Canggu is Bali’s most popular destination and in a couple of decades, it’s gone from a few sleeping villages to a major centre for travellers.
But what makes Canggu such an amazing place to be? Why do so many people opt for Canggu over other popular parts of the island?
Our Canggu Guide will walk you through all the attractions of Canggu, explain why you might want to stay here, where to stay, where to grab a fantastic bite to eat and much more.
So, without further ado, we’d like to introduce you to the part of Bali that we believe is the best place to spend your holiday here.
Where Is Canggu In Bali?
Canggu is the area around Canggu Beach (which is a broad term that covers many beaches) and it’s also the name of one of the three main villages there.
It’s on Bali’s Southern Coast and you’ll find that the strip that is Canggu, runs about 10 kilometers (that’s 6 miles) along the Balinese shoreline.
How Do You Get To Go Canggu?
If you’re flying into Bali, then the easiest way to get from Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar is to use a ride-share app (Grab and Gojek are the two big names on the island) or to get a taxi.
Some hotels offer a free airport transfer and if yours does, then it’s worth taking advantage of this service as it will save you paying for a taxi.
However, if your hotel expects you to pay for a transfer, it’s going to work out cheaper and just as easy to use a ride-share app.
How Do You Get Around Canggu?
Canggu is a fairly easy area to get around and while, in general, we’d always use a ride-share app if we were travelling any distances in Bali (it’s safe and cost-effective) there are plenty of options to explore this area:
Walking
The streets around the beach clubs, in particular, are easy to walk around and many of the other roads have some sort of sidewalk.
However, we have to be fair and say, Canggu was not designed with pedestrians in mind and you will find that the sidewalks are often broken or have insurmountable barriers at random locations. (Check out our guide on Canggu’s walkability for more details).
Worse, getting on and off the sidewalk is rarely facilitated by any kind of ramp and this, there’s no hope of using them if you are in a wheelchair.
You can walk in the road and as long as you pay careful attention to the traffic around you, you should be safe. But the traffic is very hectic in Bali and walking in the road is not always easy and it may not feel safe.
If you do want a long walk in Canggu, head down to the Canggu Beach area and walk along the sand. There is no traffic at all on Canggu’s beaches and you’ll find plenty of fellow walkers (many with their dogs in tow) wandering about there.
Overall, if you want to walk in Canggu, you can, but it’s not always very easy to do so.
Scooter/Motorbike
The positives of scooters and motorbikes are that you can weave through the worst of the Bali traffic and maybe, get to where you’re going a few minutes early. It’s also cheap to rent a scooter here on the island.
The downsides are pretty much everything else. Firstly, a scooter in Bali is an accident waiting to happen. You’ll find that they are the most likely source of injury here for most tourists and in some cases, those injuries will be very severe or even deadly.
Secondly, if you have travel insurance, your policy only covers you to ride a scooter if you are road-legal.
To be road legal here, you need a current International Driver’s Permit (IDP), a current driving license and this must carry a motorbike endorsement (a car license will not cut it) and you must be sober, wear a crash helmet and be appropriately attired (thongs and a g-string bikini won’t do).
If you have an accident when you’re not road-legal, you will need to pay for your own medical treatment and this can run into tens of thousands of dollars.
One thing that is not cheap in Bali is medical treatment for foreign visitors.
Finally, riding a scooter is just a bit stressful. You’re on holiday. Spend a little extra money and use a ride-share.
Ride-Sharing
There are two main ride-share apps here in Bali – Grab and Gojek. We’d recommend that you download both of these apps and then check the prices before you book your journey.
These services are completely fixed-price and safe.
Taxis, on the other hand, are often dubious operators who will try and scam you or even extort extra cash when you arrive.
If you must use a taxi, use a Blue Bird taxi and the only one that you summon using the Blue Bird Taxi app. There are fake Blue Bird taxis in the streets.
Rent A Car
You can rent a car and you will need a current IDP and current driver’s license to do so. But we wouldn’t want to drive here in Canggu.
The roads are busy and terribly maintained. You’ll spend so much time stuck in traffic that you will just be stressed out all the time. It’s better to use a ride-share.
Canggu In A Nutshell
OK, now that we’ve got getting around Canggu sorted, let’s talk about the area itself. The Canggu beach area is extremely popular and it competes directly with other popular beach resort towns such as Nusa Dua, Uluwatu, Seminyak, Nusa Dua and Kuta.
The big difference between Canggu and these areas is that there’s still a lot of “traditional Bali” present in Canggu and yet, everything is close enough to each other for it to be easy to get around.
The area has seen massive investments in recent years and the area is one of the best places on the island for amenities.
It’s home to incredible surf schools, the world-famous FINNS Beach Club (it’s quite literally the world’s best beach club), Love Anchor Market for great shopping, endless places for delicious food like Crate Cafe and The Shady Shack, and much more.
You’ll also find that it has temples, rice paddies, and much more. When you visit Canggu there will be no excuses for not having fun.
The Districts Of Canggu
There are only four main districts of Canggu and most visitors will only know about three of them. However, it’s worth knowing that they all exist if you want to explore Canggu fully.
Berawa Beach
Berawa Beach is home to FINNS Beach Club. It’s one of the busiest areas in Canggu and you’ll find that if you follow Jalan Pantai Berawa or Jalan Raya Semat that you’re soon in Berawa.
There are plenty of shops, restaurants, bars and cafes in this area and yet, it’s all a bit more relaxed and easier to navigate than our next area.
Batu Bolong Beach (including Nelayan Beach and Echo Beach)
Batu Bolong is the area that comprises Batu Bolong Beach, Echo Beach as well as Nelayan Beach.
The first two beaches are among the most popular in Bali and Echo Beach is famous as a surfing destination.
Nelayan is not as big a draw, yet, and if you want a quiet day out, you might hit a cozy restaurant near this beach and enjoy a light meal in the Bali sun.
Pererenan Beach
It’s not so long ago that the Pererenan Beach area was a bit quieter than the rest of Canggu, but that time has now passed and it’s just as popular as any other place in our guide to Canggu.
The main street in this area is Jalan Pantai Pererenan and you can enjoy time in cafes, restaurants and stores galore here. However, they don’t seem to have quite worked out the winning formula for this area and the turnover of restaurants is quite high.
If you want a villa with a private outdoor swimming pool or private plunge pools then this part of Canggu is a great place to be.
Linjong
Linjong isn’t far from Batu Bolong or Pererenan but because it’s adjacent to the beach areas rather than directly abutting them, it’s a good stop for someone on a tight Canggu budget.
It’s within walking distance of the rest of Canggu, mind you, it’s not remote and there are still plenty of places to enjoy the Bohemian vibe of this area while enjoying great food or a yoga class.
Which Groups Of People Does Canggu Appeal To The Most?
We’d argue that in 2025, Canggu appeals to almost every kind of traveller, but there are three groups that seem to be particularly drawn to the area:
- Digital Nomads – after Chiang Mai, there’s no area in Southeast Asia as desirable to the nomad community as Canggu, Bali. They come for the private villas, hip cafes, and surf spots as well as a huge number of coworking spaces. The internet is generally reliable and reasonably fast all over Canggu.
- Surfers – this area is full of surf schools and while Canggu’s beaches provide plenty of challenges for all levels of surfers, beginners and intermediate surfers seeking surf lessons are going to find this is their top destination when visiting Bali.
- Gastronomic Travellers – Canggu, Bali has one of the best dining scenes in Bali and you can find everything from Indonesian food, to smoothie bowls, to fine dining in the area. The dining scene in Canggu tends to be much more relaxed than it is in places like Nusa Dua.
When Is The Best Time To Come To Canggu?
There is no “bad time” to visit Canggu, Bali. In fact, while there is a wet season/rainy season you will find that it’s a good time for a Bali holiday.
Yes, it rains but, on average, there are 8 hours of sunshine a day throughout this season and that’s more than enough time to be out catching waves, eating in local warungs and swimming in an outdoor pool.
Mainly the weather is warm and pleasant all year round, though in the dry season, tit’s actually a little cooler and a little less humid.
It’s more expensive to visit in the dry season (except for the Xmas/New Year period which is the busiest time on the island of all).
We should note that it still rains during Bali’s dry season, it just doesn’t rain as often.
How Many Days Do You Need To Spend In Canggu?
There is no magic formula as to how many days in Canggu is enough. We live here and we don’t feel that we’ve seen all that this part of Bali has to offer just yet.
However, we’d say that if you’re one of those travellers that likes to charge about a destination squeezing in as much as you can before moving on, then 3 days is probably ideal to get the highlights of Canggu, Bali.
We’re more about slow travel though and we’d think two weeks here in Canggu is likely to be better. You can take the occasional day trip to get out and about on the island but basing yourself in one place means that you can really experience it fully.
For keen surfers that want to maximize their surf lessons or digital nomads looking for a chill spot to work online then you could easily spend several months here in Canggu.
How Much Money Will You Spend In Canggu?
While there may be a minimum spend in the beach clubs, there’s no minimum to enjoy Canggu and how much you will spend really depends on how you want to enjoy the area.
You could easily get away with as little as $50 (USD – that’s about $75 AUD) a day if you want to stay in a basic place (which will probably still have a private pool), eat at the local warungs and see a bit of the local culture.
On the other hand, if you want to stay in an upmarket villa, enjoy fine dining and experience an infinity pool in the spring, spa treatments, etc. then, you could easily spend $300 a day or more.
If you need a rough budget then you might find that this is what you need:
- A place to stay – a dorm room in a hostel shouldn’t cost more than $15-$20 a night, a luxury resort can run from $300-$1,000+. Bali has more $1,000+ per night hotel rooms than any other destination on Earth!
- Something to eat – eat at the cheapest warungs or feast on street food and you shouldn’t spend more than a couple of dollars, some vegan food at Shady Shack might run you $20, a meal at FINNS could be $50 a head and if you visit a top end fine dining place then it’s easy to eat your way through $500.
- Getting around – Grab and Gojek expenses are unlikely to be more than $10-$20 a day even if you go to nearby towns in Bali. Canggu is right next to Seminyak and to far from Ubud, Kuta, Legian, Jimbaran, Denpasar, and Uluwatu. If you visit the rental shops, you can rent a scooter for as little as $5 a day, but as we’ve already said – we don’t recommend this.
- Having some fun – we doubt that you came to Bali to spend your time in your hotel room, go for a walk and see the street art or a glorious Balinese sunset for free, but a surf camp could cost hundreds of dollars and a day trip to experience more Balinese culture might be $50.
Some Key Attractions In And Around Canggu
We won’t list all the attractions in the area (you can find an exhaustive list in our “Things to do in Canggu” piece) but some of the highlights include:
- FINNS Beach Club – the world’s best beach club is visited by around 15% of all visitors to the island. It has delicious food, cold drinks and a spectacular view over the ocean. It also has amazing entertainment. You can’t say you’ve been to Bali until you’ve sat in their infinity pool with a cocktail.
- La Brisa Farmer’s Market – a great spot where local farmers come to sell their wares (particularly fruit and veg if you want to make your own vegan food or vegetarian friendly food). It’s the best place to sip a cold coconut in Bali.
- Surf lessons – the beaches here in Canggu are amazing for surfing, if you’ve ever wanted to learn, this is the place to do it.
- Tanah Lot Temple – this temple is one of the most famous and aesthetically appealing in Bali. It’s just 20 minute drive from Canggu.
- Rice Paddies – they may not be as famous as those around Ubud but the rice paddies in Canggu are every bit as beautiful.
Where To Stay In Canggu
There are plenty of awesome places to stay in Canggu including:
- FINNS Resort Bali – well, it will be awesome as soon as it opens, watch this space, we’ll be sharing details here as soon as we have them.
- Hotel Tugu – if you want to stay somewhere that is clearly “Balinese” this luxury resort is a top choice.
- The Slow – this is where the A-listers go when they visit Canggu, Bali and it’s really opulent.
- White Goose Hotel – a more mid-range resort which is directly opposite themgihty FINNS Beach Club.
- Musa Canggu – a pleasant guesthouse style set up that won’t break the bank but is still super comfy.
Where To Eat In Canggu
Canggu has plenty of great places to eat too:
- Monsoon – this popular party restaurant at FINNS regularly ranks at the top of the TripAdvisor lists for best restaurants in Canggu.
- Smoke – a great BBQ restaurant with a fabulous outdoor dining room where you can watch the food being cooked.
- Ruko Cafe – one of our favourite spots for a spot of breakfast, Ruko is an Australian cafe with an emphasis on tasty food and great coffee.
- Zali – if you want some lovely Lebanese food, then this may be the best spot outside of Beirut to have some.
- Casa Tua Canggu – a great Balinese restaurant serving local delicacies for a very reasonable price.
Shopping Areas In Canggu
There are several great areas to go shopping in Canggu including Jalan Raya Pantai Batu Bolong, Jalan Raya Pantai Berawa, and Jalan Padan Linjong which are all geared up to cate for visitors.
There’s also Jalan Raya Canggu if you want to shop like a local.
Appealing Day Trip Destinations From Canggu
If you want to go on a day trip while you’re in Canggu you might try:
- The Jatiluwih Rice Terraces – these rice paddies are part of the UNESCO world-heritage site Subak system.
- Mount Batur – climbing Bali’s second tallest active volcano will help you stay fit and get some incredible views of the island.
- Ubud – if you’re in the mood for some culture this town is home to many of the most important cultural sites.
FAQs
Why Is Canggu So Popular?
Canggu is popular because it blends traditional and modern Bali together seamlessly. It has all the amenities a visitor needs and plenty to see and do.
Is Canggu A “Good Area”?
Yes, Canggu is a good area. In fact, there are no real bad areas in Bali. But Canggu is safe and attractive.
Is Canggu Cheap? Is Canggu Expensive?
Compared to most Western countries all of Bali is cheap. However, within Bali – Canggu is neither cheap nor expensive.
Is Canggu Popular With Digital Nomads?
Yes, Canggu, Bali has become the second most popular destination in Southeast Asia for nomads after Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Final Thoughts On Our Canggu Guide
Canggu is a great spot on the beautiful island of Bali and there are so many things to see and do in the Canggu area, that you’ll never be bored.
There are hidden gems, some of the best restaurants and beach clubs on the island and there are plenty of places to stay in Canggu too.
In fact, the only sad moment of a holiday in this popular beach town comes when you’re leaving Canggu to head to the airport and back to your regular life.