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What originally started out as a surfer’s paradise to the north of Kuta has now become a tourist hotspot. Holidaymakers and travellers alike flock to Canggu hoping to avoid the madness of Kuta and Denpasar. The town very much caters to this business. Restaurants tend to be western or contemporary Indonesian. Cafés line either side of the streets. Canggu feels like a quickly developed town for tourists to enjoy. They do enjoy it, I enjoyed it. I can’t think of a better way to take a break from the world around you. Visits here allow you to chill by the beach, at your pool or in a café, depending on your preference. Visit one of the many delicious restaurants at night and enjoy a drink or two. This Canggu Travel Guide will hopefully help you to get the most out of your time here and help you to eat as well as I did.
Where To Stay
Canggu is a town with quite a strange layout. Most of the roads don’t interconnect and there is no epicentre to the town. From the beach, there are main roads, Jalan Nelayan, Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong and Jalan Batu Mejan. Each of these roads has dozens of side streets. This is where the majority of the accommodation is. Try to stay in one of these. This way you are close to the beach and should be close enough to one of the few roads that link the town together. I stayed at Elements B&B, a nice, simple hostel that had a good pool and was very chilled out.
When To Go
Luckily Bali isn’t affected much by the changing of seasons. Temperatures tend the stay at quite a consistent heat for the majority of the year. This makes Canggu and Bali great places to visit all year round. The most popular time to visit is in the summer months of July and August. This is also when the weather is slightly hotter than in the other months of the year. Because the weather is never what you would call bad here, I would tend to avoid going during these months and visit at a time when there are slightly fewer tourists.
What To Do
Rent a Scooter
Renting a scooter definitely felt like the thing to do in Canggu. It was very rare to see any traveller there walking. Not that it is a huge place, but with no paths and most roads not linking up, it is not very pedestrian friendly. Walking down the street you will quickly find a place to rent one for either one or multiple days. Prices are usually around 60,000IDR per day.
Batu Bolong Beach
The main beach in Canggu. This is where you will find the majority of the surfing happening. Not the most picturesque beach you will ever see, however, it still has the ability to help you switch off. Plenty of deck chairs are available to rent and are a good option to top up your tan. Swimming is not recommended though. With some choppy waters and heavy waves, safety may be a concern.
Surf Lesson
Canggu is a great place to surf. As soon as you step onto the beach here you will realise that. The waters are full of surfers. On the beach, there are shops where you can rent out boards or take surfing lessons. Very few places in Bali will offer a good opportunity to do this. Prices for a board are usually 50,000IDR and a lesson will set you back as much as 350,000IDR.
Take advantage of Canggu’s Cafés
Canggu is café heaven. It feels like every second shop serves great coffee and healthy fruit bowls. Take advantage of this. It makes Canggu a great place to chill out. You can sit for hours and watch the world go by, or hop between them trying the different drinks and food on offer. Cafés play such an important role in the daily lives of ex-pats and travellers alike. Because of this, they also provide a great way of relaxing and meeting people.
Best Restaurants and Cafés
SizzleWraps
A small Mexican restaurant that was my favourite place to eat in Canggu. I went there my first night and made sure to return before I left. From the outside, it doesn’t look like much, just a small kitchen area and an outdoor garden with about 12 tables. The food is made fresh, the portion sizes are good and it was absolutely delicious. All the Mexican favourites are on the menu, so you are not short of choice. Expect to pay an average price of 60,000 IDR per person.
Roti Canai Street Kitchen
I love Roti. If I ever get the opportunity to eat it, I don’t pass it up. Therefore I was very excited when I found this restaurant. They sell stuffed Roti with a side of curry sauce for dipping. It was different from the usual plain roti served with a bowl of curry. Different isn’t always be a bad thing though. I chose to get mine stuffed with Bacon, Potatoes and Cheese and it was amazing! The stuffed roti was incredible as was the sauce accompanying it. For 28,000IDR, don’t miss the chance to eat here. Perfect for either lunch or dinner.
Banh Mi & Beans
Any traveller that has visited Vietnam has a soft spot for Banh Mi. This baguette filled with Meat, Pâté and Fresh Vegetables is the perfect cheap way to fill up at lunchtime. A visit to this small restaurant will transport you straight back to the streets of Hanoi. With a small menu of only a few different fillings and cheap prices, you won’t find many better cheap eats in Canggu.
Ithaka
This small and cramped restaurant is filled with tourists every night. Some even reserve tables in advance, so you know you’re in for a treat. The food here is mainly traditional Indonesian fare with a slight contemporary twist. Portion sizes are huge and it is very well priced. On order, you get a lovely bowl of crackers and a dip. I would definitely recommend the dish named Love Indonesia. It consists of Tempe, Fried Noodles and Vegetable Fritters. It is a big plate of heavy food to eat, but I had very few meals better during my time in the country. For just 50,000IDR, you could potentially leave the restaurant barely able to move. In my opinion, that’s never a bad complaint!
Monsieur Spoon
A café opened by two French guys, they serve amazing coffee and pastries. Everything is baked in store. With great seating both inside and out it is a really nice, upmarket place to chill out. They have a wider menu that had some great options for both breakfast and lunch. You can also get some amazing smoothies and fruit juices. Prices here are quite high compared to other cafés though, so be prepared for that.
Satu Satu
My favourite café in Canggu. This spot is really well-priced and the coffee and pastries are excellent. The café itself is really nice and they have great WiFi. I didn’t get a chance to try some of the savoury food available at lunchtime, but the baked goods on display were tasty. My seating was right next to the kitchen, giving me a front-row view of the food coming out. I have to say it all looked incredible.
Rise and Shine Café
Rated really highly around Canggu, this café is small and simple, compared to others in the area. The coffee is good and their fruit bowls are excellent. They don’t have a huge menu, mostly breakfast items but no pastries or cakes. A coffee will cost you as little as 20,000IDR so it is a good place to relax if you are close by. The fresh fruit bowl with granola and yoghurt cost 55,000 IDR.
Made’s Banana Flour Bakery
Unfortunately, not a place for relaxing for a few hours. This bakery is perfect for a quick snack or for takeaways. Everything here is Gluten Free and made using Banana Flour. They have an excellent selection of delicious cakes and pastries available, it can be hard to choose just one. Prices here are pretty standard, most cakes costing 30,000IDR. Try their Lemon Meringue and their Brownie with Blueberry Cake, both are so good. A bigger setting would make this an amazing café to spend a few hours and eat. Don’t let that put you off though and grab the chance to get something to eat here.
Jikaa Coffee X Eatery
This is a small and personal café slightly further out of town. It offers a peacefulness that few others do. The coffee is good and everything I saw coming from the kitchen looked delicious. Their smoothie bowls are incredible, I had and loved their purple dragon fruit one. It is definitely more of a breakfast or lunch place. It is a good alternative to some of the larger and busier places closer to the beach.
What To Avoid
Shopping
With just a few named brand stores and even fewer market stalls, don’t go to Canggu planning to shop. I found Ubud to be a much easier place to pick up some souvenirs. Vendors in Canggu had higher starting prices and allowed for less wiggle room when trying to haggle. There was also significantly less choice. Leave the shopping to another place in Bali, if possible.
No Helmet
I don’t understand why people think it is a good idea to rent scooters with no experience and not wear a helmet. What is worse is that they hammer around the roads, at times intoxicated, feeling invincible. Rent a scooter all you want, but for God’s sake don’t be stupid and wear a helmet!!!
Being on a Tight Budget
You don’t need to spend massive amounts to enjoy Canggu. You do however need more money than in most other places in Indonesia. Apart from sitting on the beach or by the pool, I felt like I was constantly spending money. Whether on food, coffee or smoothie bowls (the most common expenses in Canggu), you will easily spend your money. You probably won’t mind spending the money if Canggu is part of a holiday. As a long-term traveller, I suggest you come prepared to spend.
For me, Canggu was a holiday inside a holiday. A place where I could forget about the road, drink coffee and eat pastries all day. I could lounge by the pool and get some writing done, having a cold beer in the process. Tourism here is on the rise, that is for sure. At the moment it is on a nice level, serving the exact purpose it is designed for. Canggu allows you to switch off in a chilled environment. Hopefully, this can be maintained. If allowed, Canggu could quickly become another place that has been destroyed by the people visiting. Until this happens, enjoy Canggu. After all, that is exactly what it is there for, your enjoyment!
Click here for my Indonesia Travel Guide
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Sounds like a very relaxing place. I think you are happier there than in China. Nice post
Looks like an amazing vacation! I love roti.