2 WEEKS IN CANGGU, BALI

Bali is one of the most popular destinations in Indonesia, and there is a good reason why. Simply put, it’s amazing. Somewhere we could quite easily live if we weren’t already living in paradise. The countryside is beautiful, the beaches (outside of Kuta) are picture perfect, there are great family activities, friendly locals, world-class dining, and it’s inexpensive. Bali is the total package. There’s a reason why so many people go there and never leave. We go to the island every few months and still spend the last few days in denial of our impending departure. If you are considering going here, just pull the trigger and go. You won’t regret it. And once you leave the touristy southeast corner of the island, you won’t be bothered with crowds of tourist. The island is both idillic and chaotic, its important you experience both to completely understand and appreciate the beauty of BALI.

Typical Costs

Accommodation

For families, you can expect to pay between 100-400Aud per night, it just depends on your budget but ideally you want somewhere which offers peace of mind given there are a few health and safety concerns needed to be considered with children. i.e, Pool fencing, enclosed living and sleeping areas for mosquito purposes. Avoid staying anywhere close to the canals, ponds, rivers etc. Its always worth paying that extra bit more to ensure your holiday is well equipped and purposeful. Your goal in Bali is to relax.  Food – We enjoyed the vast array of organic or vegan cafes on offer throughout the Canggu, Berawa and Seminyak region and can expect to pay between 20-50Aud for a full breakfast for 4, consisting of coffees, smoothies, juices, meals and extras. We tend to go overboard given the selection is always so enticing and delicious and generally spend closer to the 50Aud mark.  Dinner, again, is always so impressive cost wise. We never leave without dessert and will generally cost between 70-200 Aud depending on where. Both options to eat either takeaway wood-fire pizza or something more gourmet like amberjack carpaccio with ponzu beetroot and seaweed from Mamasan are available. The options are endless. Eating out is a lot less expensive than what you would expect to pay back home, but don’t forget, it adds up. Alternatively you can spend less than a third of that and have one of your friendly staff prepare you an unforgettable traditional-Balinese dish to feed the whole family. Simply mention your likes or dislikes and they’ll even be so kind as to shop for the ingredients themselves.

Grocery shopping 

Your villa staff will know all the best places to get fresh local produce, but for any imported or local organic goodies, you can try Bali Buda. It’s Bali’s version of Santos.. well, close to. Filled with lots of natural treats for the kids and a good source of fresh organic sourdough.

Transportation 

Transportation around Bali is very cheap. You can get taxis for around 5Aud and private mini vans across the island for around 50Aud. If you are traveling far, Sunday is a good day to go due to the quiet traffic, being that all the locals stay home as it’s their only day off work. With children in the car, the lesser time the better. Hiring a scooter can be organised through your villa host before arriving. If you plan on using it with the kids, be sure to specify how many kids helmets you’d like, depending on their ages.

 Activities 

Most people on Bali go surfing, but for those moments you’re not surfing, there are some super fun activities to get involved in with the kids. Canggu Club was a favourite. There you’ve got the Splash park, the trampoline park - Bounce, tennis courts and more. Entry is between 25-50 Aud depending on time of day. Escaping the crowds was easy, just book a driver for the day and head to either the Tegenungun waterfall, the beautiful beaches of Uluwatu, do a hike or just find a nice restaurant somewhere in the hills of Ubud. If you are traveling far, Sunday is a good day to go due to the quiet traffic, being that all the locals stay home on sunday as it’s their only day to relax. Sunday should also be dedicated to the markets, found in a few different places but we loved the market at Samadi the best.

For dads, generally surfing is top priority, but for mum, visit the spa – Bali is the perfect place to re-energize, by pampering yourself and releasing bottled up stress and tension. There are a number of Balinese spa treatments, which involve the use of various herbs and spices, and Balinese massage is one of the most relaxing in the world. The Day Spas are all within 50 meters of one another costing a third of aus prices. Also, an abundance of yoga and meditation centres are on offer, Classes range from 12Aud per class or 50Aud for 5passes.

Recommendations

Discover

Learn about Balinese Culture in Ubud – Ubud is the second most popular tourist area and was made super famous by the book, Eat, Pray, Love. However, this is still the best place to observe Balinese on Bali and is still considered the island’s cultural capital. There are a number of beautiful temples, numerous historical sites, dancing shows, a monkey temple, and some of the best food on the island. People tend to stay here awhile as it’s a lot more scenic and peaceful despite the crowds.

Accom

Where we stayed, at DESA RORO, was genuinely the most perfect situation. Everything around us was everything we needed. We managed a few day trips but for the rest of our stay, we were in the perfect spot. Aside from location, the DESA RORO VILLA offers a children’s swimming pool adjacent to the lap pool, (this we found to be the highlight of the stay for both Yoli and Louie) pool toys are provided and the bamboo pool fence was exactly what we needed to feel relaxed around the water without it ruining the picturesque balinese landscaped garden. Most importantly was the enclosed living areas, keeping the mosquitos OUT. The space was BEAUTIFUL. So calm and private. The garden lush and green, plenty of room for the kids to run around. Inside was just amazingly easy. All open plan, with huge bedrooms and bathrooms. The kitchen was nicer than our own at home, with everything we needed and more. Kitchens aren’t always particularly nice with Bali accommodation, due to the fact they never get used with tourists, being that they regularly eat out, but as a family, we really appreciate being able to enjoy our time in the kitchen with the kids, so this was a massive bonus for us.

Our biggest thing with this place was quite evidently the staff. Them. Seriously amazing. Komang, Ketut, Oka and Nyoman. All legends… and all LOVE children and go out of their way to help or just engage with the kids because they genuinely enjoy their company. We left both Louie and Yoli with Ketut regularly during those few hours spent working or when carlo and I would disappear for a very RARE and romantic meal together alone. We were even able to squeeze in a couples massage. This i whole-heartedly recommend and it may sound cheesy but i swear, it’s the best therapy. All thanks to beautiful Ketut. Overall, this place stole our heart and we cannot wait to return. everything about it was perfect and after 2 weeks, we couldn’t fault it. To book this beautiful villa, you can email Robbert villacrystalbali@gmail.com for more details. They offer two properties, one much larger than the other, and both cater to all family needs

Dining

Favourite breakfast options were Milk and Madu, Watercress and Shady Shack.

For dinner, Barbacoa, La Lucciola, Mamasan and Bamboo.

Another must is the DELICIOUS Kombucha from Kombuchi Brewing Co in Canggu. You can go pick up or have your 1 litre bottles delivered to your door.

Day Spa

Gold Dust, on Batu Bolong in Canggu.

Yoga

Samadi, in Echo beach, Canggu.

Enjoy your trip xx

Lena & Carlo