Candidasa in early 2012

Now, let me share about my last day in 2011 and the first day in 2012 in Karangasem regency. I chose to spend my New Year eve in different way from previous New Year eve celebration. I often spent my New Year eve in Kuta to see million fireworks on the sky, and the traffic jam that has been started some days before New Year eve. This year, I wanted to experience something new.

On 30^th of December I still didn’t have any idea what to do the next day. I was bored with the same activity every year, gathering and having chat while drinking with some friends, going to the beach to see fireworks, etc. I started to text some friends wondering what they would do on New Year eve. A friend said she would go to a place where there is neither so much traffic nor many people in east part of Bali. “Agree!” I decided to join her.

Candidasa map, taken from: google

 The next day on 31^st of December 2011 at 11 pm I was ready for a trip. I knew it wouldn’t be so long trip but it would be tiring because we would go there by bike. We leaved at 12 pm from Denpasar and arrived there at about 1.30 pm. I got but hurt :D It must be easier to go there by car but you should consider about the traffic too. There were some traffic jams on our way, especially on the way back to Denpasar. People seemed like to have a trip on New Year holiday.

The place is called Candidasa in Karangasem regency. It’s about 65 km from Denpasar. When we got there, my friend has booked two rooms for us because we were four in a pretty bungalow called Puri Oka Beach Bungalows. It has semi Balinese style of building. 

puri oka restaurant

The price is not so much for a bungalow which has front beach view, swimming pool and restaurant facing to the sea. It was 200k for a small room without AC, but it has big fan then it isn’t a problem when you feel hot.

puri oka beach

The beautiful blue with three small islands in the sea made me feel I was not in Bali. Many canoes were in a row on the beach, some of them sailing on the sea. There were no people at the beach. It looked like private beach somewhere far far away. It was so peaceful there. On the left side of the bungalow, there is a green hill, make the good feeling for someone who sees it. On the right side from the beach you can see the indentation of Bali, and Padang Bai harbor looks small from where you are. 

First day in Karangasem, we just went around Candi Dasa and tried Karangasem typical foods. We went to Candi Dasa beach where there is kinda food court and tasted typical Karangasem salad called ‘serombotan’, I also tasted pork meatball and fish satay or skewers. If you don’t like to try various Balinese food which mostly spicy, you can choose what menu you want on one of many restaurants at Candi Dasa beach street.

at candidasa beach

One restaurant we visited is Janger Bar and Resto, they have happy hour cheap price for bintang beer which is only 19k for large beer and 12k for small one. There were some foreigners in those restaurants in Candi Dasa but not as many as there are in Kuta.

The time went so fast, and it was 15 minutes to go before calendar changes to be 2012. We were just sitting at the ‘private’ beach in the bungalows. There were some boys and girls from Jakarta playing firework there too.

Then it was the time to count down, 5,4,3,2,1 fireworks exploded and colored the dark sky while “Happy New Year” was said among us.