Beaches, reefs, rice terraces and temples - all within half an hour of Villa Cocoa Maya.
The east is where Bali still feels like Bali. The reefs are some of the best in Indonesia, the rice terraces are empty of tour buses, and the ceremonies you come across are simply village life going on around you - more often than not, you'll be the only visitor there.
Most of what follows is within half an hour to an hour of your front door, and our team can arrange all of it - drivers, guides, boats, bookings. Simply ask. Equally, if your plan is to swim, eat, and read your way through your visit without leaving the property, that is a very good plan too.
On and in the water: Diving, Snorkelling & Beaches in Candidasa
Eastern Bali offers the best diving on the island, whatever your level. Deep walls, drift dives through fast-moving channels, coral gardens, volcanic muck diving, a world-famous wreck, offshore islands, and - in season - mola mola and mantas.
It is also a straightforward and reasonably priced place to learn, with several dive schools in Candidasa. We recommend Benthos Bali, whose safety record is highly regarded. They are based in Sengkidu, just outside town, and will collect you from the villa at no charge. They organise dives in a variety of different places in eastern Bali and will arrange the transport for you too.
There is excellent snorkelling directly off the beach in front of the villa - mask on, walk in. For something further afield, the little islands are about ten minutes away by boat, and our team will arrange the trip.
White Sand Beach
Also known as Virgin Beach or Pasir Putih, this is one of Bali's iconic beaches - and thanks to its slightly awkward location, one of the few that is never crowded.
Getting there is half the pleasure. Take a fishing boat from the beach at the villa (about fifteen minutes, and you can stop to snorkel along the way), or drive, which takes around twenty-five minutes. The staff will organise either.
Once there, traditional warungs serve the catch of the day and cold drinks - cocktails included - at very fair prices. The sea shifts between flat calm and gentle waves over the course of the day, boogie boards are available to hire, and there are one or two makeshift dress shops for browsing between swims.
Blue Lagoon
Superb snorkelling, pretty little beach and about fifteen minutes by boat from the villa.
One piece of practical advice: if you intend to snorkel and nothing else, take the boat. If you want to make a day of it - towels, books, sun cream, sunbeds - go by car or scooter instead. Depending on the tide there might be nowhere for the boat to land, so you might need to swim to shore, and everything you are carrying arrives wet.
There are sunbeds and two small beach restaurants, which also hire out snorkelling gear. All in all, a very pleasant day.
Surfing
If you already surf, Jasri Dalem is fifteen minutes from Candidasa heading towards Amlapura, and is widely considered the best break on the east coast at high tide. Better still, you'll rarely find yourself competing with a crowd for the same wave. The walk out is rough on bare feet - the beach is thick with stones - but you forget about it the moment you're past the break.
White-water rafting
Rafting in this part of Bali takes place on the Telaga Waja river. How lively the rapids are depends on the season - bigger in the rains, gentler outside them - but there is normally something to suit everyone, children included, and all of it through beautiful country.
We recommend Bukit Cilli Rafting. Alongside a good safety record, they run routes that finish without the punishing climb of several hundred steps that some operators leave you with at the end. You will appreciate this more than you currently think! The drive is about an hour from Villa Cocoa Maya and they will collect you and drop you back at the villa too.
On foot and on two wheels: Hiking, Rice Field Treks & Scooter Rides in East Bali
Rice field trekking at Tenganan
The finest rice field walking in the area is near Tenganan, about three kilometres from central Candidasa. The scenery is spectacular, and on a clear day Mount Agung towers over the whole valley.
Go early. It is cooler, the light is better, and the farmers are out ploughing and planting, which makes for wonderful photographs. The easiest route starts at the top of the terraces and works downhill to Tenganan - our driver will drop you at the top and meet you at the bottom.
You will need a guide, which Komang can arrange for you.
Climbing Mount Agung
Tougher than Mount Batur, and not one for the unfit or the inexperienced walker. Guides are compulsory and can be arranged at the base. The drive from Candidasa takes forty-five minutes to an hour, and you will need to leave the villa around 1.30 or 2am to reach the summit for sunrise. Our driver can take you.
Do ask our villa team to check whether the mountain is open during your stay - it closes if there is any threat of eruption, and for certain ceremonies.
The Manggis motorbike ride
If you are going to hire a scooter anywhere in Bali, Candidasa is the place. The traffic is quiet away from the main bypass, and the back roads and bike tracks through the Manggis hills lead into scenery most visitors to the island never see.
The route towards Sidemen is a particular favourite. You needn't go the whole way - the countryside en route is lovely in its own right.
Culture and craft: Temples, Villages & Culture Around Candidasa
Tenganan Aga village
Tenganan is touristy but quiet, and there is a reason it is worth going anyway: it is the only place in Bali, and one of only four in the world, where double ikat is woven. There are beautiful examples in the small shops through the village. The basket weaving here is also the best on the island.
Most of the shops are clustered around the car park, selling place mats, baskets, and textiles. Fair warning - the sellers here are formidable negotiators and opening prices are high. Bargain hard, or take one of the villa team with you to do it in Balinese!
Pura Goa Lawah
The bat cave temple is often skipped by visitors. There is not a great deal to see in the temple itself, but it is one of Bali's most important, and an extraordinary number of ceremonies take place here. If you pass and something is underway, stop - the photographs are worth it.
Tirtagangga water palace
Built, so the story goes, as a folly by the king of Karangasem for a mistress who never laid eyes on it. It is an enchanting place, home to the largest koi you are ever likely to see. Take a swimming costume: for a small fee you can swim in the clear stone mountain-water pools.
It combines beautifully with the rice field trek. We suggest walking first, after which our driver will collect you from the car park and take you on to Tirtagangga for a look around, brunch, and a cooling swim.
Slower days: Spas, Yoga & Cooking Classes in Candidasa
Spas and massage
Candidasa has spas at every price point, from the many good-value day spas along the main road - largely interchangeable in what they offer - to the hotel spas at the five-star Amankila and the four-star Alila, both of which provide free transfers from the villa. We also offer massage and spa treatments at the villa.
Yoga at the ashram
The Gedong Gandhi ashram in central Candidasa is a ten-minute walk from Villa Cocoa Maya, in a magnificent position right on the ocean behind the famous lotus pond. Classes are led by Balinese instructors, or by international teachers in residence for extended retreats.
There is nothing pretentious about the place or the practice - just good yoga, experienced teachers, a breathtaking setting, and cows grazing in the garden.
Cooking classes
Two popular classes in the area are at Bali Asli, towards Amlapura, set in a beautiful restaurant with magnificent views over the rice fields to Mount Agung, and Ariras resort, a few hundred metres down the road from us in Candidasa itself. Alternatively, our cooks would be delighted to show you how it is done in the villa kitchen.
Mini golf
There is a nine-hole mini golf course directly across the road - a good outing with children on the day everyone has had their fill of the beach. Ask our villa team to point you in the right direction.
Before you go
None of this needs organising in advance. Tell us the night before - or even over breakfast, which is usually soon enough - and we will sort out the driver, the guide, the boat, or the booking.
Our team knows this coast intimately: which beach is calm today, where a ceremony is happening this week, which warung has the best fish. Ask them. It is the fastest route to the sort of day you will still be talking about at home.
We look forward to welcoming you to Villa Cocoa Maya.