Candi Dasa, Indonesia Tourism

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lies on the coast 20 km (13 mi.) south-west of Amlapura, on the busy road to eastern Bali.

The Resort

Until a few years ago Candi Dasa, at the east end of Labuhan Amuk Bay, was a remote little fishing village known only to a few holidaymakers, mainly backpackers. Since then it has developed into a lively holiday center which has nevertheless contrived to remain unspoiled. There are no top-category hotels as there are at Nusa Dua, but the facilities for visitors are more than adequate. Visitors who want a quiet holiday, away from the hectic activity of a city like Denpasar, are well catered for in Candi Dasa.

A handicap of this resort, which has grown at such an unnaturally rapid pace, is the state of its sandy beach. Since the coast is exposed with relatively little protection to the action of surf which at times can be extremely strong, the sand has simply been swept away. This was largely the result of the uncontrolled quarrying of the offshore banks of coral (used in the production of lime), and although the government prohibited this activity the ban came too late, so that Candi Dasa now has only a very narrow strip of beach. The hotel-owners have had to protect their beaches, at considerable expense, by building stone barrier walls.