The Best Things To Do In Canggu, Bali

Looking for the best things to do in Canggu, Bali's up and coming hotspot?

Canggu is a beautiful village on the island of Bali that is well worth visiting.

Resting on the south-western coast, this village is surrounded by rice paddies and great, surf-able waves and a special place to me and a lot more than just a simple beach village.

If you want to read more about Canggu, make sure to check out my ultimate travel guide to Canggu, which is packed with a lot of information of this little slice of Bali heaven!

There are so many different things to do in Canggu, so below I will share the best activities for what to do in Canggu.

#1 Check Out The Café & Brunch Scene In Canggu

One of the first Canggu things to do is to check out some of the many cafes scattered around the village. There are some highly Instagrammable spots too, make sure you bring your camera #foodstagram.

Enjoy amazing coffee that can be found on pretty much all corners of Canggu and a huge selection of vegetarian and vegan healthy food cafes. I know you will love it and probably run out of time before you have visited them all.

Canggu now also has a foodie tour! Or how about joining a cooking class and learning how to cook traditional Balinese dishes?

• Crate Café is a popular café that’s been around for quite a while. With fast Internet speed, delicious and affordable food and their own specialty blend of CRATE Coffee, it’s a go-to for locals and travellers alike. They have a small boutique pop up store right here too, perfect to have a browse while you wait for your food to be prepared freshly.
• Monsieur Spoon is known for its French influences in Canggu. This cafe is great for breakfast, lunch or brunch and I love having a fresh pastry in the laid-back atmosphere in their little garden.
• Betelnut Café is a great cafe for nutritious and delicious food. Sitting upstairs, you get an amazing view of the rice fields and what’s going on at the main street below.
• Ruko Café specializing in breakfast. They have their own special Indonesian coffee blend. Their double espresso is designed to wake you up! They also serve a good array of food with organic fruits and veggies sourced locally.
• Cinta Café is in the heart of Berawa, Canggu and despite being on a busy street, it’s a cosy and hidden gem. This cafe specializes in a range of local and western fusion dishes.
• Milk & Madu Café is a great hangout spot that is also very kid-friendly. The biggest thing here is their pizza that’s lava-stone baked. Yum!
• Peleton Supershop is a unique vegan café blending plant based foods as well as bicycles. You can enjoy a good meal and then browse the cool store. Now also open for dinner!
• Bungalow Living is another unique cafe that blends great foods and shopping for Balinese home wares. It’s an easy place to sit back for a while or come to socialise with others.
• The Shady Shack overlooks the rice fields and is one of my favourites to check out in Canggu. It’s close to Echo Beach and as the name suggests it’s a good place to relax in the shade while getting great food served.
• Born Bright is truly a hidden gem located in Pererenan, a short 10-minute drive from Canggu, I technically would say it’s an extension to the village. With fantastic staff, great food, and great coffee all around, an epic space!

#2 Go Surfing In Canggu

Just like many villages along the coast of Bali, one of the top things to do in Canggu is check out the beaches. And considering the weather, it’s an ideal place to go surfing all year around.

In Canggu, you’ve got the three popular beaches: Batu Bolong Beach, Echo Beach and Berawa Beach. All are surf-able and there are little huts renting out boards at all three of them. Simply arrive in your surf gear and get ready to hit the waves.

If you need some guidance, how about taking a professional surfing lesson? There is probably no better place than Canggu to learn how to surf in Bali.

#3 Chill At One Of The Popular Beach Clubs

And as we are talking about beaches, if you’d rather watch the surfers, some other things to do in Canggu Bali is check out the beach clubs.

All of them located beachfront, you might want to check the following out:

• La Brisa is the embodiment of the concept of a beach club. It provides a lovely sea breeze and great food that’s sustainably sourced. You will love the Bali design of this place, just so beautiful.
• VUE Beach Club rests on Berawa Beach and provides great entertainment, international DJs dropping in, exotic cocktails you can order and so much more.
• Finns Beach Club is a place to relax and definitely stands out when walking along Berawa Beach. Its cool structure is make of over 150 meters in length entirely of bamboo. You can lounge here all day long and at the end get a nice view of the sunset.

Related Article: 10 Best Beach Clubs In Bali You Need To Visit

#4 Do Yoga In Canggu All Day Every Day

Maybe the beach scene isn’t for you. That’s alright, as there many other things to do in Canggu. Like yoga.

Some cool yoga studios in Canggu to check out are:

• The Practice
• Samadi
• Serenity Yoga
• Canggu Studio

Each studio provides their own unique experience, most of them with daily classes as well as yoga retreats and yoga teacher trainings.

Related Article: The 10 Best Yoga Retreats In Bali

#5 Go Rock Climbing Or Bouldering

For anyone who loves rock climbing, you have to put a visit to Bali-Climbing on your Canggu to do list. Bali-climbing is a bouldering gym and conveniently also houses a healthy café.

Bouldering is a form of rock climbing without ropes and while that sounds dangerous at first, the gym provides classes, instructions and all the gear you need to do bouldering safely. Epic!

#6 Browse The Local Markets

For the dedicated shopper, the Canggu what to do list should definitely include the awesome local markets.

There are many markets to discover like:

• Love Anchor Market, which is happening every day in the heart of Batu Bolong
• Old Mans weekend market, open every last Sunday of the month from 8am to 3pm
• and the Gypsy Market, with other 40 eco-friendly suppliers, happening on Sundays from 4 pm at La Laguna

They each have their own unique themes, stores, and food.

#7 Watch The Sunset At Batu Bolong Or Echo Beach

While the beaches of Canggu are great for surfing, they are also great for hanging around and lying on the beach all day getting a tan. Just don’t forget that sunscreen!

Batu Bolong, Berawa and Echo Beach have amazing sunsets too. Find yourself a spot in the sand or head to one of the many pop up beach bars providing beanbags and a cold drink.

Some of my favourite spots to watch the sunset in Canggu are:

• The Naked Coconut
• Ji Restaurant and Rooftop Bar
• The Lawn
• La Brisa
• Old Man's
• Echo Beach in a bean bag on the sand

#8 Get Pampered At One Of The Spas

Lying in the sun still wasn’t relaxing enough?

Well, luckily my Canggu list also provides some other forms of relaxation. These are some great spas in Canggu worth checking out:

• Gold Dust
• AMO Spa
• Spa Spring

#9 Rent A Scooter And Drive Through The Nearby Rice Fields

#10 Go Horseback Riding Along The Beach

Another alternative to surfing is riding on a horse along the beach. Highly recommended at sunset.

The best most reputable stable for beach rides is Bali Equestrian Centre.

#11 Go Hunting For The Best Street Art & Graffiti Murals

For the artist in you, or if you simply love graffiti, hunt down street art. Canggu might not be well known for its street art, however, there is some fantastic art to look at!

Some of the best spots include:

• ALLCAPS Store
• Gg. Nyepi 
• Jl. Lkr. Nelayan

Simply put those into Google Maps and you will see it all when you get there.

#12 Splurge With A Floating Brunch At La Cabina

You’ve had brunch before, but have you had floating brunch before?

This is a combination of brunch served over a shallow pool, which is such a unique Bali experience and only available at La Cabina Café.

#13 Sip A Cocktail On The Rooftop At JI Restaurant At Sunset

For other food experiences in Canggu, there is the JI Restaurant, a Japanese-fusion restaurant only footsteps from Batu Bolong Beach.

Its open view of the beach from the rooftop terrace is the perfect spot for viewing the sunset. Ideally with a cocktail in hand of course.

JI Restaurant is adjacent to one of the oldest hotels in Canggu. Tugu Hotel blends luxury, art and romance and impresses with style, atmosphere and is a wonderful place to stay for couple or on a honeymoon in Bali.

#14 Go Boutique Shopping

Don’t over pack for your Bali trip, because I know you will want to go shopping in Canggu.

One of the best things to do in Canggu is shopping and hopping from one air-conditioned boutique to the next while the sun is shining, or well, burning outside.

You certainly won’t find a short supply of shopping opportunities with many of the brands being locals. Good shops to check out include The Locals Canggu, Indigo Luna, Bungalow Living, The Offering, and the House of Alaia for pretty jewellery (you can even make your own silver jewellery here).

#15 Party Till The Morning

Want a place to party? There are of course the beach clubs I mentioned earlier.

But some other great alternatives for a party after sunset are:

• The Lawn
• Old Mans
• Pretty Poisonn
• Black Cat Mini Mart
• Gimme Shelter

Check their individual Facebook page for events as they change each night in Canggu.

Plus: Do Good And Join A Beach Cleanup

If you love Canggu as much as I do, let’s help make it a better place.

The biggest thing that any traveller to Canggu will notice is the rubbish that gets frequently washed up on the beaches from the inland through rivers and streams and you can assist in cleaning up the beach.

There are a few groups that do this, called the Trash Hero Canggu and the Canggu Beach Cleanup. Check their Facebook page for times and details.

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