A coastal town area with its fascinating snorkeling and diving sites
Candi Dasa is a coastal town in eastern part of Bali which is situated on the fringe of a fresh water lagoon. It is a popular tourist resort and is often described as a more restful and laid-back beach alternative compared to the noisy and crowded touristic areas of Kuta or Sanur in the southern part of Bali.
It was commonly said that a fishing village was founded on the site by the 12th century and before the contemporary name of Candi Dasa was used it was known as both “Teluk Kehen” (which means Bay of Fire) and also “Cilidasa”. There is a temple near the lagoon, with a statue of the Goddess of fertility named Hariti surrounded by a group of children, and “cilidasa” is a Balinese word that means ten children, so that many Balinese who wish to have children will go on pilgrimage to this place. Candidasa as the contemporary name of this site is thought to be a sort of corruption of this older name. The town began to develope as a tourist destination in the 1970s. It is because there is good snorkeling and diving spots in the area and the town provides easy access to other tourist destinations in eastern Bali.
Approximately in the 1970s and 1980s, A lot of investors invest their money in this area. As a result, the area received great impacts of investment in tourism and a construction boom. To support the construction of beach bungalows, new homes and restaurants, and other tourism facilities, the offshore reef was mined to make cement and other construction materials. These mining activities removed the coastal barrier that had protected the beach which was a bit undermined and washed away. Owners of local hotels and other tourism facilities then constructed a series of t-shaped groins jutting out into the water in an attempt to preserve the beach, with various results.
Candidasa is a very great spot for snorkeling and diving. Not far from this coastal area, you can see easily that there are three islands namely Gili Tepekong, Gili Mimpang and - a bit distant north-east, Gili Biaha. All these islands offer excellent diving places, especially for more expert divers. It because streams can be quite powerful and shocking, but most of the dive spots in Candidasa are trust-worthy. Other dive sites you can enjoy is the Jetty which is not far from Candidasa. The dive sites of Jetty are also very excellent for diving lovers.
