport places include:
I Nengah Parni
0812 399 4975
Ketut Lagun
0812 362 2076
Medical:
The Candi Dasa Clinic (0363)41321 / 0812 390 0447, located on the beach side of the road in Senkidu, just west of the Tenganan turnoff, has a 24 hour service. Serious injuries should be dealt with at hospital, the nearest of which is in Amlapura. Life-threatening injuries should be dealt with at Sanglah hospital in Denpasar.
•Money-changers:
Moneychangers are plentiful along the main street in Candi Dasa. There is an ATM at BII Bank on the main street in Candi Dasa.
Internet cafes:
Candi Dasa adheres strongly to the term ‘mom & pop’ when it comes to internet cafes. Equipment is old and the connection is dial-up. Speeds are awful so don’t expect much other than being able to read Yahoo!’s homepage.
Massage:
As in Kuta, massage services are available in Candi Dasa, either on the beach or in your hotel room. Inquire at your hotel / guest house if they can arrange for someone to come over and check the price beforehand. You might pay 40,000rp per hour.
•Perama bus:
The Perama bus office in Candi Dasa, is located close to the police station, on the main road just past Senkidu. The office is open daily from 8am-9pm. Perama offers one-way drops or tours, including other islands to the east. If you book the Perama bus to the Gili Islands, for example, you will have a choice of route back to Kuta, with stop-off possibilities if needed (a route going back through Ubud with a 2 day stop-over.
•Police:
A post office is located next to the Perama bus office in town.
•Telephone:
There is a wartel (warung telpon) at Kubu Bali Restaurant (daily 8am-11pm).
•Candi Dasa to: Amlapura – 20 minutes, Denpasar (Batubulan station) – 2 hours, Gianyar – 1 hour, Klungkung – 40 minutes, Padangbai – 20 minutes.
