Thinking about visiting Canggu? Wondering why you’ve heard so much about this beach town in Bali? Well, there are good reasons that it’s the most popular area on the island, and we’d like to share some of them with you.
So that you can understand how a sleepy little village a decade ago became a bright and lively destination attracting visitors from all over the world.
Black Sand Beaches: Echo Beach, Berawa Beach, Batu Bolong Beach and More
First up, let’s talk beaches. Some folks act like black sand beaches are somehow inferior to white sand beaches, but it’s just not the case.
Head to Berawa Beach at sunset and you’ll see what we mean. The water of the sea gets held by the sand, and when the sky lights up, so does the sand below it.
It’s a glorious display that can’t be matched by any other run of beaches on the island.
Also, the beaches in Canggu are great for walking on (though you should know that black sand gets super hot in the middle of the day, so where sandals or thongs/flip-flops, don’t burn the soles of your feet).
So don’t miss out on Echo Beach, Berawa Beach, Batu Bolong Beach, Pererenan Beach and Nelayan Beach. They’re a huge draw for Canggu and always have been.
Canggu’s Surf Scene: Brilliant Waves
And on the back of beaches, both experienced surfers and beginner surfers are going to love the surfing opportunities that Bali’s beaches provide.
Batu Bolong and Berawa are the ideal beaches in Canggu for beginners to earn their stripes and take a few lessons, chasing waves and enjoying the more relaxed atmosphere of Canggu’s beaches.
Advanced surfers will love the consistent waves and challenge presented by areas like Echo Beach, with breaks that are really good fun.
And because this once quiet village is now stacked with modern amenities, you’ll find equipment hire and surf schools galore to help you with all your surfing needs.
Digital Nomad Style
Canggu has become South East’s Asia’s digital nomad Medina to Chiang Mai’s Mecca. Digital nomads can’t get enough of Canggu’s co-working spaces and affordable villas.
It’s easy to live within walking distance of the place that you want to work, and usually you can find private villas with private pools for a fraction of the cost of those elsewhere in the world.
It’s not as cheap as it once was, mind you, but the nomads keep coming for the amazing food, the aerial yoga, the Balinese culture, trendy cafes, and much more.
Most of all, because it’s popular with nomads, there’s a big nomad social scene with regular meetups and networking sessions. You work hard as a digital nomad, but you also play hard in Canggu.
Culinary Genius In A Foodie’s Paradise
We’ve already mentioned food as one of the reasons for “why is Canggu so popular?”, and it really is next level here.
Some of the island’s finest dining is here, and Bali’s celebrity chef Will Meyrick is a big player in the local restaurant scene.
But you don’t have to spend a fortune, there’s great food for every price range. Think a cheap nasi goreng at Warung Sunshine for a couple of bucks, vegan bowls at Nude that won’t set you back a fortune or the huge wood-fired pizzas at Luigi’s Hot Pizza on one of their legendary clubbing warm-up nights.
And there’s so much variety too, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, American, Italian, French, every cuisine seems to be somewhere here in Canggu. Oh, and the cocktails are pretty good too.
The World’s Best Beach Club
We’re not being immodest when we say that FINNS is a major draw to Canggu. Nearly 1 in 8 visitors come to FINNS Beach Club.
It’s the world’s best beach club and it has the comfiest daybeds, the best party vibe, amazing food and drink and the best entertainment on the whole island.
FINNS constantly reinvents itself to ensure that every trip to the beach club is unique and fun.
Some folks plan their whole holiday around a trip to FINNS and we think that you can’t really say you’ve been to Bali at all, until you’ve been to FINNS.
The Instagram-Worthiness Of Everything
Canggu is a top spot for influencers, and that’s because everything here is so Instagrammable.
You can find traces of Balinese culture in the temples, rice fields, etc. and you can find modern amenities galore with infinity pools and decadent vill complexes galore.
It’s a beautiful place, and every picture you take will look amazing just for being here.
The Laid Back Village Appeal
OK, there are plenty of parts of Canggu now with a very vibrant atmosphere, but you can still feel some of that village soul that used to be the main appeal of the area here.
Get down the side streets and explore a little, find the remaining rice fields and draw on the chill vibes of Canggu.
Where you won’t find it is on places like Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong, where the crowds wander between their luxurious villas and hotels in search of smoothie bowls, local warungs, and Bintangs.
Yoga Studios And Wellness Vibes
You can easily find great places to enhance your well-being in Canggu, and spots like The Practice and Serenity Yoga studios are ideal for stretching out and taking care of yourself.
Classes in Canggu are cheap, around 100,000-150,000 IDR ($6-$10 USD or $10-$15 AUD) per session, and the settings are often lovely with pleasant rice paddies in view.
We’d also note that these studios often provide retreats, sound healing, juice bars and other self-care options.
Canggu is a wonderful part of Bali to give yourself a gentle reset.
Affordable Living
It’s not as cheap as it once was; post-pandemic inflation has seen some costs soaring here on the island, but Canggu is still way cheaper than most Western countries.
You can get a room in a guest house for less than $500 USD a month, you can get cheap food in the warungs, half a dozen beers from a corner shop for $12 USD ($18 AUD), and so on.
If you’re used to Sydney, Melbourne, London, New York, Paris, etc., you won’t believe how much of a bargain everything seems to be.
A Banging Party Scene
Seminyak used to be the island’s party capital, but we’d argue that it’s all about Canggu now.
You can hit up the cafes like Revolver (they do some mean espresso Martinis), the bars and pubs (there’s something for everyone in that scene), dance the night away in FINNS and then get down to the beach and be at Sandbar until dawn.
Canggu’s nightlife is better value than Seminyak’s and not as aggressive as Kuta’s. It’s lively and fun, and you know that you’re in for a good time when you go out in Canggu.
Community And Connection In Canggu
There’s a palpable sense of community in this part of Bali, too. Whether you’re in a hidden gem coffee shop tucked in the corner of a side street or at a Sunday market, or queuing for the surf breaks on the Indian Ocean, people are friendly.
That makes it easy to form new connections and leave Canggu with a few new friends on your social media accounts.
Throw in the Balinese people and their sense of hospitality, and you always feel welcome here.
Canggu Has That Boom Town Buzz
Canggu has been blowing up in the last few years in a good way, and that means there’s always something new here.
Cafes, villas, and stores all turn up every week. Investors love the place, and there is some serious money pumping into the area.
That energy is contagious and exciting to many people who visit the area, it makes you feel part of a place that’s going somewhere.
The Natural Touch
You can also still enjoy natural beauty in Canggu. Get out in the rice paddies and see them at sunset. Walk down the beaches and watch the waves crash against the black sand.
It’s what’s brought people to Bali ever since people heard about it in the Wes,t and it will keep bringing them here forever more too, with a bit of luck.
What Are The Downsides Of Canggu, Bali?
There are a few minor downsides to Canggu too, but none of them make the area not worth visiting. They include:
- Traffic – the traffic’s bad in Canggu a lot of the time, but then, the traffic’s bad all over Bali too. Canggu’s not special in this respect.
- The prices are going up – Bali’s gradually getting more expensive all over, but it’ll be a long time before it’s as expensive as Sydney.
- Infrastructure and pollution problems – the island also needs a little reset when it comes to getting rid of trash and building essential services. But solutions are being worked on.
FAQs
Why Do People Go To Canggu?
People come to Canggu for a lot of different reasons, for some it’s the lively atmosphere of FINNS Beach Club, for some it’s the popular beaches with their first-rate surfing, for others it’s the fitness centers and pilates studios, and for some it’s the coworking spaces.
But Canggu offers something for everyone, and while the area is undergoing rapid development, it hasn’t lost that special something that makes Canggu worth visiting.
So, we think people will continue to visit Canggu for years to come because it’s more than “just a destination” in Bali; it’s a place with heart and soul.
What Is Canggu, Bali Best Known For?
We think Canggu is primarily known for both its black sand beaches and its awesome surfing opportunities, and for FINNS Beach Club. FINNS is the world’s best beach club, and it’s a major draw for the island and for Canggu, in particular.
With 1 in 8 visitors to the island spending time, at least once, at FINNS on their holiday in Bali, is it even possible to say you’ve been to Bali without going to FINNS?
One thing’s for certain, FINNS’ guests regularly tell us that they plan their holidays here because of the club. Of course, not every visitor to Canggu comes for FINNS, but it’s the heart of the social scene.
Canggu, of course, has plenty more to offer visitors, and we often recommend that people spend a few days here in order to experience it all.
When Did Canggu Become Popular?
People started coming to Canggu in greater numbers around 2012. They felt that Kuta and Seminyak were overdeveloped, and they wanted a taste of the “real Bali” as part of their holidays.
However, it was probably around 2018, just prior to the pandemic, that the area had fully transformed into the most popular destination on the island.
We don’t see that changing any time soon, either. Canggu is fast becoming Bali’s favourite destination too.
Is It Better To Stay In Seminyak Or Canggu?
We would always recommend that people stay in Canggu rather than in Seminyak, as there’s more to do in Canggu. We also think that Seminuak is a touch overdeveloped now, though it’s still a beautiful part of the island.
As the two areas are next door neighbours, there’s not a lot in this, and it’s easy to travel between the two, mind you.
Final Thoughts On Why Is Canggu So Popular?
Canggu is popular because it has a unique blend of so many different qualities that it appeals broadly to almost every visitor to the island.
Sure, it may be a nomad paradise or a surfer’s heaven, but there’s more to it than that, and it’s a must-visit destination on the island thanks to a combination of tangible and intangible factors.
The easiest way to find out why so many people love Canggu, of course, is to visit yourself and experience it in real life.