In 1983 Candidasa was just a quiet little fishing village, since then many hotels, losmen and restaurants have been built turning it into a resort area. Due to the development that took place, much of the beach disappeared, compensated by many hotels with swimming pools located right on the coast. Close by is the town of Amlapura the capital of the Karangasem District, where three palaces dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are decaying reminders of Karangasem's period as a kingdom.  Candidasa has the full complement of shops, moneychangers, bicycle, motorbike and car rental to mention just a few of the tourist essentials.