10 Awesome Things to do in Canggu, Bali

Canggu, Bali is one of the best places to visit if you are planning a trip to Indonesia. It has become a hip spot for locals and expats alike. With an amazing restaurant scene, some of the best surfing Bali has to offer, and beautiful black sand beaches it is hard to find a reason not to go!

We spent 7 full days in Canggu, and ended up returning for a few more days at the end of our trip. It really is a great escape for amazing food and living the beach life.

How to get to Bali

We flew to Bali with Japan Airlines from Los Angeles, California (LAX). We had layovers in Tokyo, Japan and Jakarta, Indonesia, with our final destination being the Denpasar Airport in Bali.

It will be easiest to fly direct to Denpasar if it is possible for you, but we had great experiences in both the Tokyo and Jakarta airports. Since we arrived in Jakarta first in Indonesia, we went through immigration here. If you are coming on a tourist visa, you can purchase it once you arrive at the airport for around $35 USD. It is good for 30 days, and they require proof of a flight leaving the country within that deadline.

We cannot say enough good things after flying with Japan Airlines. They are rated the best economy class airline for a reason. They have comfortable seats, give out multiple meals, snacks, and drinks, and they will go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable. It is seriously our new favorite airline.

When to visit Bali

We went to Bali in October, which I read would be less busy due to it being the beginning of the rainy season. The wet season is from November to March and the dry season is from April to October.

We thought that most places still seemed extremely busy in October, especially Canggu, but since it was our first time there, we had nothing to compare it to.

How to get around Bali

After arriving at the airport, we downloaded the app Grab and ordered a taxi (similar to Uber). It was great because the airport in Denpasar has a specified location for the Grab car to pick you up, with a worker there to let you know when your car arrives.

After getting to Canggu and settling in to our hotel, Jake texted some motor bike rentals that he found on Google, and we ended up renting one for the entire month from Canggu Bike Rental. They had great service, and fantastic pricing. It is cheaper to rent monthly than weekly. We ended up paying $2.60 USD per day for the motorbike and it worked out great!

However, if you are not too comfortable driving a motor bike, I do not recommend that you rent one in Bali. The roads are constantly insane. It didn’t matter what time we went out, the roads were always packed with tons of scooters driving every which way. The roads can be tight and when you add cars amongst the scooters, it can get pretty hectic. Thankfully Jake is comfortable and great with driving in these situations, but the best alternative is to use the apps Grab or Gojek.

Cost to visit Bali

At the time of writing this, 1 U.S. dollar is equivalent to 15,540 Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Prices are typically listed on menus as 30k, 100k, etc. It was very typical for a coffee in a café to cost $30,000 IDR, which would be about $2 USD.

We found that you can either travel Bali for super cheap or very expensive. There are all sorts of accommodations from very cheap hostels, mid-range hotels, to very expensive villas and resorts. It all depends on what you are looking for.

Best Things to do in Canggu, Bali

Canggu Beach

Canggu beach is perfect for a relaxing beach day, or for surfing some awesome waves. Canggu Beach is actually home to a famous, world-class long board wave. There are tons of surf board rentals and instructors along the beach, so if you are planning to surf, there is something for everyone. You can also rent one of the beach chairs and relax, listen to the ocean, and work on those tan lines. I opted to read in the beach chairs while Jake was out catching waves.

Surf in Canggu

Canggu has some of the best surfing in Bali, and as I mentioned above, Canggu Beach is one of the best spots to go out. Because of this, we found that the good surfing spots would get quite busy, so it is good to go out early to avoid some of the crowd! If you do not take your own surf board, no need to worry because there are hundreds of rentals!

If you are interested in finding out what the waves are like in Canggu, there is an entire YouTube channel dedicated to sharing the daily surf. It is called Surfers of Bali. Be warned because you might end up down a rabbit hole watching surf videos all day!

Spend the day at The Lawn

We decided that we were going to spend a day at one of the many beach clubs in Canggu, and we ended up going to The Lawn. I liked that it seemed less like a party club and had more of a relaxed vibe. You could go and rent some chairs or sofa beds for the day, you just had to spend a minimum amount while you were there. They have a small pool that is right on the beach too.

Pererenan Beach

Pererenan Beach is another great beach for relaxing, to catch the sunset, or surf. We went out for sunset a few times during our time in Canggu and it never disappointed. Also, the road that leads to the beach is full of great restaurants, including my all time favorite, Arte Canggu!

Pantai Munggu & Seseh Beach

These beaches are peaceful and quiet, and perfect for walking along and enjoying a sunny day. They are a great, less busy alternative to the main tourist beaches. We saw like 5 other people on the beaches the whole time we were there. If you like beautiful scenery and little crowds, it is the place to be.

Tanah Lot Temple

Tanah Lot Temple is one of the most beautiful, ancient Hindu temples that we saw in Bali. It is about 30 north of Canggu, so very easy to get to if you have a scooter! It is literally built and carved into a large offshore rock. During hightide, you are unable to walk to the entrance without being submerged in water. It can be a little touristy, but it is totally worth a visit.

Go Shopping in Canggu

There are so many clothing boutiques in Canggu, surf shops, and art markets, it is hard to find a reason not to go shopping while you are there. One of my favorite boutiques was Bamboo Blonde, though the clothing prices were similar to US prices. We enjoyed just walking down the streets and checking out all of the shops.

Eat Amazing Food

There are endless options for great food in Canggu. I think you could stay for an entire year and still find a restaurant that you haven’t been to! Read my Canggu food guide if you want to know more about some of our favorite restaurants.

Read: Canggu Food Guide

Join a Yoga Class

Yoga is a very popular practice in Bali, so it doesn’t matter where you are, you can find a yoga class to join. There are multiple yoga studios in Canggu. We ended up joining a class at The Path Yoga Center one morning. I was able to schedule and pay online, so we could just show up in the morning.

Go to a Spa

Bali really is the place to do those spa treatments that you do not normally allow yourself the pleasure of. Between the cheap prices and amazing services, you have to do it at least once! I had a hair and scalp cream bath done at the Espace Spa and it was wonderful.

There is something for everyone to enjoy in Canggu, whether you are into surfing, relaxing on the beach, shopping, or eating good food. As I mentioned, there are ways to visit for very cheap, or you can have a more expensive, luxury vacation. All I know is, it should make everyone’s travel list.

What is first on your to do list in Canggu?

-Morgan