The Ultimate Canggu Bali Travel Guide

The Ultimate Guide to where to eat, stay, and play in Canggu

Is Canggu Bali’s hot-spot right now or what!? Everyone traveling to Bali seems to be heading straight to this trendy, boho surfer’s paradise, and it’s easy to see why. Canggu has it all – from its low-key surf culture, to its bustling cafes, bougie sunset lounges, trendy foodie scene, and absolutely everything in-between. Think: 8km of beach surrounded by sweeping rice fields, beautiful villas, and trendy bars and restuarants.  It’s one of my very favorite areas of Bali, and I’m not alone – Canggu is quickly becoming the most popular area for expats and tourists alike!  I love this chic little beach town so much that it’s where I base from much of the time when I’m not traveling! And since it’s changing all the time, and more and more restaurants, cafes, and beach bars are opening every day – I wanted to give you guys my Ultimate Guide to Canggu from a local – a travel guide full of all of my favorite sunset spots, restaurants, boutiques, spas, cafes and more in Canggu!

Where to stay in Canggu

Villa Melissa 

If you’re traveling with a big group to Bali and looking for the ultimate place to stay – Villa Melissa is IT. With 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, a to-die-for beachfront location, and a double-layered infinity pool, Villa Melissa is the epitome of luxe. 3 of its 5 luxurious en-suite bedrooms overlook the ocean, and the whole villa is decorated in a blend of contemporary and antique Balinese furniture, making you feel at home and on vacation all at once.

COMO Uma Canggu

This chic boutique hotel in Canggu just opened last year and is already ranking on worldwide lists as one of the best hotels to stay in in Bali. Located on Canggu’s Echo Beach, COMO Uma marries Canggu’s surfer vibe with COMO’s modern cosmopolitan touch.  There’s a beautiful lagoon pool, a waterfront beach club, a ultra-zen COMO spa, and stunning seaside views everywhere you look. The hotel is also collaborated with TropicSurf, so guests can take surf lessons and take on the waves of Canggu – no matter what their surfing level.

Rooms usually range from $200-$300 a night.

The Best Houses for groups in Canggu

10 guests, 5 bedroom house in Canggu

6 guests, 3 bedrooms in Canggu

8 guests, 4 bedrooms in Berawa – steps from the beach and right near Finns Beach Club

Where to stay in Canggu for the best deal: Gu Village

Canggu Village

If you’re looking for the best, most affordable hotel in the best location in Canggu – it’s the brand new super-chic Gu Village. This place is the perfect combo of being affordable, but has nice rooms, A/C, free breakfast & GREAT food (get their avo toast in the morning!), and an awesome pool area (it even has a waterslide!) If it’s available your dates – jump on it! they book up fast. 

The hotel is also connected to Kos One Hostel, too, if that’s more your vibe. The central pool area is called Alternative Beach and is a super fun, open to the public beach area that becomes a buzzing gathering for digital nomads and 20-somethings day and night. It’s not too loud though by the rooms, if it’s not your scene – usually the music shuts off by 9pm on most nights. 

All in all I loved the price, the location, the vibe, the crowd, and the FOOD the most about this place. It’s a perfect place to base from while exploring Canggu – and definitely a great spot if you’re looking for a longer stay or are a solo traveler wanting to meet people!

Toraja Villa

This villa sleeps 8 people and is GORGEOUS, featuring a beautiful mix of modern and Balinese architecture and decor. 

Hotel Tugu

The Hotel Tugu is one of the oldest and most classic Bali hotels in Canggu. Their restaurant Ji is one of my favorites in Canggu (sit on the rooftop and order sushi and the dry-ice-laden coco sexo drinks! So good!)

Rooms usually range from $200-$300 a night.

The Slow Canggu

This bougie-meets-boho boutique luxury hotel is the perfect combination of Bali bohemian and Canggu trendy. Located in arguably the best location of Canggu (right on the main street, surrounded by shopping and cafes), and with surf just a block away, it’s tough to beat this home base in Canggu. The restaurant is one of the best in town (especially for breakfast!) and the 12-room boutique hotel is easily one of the cutest in Bali.

Rooms usually range from about $100-200 a night.

The Best Places to watch the sunset in Canggu

Looking for the best places to grab a sunset cocktail in Canggu? You asked the right girl. You can find me at one of these three spots pretty much every night.

The Lawn Canggu

This trendy-chic beach lounge is LA-meets-Bali and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The drinks are delicious, the DJ is always great, there’s an oceanfront pool with comfy day-beds, and a killer Friday happy hour with 2-for-1 drinks from 7-10pm.  This place is hard to beat for a Bali sunset sesh and a couple of coconut mojitos.

La Brisa

La Brisa is one of the best beach clubs in Canggu, and one of the very best places in Bali to watch the sunset. This whimsical, vintage-inspired beach club feels a little like boarding a pirate ship to Neverland.  Think: Boatwood, bean bags, fishing nets, and tons of chic nautical touches that create a dreamy sunset atmosphere, with views of rolling waves and surfers shredding into the sunset.

La Laguna

La Laguna is a beautiful boho, gypsy-inspired seaside beach restaurant for tapas and cocktails in Berawa. It’s a huge space, so a great place for groups to watch the sunset and have some cocktails and small plates. The food here isn’t my favorite – but I’ll go for the cocktails and sunset and then head somewhere nearby in Berawa (like TYGR) for dinner after. 

Where to eat in Canggu

Canggu is foodie heaven!!! This little surfer’s paradise has blown UP over the last few years, and that has lead to a ton of awesome restaurants popping up left and right. You’ll find everything in Canggu, from Mexican, to sushi, to pizza to poke bowls, and it is home to some of the best restaurants in Bali.

Luma

The newest restaurant in Canggu that I’m obsessed with. It’s perfect for a fancier date night or a Bali honeymoon restaurant. I LOVED the food here. Definitely get the snapper – I’m still dreaming about it!

Book a reservation here

Mason.

Mason restaurant in Canggu just opened about a month ago and I’ve already been about 5 times. This chic Aussie-run bistro is just what Canggu needed – a trendy nighttime hang with a delicious modern menu fit for foodies from all over the world. The short rib burger is out of this world, the lamb is incredible, and I highly recommend the flatbread and baba ganoush to start!

Ji Sushi

Probably my favorite date night restaurant in Canggu! Their sushi is so fresh, so delicious, and the atmosphere is amazing! It’s a great date night spot in Canggu, or a great spot to meet up with friends.

Fish Bone Local

This is usually my go-to after watching the sunset at The Lawn (since it’s about a 5 minute walk around the corner). Everything on the menu is amazing, but the poke bowl and the fish and chips are heaven.

Moana

If you’re looking for the best poke bowls for dinner, Moana is your spot. I crave these bowls and Moana’s delish Tahitian food ALL THE TIME. Order that Maui Poke with black sauce and thank me later. So good!

Lacalita

Another one of Canggu’s newest (and best) restaurants is Lacalita, an amazing Mexican restaurant (THANK GOD!!! GOOD MEXICAN FOOD IN BALI!) All of their tacos are amazing, but especially the carnitas!

The Best Breakfast Spots in Canggu

What’s a trip to Bali without spending your mornings at super instagrammable breakfast spots?

Crate Cafe

Crate Cafe is a Canggu institution. It’s not uncommon to run into famous surfers, instagram models, and any celebs visiting Bali here. They definitely have the best breakfast in Bali, their prices are great and portions are huge, and their super-spacious restaurant just off of Canggu’s main Jalan Batu Bolong road is always packed. Order the two-timer smoothie, any of their smoothie bowls, and the breakfast burrito if you’re really hungry. It’s incredible.

Rollie’s Canggu

Super yummy new breakfast and lunch spot with really fresh, high-quality food in Canggu. I love their cold-pressed juices, coffee, and the best croissants you’ll ever have. If you’re really hungry, go for the breakfast bagel – SO good. 

Image result for rollie's canggu

Cafe Organic

Cafe Organic is famous for their beautiful, over-the-top, instagrammable smoothie bowls.  Their Canggu location is a beautiful, bright Bali oasis and the perfect place to have a big Bali brekky.

Milk & Madu

If you’re staying on the Berawa side of the Canggu short cut, this is going to be your spot. I’ve had friends come visit Bali and go here every single day. The avo toast is just that good!

Peloton Supershop

This cozy vegan cafe in Berawa is one of my very favorite places to have breakfast. Their coconut coffees and spirulina green smoothie bowls are my absolute favorite!! (The green bowl is so good it even made my best smoothie bowls in Bali list)

 

 

Where to shop in Canggu

With trendy boutiques on every single corner with some of the best-quality clothes, jewelry and accessories in Bali, Canggu is a shopper’s paradise. Trust me when I say you’re gonna like the shopping so much here that it’s going to be hard to make it out of Canggu without spending all your rupiah. But then again, who doesn’t want to come home from their Bali vacation with all of the cutest purses, jewelry and Bali outfits to remind you of your trip! Treat yo self.

When people ask me about shopping in Canggu, I always direct them to Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong road – which is one of the main roads in Canggu, and the one I usually walk up and down when I’m looking for cute Bali boutiques to shop in. These are a few of my favorites:

Wanderlust Swim

This is the best bikini shop in Bali! I love their suits and always find something there. They also have cute sun hats and sunglasses to complete your Bali beach day outfit.

Palma

Palma Australia has some of the best beachwear – from hand printed silks, gorgeous embroideries, and trendy leather purses.

The Offering Canggu

This may just be my favorite boutique in Canggu. Most of my clothes (If they’re not from Revolve) are from this store!  The Offering’s clothes, swimwear, jewelry and accessories are all so gorgeous.

Magali Pascal

This shop is very upscale but has some of the most gorgeous, unique clothes!! Every time I walk in, I end up spending way more money than I meant to. Oops.

The Best Spas in Canggu

There are a ton of great spas in Canggu for massages, but these are some of my favorites:

Spring Spa

Spring Spa is a huge spa in Canggu and is great for everything from pedicures and manicures to massages and waxes. Their prices are good and it’s a nice, clean upscale spa.

Breathe Spa

If you’re looking for an easy $12 massage, Breathe spa is one of the very best. My girlfriends who visited Canggu liked this place so much they went back every day!

Jet Black Ginger

If you’re looking for a more upscale salon for hair or nails, Jet Black Ginger is your spot! Their mani/pedis are so high quality and their hair stylists are incredible!

The Best Cafes to work from in Canggu

Since a lot of people (like me!) come to Bali to pursue their digital nomad dreams, there is no shortage of amazing cafes with high-speed wifi and awesome co-working atmospheres on this island.  Canggu is a huge hub of ex-pats as well as people traveling the world, and getting a little bit of work done while they do. These cafes cater to those who want to work and play in the ‘Gu, and are my favorite places to work and write from.

Dojo

The best place to work from in Canggu for me is Dojo – a members’ only co-working space. In fact, I’m writing this post from here right now!

Dojo is connected to Nalu Bowls (which you guys know is the best smoothie bowl in Bali), and is a block from the beach. It’s a beautiful space with air-conditioned rooms, a pool, a full cafe, and lots of meeting rooms. It’s also more than just a place to get your work done – it’s a huge co-working community, so it’s a great place to meet other people living and working in Bali, and to learn from other entrepreneurs. They host awesome social, business, and networking events for their members and even have a “Dojo Barter Board” where you can list things you’re looking for help with (everything from ‘looking for models to model new brand’ to ‘looking for SEO help’ to ‘looking for a crypto expert’ to ‘need help getting my e-commerce company set up’) It’s a very supportive, collaborative community and makes for a fabulous place to base as a Balipreneur.

Nude

Nude in Berawa is one of the best places to work from in Canggu! It has a huge air conditioned room and is always bustling with people. The food is great, the location is great, and it’s a great place to get stuff done.

Gypsy Kitchen Cafe

I like working from this restaurant because it tends to not get too crowded, the food is great, and the vibe is chill. Only downside is they don’t have AC so if it’s particularly hot out, you’re going to want to go elsewhere.

Cafe Organic

I love working from Cafe Organic because their coffee is so good. Seriously, it keeps me buzzed all day which for me = getting. shit. done. It’s also such a cute, clean, bright space and has some of the best smoothie bowls in the game.

Peloton Supershop

This vegan cafe in Berawa is one of my very favorite places to work from. There are usually plenty of spaces to sit, and the food is so good! Order the green smoothie bowl for breakfast, and at lunch any of their salads or the “tricken” wrap – so good!

PS – have more questions on Bali or any other destination? Join the JETSETTERS secret facebook group to get & give travel recs to our Jetset Christina community and connect with other #JSCJetsetters!

Check out my other posts on Bali!

The Best Hotels & Villas in Bali

The ultimate Bali bucket list

The Ultimate Uluwatu Travel Guide

How to Get to Thomas Beach

The Ultimate Bali Honeymoon Guide

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The Ultimate Bali Travel Guide

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*Please note that this post contains affiliate links to some hotels! If you choose to book one of the hotels I recommended, I would so appreciate you using these links to do so! An affiliate link basically just means that at no cost to you at all, I get a small kickback from the booking site for bringing them your business! I never recommend any hotels that I don’t 100% LOVE & think you will, too! If you have any questions at all, please see my advertiser & affiliate policy page here.
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Christina is a leading luxury lifestyle and travel blogger with over 2 million readers. Follow her on instagram @jetsetchristina.

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