Looking for some indoor activities and indoor venues to escape a downpour in Canggu? You’re in the right place!
The good news is that this part of Bali has plenty of things to do when the skies open and you’re guaranteed to have a great time in any weather.
We’ve got 12 awesome things for you to do when it rains in Canggu.
Our 12 Top Activities In The Rainy Season In Canggu (And On Rainy Days In The Dry Season)
Spa Day Therapy
What better use of a rainy day could there be than to indulge yourself and be truly pampered? One of the best indoor activities in Bali when it rains is a spa session.
Canggu and the island as a whole are famous for their affordable but excellent spa treatments and sessions. When the heavens open and the downpour begins, jump in a Grab or Gojek and head to a spa.
A local favourite for expats is Spring Spa near Batu Bolong Beach which has some very attractive interior design, a laidback vibe and an excellent menu of treatments from traditional techniques to mani-pedis and full body massages.
The prices at Spring Spa are much lower than at home, and you will spend roughly $20-$50 USD/hour depending on what you want to do. We think the sound of rain also adds to the level of relaxation.
If you want to take things up a notch, then Therapy Canggu or Amo Spa are two of the top luxury spa locations in the area.
But make sure to book ahead, as when the rain starts coming down everyone gets the same idea and you may find there’s no room from drop-in visitors.
Cozy Cafes And A Caffeine Fix
While Balinese culture isn’t particularly fixated on coffee, there’s no doubt that Canggu is the cafe capital of the island right now, and rainy days are the ideal time to do some cafe-hopping.
Local favourites include Ruko Cafe on Jalan Pantai Berawa, which does some very tasty breakfast and lunch food as well as an excellent cup of coffee that you’re bound to enjoy.
Craft Cafe is also super popular among those in the know. It’s got a fairly interesting industrial vibe going on with its architecture and their staff are some of the friendliest people on the island. Check out the “Mr Beanz” ( a posh version of beans on toast) for some rainy day comfort food.
If you’re in Pererenan, you might also try Zin Cafe, which is a very modern setup with wonderful coffee and some really healthy food options. It’s also got a free coworking space that you can use with any purchase of food or drink.
Join A Yoga Class
One way to enjoy Bali at any time of year is to get into yoga, and why not use the rain as an excuse to improve your flexibility?
Canggu is home to some of the best yoga studios in Bali, and it’s one of our favourite indoor activities.
Check out The Pratice if you want a bamboo yoga shala that makes you really feel that you’re in the tropics. Their drop-in classes are very reasonably priced at $10-$15 USD ($15-$22 AUD), too.
If you want something even more relaxed, then Berawa’s Samadi Bali is all about healing seasons with yoga and breathwork.
And you don’t need any prior experience, just bring some loose fitting clothes and they’ll handle the rest.
Get Into Indonesian Culture At A Balinese Cooking Class
One awesome thing to do on a rainy day is to learn to bring home a taste of Bali. You can easily sign up for a cooking class in Cnaggu, and you can learn to make sate lilit and nasi campur to your heart’s content.
Over in Seminyak, The Amala (it’s only a 10-minute drive from Canggu) has a resident chef, Putra Wayan, offering excellent classes that begin at a local market where you learn about the ingredients and then you cook and eat what you buy.
There are cooking classes in Canggu too, and the Will Meyrick Experiences run by the island’s celebrity chef are worth checking out, if you don’t mind splurging a little on your lessons.
Unleash Your Inner Artistic Side
One other set of awesome indoor activities in Canggu is the ability to unleash your artistic side.
There are jewelry-making classes, art classes, pottery classes and much more, and you will find that you can create awesome and bespoke souvenirs for the folks back home without spending a fortune.
Canggu Krisna is a great place to master the work of a silversmith and you can create a cool ring to take away there.
Nusa Clay Club is our favourite spot to master the potter’s wheel, but do be aware that firing the pots takes a bit of time and this is an activity best loaded into the first few days of your holiday.
Hit The Gym
FINNS Recreation Club may be closing down for the time being as it is integrated with the FINNS Bali Resort but there are still plenty of other great gyms in Canggu.
Nirvana Life is probably the swankiest with all the latest facilities, onsite coworking, and even a cafe with its own dietitian to help advise you on healthy eating to go with your workout program.
Gyms in Canggu are quite expensive when you consider how cheap everything else is but they do tend to provide a more upmarket experience than you might expect for Bali.
Go To FINNS Beach Club
Sure, you might not think “beach club” automatically in the rain and we’re not suggesting that you immediately book a daybed to sit by the pool if it’s raining.
However, FINNS is much more than a book and a beach view and when it rains their restaurants and bars are super busy, which means the party vibe is still going strong even if the sunshine isn’t.
You’ll find that their live DJs and entertainment are still amazing fun and they’ll put you in the mind for a cold cocktail and some awesome food.
Go To A Co-working Space
We don’t think you have to work while on holiday but if you do need to get in touch with the office and spend a little time online, what better way to do so than by using one of Canggu’s co-working spaces?
Canggu is only second to Chiang Mai on Southeast Asia’s desirable destinations for digital nomads and there are loads of coworking spaces to enjoy.
B-Work Bali and Tropical Nomad Bali tend to be our go-to spots as they have comfortable seats, cold air conditioning and a lovely community vibe.
Even in the monsoon season, they’re warm and welcoming inside.
Take A Day Trip To A Bali Museum
Bali has plenty of museums for you to enjoy and we love spending a day when it rains learning more about the art and culture of this paradise spot in the Indonesian archipelago.
The Bali Museum in Denpasar, the Agugng Rai Museum of Art in Ubud, Museum Pasifika in Kuta Selatan, Museum Yadnya in Mengwi, and the Bali Shell Museum in Kuta are among our favourites.
But, at last, count there are about 40 museums here on the island, you could even make a jolly game out of visiting them all!
Get Out And Shop Until You Drop
Indoor activities don’t get much more straightforward than shopping and there are so many boutique stores here that you won’t get bored.
Or you could try Love Anchor, which is an indoor local market that has stalls selling lots of different things, from handmade jewelry to vintage fashion to organic skincare.
Because it’s mostly under cover, you can enjoy browsing and haggling without getting soaked. We’d also note that you can get better prices when it rains as there tend to be fewer customers around.
If you fancy something a bit different, Deus Ex Machina’s cafe, workshop, boutique (and more) environment can often be good fun and not only is it dry, but you can get a beer or cocktail to keep your whistle wet.
Try An Escape Room
There are no escape rooms in Canggu, but there are some in other nearby areas, and they’re one of the best indoor activities for the whole family to escape the rain.
Imagine a rainy day with puzzles and interactive fiction and lots of cool illusions. That’s what you can expect at these places, and they’re a lot of fun.
The most popular of these indoor venues is in Kuta, and it’s the Pandora Escape Room Experience.
Watch A Movie Or Take In Some Live Music At The Island’s Indoor Venues
OK, there aren’t any movie theaters in Canggu per se, but there are several within a short drive, and you can find one in Seminyak’s Beach walk Mall easily enough.
It’s cheap, and the seats are super comfy in there, and yes, most of the movies are in English with Indonesian subtitles.
You could also opt for some live music as there are often local and international artists playing in venues around the area.
Check out Dino’s Bar, Deus Ex and Gimme Shelter to get you started on your journey for some great sounds.
And of course, if you prefer live DJs, FINNS will always have live DJs laying down some beats.
Some Bonus Tips For Enjoying The Entire Day In The Rain In Canggu
We’ve also got a few tips for being in Bali when it rains, in general:
- Find the rhythm of the rain – the rains here in Bali tend to be short but quite heavy, and they’re usually in the afternoon. So, plan indoor activities for that time and use the mornings and evenings to your best advantage.
- Grab and Gojek are your friends – yes, we know the whole thing about local culture and scooters, but nobody wants to be drenched on a scooter. Get a ride-share from Grab or Gojek, and it won’t cost much to get to your indoor activities dry and happy.
- Pack light but dry – a rain jacket or poncho can be super useful and it’s easy to buy one in Bali if you didn’t bring one (and they’re very cheap), and some flip-flops (your feet will get wet, but they’ll also dry off pretty quick when the rain stops).
FAQs
When Does It Rain Most In Bali?
There are two distinct seasons in Bali and they are the dry season and the wet season or rainy season.
It rains most during the rainy season, but it rarely rains all day long and there’s an average of about 8 hours of sunshine a day even at this time of year.
We’d also note that it’s not bone dry in the dry season; you still get rain, but not as much, and the climate is a little less humid overall.
What to Do In Canggu If It Rains?
Take a look at the list above. There are plenty of indoor venues offering awesome indoor activities in Canggu, from creative workshops where you make your own jewelry to enjoying great food and drink in the local cafes. Bad weather doesn’t have to stop you from having an awesome time in this area.
What Is Canggu, Bali Best Known For?
Canggu is best known for two things – its beaches (in particular, its surfing opportunities) and FINNS Beach Club.
Is It Safe To Walk In Canggu At Night?
Yes and no. While there’s not much violent crime anywhere in Bali, we’d note that what little does take place is most likely to occur around places serving alcohol at closing time.
We’d also note that drunk driving is, sadly, all too common in Bali and that means when you’re walking home, even if there’s nobody on the road walking with you, you’re still at risk of an accident.
The poor quality of sidewalks and road surfaces also make trips more likely at night, and based on our own experience, Bali’s street dogs can be much more aggressive in the evenings than during the day.
We’d always recommend that you take a Grab or Gojek home in Canggu at night, at least until you know the area well and can make an informed decision on your own safety while walking.
Is There Much Crime In Canggu?
No, in general, there’s not a lot of crime anywhere in Bali, and Canggu is statistically a little better than other areas.
However, it’s important to note that there’s very little violent crime of any kind (except, occasionally, between foreigners under the influence of alcohol), but petty crime is more common.
That means, in particular, pickpocketing and bag snatching. You can hugely reduce the odds of these things happening to you by taking some fairly basic precautions.
We’d recommend always keeping your bag on the inside of your body, away from the traffic, and tucked under an arm.
To reduce the chances of pickpockets, keep things in the front trouser pocket rather than your back pockets and be careful in crowded areas.
However, the vast majority of tourists in Bali never experience any crime during their stay on the island and it’s certainly safer than most Western cities by a fair margin.
Is Canggu Better Than Uluwatu?
We think that for most tourists, Canggu is a much better place to stay than Uluwatu. There’s much more to do and see in Canggu.
It’s not as spaced out in Canggu as Uluwatu, which means it’s much easier to get around the area and explore everything it has to offer without transport of your own.
Uluwatu and the Bukit Peninsula as a whole tend to be more expensive than Canggu, too – despite the fact that Canggu is the more popular place to be.
However, there’s one group of people who will probably find Uluwatu better than Canggu – professional surfers.
While Canggu is amazing for beginner and intermediate surfers looking to hone their skills,
Is Canggu Or Ubud Cheaper?
It’s a close run thing, you can stay in both Canggu or Ubud on a tight budget and have a good time.
However, Ubud has more budget and backpacker-style accommodation than Canggu, and in the high season, there’s an advantage to Ubud on this front.
Both towns have plenty of warungs for cheap food and lots of activities that don’t have to break the bank.
Final Thoughts On A Rainy Day In Canggu
Canggu’s a great place whether it’s wet or dry. In the rain, the greenery and rice fields look more beautiful, the laid-back vibe of the place becomes positively horizontal, and you’re encouraged to get out of your comfort zone and explore other things to do on the island.
From spa days to escape rooms, there’s something for everyone in this area, and you can have an amazing time doing indoor activities until the sun comes out again.