Beach clubs, cute cafes, and rice fields define Canggu, a small beach town on the southwestern shores of Bali. The famed beaches in Canggu are known for their black sand and strong surf. While they’re not known for swimming or sunbathing, people hang out on their shores at beach clubs.
You don’t need much time in Canggu to get a feel of its calm and cool energy. This guide takes you on a full-day adventure in Canggu.
Let’s get into it.
Take a yoga class at The Path
Get your morning stretch in at a yoga class. Although yoga originated in ancient India, it’s widely practiced in Bali because of its Hindu roots. Canggu has many affordable yoga studios that cater to tourists, teaching classes in English.
The Path is a relaxed studio with an outdoor shala with classes for 165,000 rupiah (about $10). Book your morning class here.
After yoga, freshen up at your hotel or head straight to breakfast.
Breakfast at Copenhagen
The Danes know how to eat breakfast. Copenhagen is a cafe that serves a Nordic tapas-style breakfast. For under $7, you can get five breakfast tapas for a smorgasbord of deliciousness. Don’t skip out on the cinnamon bun.
When I dined at Copenhagen, we had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. The earlier you arrive, the shorter the wait. While you wait, you can check off what you want to order with a pencil on their write-in menu.
Shop at the Love Anchor Bazaar
The Love Anchor Bazaar is a small outdoor market selling artisanal jewelry, art, and souvenirs. It shares its name with the boutique that owns the space but the magic is in the small stalls filled the brim with local goods. Everything is reasonably priced because of the conversion rate for foreigners and you can bargain with the sellers. Make sure to bring cash.
Wander from beach to beach
Berawa Beach, Canggu Beach, and Echo Beach are the three main beaches in Canggu. During low tide, you can walk from beach to beach. Canggu is known for its strong surf, so be mindful of the waves. There are some rocky sections to be extra cautious around. Each beach has its own vibe, with different beach clubs on its shores.
The beaches are not for swimming. If you want to swim, take a dip in a pool at one of Canggu’s many beach clubs.
Relax at La Brisa Beach Club
Most of your day in Canggu should be spent relaxing at a beach club. Canggu has many beach clubs to choose from like La Brisa, Old Man’s, and COMO.
I spent my day at La Brisa under the canopy of trees by the beach. To reserve a lounge chair or section, you need to commit to a minimum spend. The cheapest minimum spend at La Brisa is 588,500 rupiah or about 36 USD. You can reach your minimum by ordering lunch and drinks (which are both delicious).
There are changing rooms and showers to freshen up after a day by the beach and pool.
Watch the sunset at Tanah Lot Temple
Tanah Lot Temple is a pilgrimage site for religious devotees across Bali. This sacred temple is perched on top of a rock in the ocean. At low tide, you can reach the temple, but the real view is of the temple itself from the ridge above the beach.
Tanah Lot is the perfect place to watch the sunset because it faces west.
Because Tanah Lot is so popular with locals and tourists it can get crowded. Luckily, its popularity has led to lots of small businesses like vendors and little cafe shacks to visit. You’ll need to buy a ticket to enter the Tanah Lot when you arrive. It’s only 75,000 rupiah (about 5 USD).
Try to arrive an hour before sunset (about 5 p.m. depending on the time of year) to give yourself enough time to explore the area.
To reach Tanah Lot, take a Gojek, taxi, or coordinate with a driver. It can be challenging to find a Gojek driver to take you back to Canggu after sundown so be prepared to call a driver or grab a taxi.
You can learn more about coordinating with drivers in my Non-Influencer Guide to Bali.
Dinner at Hippie Fish
Dine under the stars by the ocean at Hippie Fish for elevated seafood dishes. This trendy restaurant is at Pererenan Beach. It’s technically not within the city limits of Canggu but right next door and on your way from Tanah Lot.
There’s an indoor dining room but you can also sit on the rooftop with a view of the ocean. At night, you can’t see much of the view but the ocean breeze is nice. The rooftop is a great spot to check out before the sunset when it’s still light outside.
Where to stay
In Canggu, you want to stay close to the beach because that’s where the action is. The further out from the beach you stay, the further into the rice fields lodging will be. While the rice fields are pretty, you should save your rice field frolics for when you visit Ubud.
Getting around
Canggu has four main roads, but only two of them are connected, so getting around can be quite a mission. There’s a secret motorbike road that connects one side of Canggu to the other, but it can be dangerous to walk along because of the blind corners.
You can rent a scooter or motorbike from your hotel or coordinate rides through Gojek or a private driver. If you stay close enough to the beach, you can walk mostly everywhere in this guide except for Pererenan Beach and Tanah Lot.
Canggu or Seminyak?
When I was planning my trip to Bali, I had to choose between Canggu and Seminyak. Why choose? Well, the two villages are very similar and only a few miles apart but the traffic to get between the two can make the journey over an hour.
Seminyak is known to be more upscale with luxury hotels, beach clubs, and a party-hard vibe. Canggu on the other hand is more low-key because it’s up-and-coming. It’s known for its cute cafes in the center and rice fields on the outskirts.
Canggu aligned more with my personality and fit what I was looking for during my vacation in Bali. You should choose what’s best for you and your group.
More Bali guides
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The Non-Influencer Guide to Bali
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