Bali Areas
Benoa Harbor, Singaraja, Lovina, Candi Dasa
Benoa Harbor (Pelabuhan Benoa)
If you arrive in Bali on the Bounty boat from Gili Meno or Lombok, on the Mabua Express from Lombok, or on a Pelm or Barito ship from elsewhere in Indonesia, you'll dock at Benoa harbour (Pelabuhan Benoa), located off the end of a long causeway that juts out into the sea 5km southwest of southern Sanur. The harbor is a short, metered-taxi ride to Kuta. Tickets for PeIni boats to other islands must be bought in advance (booking opens three days before departure), either through travel agents or at the Pelm offices in Benoa harbor or Kuta.
Singaraja
The second-largest Balinese city after Denpasar, SINGARAJA is a pleasantly spacious harbor on the north coast, of most interest to tourists for its transport connections: if you are exploring the north you'll probably pass through at some point. There are three bemo and bus terminals in Singaraja. Sukasada (locally called Sangket), to the south of the town, serves Bedugul and Denpasar; Banyuasri, on the western edge of town, serves the west, including Lovina, Seririt and Gilimanuk; and Penarukan is for services eastwards along the north coast via Tulamben to Amlapura and along the Kintamani/Penelokan road for the Batur area and on to Baugh. Small bemos ply the main routes between the terminals.
Lovina
LOVINA stretches along 8 km of black-sand beach, the largest resort in Bali outside the Kuta-Legiai-i-Seminyak conurbation. Beginning 6km west of Singaraja, the resort encompasses six villages: Pemaron, Anturan, Tukad Mungga, Kalibukbuk, Kaliasem and Temukus. Kalibukbuk is generally accepted as the centre of Lovina and its here you'll find most tourist facilities.
Many people consider the early-morning dolphin trips from Lovina to be the highlight of their stay, but others find them grossly overrated. Boats leave at 6am, book directly with the skippers on the beach. The reef off Lovina used to stretch at least 5km along the coast, but anchors and fish-bombs have caused severe damage. The skippers know the best spots for snorkeling. Situated between the main diving areas on the north coast of Bali - Pulau Menjangan ( Deer Island) to the west, Tulamben and Amed to the east - Lovina is a good place to base you for diving. There are plenty of dive operators in the resort, offering dive trips and courses.
One popular outing from Lovina is to Bali's only Buddhist monastery, the Brahma Vihara Ashrama, 10 km southwest of Lovina, which can be combined with a visit to the hot springs at Banjar. Catch any westbound bemo to DENCARlK, where a sign points inland to the monastery, and ojek wait to take you the last steep 5km. From the temple you can walk to the hot springs (daily 8am-6pm; Rp3000, parking RpI000). Head back downhill and take the first major left turn. After a few hundred meters you'll reach a major crossroads and marketplace at the village of BANJAR TEGA. Turn left and a kulkul tower will now be on your right. After about 200m you'll see a sign for the "Holy Hot Springs, Air Panas" (I km).
Candi Dasa
At the eastern end of Amuk Bay, CANDI DASA is a centre for snorkeling and diving, and a pleasant base from which to explore the east of Bali, including the nearby traditional village of Tenganan. However, throughout the 1980s, Candi's offshore reef was crushed to produce lime for the building boom and the beach was left so exposed that it simply washed away. Large sea walls now protect the land, and jetties protrude into the sea in the hope, largely justified, that the beach will build up against them. The tourist developments have spread Skin west around the bay, through the villages of Senkidu, Mendira, Buitan and Manggis, where the beach is still a respectable size.
Just off the coast of Candi Dasa, a group of small islands provides excellent spots for experienced divers, including walls, a pinnacle and the dramatic Tepekong Canyon. Candi Dasa is also an ideal base from which to arrange diving trips to Padang Bai, Nusa Penida, Amed and Tulamben and to take a course.
