During my Bali adventure, I chose to stay in 3 different cities to get a feel for different parts of the island. I had the pleasure of staying in the cities of Canggu, Ubud & Seminyak. Each city had its own unique vibe and scene. I thoroughly enjoyed each area and can’t wait to explore more of Bali and the surrounding Indonesian islands in the future.
Canggu was my first stop in Bali and it’s known for its health-conscious culture, beautiful beaches, and surfing. Surfers from around the world come to Canggu to surf the wicked waves crashing into the black sand of Echo Beach. Canggu is laid back with a bohemian vibe. So naturally, I felt right at home. Here you’ll be greeted with lush rice paddies, traditional Balinese villas with beautiful landscapes, cute shops, healthy eateries and plenty of yoga and wellness retreats. Nature is integrated into both residential and commercial spaces as much as possible. You’ll find countless open-air cafes in Bali with beautifully maintained plants and exotic flowers. They really cater to the health and wellness crowd as there is no shortage of vegan, vegetarian, and organic options around.
I remember sitting in Café Vida on my first day in Canggu and the couple beside me could be overheard discussing chakras, yoga theory, and healing ancestral trauma. There was a moment where I silently laughed to myself because these aren’t things you hear every day but was so aligned with the path that I am on. The universe continued to make it VERY CLEAR why I had to come here!
My first day, I had the pleasure of *quite literally* stumbling upon AfterTaste, an adorable local restaurant with amazing food. The owner saw me struggling on the side of the road after my new sandal broke. 🤦🏾♀️ I have this thing about not walking barefoot in public and the thought of walking back to the villa on a dirt road barefoot was hurting my soul. She waved over to me, fixed my shoe and we became fast friends. She saved me! 🤣 Her menu is fresh, tasty and the food is made with a lot of love! I highly suggest you visit my friend Wiwin at AfterTaste for a great meal! It’s rated one of the best cafes in Bali!
Lodging 🏡
Lodging options all over the island were very affordable. For my first experience, I opted to stay in a private room in a villa called Casa Maki run by Marco & Kiara, lovely hosts from Italy. The location was great and I was able to walk to most everything I needed. I found this property on Airbnb at a very affordable price.
• MyWarung Echo Beach is a great place for breakfast or lunch! Their staff is incredibly friendly and the food is made fresh to order. I enjoyed everything I tried there. They have a wall of photos of every patron that has dined there so you’ll see my face on the wall once (or twice) lol!
• Bali Buda is a Bali staple shop with locations in several of the major cities on the island. This is a great place to pick up some healthy food options for your villa/rental in their grocery area. They also have an open-air restaurant and bar upstairs. I tried their vegan carrot cake and it rocked my world!
• The Common is a very hip and modern style restaurant that offers lots of healthy options. I ordered a very tasty pesto pasta with fresh cherry tomatoes, vegan feta and a strawberry granita that made me want nothing but frozen drinks for the rest of my stay!
• Copenhagen featured a stylish open-air dining space, beautiful build your own breakfast boards, freshly baked bread, pastries, and local fruits. A great place for a western/European style breakfast infused with local ingredients. Their watermelon w/ feta salad was a nice way to start the day!
Shopping 👜
• Sakti Healing is for those who love all things crystals, healing and metaphysical. This shop is SO cute! This is where I bought my first Rose Quartz pendant and decided to get a tarot reading from a local healer as well. Her reading was so on point it blew my mind! Definitely stop in to support a local woman owned business.
• Divine Goddess is a great shop for my yoginis and spiritual sisters. They sell beautiful yoga gear, spiritual jewelry and accessories. This is where I found my chakra bracelets, beloved Namaste ring and a few other keepsakes.
• Avaalia is a very stylish & absolutely adorable lifestyle store that sells clothing, unique jewelry, hats, and home accessories inspired by island living. Every piece was unique and I wanted EVERYTHING! 🤣
I stepped outside of my comfort zone and attended a workshop at Samadi Bali Yoga Retreat called from Scared to Sacred: Releasing Fear – Creating Magic, which was lead by Ezriyah ben Ernst. Ezriyah has such an incredible life story filled with tremendous highs and devastating lows that he openly shared with us to kick off the retreat. I was so grateful for his openness and honesty. I’ll be honest, sitting in a half-day workshop with a bunch of strangers from around the world divulging my deepest fears wasn’t something the “old me” would have been comfortable doing, but it ended up being one of the most freeing experiences of my life! I’ll share more about this workshop in a future post, so stay tuned!
If you’re looking for a relaxing atmosphere, good restorative food, beautiful beaches, wellness retreats, and unbelievable sunsets, Canggu is the place for you!😀
The Dope Bohemian 