Volcano views, water palaces, quiet beaches and village life, with drive times from our base in Selat.
Updated November 2026
Is East Bali worth visiting? Yes, if you want a slower, greener side of the island. East Bali is mostly Karangasem Regency, the land around Mount Agung, and it holds Besakih, Bali’s most important temple, two royal water palaces, the Lempuyang Gates of Heaven, the dive coast of Amed and Tulamben, and rice valleys such as Sidemen. Places are spread out, so you need a driver or scooter.
Key facts
On this page
Visit East Bali for temples, water palaces, rice valleys and a quiet dive coast, without South Bali’s nightlife and shopping streets. The region is mostly Karangasem Regency, about 837 km², with around 538,000 people and its regency seat in Amlapura (Wikipedia: Karangasem Regency). It is dominated by Mount Agung, an active volcano and the highest point on Bali (Wikipedia: Mount Agung). Here is what you will find, and what you will not:
What East Bali is not: a nightlife or shopping destination, or a place with a café on every corner. Drives between sights take time, the roads are winding, and in the wet season Mount Agung is often in cloud. We think that is part of the appeal, but it is worth knowing before you plan.
Camaya is in Padangaji, Selat, Karangasem, about 20 minutes from Sidemen. The static map below marks Camaya; click it to open the location in Google Maps.
These are the drive times we tell our guests. Traffic, ceremonies and weather can add time.
| From Camaya to | Drive time | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Sidemen | 20 minutes | Rice terrace walks, weaving, silver workshops |
| Tukad Cepung Waterfall | 35 minutes | Waterfall inside a canyon, morning light |
| Tirta Gangga | 40 minutes | Royal water palace and gardens |
| Amed | 75 minutes | Snorkelling, diving, black sand coast |
| Lempuyang Temple | 75 minutes | Gates of Heaven, temple hike |
| Ubud | 90 minutes | Culture, food, shopping |
| Ngurah Rai Airport | 2 hours | Arrivals and departures |
| Besakih Temple | Bali’s mother temple | |
| Mount Agung trailhead (Pasar Agung) | Sunrise trek | |
| Taman Ujung | Water palace by the sea | |
| Tenganan village | Bali Aga village, weaving | |
| Candidasa | Quiet seaside town | |
| Virgin Beach | White sand cove | |
| Padang Bai | Ferry port, Blue Lagoon beach | |
| Tulamben | Liberty wreck dive |
The best places to visit in East Bali are the Sidemen rice valley, the water palaces at Tirta Gangga and Taman Ujung, Besakih and Lempuyang temples, Mount Agung, and the Amed and Tulamben coast. Drive times from Camaya are in the table above. Each place below starts with what it is and why you would go.
What it is: a farming valley and district in Karangasem, where rice terraces climb toward Mount Agung. Camaya is not in Sidemen; we are in neighbouring Selat, about 20 minutes away.
Why go: terrace walks, hand-weaving workshops, silver jewellery classes and cool, clear mornings with volcano views.
Best time of day: early morning, before cloud builds over Agung.
Camaya tip: Our guides lead a 2-hour rice field walk from Camaya that returns through the village, and a sunrise walk to Sunda Hill, about 20 minutes on foot from Camaya. Book a day ahead.
Drive time from Camaya: 20 minutes.
Everything else, from warungs to the weather, is in our Sidemen guide.
What it is: a 14 km stretch of fishing villages on the north coast of the Seraya peninsula, including Amed, Jemeluk, Bunutan, Lipah and Aas. Many of the beaches are black volcanic sand (Wikipedia: Amed)).
Why go: snorkelling and diving straight from the beach. The east point of Bali is rich in marine life because of nutrient-rich currents in the Lombok Strait, and part of the coast east of Amed has been a Marine Protected Area since 2017. Jemeluk Bay has a “Coral Wall” on its east side (Wikipedia: Amed).
Drive time from Camaya: about 75 minutes to Amed.
What it is: a small fishing village on the north-east coast with a beach of smooth stones rather than sand (Wikipedia: Tulamben).
Why go: the wreck of the USAT Liberty, a US Army cargo ship torpedoed in 1942 and pushed into the sea by Agung’s 1963 eruption (Wikipedia: USAT Liberty). It lies about 25 metres from shore, its highest point about 5 metres below the surface, so snorkellers can see parts of it and divers of all levels can explore it (Wikipedia: Tulamben).
Best time of day: early morning, before day-trip groups. Wikipedia notes that up to 100 divers a day visit the wreck in high season.
Tulamben is about 12 km north-west of Amed village (Wikipedia: Amed).
What it is: a former royal water palace about 7 km north of Amlapura, built in 1946 by the last king of Karangasem, I Gusti Bagus Jelantik. It was almost destroyed by Agung’s 1963 eruption and later restored. The name refers to the sacred river Ganges, and its spring water is used as holy water (Wikipedia: Tirta Gangga).
Why go: pools, fountains, stepping stones, stone carvings and gardens, with rice terraces in the hills around it.
Tirta Gangga pairs well with Lempuyang in one day, or with Taman Ujung for a “water palaces” half day. We arrange both as tours.
Drive time from Camaya: about 40 minutes.
What it is: a complex of seven temples on Mount Lempuyang, about 12 km north of Amlapura. It is one of Bali’s nine directional temples, the guardian of the east. The highest, Pura Lempuyang Luhur, sits at about 1,060 metres. The split gate that frames Mount Agung belongs to Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang, the most visited of the seven (Wikipedia: Pura Lempuyang Luhur).
Why go: on a clear day, the view of Agung through the gate is one of the most famous in Bali. For a quieter experience, walk on up the path to the higher temples.
Be honest with yourself about the queue. Most visitors come for the photo between the gates, and waits of more than 4 hours are common at busy times, according to the temple’s tourism managers (The Bali Sun, April 2026). The famous “reflection” is a trick: photographers hold a mirror under the phone lens. Most visitors reach the gate by shuttle bus from a terminal below, and temple dress applies, including a sarong and sash (The Bali Sun).
Best time of day: as early as possible, and on a clear morning.
Ask our team about the best time to go before you set off, because it can get very busy. If the queue is long, it is worth skipping the photo and spending the time at the temple itself.
Drive time from Camaya: about 75 minutes. We arrange Lempuyang as part of a full-day tour.
What it is: the most important, largest and holiest temple of Balinese Hinduism, in the village of Besakih nearly 1,000 metres up the slopes of Mount Agung. It is not one building but a complex of 23 related temples on six terraced levels (Wikipedia: Besakih Temple).
Why go: to understand why Mount Agung matters to the Balinese. On ceremony days the complex is full of families bringing offerings.
Best time of day: early morning, for cooler air and the best chance of seeing Agung. Wear a sarong and buy your ticket at the official counter; you do not have to pay unofficial “guides” (Discover Indonesia).
What it is: Bali’s highest mountain, about 3,000 metres (the Smithsonian lists 2,997 m; other surveys give 3,031 m), an active volcano that last erupted from 2017 to 2019 and is sacred to Balinese Hindus (Wikipedia: Mount Agung; Discover Indonesia).
Why go: for the views, which you get from all over East Bali on clear mornings, or for a hard sunrise trek. The shorter route starts at Pura Pasar Agung, about 1,600 metres up, near Selat. It takes 3 to 4 hours to the crater rim, usually starting around 2 AM, and 2 to 4 hours down (Discover Indonesia).
Before you plan a climb:
Best time of day: sunrise for the trek; early morning for views from below.
Camaya tip: Most of our guests enjoy Agung from a distance, from the rice fields at sunrise. We do not arrange Mount Agung treks; if you want to climb, book a licensed local guide directly and check the alert level first. If you want a sunrise hike without the steep scramble, we arrange a Mount Batur sunrise trek with a guide.
What it is: a small seaside town on a freshwater lagoon on the east coast, which has drawn divers and travellers looking for a quieter alternative to South Bali since the 1970s (Wikipedia: Candidasa).
Why go: a relaxed base on the coast, with diving nearby and easy access to Tenganan (4 km north) and Virgin Beach.
Honest note: much of the original beach was lost to erosion after the reef was mined for building material in the 1970s and 1980s, and sea walls and groynes line parts of the shore (Wikipedia: Candidasa). Come for the town and the coast, not a wide sandy beach.
Best time of day: late afternoon for a walk along the coast and the lagoon.
What it is: Pantai Pasir Putih, also called White Sand Beach or, by locals, Perasi Beach, in Perasi village near Bugbug. It is known as the only white sand beach around Karangasem town, although the sand is greyer than in South Bali (Love Bali, Bali Provincial Government)).
Combine Virgin Beach with Tenganan and Candidasa for a coast day.
What it is: Tenganan Pegringsingan, a village of the Bali Aga people, who keep many of the traditions and rules of pre-Majapahit Bali. It is known for geringsing, a double ikat cloth woven in only three places in the world, and for gamelan selonding music played on iron instruments (Wikipedia: Tenganan).
Why go: to see a village layout and way of life that are very different from the rest of Bali, and to watch weaving.
Best time of day: morning, when the village is active and cooler.
This is a home, not a museum. Dress modestly, ask before photographing people, and buy directly from the weavers if you want to support them.
Tenganan is about 4 km north of Candidasa (Wikipedia: Candidasa).
What it is: the Ujung Water Palace, also called Taman Sukasada, about 5 km south-east of Amlapura on the coast. The last king of Karangasem began it in 1909, and it was completed in 1921 with Dutch, Chinese and Balinese architects. It covers 12 hectares with three large pools and a white pavilion on an island in the middle. It was badly damaged by the 1963 eruption and a 1975 earthquake and restored between 1998 and 2001 (Wikipedia: Ujung Water Palace).
Why go: wide lawns, bridges over the ponds and views to the sea and Mount Lempuyang.
We arrange Taman Ujung as a half-day or full-day tour, often together with Tirta Gangga.
What it is: a small port town in Manggis district and the ferry port for Lombok and boats to the Gili Islands (Wikipedia: Padangbai).
Why go: if you are heading on to Lombok or the Gilis, and for snorkelling and diving at Blue Lagoon Beach, which became part of a Marine Protected Area in 2017. Currents can be strong at tide changes and new moon (Wikipedia: Padangbai).
Best time of day: morning for Blue Lagoon. Boat departures run to their own schedules.
Check your boat operator carefully. Australia’s travel advice lists several recent incidents on boats to and from Padang Bai and the islands (Smartraveller).
We can arrange a transfer to Padang Bai.
What it is: a waterfall that drops into a narrow canyon near Tembuku in Bangli Regency, just west of Karangasem.
Why go: on sunny mornings, beams of light shine down into the gorge, from around 8 AM until late morning. The walk is about 700 metres, about 20 minutes each way, down steep steps and through ankle-deep river water, so wear sandals or water shoes. It is too shallow to swim. Entry is paid in cash (Bali Untold).
Best time of day: before 9 AM, for the light and before the groups arrive (Bali Untold).
Tukad Cepung is one of the closest big sights to Camaya. Go first thing, then continue to Besakih for a full morning. We arrange it as a half-day or full-day tour.
Drive time from Camaya: about 35 minutes.
All times depend on weather and ceremonies, and we can arrange a driver for each day.
2 days: the valley and the mother temple
3 days: add the far east
4 days: add the coast or a Sidemen morning
Check-out is by 12:00 PM, so we suggest keeping your last morning close to Camaya.
You need a driver or a scooter to get around East Bali, because the sights are spread out and public transport is very limited. There is very little public transport in Bali, and the main alternatives are rideshare apps, metered taxis, scooters and hired drivers (Lonely Planet).
The dry season in Karangasem usually runs from May to October, with August and September the driest, and the rainy season from November to April, with January and February the wettest (Wikipedia: Karangasem Regency, citing BPS Karangasem). Come in the dry season for the clearest Mount Agung views. Come in the wet season for green terraces and fewer people. Month-by-month figures are in our Bali rainy season guide.
Where you stay in East Bali depends on what you want to wake up to: the sea, a walkable village, or a central base for the temples and valleys.
That last one is us. Camaya is seven open-air bamboo houses and one Balinese cottage in Padangaji, Selat, made for couples. Five bamboo houses (Lotus, Butterfly, Metangi, Pyramid and Suboya) have two king beds and sleep 2 to 4. Santai, with a copper bathtub and a heated jacuzzi, Sayang, with its small private dipping pool (the pool is not heated) and a large outdoor bathtub, and the Nirvana cottage sleep 2. Breakfast, Wi-Fi and one scooter are included, the sauna and cold plunge are free to book with 60 minutes’ notice, and our restaurant, Camaya Terrace, serves all-day dining.
The honest part: our houses have no air conditioning (fans and mosquito nets instead, and the valley is cool at night), you may meet geckos, insects and sometimes snakes, guests must be 12 or older, and the houses are reached by long sets of stairs. If you are comparing regions across the whole island, see where to stay in Bali.
No. Camaya is in Padangaji, Selat, Karangasem, about 20 minutes by car from Sidemen. Selat sits between the valley, the temples and the coast: 20 minutes from Sidemen, 40 minutes from Tirta Gangga and 75 minutes from Amed and Lempuyang.
It varies, but waits of more than 4 hours for the Gates of Heaven photo are common at busy times, according to the temple’s tourism managers (The Bali Sun, April 2026). Go as early as possible, on a clear morning, or skip the photo and visit the temple itself.
Yes, with a licensed local guide, when the mountain is open and the alert level allows it. Camaya does not arrange Agung treks, so book a licensed guide directly. The Pasar Agung route takes 3 to 4 hours up, starting around 2 AM. The mountain closes for major ceremonies, and guides advise against November to March.
Camaya, in Selat, is about 2 hours from Ngurah Rai International Airport and about 90 minutes from Ubud. The Amed coast is further from the airport than Selat is.
A driver is the easiest way to get around, because sights are spread out and public transport is very limited. Camaya arranges half-day and full-day drivers and tours for guests. Every stay also includes one scooter, if you are an experienced rider with the right licence and insurance.
No. Sidemen is an inland farming valley. For the coast, Amed is about 75 minutes from Camaya. Virgin Beach (Pantai Pasir Putih) is a white-sand cove near Bugbug.