From buzzy beach clubs to secret surf spots, these are the top addresses across Canggu right now
A palm-fringed honeypot for freewheeling expat surfers, digital nomads, and smart-set Indonesians, southern Bali’s Canggu was once a hush-hush hideaway from Seminyak’s crowds. However, as more and more arrivals put down roots, this surfer enclave turned into one of Bali’s buzziest corners, engulfing neighbouring Pererenan and Berawa along the way. Today, it’s home to some of Bali’s best beach clubs, bars, and restaurants – read on to get the lowdown on the best things to do in Canggu.
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1. Get your Zen on
Ubud might be Bali’s spiritual epicentre, but even Canggu has more yoga studios than you can shake a palo santo stick at. Retreat centre and wellness-centric café Samadi is an institution, and so is Serenity Yoga Studio on Canggu Beach where classes cover more than 20 types of meditative exercise. Over in Berawa, the equally popular Desa Seni is laid out like a small village of thatch-roofed Balinese dwellings and combines its daily yoga classes (from early-morning Vinyasa flow to Yin yoga at sundown; both private and in group settings) with a local-minded organic restaurant, holistic spa, and art space showcasing work by talents from around the archipelago.
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2. Head on an after-dark sip trip
Canggu’s surfers and laptop workers were never short on after-dark options to let their hair down. There are plenty of beach clubs and hush-hush techno clubs, but thanks to an influx of global gastro-creatives, this corner of Bali has also upped its cocktail game over the past few years. Among Canggu’s best cocktail bars is the pint-sized Bar Souvenir, part of co-working hub Kinship Studio in Berawa, where drinks draw on experimental mix-ins such as brown butter fat-washed arak and rosella powder. At Club Soda, an offshoot of Ubud’s hot-ticket table Locavore, the drink list includes negronis with house-made Campari and innovative mocktails with torch ginger and moringa. More of an oenophile? Hit up Mosto, which features Bali’s largest collection of global biodynamic wines, including Indonesia’s first pet-nat which they produce and bottle themselves.
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3. Escape to the rice fields
Canggu’s popularity has a major downside: its traffic jams are relentless. For an escape from the perennial scooter crush, head northwest until you reach the swirling rice terraces of Pererenan and Seseh. While they might not be as awe-inspiring as the rice paddy scenes farther north (think Ubud or Sidemen), they’re quaint enough for a rural tonic of countryside bicycle rides and lunch stops at the mom-and-pop warungs that line the small roads.
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4. Sample some of Bali’s best restaurants
From chi-chi fine dining to toes-in-the-sand brunch spots, Canggu’s restaurant scene rivals that of some of Southeast Asia’s greatest cities. Perennially packed Crate Café is a rice field-fringed brunch spot where smoothie bowls and avocado toast dominate the menu, and comfort-food mainstay Milk & Madu draws similar crowds. Uni, a Japanese-inspired restaurant and sake-centric cocktail spot is a sought-after dinner table. Recent arrival Luma on Batu Bolong combines classic recipes from Spain, Italy, and Greece with Balinese ingredients, resulting in ricotta dumplings with fern tips and mushrooms and bite-sized piquillo peppers filled with salt cod and local artichokes. Closer to the beach, SKOOL Kitchen is a culinary playground for unfussy but excellent seafood and meat cooked over an open fire.
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5. Get caffeinated in Canggu’s best cafes
As one of Bali’s prime digital nomad hot spots, it’s no surprise that Canggu has more than its fair share of cafes to fuel up on caffeine. Concrete-clad surf shop-slash-coffee stand BGS Bali is among the best cafes in Canggu and has garnered a cult following for its cinnamon-spiked almond lattes. Over in Berawa, Ruko Cafe offers more space to work and serves coffee from Indonesian beans alongside its large menu of Melbourne-style brunch classics. Coffee nerds should seek out MIEL in Batu Bolong, where the friendly baristas serve their single-origin pour-overs and latte art with a wealth of information about Indonesia’s coffee culture.
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6. Shop for boho beachwear and home decorations
There are dozens of spots to shop for Canggu’s unofficial uniform of a flowy linen dress and leather sandals, but concept store Cove Island Essentials on Berawa’s main drag is one of the best. This breezy showroom offers a pick-and-mix of island mainstays, including tie-dyed maxi dresses from sand-coloured rayon and beachy linen jumpsuits. Also, stop by the whitewashed Canggu showroom of Australian cult label Yöli & Otis, where you’ll find beach-ready organic cotton tunics dyed with turmeric and indigo and linen shirts in pastel hues. On the homeware front, The Jungle Trader in Berawa specialises in everything from cushions with palm tree embroidery to tropic-tinged tchotchkes from wood or brass, many designed in collaboration with artisans from around Indonesia. Larger pieces can be found around the corner at Bungalow Living, where owner Giovanna Aryafara, a professional photographer, sources wicker baskets, macrame tapestries, and intricately carved buffalo skulls from Indonesia and beyond.
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7. Go gallery-hopping
While Canggu’s gallery scene is still at a nascent stage, it’s slowly taking off. At the gallery adjoining boutique bolthole The Slow near Echo Beach, owner George Gorrow displays a rotating roster of work by befriended painters and photographers, including surf-centric photographs by Chris Searl, moody landscape shots by Kate Bellm, and swirling calligraphy-like paintings by Romon K Yang. Yang, better known under his nom de guerre ROSTARR, has moved to Bali since and opened Sound Vision Library a few streets away. At this light-drenched showroom, you’ll find Yang’s work alongside pop-up exhibitions by local talent and tactile ceramics by his wife’s Madluv Studio. Another newcomer is the Museum of Space Available, where behind a terrazzo-like facade made from more than 200,000 recycled plastic bottles, creative director Dan Mitchell pushes the boundaries of recycling with conceptual homeware and art from reclaimed plastic waste.
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8. Hit up Bali’s best beach clubs
Even if you’re not surfing, Canggu’s beaches are the place to be. Less flashy than those in neighbouring Seminyak, Canggu’s best beach clubs channel the area’s free-spirited vibe with bamboo gazebos and front-row views of the surfers cutting through the waves in front. Case in point: La Brisa on Echo Beach, a whimsical beachside drinking den made from more than 500 reclaimed fishing boats, where cinnamon-dusted espresso martinis and starfruit mojitos are served under fairy lights strung between the palm trees. Hit up the infinity-pooled hangout The Lawn, one beach south, for arak-heavy drinks and a menu of Mediterranean-tinged classics, or head to Finns on Berawa beach, which sports a rooftop champagne lounge and surf valet at its VIP area, plus four swimming pools and nine bars and restaurants under its swirling thatch-roofed bamboo construction.
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9. Hunt for souvenirs at the weekly pop-up markets
Popping up every weekend around a wellness centre of the same name, the Samadi Sunday Market is a gathering point for clued-in locals and expats shopping for organic produce and products by small-scale farmers and artisans from around the area. It’s an excellent grazing ground for local snacks and farm-fresh produce, but also a great spot to stock up on thoughtful souvenirs such as local organic honey, spice blends, and handicrafts. In the heart of Canggu, the Love Anchor Bazaar opens every day but is at its liveliest during weekends when additional stalls unfurl in the courtyard and local DJs provide a laid-back soundtrack. Many of the vendors specialise in the typical Balinese tourist trinkets — seashell necklaces, wicker bags — but browse around and you’ll discover stalls selling small-batch organic skin care products and handmade accessories. Initial prices are a bit higher than elsewhere in Bali, so it pays off to bargain.
