“A plethora of work-friendly cafes with world class menus, a burgeoning startup community, chic boutiques, beginner-friendly surf breaks, and laid-back beach bars combine to create a buzzing remote worker hub.”

It’s easy to see why Canggu has grown into one of Southeast Asia’s most coveted digital nomad destinations. A plethora of work-friendly cafes with world class menus, a burgeoning startup community, chic boutiques, beginner-friendly surf breaks, and laid-back beach bars combine to create a buzzing remote worker hub. Although the pandemic has turned down the notch on Canggu’s nightlife, workshops and events are restarting with health protocols in place. This is our guide to making the most of the coliving experience in Bali’s most vibrant drawcard for digital nomads.  

Where to make your home base

Canggu (pronounced “chang-gu”) is a long, narrow collection of six regions that radiate out from a section of Bali’s southwestern coast. Each has its own distinct vibe: those furthest from the coast — Kerobokan and Umalas — are more serene, while in Batu Bolong and Berawa the pace picks up a little. Echo Beach is popular with surfers, while Pererenan is a little more relaxed as it’s the last of Canggu’s regions to be developed.

Outpost Canggu Coworking and Coliving are in Berawa, with just a four-minute scooter ride between them. Berawa is home to dozens of excellent local and international eateries with vegan and vegetarian options aplenty, and as Indonesia is one of the world’s largest coffee producing countries, a top-quality caffeine hit is never far away. Our Outpost Canggu destinations are just a short ride to Pantai Berawa (“pantai” means beach in Indonesian), which is a great spot for a sundowner or surf lesson. 

After a solid work session and afternoon on the sands, our Coliving is a great place to wind down or freshen up for the night ahead. Our air-conditioned deluxe double/twin rooms and deluxe king rooms with exposed red brick walls and bright flourishes have a colorful, contemporary feel. Splash away the tropical heat in the pool, soak up a stunning sunset on the rooftop deck, and meet new coliving friends in the spacious kitchen and dining area. 

Getting around

With its narrow streets and alleys, and with sidewalks only on main roads, by far the most popular way to get around Canggu is by scooter. To ride one legally in Indonesia foreigners are required to carry an international driver’s permit, although when renting a scooter generally you will only be asked to show your passport and register the address of your accommodation. The standard monthly rate for scooter hire is Rp500,000-600,000, although this can be much higher for newer models. Our team members can assist you to arrange scooter rental.

Canggu is a maze of smaller streets and alleys, so it’s a good idea to spend some time orienting yourself to figure out more direct routes. One of its main shortcuts, which connects the neighboring area of Seminyak, spans 800 meters through a scenic rice field and is barely wide enough for two cars in heavy traffic accidents were common. In an attempt to only allow two-wheeled traffic, a pole was inserted at one end, then removed, then inserted again. This notorious piece of infrastructure even inspired an Instagram account housing Canggu-specific memes and photos.

“Want to connect with startup founders, business coaches, yoga teachers, bloggers, journalists, content creators, or artists?”

Finding community 

Want to connect with startup founders, business coaches, yoga teachers, bloggers, journalists, content creators, or artists? Canggu is a magnet for entrepreneurs and remote workers of all stripes, and events at each of our destinations are designed to help you make social and professional connections. As we believe community is at the core of coliving, many of our events also focus on enabling you to engage with local organizations, NGOs, and businesses. 

Strict social distancing measures are in place at all our events, and all attendees are encouraged to wear masks in order to minimize the spread of the virus. We are always looking for event hosts, so if you’ve got something you’d like to share get in touch with us! 

Pre-pandemic, Canggu’s events calendar was packed with live music, art exhibitions, pre-loved clothing markets, film screenings, festivals, and a huge array of workshops. Although Canggu’s social scene hasn’t quite returned to its pre-pandemic liveliness, a limited number of events are now going ahead with health protocols in place. 

A great source of information for arts events and workshops is the Instagram account @senidibali (which translates as “art in Bali”). The Facebook group Canggu Community (which also has an Instagram and YouTube account) also features event information.  

Cost of living 

Depending on where you stay, what you eat, what activities you pursue and where you travel to, cost of living can vary dramatically. For seasoned travelers, it’s quite easy to exist on a shoestring, but Canggu also caters for high-end tourism so options for all budgets abound.

For those on a tighter budget, local meals served at warung (small eateries) rarely cost more than Rp25,000 (USD1.73), while international dishes are mostly priced between Rp40,00-80,000. Ubud isn’t the only place in Bali that’s home to delicious vegan and vegetarian food — Canggu has plenty of cafes to choose from too. Most restaurants charge an extra 10% tax and 5-10% service charge. 

If you’re planning on cooking for yourself in our communal kitchen and an early riser, Canggu has various traditional markets where you can pick up fresh produce, including Pasar Desa Canggu on Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong (“jalan” means street in Indonesian). Pepito, a premium supermarket group that stocks imported goods and high quality fresh produce, meats, and deli items, has three branches in Canggu. 

Prepaid mobile phone SIM cards are cheap in Indonesia, and retail from as little as Rp20,000 (USD1.39). There are dozens of mobile phone shops in Ubud, and SIM cards are also sold from small counters at supermarkets. You’ll need to present your passport to register for one. A member of our team will be happy to assist you with more information about getting set up with a SIM card.

Internet

We pride ourselves on having Ubud’s fastest internet at each of our destinations, which span the coworking and coliving spaces. Elsewhere around town wifi speed can be a little patchy, though some cafes and restaurants are better than others.  

When to go

Indonesia is a tropical country, and the monsoon season (October to April) is a significant part of the year. A good quality poncho and a pair of rubber sandals stashed in your scooter seat are essential if you’re going to be here during the rainy season. When riding, the ability to pull over on the side of the road and pull on your poncho as quickly as possible becomes a highly valuable skill! 

share