As you may have seen on my Instagram, we took a short family trip to Bali at the end of January with my dad and friends who were coming from China.
It was our third time in Bali, and we had previously been to Canggu and Nusa Dua and decided to return to Canggu. Why? I think my husband and I want to believe that we can still enjoy the kind of holidays we used to have pre-children (go to nice restaurants, boutique shopping… ). And we did! My dad helped a lot so we were able to have a little bit of time to ourselves.
Canggu is not an obvious a choice for a family holiday in Bali but is still worth considering:
Plus
- Cheaper and more spacious accommodation. We wanted a big villa with a large garden where we could stay together but each have our own space and NOT spend an arm and a leg. Sanur and Nusa Dua were therefore out. (we booked our villa through Airbnb)
- Nice restaurants, cafes and boutiques (more laidback, hipster version of Seminyak without the party scene)
- Close to Seminyak (20-30min by car, less by scooter)
- Canggu is developing rapidly but there are still pockets of green spaces with lush paddy fields, cows roaming freely…
- The Canggu Club provides a nice escape for the kids on rainy days
- Surfers will enjoy the waves of Canggu beaches (plenty of places to rent surfs and bodyboards at Batu Bolong beach)
Minus
- The beaches are not great for kids because of the waves
- And they are public, which means they are not cleaned and can get a lot of litter (especially after big holidays)
Batu Bolong Beach
Just like in the rest of Bali, Canggu’s traffic can drive you nuts. If you are planning to visit during high season, try as much as possible to book an accommodation close to the beach. Taxis are very difficult to get (most of the taxis are private cars, not easy to find, and always have a a minimum charge of Rp50,000) and we weren’t able to rent bikes (let alone bikes with kid seats).
This was our third time traveling with AirAsia to Bali and every single flight was delayed by 1 to 2 hours, perhaps it is time we tried another airline.
Anyways, here’s a quick list of the places we liked in Canggu (mostly around Berawa beach):
Shopping
Jungle trader – fashion, home décor
Bungalow living – home décor
Suswar – fashion, home décor
Caravan Home decor
Coco & Ginger – baby and girl clothes (online order possible too!)
Triette – home décor, fashion accessories and kid wear
Note: Caravan, Coco&Ginger, and Triette are located next to each other, while Bungalow Living, Suswar, Jungle Trader and Milk and Madu are walking distance to each other).
Food
Great eatery serving wholesome breakfast and simple lunches but the real selling point is the garden with a little play area for children.
If it is not raining, the Laguna’s lawn is the perfect place to enjoy sunset views by the beach dinner while the kids run around.
Photo via La Laguna
Guys just love this very well rounded concept: a restaurant (the ribs are an absolute MUST) + store (selling clothes + customized bikes) + barbershop on second floor, but they make it work for families too (good kid menu, highchair and small play area).
Canggu Club is a large entertainment center with a trampoline park, waterpark, bowling alley, gym/tennis court, spa and kids club (for kids 2-12). We only went to Bounce this time and had a great time.
