Four Nights In Canggu, Bali

Canggu, Bali a small vibrant town located on the southern region of Bali, Indonesia. From the moment I touched down I felt like a millionaire.

Well, to be honest with an exchange rate of $14,126 Indonesian Rupiah for every $1 US Dollar it’s easy to see why. All it takes is $70.79 USD to be a millionaire in Indonesian Rupiah. That’s something we’ll dive a little deeper into later, but for now let’s set the vibe.

On any night the drive from Denpasar International airport in to the town of Canggu is a vibrant, buzzing, bumper to bumper, scooter on the sidewalk, 45 to 60 minute drive.

Don’t stress it, kick back and enjoy. Hey, you’re in Bali!

I found a local spot through Airbnb for my short stay, they even had a driver come and pick me up at the airport and take me back to the Canggu Beach Inn. Very much appreciated, until I almost lost my wits when my driver asked me for 300,000 Rupiah for the ride. After doing the calculation this only came to $21.24 USD.

Yes, that will take some adjusting to while it is a powerful experience for the mind when you sit down to eat and have a 150,000 Rupiah bill.

Arriving in late at night I decided to check in drop off my bags and grab some dinner. It was a long flight from Chiang Mai to Kuala Lumpur, down to Bali and I was ready to kick back and enjoy some of this Indonesian cuisine.

Luckily, Canggu Beach Inn is located in the heart of Canggu right off Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong (the main street running through town). This was perfect for me since Uber and Grab are not readily available due to conflicts with the local cab businesses. From what I hear ride share drivers catch some serious heat from taking market share from the local cabs. Plus, I was yet to be introduced to the awesome app Go-Jek, but more on that later.

As I stepped out of the Canggu Beach Inn campus I noticed a restaurant right across the street called Café Vida. Little did I know at this time I would be eating here breakfast, lunch, and dinner due to such an amazing atmosphere and variety on the menu.

This type of ambiance and atmosphere was not just in the restaurants of Canggu, but seemed to almost blanket the entire town.

While I was in Chiang Mai, Thailand the previous month I met a fellow traveler from Canada who had been traveling South East Asia. During some fun comradery at the Chiang Mai Muay Thai Gym, Jason shared with me his experience to Bali and the city of Ubud.

               Ubud is a city in Bali which is located in the uplands of Bali, and is famously known for nurturing traditional crafts, cultural arts, rice paddies, and Hindu temples. While I didn’t end up making it out to Ubud (a 45 to 60 minute drive north of Canggu), it would be a recommended site to visit.

               During the day I spent time at restaurants and coffee shops on this main road of Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong.

               There seemed to be an effortless attention to detail and vibrant aura pulsing within and around these coffee shops.

Canggu seems to be a global hub for beach dwellers from all over the world. I chatted with various travelers from Australia, UK, Malaysia, The U.S. and even countries I’ve barely heard of like Luxembourg.

               While my travels at this time are solo, those of you with significant others may find this town to be almost magical.

I can’t seem to find the words to describe this aura that exudes from these restaurants when you sit down to eat steamed snapper fish wrapped in a banana leaf, served with traditional Indonesian rice, salads, and relishes.

To top it off, Canggu seemed to have a wide variety of local kombucha breweries supplying local businesses with exotic tastes of kombucha infusing local flavors, displaying exemplary mixology.

 Most travelers seem comfortable renting scooters and making their way around town. I prefer avoiding driving in chaotic traffic on a two-wheel vehicle as much as possible. However, the Go-Jek app allows one to grab a ride on a local’s scooter for an extremely cheap price. Definitely an awesome way to get around town.

My first time using this app I caught a scooter ride with a local who just had a tattoo of Snoop Dogg put on his arm earlier that day.

Regardless of what anyone’s stance on Snoop Dogg is, it is mind blowing to think that from opposite sides of the world one person can have such an impact on another person.

That was one of the largest takeaways I learned from that experience. Our actions have potential to make a larger impact on the world than we may even realize. Our productivity or lack of productivity not only affects ourselves and those around us, but possibly individuals from distant lands.

Another concept to meditate on was this concept of becoming a millionaire in the local Bali currency. What changes when this “millionaire” status is reached? Nothing. We as people fundamentally stay the same regardless of how much money is in our bank accounts.

Is that to say that we should not strive for attaining a level of affluence and wealth? Not at all. Rather, that is to draw attention to the fact that everything you need is already inside of you. The greatest gifts and treasures available on this planet will not be found outside, they are already waiting to be discovered within you.

Allowing this feeling to flow through us can alleviate any thoughts of lack we may hold. Some people may feel that they can feel happy once they reach a certain financial level or career level. I believe a person should challenge those thoughts and strive to feel those feelings of happiness and completeness in the present moment.

However, this does not mean to stop and remain where you are. Feel those feelings of completeness and gratitude for the gifts that you’ve been blessed with and move forward carrying this perspective with you on your journey.

While there’s always a chance I may be wrong, ultimately, our peace and happiness does not come from personal financial success or even career achievements. Those are excellent things, but our truest currency, of human connection, cannot be bound by these societal definitions and constraints.

On that note, always strive to be the best version of yourself. Simply for the fact that the best version of yourself can be of help to others.

If these thoughts are too out there and introspective, blame it on this Bali vibe. This tranquil meditative energy is apparent everywhere, even when you are not meditating.

I hope this brings some insight into your life. If you have any plans on making a trip out to Bali, it would be well worth it. Likewise, if you are not currently in a position to travel, and if it is something you desire to do, you can have it.

Set a plan and work towards it, you’ll be surprised how quickly things shift for you.

Until next time, keep pushing and progressing. Over and out.