Canggu is the stretch of coast between between Kerobokan and Echo Beach on Bali’s South Coast, about 45 minute’s drive from Bali’s international airport, Ngurah Rai International Airport, often known as Denpasar Airport.
We like this part of the Island because it has a good balance between a lively town, with fun nightlife and lots for budget travelers to do, and beautiful nature – the small town is surrounded by paddy fields to the North, and flanked by beautiful beaches in the South. It has a laid-back, trendy and progressive vibe.
Surfing is the main things to do here and the best spots for beginners to hit the waves are Batu Bolong and Old Man’s Beach. This is where the surf lesson on The Dragon Trip’s Bali group tour takes place. Alongside surfing, there’s lots on offer for fitness enthusiasts in this healthy part of the Island, with many crossfit and yoga studios in town. After you work out you can refresh with an organic shake from one of the town’s vegan cafes.
An inland town surrounded by lush paddy fields and jungles, Ubud is heavily influenced by traditional Balinese artistic culture combined with hippie influences from visiting travelers. Despite the growing number of backpackers coming to the town, the community has not lost its charm and it remains a unique and lovely part of the Island.
Our Bali group tour spends 3 days here, and we always leave wishing we had longer. Our top picks for things to do here are swimming at the Tukad Cepung Waterfall, visiting one of the world’s cleanest villages, Pengelipuran Village, taking stunning photos at the Tegallang Rice Fields and interacting with the very naughty monkeys in the Monkey Forest. Make sure food is absolutely nowhere in sight or they will have it in seconds!
This small fishing village on the North-Western Coast of the Island is the perfect place to rediscover what it was that first drew backpackers to Bali back in the sixties. The laid-back town is well off the established tourist trail and is a lovely place to spend a few days. Pemuteran is the first stop in Bali on our budget tour of Indonesia and we arrive here after a jam-packed six days on the neighboring Island of Java. There is lots to offer backpackers here: dolphin-spotting boat tours, snorkeling, beautiful beaches, fishing tours and peaceful guesthouses.
Just a 5-mile ferry ride from Bali is Menjangan Island. The name in Balinese language means Deer Island and the island is named after the deer who would make a 1.5-mile swim to the island every Spring in search of food.
The best thing to do here is explore the marine life surrounding Menjangan. The coral reefs are some of the best in Bali. When we visit, we always take a snorkeling trip over the Biorock Project, which is a huge ecological coral planting mission.
With so much to offer budget travelers, it’s no wonder Bali remains one of the world’s most popular destinations for backpackers.
We hope this blog is useful in making sure you maximize your time there and can experience the best undisturbed natural scenery and local culture that Bali can offer.
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