Candi Dasa

There is, however, a quiet black sand beach in a pretty bay called Pantai Labuan Amok, located west of Candidasa. Although it has the Pertamina oil terminal at one end, it is still quite clean and the offshore waters offer nice snorkeling with live coral in shallow waters. If you’re feeling adventurous, there are many other small coves and bays to explore around this area.

Candidasa is located just 7.5 miles (12 km) southwest of Amlapura. You can get here within a 2-hour drive from Kuta or Ubud. 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Candidasa. you’ll find Pasir Putih (White Sand Beach), one of East Bali's well-kept secrets. It's less than half a mile (500 m) of beautiful, white sand beach fringed with palms. There are a few beach shops renting sunbeds and umbrellas, as well as food places offering locally caught fresh fish. Because of the layout and rocks, surfing here can get a bit scary for the beginners or less-confident surfers—especially when the tide is coming in.

If you prefer to keep it more active and explore the local culture, head out 2.5 miles (4 km) inland to Tenganan, to the famous Bali Aga village. Bali Aga people have retained an ancient pre-Majapahit Balinese culture. The villagers remain devoted to cosmology, worshipping ancestors and animals, and follow rigid social rules. The Bali Aga must live inside the village and are not allowed to marry outsiders. The dialect of Balinese spoken here is absolutely unique to this village. Tenganan is also very touristy, so expect to pay a fee to enter the village. You won’t be let in after the sunset. If you want to keep it less mainstream, there is another Bali Aga community in the village of Trunyan. You’ll find it on the shores of Lake Batur, near Kintamani, but visitors are advised that Tenganan is much easier to reach and far more welcoming to outsiders.