Bali Coast Trail 2026: Race Guide and Where to Stay in Candidasa

The Bali Coast Trail is a trail race through the east of the island: along the coast, up through villages, plantations and rice terraces in the hills of Karangasem, and back down to the sea. Race weekend is 12–13 December 2026, and every distance starts and finishes in Candidasa, the quiet seaside village where our hotel sits.

We live and work here, so this guide covers what the race site doesn't: what the weekend looks like on the ground, how to get here, what December does to the trails, and where to sleep when your race starts at four in the morning. Race facts come from the official site; where its pages disagree with each other, we say so.

The four distances, and who each one suits

The race is listed with ITRA and the UTMB Index, and the 30K and 50K carry ITRA points.

50K: the full coastline ultra

The flagship distance starts in the dark. You follow the coast out of Candidasa, then climb into the Karangasem hills on village roads and plantation trails. The middle of the course crosses ridges and terraced rice fields and holds the steepest climbs, before it drops back to the sea to finish in Candidasa. There are five water stations, with a drop bag and medical support at the third (km 27). Intermediate cut-offs run from 08:00 at km 18 to 14:30 at km 44, and they are strictly enforced. This one is for runners with a trail ultra or a marathon behind them.

30K: coast and hills

A step towards ultra distance, mixing coastline with hill climbs past cliffs, rivers and rice fields. With 1,438 m of climbing it is a real mountain run, not a long road race on dirt.

15K: runnable, with a few sharp climbs

Sand, single track and a couple of short, steep climbs with sea views. If you race half marathons and want a first proper trail race, this is the one.

7K: the family-friendly loop

A short loop on the beach and coastal paths, open to beginners and fun runners. Three hours to cover 7 km means nobody is rushed.

The race weekend, day by day

All times are Bali time (WITA, UTC+8).

• Wednesday 9 December, 12:00–20:00: race pack collection in Denpasar.
• Friday 11 December, 12:00–20:00: race pack collection at the venue in Candidasa. Race briefings: 50K at 16:00, 30K at 17:00.
• Saturday 12 December: 50K starts at 04:00, 30K at 05:00. Awards for both from 12:00. Race pack collection at the venue again 12:00–20:00. Briefings: 15K at 16:00, 7K at 17:00. The 30K cut-off is 15:00, and the 50K closes at 19:00.
• Sunday 13 December: 15K starts at 05:00, 7K at 06:00 (see below). Awards for both at 09:00. The 15K closes at 11:00.

Getting to Candidasa

Candidasa is on the east coast, about an hour and a half by car from Ngurah Rai International Airport, more on a busy Friday afternoon. The simplest way in is a private car: we run airport transfers at fixed prices, any time of day. Once you are here, a scooter or a car makes the rest of East Bali easy. See car and scooter rental.

If you are flying in for the race, plan the race pack around your arrival. Collecting on Wednesday means being in Denpasar. Most visiting runners will find it easier to collect at the venue on Friday, the day before the long races.

Where to stay: a 10-minute walk from the start

The 50K starts at 04:00 and the 30K at 05:00. From Kuta or Seminyak, about two hours away by car, that means leaving in the middle of the night. Sleeping in Candidasa turns it into a 10-minute walk.

Orlowsky Discovery Hotel is a 10-minute walk from Rest Area Candi Dasa, so you can walk to the start line with your headlamp already on. If you book with the runner offer, you don't have to: on race days our free transfer takes you to the start and brings you back from the finish.

Early starts: tell reception your start time when you check in. We'll have a breakfast box ready the night before and, with the runner offer, the car waiting for your 04:00 or 05:00 start.

We have rooms, cottages and villas with private pools, a restaurant and bar facing the sea, open 07:00–22:00, and an oceanfront spa for the day after.

December conditions on the East Bali coast

December is wet season in Bali. Expect warm, humid air even before dawn, and showers that can arrive at any hour. Rain turns clay paths and the edges of rice terraces slick, and descents that were easy in the dry season need care. Budget more fluid than the distance suggests, and carry the full hydration volume the rules require even if the morning feels cool.

The 50K starts in full darkness, so you'll need a working headlamp with spare batteries at the start line. The 30K and 15K also start before sunrise, and once the sun is up the exposed coastal sections get hot fast.

Mandatory gear

Each distance will have its own list, and the organiser is still finalising them. The only list published so far is for the 50K. Every runner must carry all of this for the whole race:

• a hydration system holding at least 1.5 litres
• a headlamp with spare batteries
• a survival blanket, at least 1.4 × 2 m
• a whistle
• a mobile phone with the race emergency number saved
• a personal cup, because water stations will not hand out disposable cups
• at least 400 kcal of food in reserve
• your race bib, worn on the front and visible at all times

There are random gear checks before the start and after the finish, and missing items can mean a penalty or disqualification. Check the official gear page for your own distance before you pack.

After the finish: recovery in Candidasa

The sea is the first stop. On a calm day, a slow float in warm water does tired legs a lot of good.

Then the spa. It is open 09:00–21:00 in an open-air pavilion above the beach, and with the runner offer above, one 60-minute Balinese massage per registered runner is on us. Our picks from the spa menu for race weekend:

• Balinese massage, lymphatic drainage (60 min): the gentlest of our Balinese massages. A good choice on race day itself, when your legs want easing rather than more work.
• Balinese massage, sports (60 min): firmer, with the muscles worked using wooden sticks. Better a day or two after the race than the same afternoon.
• Januvasti (30 min): an Ayurvedic treatment from our Kerala-trained therapists, with warm herbal oil held over the knees. For anyone whose knees felt every descent.

The spa takes four guests an hour, and race afternoons will be busy, so book your time when you check in.

For friends and family who come along

Supporters get a good weekend out of it too. The long races fill most of Saturday (the 50K closes at 19:00), which leaves hours between the start and the finish line. Spend them on the reef with a mask and fins, or on a dive. Tenganan, one of Bali's oldest traditional villages, is about 15 minutes away, and the water palaces of Tirta Gangga and Taman Ujung are about 45 minutes away. Tenganan and Tirta Gangga are both on our excursions.

Before you book: what to double-check

The race site is still filling in, and a few details are missing or disagree between pages. As of 22 October 2026:

• 7K start time: 05:30 on the 7K and home pages, 06:00 on the schedule.
• Qualifiers: "recommended" in the rules, but the 50K page says proof is checked at race pack collection.
• Race pack collection: the schedule lists dates and times, but the venue details and what to bring are still marked "coming soon".
• Gear: only the 50K list is published.

We'll update this guide as the official pages fill in. For anything that affects your race, the official site and the organiser's Instagram, @balicoasttrail, have the final word.