East Bali - Bali and Lombok - page 98

on the wall (example: Acting like a mon-
key when you see a nice girl is so important
for you.) set the tone. There's pizza and live
music, sometimes by patrons.
Topi Inn (

into the sea, in matching shades of blue. The
Beachclub pool (150,000Rp) is on a stretch of sand
and is open to non-guests. It has a café and
water sports. The restaurants at the Amankila
are open to non-guests. The superb Terrace
(lunch 80,000-200,000Rp) is more casual and has
creative and varied cuisine. The Restaurant
(mains 140,000-210,000Rp) has complex fusion and
Balinese dishes.
Somewhat more accessible to the masses on
everyday budgets, the Alila Manggis (

Pondok Pisang (

BUS
To connect with Denpasar, catch a bemo out
to the main road and hail a bus to the Batu-
bulan terminal (15,000Rp).

41065; www.pondokpisang.com; r
200,000-350,000Rp) The name here means 'banana
hut', and there's plenty of appeal. The six,
spacious bungalows are widely spaced facing
the sea. Each bungalow has a unique interior,
including mosaic-tiled bathrooms. Yoga in-
tensives are held at various times and you can
often find women sewing cushions and bags.
The next two places are an easy walk to
Candidasa.
Nirwana (

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41424; Jl Silayukti; mains 18,000-40,000Rp)
Juices, shakes and good coffees served up
throughout the day. Big breakfasts and at
night fresh seafood from the boats right across
the street.

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TOURIST SHUTTLE BUS
Perama (

7am-8pm)
has a stop here for its services around the
east coast.

41419; Café Dona, Jl Pelabuhan;

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Shopping
Ryan Shop (

Destination Fare

41011; 41136; [e-mail]; r

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41215; Jl Segara 38) A name you
can trust for quality. It has a fair selection
of second-hand paperbacks, some maps and
sundries.

) has
elegant, white, thatch-roofed buildings in spa-
cious lawn gardens facing a beautiful stretch
of secluded beach. The 55 rooms are very
comfortable, with smart modern interiors;
the best are the deluxe ones on the top floor
with balconies. The restaurant features excel-
lent nouvelle Balinese cuisine and you can be
served at tables in your room or at the beach.
Activities include a kids' camp, a spa and
cooking courses. The latter may well tempt
you after you enjoy the superb pan-Asian
cuisine in the restaurant Seasalt .

) This older resort has 12 bun-
galow-style rooms that are a little dowdy but
well maintained. The best units are near the
seawall with the pool and café. It's 300m down
a forested dirt track from the main road.
Lotus Bungalows (

www.alilahotels.com; r US$180-250; US$35-60;

% nais as

Candidasa 15,000Rp
Kuta 40,000Rp
Lovina 100,000Rp
Sanur 40,000Rp
Ubud 40,000Rp
PADANGBAI TO CANDIDASA
% 0363
It's worth prowling some of the beachside
lanes off the main road for little places to
stay. It's 11km along the main road from
the Padangbai turn-off to the resort town of
Candidasa, and there are bemo or buses every
few minutes. Between the two is an attrac-
tive stretch of coast, which has some tourist
development, and a large oil-storage depot
in Teluk Amuk.

Getting There & Away
BEMO
Padangbai is 2km south of the main
SemarapuraAmlapura road. Bemo leave
from the car park in front of the port; orange
bemo go east through Candidasa to Amlapura
(7000Rp); blue or white bemo go to Semara-
pura (8000Rp).

41104; www.lotusbungalows

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) The 20 rooms here
(some with air-con, all with hot water) are in
well-spaced bungalow-style units. Four (num-
bers 1, 2, 13 and 14) are right on the ocean,
with the last being the top pick. The décor
is bright and airy, and there is a large and
stylish pool area.

.com; r US$20-45;

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Mendira & Sengkidu
Coming from the west, there are hotels and
losmen (basic accommodation) off the main
road at Mendira and Sengkidu, before you
reach Candidasa. Although the beach has
suffered from erosion and unsightly sea walls
have been constructed, it's a good place for a
getaway if you have your own transport.

Tenganan
Tenganan is a village of Bali Aga people, the
descendants of the original Balinese who
inhabited Bali before the Majapahit arrival.
The village is surrounded by a wall, and con-
sists basically of two rows of identical houses
stretching up the gentle slope of the hill.
The Bali Aga are reputed to be exception-
ally conservative and resistant to change
with much being made of the fact that things
have changed little since the 11th century.
Well that's only partially true: TVs and other
modern conveniences are hidden away in the
traditional houses. But it is fair to say that the
village has a much more traditional feel than
most other villages on Bali. Cars and motor-
cycles are forbidden from entering.
The most striking feature of Tenganan is its
postcard-like beauty, with the hills providing a
photogenic backdrop. As you enter the village
you may be greeted by a guide who will take
you on a tour of the village - and generally
lead you back to their family compound to
look at textiles and lontar (specially prepared
palm leaves) strips. Unlike Besakih, however,
there's no pressure to buy anything, so you

BOAT
Lombok
Public ferries (adult/child 21,000/14,000Rp;)
travel non-stop between Padangbai and Lem-
bar on Lombok. Motorcycles cost 155,000Rp
and cars cost 330,000Rp - go through the
weighbridge at the west corner of the Padang-
bai car park. Depending on conditions the
trip can take three to five hours. Boats run 24
hours and leave about every 90 minutes; food
and drink is sold on board. Passenger tickets
are sold near the pier.
Anyone who carries your luggage on or
off the ferries at both ports will expect to be
paid, so agree on the price first or carry your
own stuff. Also, watch out for scams whereby
the porter may try to sell you a ticket you've
already bought.
Perama has a 40-passenger boat (200,000Rp,
four hours), which usually leaves at 9am
for Senggigi, where you can connect to the
Gilis.

Buitan & Manggis
Balina Beach is the name bestowed on the
small tourist development at the village of
Buitan. It's an attractive area on a quiet coastal
stretch, though the beach is being lost to ero-
sion and what's left is black sand and stones.
To find the turn-off, look for the small yellow
sign 'Balina' from the main road. Nearby is
the pretty village of Manggis.

SLEEPING & EATING
All of the following are on small tracks be-
tween the main road and the water; none are
far from Candidasa.
The three places listed here are reached
down narrow roads from a single turn off the
main road 1km west of Candidasa. Look for a
large sign listing places to stay.
Amarta Beach Inn Bungalows (

SLEEPING & EATING
Two of Bali's best hotels are off the main road
along here.
One of Bali's best resorts, the Amankila

41230; r 100,000-
200,000Rp) In a panoramic seaside setting, the
10 units here are right on the water and are
great value. The more expensive ones have hot
water and spiffy open-air bathrooms. At low
tide there is a tiny beach; at other times you
can sit and watch the bananas grow.
Candi Beach Cottage (

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( 41333; www.amankila.com; villa from US$650;

nais

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) , is hidden along the jutting
cliffs. About 5.6km beyond the Padangbai
turn-off and 500m past the road to Manggis,
a discreetly marked side road leads to the
hotel. It features an isolated seaside location
with views to Nusa Penida and even Lombok.

Nusa Penida
On the beach just east of the car park, you'll
find the twin-engine fibreglass boats that run
across the strait to Buyuk, 1km west of Sam-

41234; www.candibeachbali
.com; r US$70-90, bungalow US$80-120;

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) This

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