Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

[Markit]

Lost Our Bali Virginity – 6th and final part – Candidasa, JAWS, then home

Sorry it’s taken so long to pen (finger?) this last installment but after the stress of being an intense and dedicated tourist for the previous 2 weeks the best wife in the universe (bwtu) and I have been doing very little here in Candidasa but lazing, eating, etc. just recharging our batteries.
After Lovina the “plan” was to go on to Padangbai and do some serious snorkeling and beach time but I have to report that having booked into the most expensive hotel in Padangbai (which aint saying much at $50/night) we had to leave again the next day because it was simply too hot to stand, yes after 2 or more weeks acclimatization to the Balinese climate and weather we still suffer under the humidity and heat. Usually, after a week or 10 days in the tropics we were putting extra blankets on the bed at night and wearing long sleeves and trousers, but not here in Bali – when I carefully suggested that it might be advancing old age the best wife in the universe (bwtu) informed me that we would be leaving Padangbai the next day. Who am I to argue and to be honest it was probably the best decision she has made since my vasectomy… It was too hot and Padangbai is stuck in the bottom of a little bay surrounded by the mountains – sounds nice doesn’t it but the mountains kept the hot air in and allowed no breezes to cool it off – anyway, goodbye Padangbai. The “Blue Lagoon” isn’t what it’s cracked up to be either – nice but very small and with about 100 metres of beach can get pretty crowded since the Padangbai beach is, in fact, a working harbor – no place you’d want to bath.

15 minutes along the coast towards the north is the roundly despised (by all the tourist handbooks) “resort” of Candidasa – well, thank God for that bad press because Candi is a wonderful place, one of the nicest towns that we’ve seen on our travels here in Bali – and I think, that is largely to thank the Lonely Planets and other handbooks that we’ve seen, for. They seem to all bang on about the same thing - how Candi destroyed their beaches back in the 70s and 80s with the first wave of hotel development and that they still haven’t recovered and don’t bother going, etc. etc.

We loved it! First there is wonderful living surf – not of a size for those idiots/gods on boards, just for “normal” swimmers. And the water is cool, clean and refreshing with the view of the mountains behind and the vision of Lembongan island just off-shore. All of this from the private pool of our designer boutique hotel direct on the water – private because the place was empty! Added to this some really great places to eat – try Vincent’s for some great European food and ambiance all the rest for that Balinese feel/food.

A personal peeve – all of you out there that love having abrasive materials (sand) in tender folds of private skin can have all the sandy beaches of the world but stop turning those that aren’t sandy into ones that are. There are many of us out here that actually prefer to recline on comfortable deck chairs and padded recliners without having to first dig out silicon abrasives from our privates, eyes, ears, etc.

Before anyone gets the idea that the best wife in the universe (bwtu) and I have been living it large in the lap of luxury while in Bali because we are actually rolling in the green stuff I would like to point out that it unfortunately aint so and that we have found that, against all the reports from various Balinese sources saying that the tourist storm is again rolling over the island, we have been largely alone or nearly so in many of the places we’ve toured and stayed. This fact alone has made it possible to quite brutally bargain down the prices of all hotels we have been to – hence, the stated price for our hotel in Candi (Alam Asmara) was $114(published), $81(internet), our price $55/night with breaky.

Back to the story – when we got to Candi it was largely deserted and a real gem on the east coast. Lovely cool breezes from off-shore with a view to die for and all the great restaurants any self respecting tourist could ask for. Unfortunately/fortunately mostly empty.

On the second day during breaky I and the bwtu were sitting by the ocean, which crashes directly on the abutment of our hotel (no nasty beaches), enjoying our morning Nescafe (can’t get into the Balinese chewy sort) when – hey presto! A two meter long white tipped shark swims by our table – not 4 meters away. Damn near messed up the front and back of my favorite sarong. Apparently this wasn’t an everyday experience to the personnel at the hotel either as there was some serious messing going on there too. But the shark swam by minding its own business and after a few minutes breaky returned to the usual calm and restrained feeding frenzy of eggs, toast, bread, mixed (unripe!) fruit, cake, coffee and blended juices that we have become used to. Funny postscript to the shark sighting is that for several days no one, including yours truly, had the desire to swim in the ocean – funny that… wonder why.

After several days rest and recuperation the bwtu and I were developing bed sores and decided to hit the tourist trail again as there is still sooo much to see and sooo little time – Bali has got to be the best tourist destination in the world – there is just so much to do that is new and interesting and fun and colorful and real and scary and good tasting and real and new (I’ve said it once but it really is all so new) and sincere and needy and, well superlatives enough, you get the idea – if you aint been, don’t wait, go, if you’ve been, go again, if you are still there – you bastard!

Traveling just north of Candi on the road to Amlapura you pass a small handwritten sign saying “Sandy White Beach” which is well worth the detour as it takes you to one of those lost and almost untouched white sandy beaches that you hope to find. There are, of course, several of the ubiquitous beach restaurants but the area is pretty untouched as we were told it was sold to an American developer 20 years ago and now is waiting for that option to lapse when it will be sold to the Chinese who want to put a resort in there – don’t the world change? Go soon if you want to see how it should be.

Heading on from there we stopped off in Amlapura to plunder the plastic at the local Hardys as there is no ATM in Candi other than one for the locals to use – tried to use it myself anyway and only succeeded in locking my Visa – moral: when in Rome don’t pretend you can read Italian. We were then off to the old kings palaces at Ujung (largely deserted but worth the 40K we paid for the bwtu to hear all about the many loves and kids of the last king – where the police also skinned our guide for their “coffee money”) and Tirta Ganga which has one of the most impressive Bodi trees (Banyan) that Buddha or anyone else has ever seen and a beautiful view of the gardens and over the local countryside – again the guides are very knowledgeable – bwtu knows all that stuff too so she keeps them on the ball – me, I don’t know shit, I just pay…

As with everything, except gout (which recurs again and again – trust me, I know), all things must end and so it is with our trip to Bali. So thanks to all those that have enjoyed our story and to those that haven’t, you can kiss my ass – I won’t bore any of you with the dreadful flight home in a Singaporean slave ship or with the shockingly bad state of the British airports and weather (derelict, dirty and 13C, raining) but we would just like to say a final, heartfelt message to all those that haven’t been to Bali –
Don’t go – the fewer people that discover what a truly wonderful place it is the longer it will stay so.

Markit and the Best Wife in the Universe (bwtu)

[Markit]

If anybody cares the rest can be found here:

1) bali-travel-forum-f16/losing-bali-virginity-markit-t20861.html
2) bali-travel-forum-f16/losing-bali-virginity-t20869.html
3) bali-travel-forum-f16/lost-bali-virginity-markit-t20872.html
4) bali-travel-forum-f16/lost-bali-virginity-ubud-t20878.html
5) bali-travel-forum-f16/lost-bali-virginity-lovina-kalibukbuk-t20882.html
6) bali-travel-forum-f16/lost-our-bali-virginity-6th-and-final-part-t20915.html

[tintin]

I, for one, have very much enjoyed your reports, all six of them, and I believe that, like I, many people on this forum would like them to continue. Glad you and the bwtu enjoyed you short stay in Bali, but there is no law which says it cannot be duplicated in the future.

By the way, I am with you regarding your opinion of Candi Dasa. Forget about Lonely Planet, the (obnoxious) Guide du Routard, etc., it was and still is a great place to spend time: great and unique atmosphere, peaceful, nice people, well located, and certainly relaxing. S**t, now that I think of about it, my eyes are tearing...

[Markit]

Well Tintin thank you very, very much - now don't go getting all sentimental on us - or we'll just have to go back and meet at Vincent's...

We thought they made the best Filet Mignon with cream pepper sauce this side of Fisherman's Wharf in SF. Didn't have the guts to try their steamed duck but would like to know what I missed. They were also one of the few places to have Bintang on draft - made it almost drinkable almost

[toucan]

Thanks Markit, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all the instalments and appreciate you taking the time to put fingers to keyboard. Have you any plans on returning in the near future?

[Ipanema]

Yes Markit,

Thank you, I enjoyed it also

Regards

Tina

[Markit]

Again, thank you very much - we did enjoy writing it too.

As I intended to keep a journal in any event, publishing it to the forum kept me "righteous" if you understand my meaning.

As to returning to Bali well this journey was by way of a scouting trip to see if we could live there on a more permanent basis and if so then where. The votes aren't all in on that score yet but I do think Bali has a better chance than Hillary

[abemoon]

hey markit very entertaining reading about your adventures in candi dasa i will have to read the other chapters so i'm up to speed as i'm only new to the forum.
I cant believe how underestimated this little town is. my first trip there was in 1991 and i've been back many times since. i loved it so that last year i finally purchased a little plot of land only 4 are but enough to build my dream home on which is just right for my retirement. i fly out tomorrow for 4 wks to finalise my quotes for this little project and will be staying right on the water at the northern end of the beach. yes there is white sand and plenty of snorkelling, eating, socialising to be done right there and plenty of peace and quiet if thats what your seeking. i'm glad the lonely planet has that description as it could be another kuta which i'd hate.
after my first trip to bali in 1975 as a young 19yr old hippie back packer and seeing over the years what's happened to kuta to seminyak i'm really excited to finally be able to say i'm going to build a house and retire in paradise which was what kuta was like when i arrived for that first overseas trip so long ago.
we were a group of a dozen aussies from the suburbs of sydney who loved to surf so bali seemed the perfect place for a surf trip. us girls rode surf mats back then as it was pretty hard to be a surfer living in the suburbs so a surf mat double for added comfort under your sleeping bag. there was no power in the losmens and we rode pushbikes all around the tracks through the palm trees to the beach. there was one bar in poppies lane and i do remember the garden restaurant at bemo corner which sold mushie omelets but thats another story.
maybe i'll start up a few chapters myself, we eventually arrived in england after 6mths backpacking through asia and india, seeing your from UK you'll laugh at this one. we worked at butlins holiday camp at bognor regis for a season but thats another story. i hear butlins is still operating??
anyway time to pack

[Git]

Markit
Thanks for the journal. I have enjoyed your writing skills!
It surely makes one homesick for a return trip to bali.................................

[fordprefect]

About time you posted, I was beginning to think something tinfoil-hat style had happened here.

Funny thing about Candi, when we visited we had that same feeling:

"Why are all the travel writers so down on this place? -- Oh well, guess we'll have the place to ourselves for as long as we like!"

-If you manage another visit, take a side trip up the hills into--well, anywhere, really, but we visited villages up around Tenganan, got invited to some temple festivals, saw some wicked kris dances, generally had the time of our lives.
Sounds like you did too!