My first time in Canggu [pronounced chan-goo], Bali was such a blast. You know when you arrive somewhere and just instantly love the vibe. It’s definitely a more western part of Bali, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing – especially when the western bits are all the good parts I like from back home. There a surfer vibe, of course, being that the beach is supposedly home to some of the raddest waves (am I using that term correctly?) in Indonesia. Also there are lots of super cool clubs and bars to party at. Overall the vibe is super-chilled but there’s loads to go as well.

 

GETTING AROUND

Canggu is a little more spread out than some places in Bali, so travelling on foot, especially at night isn’t a good option – like most of Bali, there are no sidewalks. Renting a scooter is the best option, you can usually do this for £2-4 a day, and petrol is a pittance (£1-2 a week). The taxis here are good too – reliable and really cheap, so if you don’t want to ride a bike you can still get around.

 

WHERE TO STAY

I stayed at Easy Surf Dascha which was a 3 minute walk form Echo beach and a lovely kooky place with unique private bungalows and a dorm room as well. It is set by a river and some of the rooms overlook this and there’s a beautiful communal pool and gardens. The room I had was fantastic – a princess bed, pink curtains and the biggest bathroom with a really deep bath (not a given when you’re travelling). A dorm room cost £10 a night and a private bungalow cost £30 a night. You can also easily rent bikes here and the free breakfast was pretty good.

WHERE TO EAT

On Echo beach there is a whole row of beach bars and cafes and I had my first Poke bowl down here. Raw fish, edamame, onion, sesame – very tasty indeed. If you, like me, are a fan of a smoothie bowl then in Canggu you’re spoiled for choice. Nalu Bowls does a great one – it’s a little pricey though. My favourite was Café Organic (read my review HERE).

WHERE TO DRINK

There are so many cool bars in Canggu that it’s hard to choose, and I didn’t get chance to visit them all. But Old Man’s is a very happening place, just by Canggu beach – I couldn’t believe how busy it was – and it was a good mix of locals, ex-pats, surfers and tourists. If you’re single and looking to mingle, then this is a great place to do so. You can also drive 15 minute to La Laguna, a gypsy-themed place with decorative caravans. A special mention must go to Pretty Poison – one of the coolest bars ever, complete with skate bowl and pop-up tattoo parlour (read my review HERE).

WHAT TO DO

My boyfriend and I tried our hand at surfing on Echo beach – which has black sand. This was super fun but beware, the waves are so big! I couldn’t complete the full 2 hour session as I chickened out after getting sucked under a wave. But it’s definitely something to try (though paddle-boarding is definitely more my speed).

 

Overall, I LOVED Canggu, it’s a really nice pace of life, very relaxed and chilled. But there are loads of things to do and lots of great beaches.