A buzzy coastal strip famous for surf breaks, beach clubs, hip cafes and a huge digital nomad scene. It suits first-timers and anyone who loves a modern, cafe-driven holiday.
8.65°S 115.14°E
May to September is the dry season with the cleanest surf and least rain
3 nights
DPS
$15/night
Canggu is Bali's beach-town magnet for surfers, remote workers, and twenty- and thirty-somethings who want a long, social stay rather than a quick holiday. Spread along the coast north of Seminyak, it is a loose grid of cafes, co-working spaces, surf breaks, and black-sand beaches, with a relaxed but very online energy. If you want flat whites, sunset beach bars, and a scooter lifestyle, this is your spot.
Be honest with yourself about what it has become, though. Canggu has boomed hard, and the main roads (especially the Shortcut and Batu Bolong) jam with scooter traffic at peak hours, while construction is everywhere. The beaches are dark volcanic sand, not white, and the water can be rough. People stay for the lifestyle and community, not for postcard swimming.
The mellow beach break at Batu Bolong (also called Old Man's) is one of Bali's best places to learn, with mushy beginner waves close to shore. Board rental runs around IDR 50,000 per hour and a group lesson about IDR 150,000 to 250,000. Echo Beach and Berawa nearby get more advanced and crowded.
The whole coast turns out for sunset, with bean bags on the sand at spots like La Brisa, The Lawn, and Old Man's. Grab a drink, pick a beanbag, and stay for the colors. Drinks are pricier here than inland, so a Bintang on the sand might run IDR 50,000 to 80,000.
Canggu basically invented Bali's nomad cafe culture, with fast wifi, good coffee, and laptop-friendly seating almost everywhere. Dojo Bali is the best-known dedicated co-working hub with day passes. If you just want to camp with a laptop, places in Berawa and along Batu Bolong are built for it.
When the surf and traffic wear you down, the big pool clubs are the move. FINNS Beach Club is the giant party option with multiple pools and slides, while quieter spots offer day beds and a calmer vibe. Minimum spends and entry fees apply, so check before you go.
Getting there
Fly into Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), the only airport on Bali, with direct routes from across Asia and Australia and frequent flights from Jakarta. Canggu is about 45 to 75 minutes northwest of the airport by car, heavily dependent on traffic. Use Grab or Gojek or a prebooked driver (roughly IDR 250,000 to 350,000); just know that drivers can be slow to reach you in the tight backstreets, so share a clear pin.
Best time to visit
May to September is the dry season with the cleanest surf and least rain, making it the prime window. The wet months of December to February bring heavy afternoon downpours and murkier water, though mornings can still be fine.
Where to stay
Batu Bolong and Berawa put you closest to the cafes, beach bars, and surf, while Pererenan just to the north is a bit calmer and newer. Budget guesthouses and hostels start around USD 15 to 30, with stylish villas and design hotels running USD 80 to 200 a night.
It skews young, social, and a little hectic, so it is not the most relaxing choice for families or quiet getaways. If you want calm, Sanur or Ubud usually fit better, though Pererenan is a softer corner of greater Canggu.
It is the most practical way to get around the spread-out, traffic-choked area, but only ride if you are confident, have a proper license, and wear a helmet. Otherwise lean on Grab and Gojek, accepting that cars get stuck in the same jams.
Sometimes, but the surf, rips, and dark sand mean it is more a surf-and-sunset coast than a swimming one. Always check the flags and never swim where it is unpatrolled or rough.
Build a route across Indonesia in minutes. We work out the travel time and cost between every stop, then a local turns it into a trip.
Build your tripCanggu has an almost absurd density of smoothie bowls, vegan cafes, poke, and brunch spots, mostly around Batu Bolong and Berawa. Prices are higher than local warungs but still cheap by Western standards. For a reality check on cost, duck into a local warung for nasi campur at a fraction of the price.
The famous sea temple sits on a rock just north of Canggu, about 30 to 40 minutes by scooter or car. Time it for late afternoon so you catch the temple silhouetted against sunset, but expect big crowds and a busy market on the approach. Entry is around IDR 75,000.
The sights worth building a day around. Open any one for a full guide.
surfCanggu's main beach: a forgiving longboard wave, sunset crowds, and the Old Man's scene.
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beachWide grey-sand beach backed by big beach clubs, with a beginner-friendly beach break.
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surfReef-break surf, dark volcanic sand, and a clifftop row of bars for the sunset shift.
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surfCanggu's quieter western beach: a punchy reef-and-beach break with a calmer vibe.
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templeA sea temple on a tidal rock, famous at sunset and heavily commercialised around the gates.
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