Bali, IndonesiaMacrio GalanMay 17, 2018canggu, where to eat in canggu, bali, digital nomad, what to do in Canggu, things to do in bali, bali travel, Canggu Travel guide, Bali Travel Guide

Canguu

Bali, IndonesiaMacrio GalanMay 17, 2018canggu, where to eat in canggu, bali, digital nomad, what to do in Canggu, things to do in bali, bali travel, Canggu Travel guide, Bali Travel Guide

Canggu, Bali, Indonesia

Wikipedia Canggu

Tripadvisor Canggu

Stay: Villa Ranga Bodhi, Villa Angur, Villa Shanti — **Stay**: Villa Ranga Bodhi, Villa Angur, Villa Shanti

Eat: Lupe Canggu , Peloton Supershop — **Eat**: Lupe Canggu , Peloton Supershop

Explore: Berawa , Batu Belog — **Explore**: Berawa , Batu Belog

DO: Try Thalasso Therapy at Anantara Spa in Uluwatu

christina

Searching for Canggu on the Internet you most likely will find a series of amazing videos from the international jet-setting 20-something crowd, along with testimonials of surfers, entrepreneurs, digital nomads and expats all preaching the "Balifornia Dream" of a laid-back, spiritual island surf culture combined with the amenities of fast Internet and amazing fresh food. Vogue just did a feature on Canggu if that's any indication of the state of things. All of these descriptions fit, of course, and it truly is a dream environment as others have pointed out. What interests me mostly though, is how this transitioning place continues to maintain it's connection to its unique culture while simultaneously hosting all of these people with a sublime and beautiful attitude. How does Bali do it, again and again, and is it sustainable?

While the tourism industry has set a target to attract 7 million tourists to the island in 2018, locals and any foreigner on the street can start to see the strain on the infrastructure already happening. Narrow roads, inexperienced foreign scooter riders and congestion all contribute to the atrocious traffic situation. For those of us that choose to walk, the sidewalks are either falling apart literally with giant cracks or holes, are non-existent especially in places like Canggu, or can be used as driving lanes in Seminyak due to the traffic issue. (It is possible to walk around as we did, but please be wary of traffic day and night and always bring a flashlight so drivers can see you on dark roads at night. Also please be mindful as you take each step as the conditions are extremely inconsistent.)

Beyond traffic, the realities of urban development are seen on every street where rice farmers are tending their fields right next to giant villa construction sites that can yield $300++/night from the booming tourist needs. This, when taken in contrast to the average monthly minimum wage of ~$160 in Denpasar ($147 Bali-wide) begins to draw a disturbing picture of income inequality and the development of alternate realities on the island. This article does a great job breaking down the quality of life and cost of living compared to the wages and costs of living on the island. What's interesting to note is how locals themselves view this emergence and whether it serves them. Some Balinese we spoke to embrace the idea of tourism as an economical advantage and are happy to turn their family-held rice fields into villas (in their words, "Why should we continue to do the back-breaking work of being rice farmers when we can earn money in other ways?"). Others, like organization Sawah Bali, are working to restore balance between the polarities of agriculture and tourism needs.

Although it is illegal for foreigners to buy land in Bali, there are many ways around it and international people from around the world are buying property to add to their portfolio, further driving up the cost of land and bringing with it inflation. The rate of development is astronomical and can be seen over time easily - when I visited Bali for the first time 12 years ago, it was a much different place, far more rural and with less commerce and traffic. I can only imagine what it will be like in another 10+ years. What I'm personally faced with after speaking with local people, is to truly practice the art of listening and to withhold my Western judgements around what is better for Bali. In the past, I may have assumed it was better for this island to continue on as a rural "untouched paradise" but this idealizes a simplicity that does not exist and truly comes from a privileged perspective; I talk more about this in my post on Ubud.

We kept seeing this graffiti term #Balionaire throughout our time there and I think it's a great artistic critique of what's happening on this magical island. The artist forces the dualist lens to the viewer on whether it costs billions to live there or how amazing this paradise already is, making one feel like a billionaire. The Instagram feed of photos with the term add a whole other lens onto the image-based rhetoric that Bali continues to churn out - bikini-clad, uber-gorgeous people selling the paradise dream. I couldn't find the artist online (yet!) but an interesting critique nonetheless and one that is essential not just to Bali itself, but to the larger global questions of sustainability and economical development and to the intricate complexities of poverty, food justice, and natural resources... no answers here yet, but a mind-bender for sure especially as someone who truly enjoys it here - idiosyncracies and all.

JULIO

After living it up in posh Seminyak we moved over to the more peaceful, sustainable and rural village of Canggu. Rice paddy vistas, smiling Balinese faces, narrow roads dotted with organic eateries and a laid back surf vibe make this enchanting place the number one destination for digital nomads from around the world.

The Balinese culture continues to enchant with its daily devotional rituals and vibrant and colorful brand of Hinduism that is so fascinating in contrast to that of India. We have been here during the Balinese holidays of Kuningan and Galungan, where large decorated palm leaf poles hang outside of homes and businesses signifying the victory of Dharma over Adharma. See more info

Bali seems to be ground zero for Australians on raucous holidays, Americans seeking a spiritual awakening(thanks to Eat Pray Love), and international digital nomads looking for a place to plant the flag. This culture is reflected in the plethora of bars, clubs, ecstatic dances, yoga, and co-working spaces. Being a fan of all these types of institutions, I can't say that while briefly entertaining, I did'’t find any of them to feel authentic or have a unique, genuine character. Although the immaculate Balinese design aesthetic makes everything enjoyable, it seems set up for the farangs (foreigners) and lacks real substance. The Balinese themselves are warm and welcoming under almost all circumstances, but underneath the welcoming exterior is a concern for a growing Indonesian Islamic nationalism and a fast move away from the Balinese culture into the hyper globalized ways of tourism and the West.

The local diet in Bali consists mainly of rice and soup dishes from home or mobile street vendors. Soto Ayam, which is like a chicken meatball soup and various Nasi (rice) dishes are available on almost every block. Balinese work in co-ops to produce their rice for family unless they sell or develop their shared land to develop accommodations for incoming visitors. Local rice production is at risk due to this trend and inviting more western style fast food options.

Canggu is changing rapidly. More relaxed than its posh neighbor Seminyak, but set up for hip foreigners, you can eat in a different Vegan, organic cafe every night for a month if you so choose. It is rather spread out and seeing as we did not renew our international driver’s license and the idea of joining the hordes of scooters seemed less then safe, we walked the whole darn time. It was loud, littered with garbage everywhere and sidewalks are simply not a thing. I would love to say that we got used to it, but it just kinda sucked to be on foot. The moment things would get quiet and you would hone in on nature, a giant tattooed douche bag driving a big wheel dirt bike would come roaring past and kill your moment of peace. The average age seemed to be twenty. Bikinis were were the most common uniform at all hours and the whole place seemed like a central casting call for the Leonardo di Caprio movie "The Beach". All this still cannot not take away from the magic of Bali which is ever present and relaxing. The environment, traditions and local warmth make it a special place to be and visit that should be on everyone list before it becomes even more over saturated with more visitors.