The Ultimate Backpacker’s Guide to Bali
There are few places in this world as serene and as breathtaking as the “Island of the Gods.” Peace is omnipresent on the island of Bali, thanks to the Hinduism that imbues everyday life and architecture. However, it can be difficult to know where to stay and what to do with all the options. In this article, I’ve compiled the best places to stay in the popular towns of Canggu and Uluwatu.
This backpacker’s guide to Bali mainly has options for hostels or homestays and free or cheap activities. If you visit Bali, you will most definitely fall in love with the food, locals, and overall calm vibes on the island.
Content:
Where to Stay in Canngu (Hostels)
Where is Bali?
Bali is located in the Muslim country of Indonesia in Southeast Asia. Although the other islands such as Java, the Gili’s and Lombok are Muslim, Bali is uniquely Hindu. Luckily, there are plenty of direct flights into Denpasar, Bali and you don’t have to fly into the sinking city that is Jakarta.
When I first went to Bali in September 2019, I didn’t have the slightest idea what it would be like. I pictured it as one long dusty road with sandy beaches on either side. Though I knew the names of the towns: Kuta, Canggu, Uluwatu, and Ubud—I didn’t realize the massive size of the island until I started exploring. Let’s give you a quick overview of the main cities in Bali:
Canggu: Black Sand Beaches & a Refined Party Scene
Distance from airport: 1 hour. Distance from Uluwatu: 2 hrs/ Distance from Ubud: 1 hr/ Distance from Padang Bai: 1hr 30 mins/Distance from Sanur: 1 hr
Uluwatu: white sand, surf mecca & reggae vibes
Distance from airport: 1 hr/ Distance from Canngu: 2 hrs/ Distance from Ubud: 2 hrs/ Distance from Padang Bai: 2 hrs/ Distance from Sanur: 1 hr
Kuta/Seminyak: young touristy party scene
Distance from airport: 15 mins/ Distance from Canngu: 40 mins/ Distance from Ubud: 1 hr 15 mins/ Distance from Uluwatu: 45 mins/Distance from Padang Bai: 1 hr 30 mins/ Distance from Sanur: 30 mins
Ubud: spiritual hub and yoga capital of Bali
Distance from airport: 1 hr 15 mins/ Distance from Canngu: 1 hr/ Distance from Uluwatu: 2 hrs/ Distance from Padang Bai: 1 hr/ Distance from Sanur: 1 hr
Check out my blog about living at an ashram in Ubud!
Why include driving times?
Be prepared to add in an extra hour of travel or so from the airport to your destination, as well as when changing cities or taking day trips.
I added in Padang Bai because it’s the port that will take you to either Lombok or the Gili Islands (Gili T, Gili Air, and Gili Meno) and Sanur because it’s the port that will take you to Nusa Penida, another beautiful island.
Where to Stay in Bali (Canngu Area Hostels)
Like Kuta, Canggu also has quite some parties and a strong drinking culture, but still manages to retain the peace and serenity you associate with Bali. I remember the first day driving there along rice fields on a friend’s motorbike, thinking how other-worldly everything looked.
The Hideout Hostel ($7/night – 10 bed dorm)
Situated about a 10 minute walk from the beach, this place is great for someone looking for a social but not a “rager” hostel. Two of their main perks are the big pool on the front lawn and the free yoga classes every morning. They have lots of couches and beanbags for lounging around the pool.
They also have beer but no food, which might be inconvenient…but there are a multitude of eateries around Canggu that will blow your socks off, such as one chic outdoor cafe, Crave. Overall, I would give this hostel 8/10. It wasn’t immaculately clean, or right next to the beach, but the vibes were good. The front lawn with yoga and slack-lining and swimming provided plenty of activities aside from the beach.
Swanky Bunk Hostel ($4/night – 8 bed dorm)
See, when people think Bali they think honeymoons and luxury and blowing through months of savings, but in reality it can be dirt cheap. Some of the perks of this hostel is that it is a quick 5 minute walk to the beach and that they have an amazing restaurant on site.
The staff are also really accommodating and friendly, in particular the manager, Dave. They will make you feel really welcome and at home. One of the only drawbacks is I found the music quite loud at night and the people playing ping-pong constantly can be slightly annoying. If you don’t want to socialize much, this place probably isn’t the best option. Oh, and they also have a pool!
Serenity Eco Guesthouse and Yoga ($11/night – 4 bed dorm)
Giving off something like an ashram vibe, this hostel is more than just a place to rest your head at night. I think people come here to get away from all the partying and craziness that can be the Bali experience. Smoking and drinking alcohol are strictly forbidden, and many areas are “quiet zones.”
They have an nice big pool and several rooms for yoga, as well as a meditation room. Don’t come here to meditate unless you’re a Vinpassa student, though, because the room is only for them. Also, the yoga classes aren’t free, but also not too expensive for guests.
They also have a vegan or vegetarian restaurant on site and it’s practically on the beach it’s so close. The only downside to this hostel are a lot of the “wannabe enlightened” people walking around smiling in some sort of daze. Not to be harsh, but I just felt a lot of it was fake.
What to do in Canngu?
In Canngu, I mostly spent my days hanging out with friends, walking along the beach, and even went boogie-boarding! Echo Beach is a great place to get drinks and food while enjoying an ocean vista. Bars like Old Man’s, Fin’s Beach Club, the Lawn and Luigi’s are famous for partying later into the night.
I found that the waves were quite intimidating in Canngu, of course it depends on the day, but if you’re a beginner or just don’t have the cahones to tackle bigger waves like me, perhaps it’s a good idea to head to Seminyak for a surf. Only 30 minutes driving from Canngu, it’s a solid plan for a day trip. According to a friend, you shouldn’t pay more than 50 IDR ($3) for a surf board rental and 250 IDR ($17) for a 2 hr lesson.
Also, when the waves are small in Canngu its really, really crowded so that becomes a hazard in and of itself. Body boarding is a good alternative if you just want to play in the white water, though! Otherwise, it’s a neat town with holistic shops, yoga studios, and plenty of beach bars to keep you occupied. I spent about 3 days here which was plenty.
Where to Stay in Bali (Uluwatu Area)
There are few places in this world that stole my heart with the immediacy and intensity of Uluwatu! Just a tip: make sure you book a bit ahead of time as places can get booked up in advance.
Although there are beach parties with reggae bands and lots of happenings, it’s also a great place to wind down and relax. This is the more therapeutic and rejuvenating part of Bali — the place that lets you get in touch with some of the last ancient wisdom left in the world.
Here’s where I stayed:
Kebu Container ($7/night -4 bed dorm | $18/night- private)
This humble hotel is right next to Padang Padang, Dreamland, and Bingin Beach (and is really cheap). It doesn’t have any communal area or free coffee and tea that you usually find in hostels, but for what it lacks in amenities it makes up for in its cool, modern design with every room made out of shipping containers!
GP Bali Homestay ($11/night- private)
GP Bali is possibly the cheapest private room you’ll find in Uluwatu, but it is quite far from everything except Pandawa beach. Being in a super local area has it’s ups and downs. For one, there were super friendly hosts and not any other tourists, but for another part I had to drive at least 20 minutes to get to beaches like Dreamland and Bingin.
Also, I drove here on a rented bike from Canngu and almost died! Not literally, but it was quite hairy: being lost with no sim card, getting chased by dogs, and trying to ask directions from anybody I saw. It was very hard to find, so I recommend going during the day!
Best Beaches in Uluwatu
Going to the beach, reading a book, resting and relaxing while feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin…this is one of my favorite things to do in the whole wide world. You could give me a beautiful beach, a good book, and some form of shade every day for the rest of my life and I think I’d be perfectly content.
That being said, I actually found the beaches in Uluwatu much more beautiful and better for chilling than those in Canggu. Uluwatu is a flipping DREAM! Here are some of my favorite spots in that I checked out:
Melasti Beach
A great, unspoiled beach with less Western tourists than other beaches in the area. The host at GP Bali Homestay, Maxi, recommended it to me and it did not disappoint! I found many locals and families here, as well as caves for free shade. You have to drive down a cliff to arrive like many of the beaches here, FYI ;).
Pandawa Beach
Quiet, a bit further away from the center of Uluwatu but very close to GP Bali. There are some huge temples as you drive by inside of the cliffs, kind of like the Batu Caves in KL, Malaysia. There are also lots of tourist shops but hardly any people. I rented an umbrella and lounger and had fun finding shells and washed up pieces of coral along this stunning coastline.
Nyang Nyang
It’s simply incredible! You have to go if you’re in Uluwatu. It’s more like a mini natural park than a beach. You have to park your bike halfway down a cliff though and hike about 20 minutes down the rest of the way..it shouldn’t be a problem for anyone mildly fit though. There isn’t a whole lot of shade as it’s not developed at all like other beaches, but I did manage to find a “Bubble Hotel” under construction and chilled under some trees and shelter there like the vagabond I am.
‘Suluban’ or Single Fin
A classic surfing beach in Uluwatu. It’s so fun to watch people surf (and wipe out) on these massive, fast and barreling waves. Aside from watching the eye candy that were the surfers, I had a great time exploring the rock-studded and cave-covered coastline and dipping into the extremely clear and beautiful water. One tip, the cafes above the beach aren’t the best quality so maybe bring your own food? Or eat somewhere else before/after.
Padang Padang
The beach made famous by the movie Eat Pray Love, so you might recognize it. This was one of my FAVORITES, even though I had this embarrassing moment where I rented a surf board, paddled out halfway and then turned around and decided not to surf. It was crowded and I think I needed a teacher or something. Anyway, I used my board as sort of a makeshift boat and paddled to some nearby caves. I found one big one and wound up going back multiple times to dodge some bats and meditate ;). Pro tip: if you go in the morning you can see the local Melasti ceremony and have the caves and beach all to yourself! Pro-pro tip: if you climb up above the caves you can find some SWEET celebrity homes (I’m guessing) to trespass into! Man, imagine being that rich to have Padang Padang as your backyard.
Bingin Beach
Another famous surfing beach with big, scary waves and tubes abounding. Situated about 1 km from Padang Padang, you can walk along the beach with caves and rock formations to get there. There’s some nice breakfast places, which although they are a little pricey have some bomb-ass breakfast burritos. Funny little story, since I walked there I had to walk back, so I climbed to the top of the cliff and walked back along the road. This felt quite dangerous with motorbikes whizzing by, but luckily a local stopped by and said “free, free!” and gave me a ride back to Kebu.
Dreamland
One of those places you see on Instagram and have to pinch yourself when you’re there in real life. The sunset is amazing..you can access it from Sterling Hotel-put this in your maps-then keep driving till you get to the parking close to the beach. There is also a resort with a nice restaurant upstairs on the beach, but it’s pricey. Do yourself a favor and watch a sunset at Dreamland. I can’t recommend it enough.
Things to Do & Where to Eat in Uluwatu
Uluwatu Temple
A great thing to do is visit Uluwatu Temple, famous for expansive views of the Indian Ocean and naughty little monkeys. There are signs outside saying not to wear sunglasses or pull out your phone, and when people broke these rules there were strict consequences: monkey attacks!
No joke, I saw a woman get jumped by a monkey for her sunglasses. People were walking around clutching sticks to their sides and visibly shaken up by these little monkeys. I personally wasn’t scared ’till it started getting dark and they were all sitting there by the exit trails staring at me like they were out for blood. But yeah, the temple is stunning!
Try Local Food: Warung Heboh
On a different note, if you want to eat like a local, visit Warung Heboh, a cheap place close to Padang Padang serving delicious buffet style food. Anything with “Warung” in front of it is a more local and cheap restaurant or cafe.
Date Night at Suka Expresso
Head to Suka Expresso for a romantic, candle-lit dinner date. They have fantastic vegetarian and vegan options as well as wonderful tea and desserts! I had a vegetarian pasta dish with sun-dried tomatoes and basil and it was delicious and guilt-free. They also have the best coffee in Uluwatu!
Helpful Hints & Tricks
Okay, so, congrats if you’ve made it to the end of the lengthy article. I realize that there are entire websites dedicated to Bali so I hope this is not all just repeat information. But if I’m typing it all in vain, know that it’s all good-willed and in the spirit of sharing & helping my fellow humans. Here’s some do’s and don’ts in Bali:
DO rent a motorbike! ($4/day)
If you’re in Bali, you definitely need a bike. There are many places like beaches and hostels that are “no grab zones” which means your only option for transportation are crazy expensive taxi’s. Long story short, if you don’t have a bike, you’re f*%ked.
I rented a bike from my hostel and drove it to Uluwatu which took about 2 hours but was really convenient in the long run. It saves a lot of money, plus it’s really fun driving along rice fields and down white, rocky cliffs to get down to the beach. Is it scary? A little? Should you be careful? Definitely. But what’s life without a little adventure and risk, you know?
Update: Canngu, Uluwatu, and Ubud are “no grab/gojek” zones controlled by the offline taxi mafia. (People get punched or worse for driving for Grab there.) Kuta, Seminyak and possibly Sanur are okay to use grab and it’s super cheap!
DO download Maps.Me (Offline Maps)
This is a free app that you can use without data/wifi by downloading the maps ahead of time. I really recommend downloading the maps of Bali, especially if you want to disconnect and not get a sim card. This app has helped me so much in life, like, I feel eternally grateful for it. But you must remember to download the maps ahead of time!
Do download Gojek & Grab!
Earlier in this article, I mentioned grab, which is like the Uber of Southeast Asia. Gojek is just the Indonesian version which can be useful if there are no grab drivers available. Leaving the airport, I really recommend using one of these apps or you will be SCAMMED! Grab allows you to know the “fair” price by calling ahead (I paid around 180k IDR to Canngu.)
Update: It’s virtually impossible to use grab from the airport without a sim card. I wound up paying 250k IDR to Ubud because it was too hot to stand outside bargaining. This is too much for a motorbike.)
Do Be Careful with ATM’s
A friend of mine had her account drained after using an ATM in Bali. Be on the safe side and bring enough cash with you. I’d bring about 300 USD for 1 week and then exchange to Rupiah.
Make sure you download XE Currency, or another app to check the exchange rate so you don’t get ripped off! Drive around and check a few places so that you can find the best deal. The exchange rate should be 15,000/$1 but it’s common to see 13,800 or less.
Do Bring a Bit of Local Currency (Rupiah)
I recommend bringing at least 300-500k IDR to pay for a taxi and possibly a sim card once you get to the airport. But be warned, sim cards cost around 150k in the airport and around 20-30k outside.
I brought around 100k which was definitely not enough for a motorbike taxi! I also noticed there were long lines for the ATM in the airport, the last thing you want to wait in after a long flight and security check line.
Don’t …
Well actually I’m not your mom. I’m not here to tell you what to do! If you want to swim at night and risk being yelled at by security, go for it! If you want to drink and drive, well don’t go for it! But really, just do whatever the hell you want to do. It’s your vacation and your life. I will say please be careful surfing/swimming as the Indian Ocean has a lot of energy, just have some respect and you’ll be alright.
That’s All! Thanks for reading!
In Bali, it’s all about enjoying the simplicity of life. My days there consisted mainly of waking up, having a coffee at one beach, and exploring and/or meditating there. Then I would have lunch, go home and have a nap around midday, and go explore another beach in the afternoon and watch the sunset.
For one week, my life centered around just pure life! No rushing around, no to-do lists, just focusing on the essentials: Eating, Exploring, Relaxing, and Being Present.
Wow! Great info should I ever travel to Bali! Your article certainly gave a lot of important information–and made me smile more than once 🙂