The Charm of Canggu: The Best Things to See and Eat

We stayed at a country villa off from the center of Canggu. This slice of Bali was filled with rice fields and beauty. Canggu is a bit of a surfer’s paradise, but this town has more to offer than just the ocean paradise. There have been so many delicious cups of coffee, and restaurants that rival NYC or Paris. The Canggu streets are lined with amazing shops, hipster cafes, and sunset bars, perfect any day of the week. With being so close to Australia, there is a heavy influence with the cuisine and coffee styles throughout Bali. Flat whites and poached eggs in avocado were daily apart of the diet. I am pretty sure this is the first place in all my travels that there has not been one bad cup of coffee or meal. The area had my senses on overload.SunsetLa Brisa is a restaurant/bar/lounge that is set right on the beach. They have an open-air decor that has the beach bleeding into their main area of the restaurant. Tables and couches are spread out to entice a laid-back feel. The families and locals come here to have a drink or have a chat while the temp and sun comes down. The views of sunset are just astounding from their second floor. Sunsets should be on your list coming to Bali. There is something about these sunsets that have you reflecting on everything.The decor features some couches and art pieces of the aquatic life. You can collect yourself over a bottle of wine after a long long day at the beach. This place is truly of the Swiss Family Robinson’s film: the high ceilings, the bamboo wooden structures, the chill music. The reflections of life that come with this ambience truly is appealing.They have a set up where you have to pay around twelve USD a person, but this money can be put towards what you want to eat and drink. It truly was a breath taking place, before sunset and after. It is open, spacious, and the staff is very attentive. It was one of the best nights in Canggu.Breakfast/CafeCrate has been written about a thousand times. It has been visited, turned, tossed, and wrung out a million times; it is uber popular. But, it truly is a great place to have breakfast. The owners are Australian, and they have brought with them some good eats and coffee. My go-to coffee stops are hipster cafes, which are focused on brewing the best coffee. When I read about a hipster cafe, I visit immediately.Crate is situated right off the main street in the area. The cafe brings a charm of minimalism with their decor. Scattered chairs, couches and communal tables are spread out in their open-aired cafe. Their food consists of smoothie bowls, smoothies, massive breakfast plates, and espresso based drinks. Having a heavy breakfast gets you through the day especially when the sun beats on you all day in Canggu. We went many times, but the Shregg was the winner for me on their menu. It consists of chorizo, baked eggs, a salsa medley, and some bread on the side. It was baked to perfection every time. Even if you are not in the mood for eating, any of their coffees are a reason to give the cafe a visit. Another meal, their smoothie bowl, was made with their dragon fruit, strawberries, coconut, Kiwi, and whipped up into pure happiness. All local ingredients were used and you can taste the freshness in their dishes.The lines start to get long around eight in the morning everyday. They are deservingly busy. Trying to find a table is always a hustle, but the wait is easily forgotten when the food comes. The hipster culture is alive and well. I am sure there were a few faces that we saw every time that we came for a bite. There are communal tables for you to enjoy your newfound meal and people will be discussing about how great their dishes are.CoffeeI am a pretty hard critic when it comes to coffee. You want something of character when you walk into your coffee shop. You want something that you connect with. You want it for you to be attached to. You want the coffee shop where you can sit down, relax, have the aroma making you right. The beans, ambience, and decor are all factors in winning me over, which brought us to Copenhagen. It is tucked away a few streets from the main drag. The cafe faces the street and provides only a few tables. If you want to have great coffee in Canggu while relaxing having a chat, go there and get your day started right. It is one that we will not forget.BeachBerawa beach has become our must-see beach. You can get there easily by the downtown area of Canggu; it is only a ten-minute scooter. The surfing, coconuts, and lounge chairs all are on the shoreline. The beach is a bit secluded, but there are bars and restaurants if you need a mid-day snack. We spent hours just relaxing, reading and watching the people stroll by.There are some resorts that have the music pumping and people pounding Bintang. So, there are places you can visit to find that scene, but just walk down a bit and it is transformed into another world. The view, the ambience, the smiles from our secluded lounge area made our choice seem to work out. You can see the surfers out on the waves, you can see the beach walkers passing by, you can see the day pass-by while enjoying the sounds of the ocean. A highlight to the Canggu area that had us visiting a lot.We chose an area that had few lounge chairs and some Germans enjoying their books. It seemed like an ideal spot to relax the day away. This spot had everything that we needed for the day: fresh coconuts, beers, and cocktails. Sometimes doing nothing at the beach can fill the day with everything.CocktailBali is not known for wine, and of course you can get the standard Bintang. But, I wanted more of an experience, so I headed to Peekaboo. I am a fan of spice and tequila, and when I saw the spicy wasabi, my order was a no brainer. It was a bit of a secret what the ingredients were, but all I care about is that it was fresh, spicy, and changing my night!The decor at Peekaboo is inspired by the graphite artist, Banksy, and right then I knew i was a fan of this place. The vibe is relaxed and fitting for a few drinks after a day at the beach. The bartenders were so curious on how the cocktail was for me, and they were pleasantly thrilled that I approved of such a concoction. On top of the decor and drinks, the music was my jam. It was all old-school 90’s hip hop. It was a dash of brooklyn and a dash of island life, which I never thought would go together, but it blended together effortlessly. I had to get my fix, so we visited this find a few times.. This is a place not to be missed. If you are thinking about coming to Bali, put this on your list for a night outing.A lot of people flock to Seminyak, party central, but do not pass up the opportunity of experiencing the eclectic Canggu. There are so many different vibes, amazing food, and epic sunsets to be experienced. You cannot be steered wrong in this town. What else could you want?