Candidasa, a small town on the eastern coast of Bali, was a nice break from the hustle and bustle we experienced as we made our way from the busy streets of Kuta. Our villa, nestled right by the sea, was surrounded by lush greenery and towering coconut palms. Here, for the first time on our journey, we welcomed a visitor from Poland—Marianna’s mum joined us to explore Bali.

Photo: Villa and garden in Candidasa

  Photo: Villa and garden in Candidasa

It was a time for relaxation that couldn’t have come a moment too soon, as all of us fell ill once we were there. Marcel was the worst off, with a fever climbing up to 40°C. We focused on rest and spent a few days in our beautiful garden, resting by the pool. After two or three days, we were back on our feet and ready to explore the area again.

Photo: Enjoying time in the pool

The serene environment made it easy to unwind. Every morning, the villa staff would visit to look after the garden, clean the pool, and prepare delicious breakfasts. Next door to the villa was Ganesh Restaurant, where we enjoyed most of our lunches and dinners, as the food was excellent there. Prices in Balinese restaurants are very reasonable — a good meal costs around 3-4 GBP.

I had an interesting conversation with the villa manager, who had helped build the property. He mentioned that about 10 years ago, the construction cost of such a villa was around 50,000 GBP. The manager mentioned that the owner, who resides in the Netherlands, is also building a house for a Polish family. In Indonesia, foreigners are not allowed to purchase land. Instead, they lease it long-term, paying rent to the landowner, and once an agreement is in place, they can build a house.

I had planned to visit the project and meet the family, but our health issues derailed those plans. Regardless, it was an interesting piece of information to learn.

Photo: At the beach in Candidasa

On some days, the woman who looked after the house would visit with her children. Aliya loved playing with them and showing off her toys.

Photo: Aliya playing with Balinese children

There were plenty of monkeys around our villa. They weren’t too much of a nuisance and mostly stayed on the roof. Occasionally, they would come down to see if we had left any food lying around.

Photo: Monkeys on the roof of the villa in Candidasa

One morning, as I sipped my matcha, I heard noises behind our fence. Made, the housekeeper, explained that people were harvesting coconuts and climbing up the tall palm trees to pick them. Sure enough, I saw two people perched at the tops of these towering palms, as coconuts came crashing down one after another with a heavy thud. None of them wore safety harnesses, but I wasn’t surprised by that — these were experienced climbers who knew what they were doing. We’d seen similar scenes during our time in Fiji. Thanks to Made, we received two coconuts for breakfast, and later, with help from a neighbour, we bought ten more. These coconuts were some of the best we’ve ever had, with flesh that was the perfect texture.

Photo: Coconut harvesting

Here’s a video showing how they tie bunches of coconuts together for easier transport.