Thinking about a holiday in Bali and can’t make up your mind between Uluwatu and Canggu? Well, that’s OK, they’re both great places for a holiday.
However, we think our guide will help you weigh up the pros and cons of each location and make an informed decision as to which beach town is best for your Bali holiday.
What’s It Like In Uluwatu, Bali?
Uluwatu, on the Southernmost tip, of the Southwest Coast of Bali is a lovely place with some of the best surfing on the island.
However, it’s not a built-up town like Canggu and it’s very spread out, which can mean that nothing is within walking distance.
The Uluwatu Temple and the surf beaches are the main draws of the area and though there is a nightlife scene, it’s not as obvious or as central to Uluwatu as it is in the beach towns.
The town is on the Bukit Peninsula which can make the area feel a touch divorced from the rest of Bali, but you’re only a short drive from Canggu, Kuta, and Seminyak, though Ubud is a bit further away.
The most memorable thing about Uluwatu is its spectacular limestone cliffs above the Indian Ocean and there’s no doubt that you can enjoy a great sunset at some of the amazing cafes in the area.
What’s It Like In Canggu, Bali?
Canggu is a vibrant modern beach town with some of the best facilities, restaurants, bars, etc. on the island.
It’s only been recently developed as Seminyak, Legian and Kuta reached capacity and that means it has some of the most modern amenities the island has to offer too.
You’ll find that Canggu is currently the most popular area in Bali with tourists, expats and digital nomads overtaking Seminyak and Kuta.
The downside to this is that Canggu’s rice paddies are disappearing and there’s a lot more traffic in the area than there was a decade ago.
None of this matters, however, when you’re sat on a sun lounger with a cold cocktail and watching the spectacular sunset at FINNS beach club, the world’s best beach club, that’s what island life is all about.
Uluwatu Vs Canggu: Head-To-Head Comparisons
So, we’ve already established that Canggu and Uluwatu, Bali aren’t exactly identical but how do they differ and which one will be best for your Balinese holiday?
Well, we’ve broken it down into a set of criteria that we think most people consider before they book their trip and here’s what we’ve found.
Which Is The Best For Accommodation?
Uluwatu has an interesting range of accommodations it has some incredible luxury resorts on the clifftops overlooking the Indian Ocean and offering truly stunning views. It’s a lovely place for a romantic getaway.
There are also plenty of surfer-oriented resorts where everything is oriented to finding and chasing the best waves at any time of day.
You can also find a decent range of hostels, guesthouses and budget accommodation in Uluwatu.
However, it’s important to remember how spread out Uluwatu is and for those without transport, they may find their Uluwatu home is also something of a trap that keeps them at a distance from the best restaurants and best coffee shops in the area.
One thing worth noting at the moment, however, is that Uluwatu is having problems with the water supply and while the big name hotels aren’t affected, private villas may find themselves without water at a moment’s notice.
Canggu, on the other hand, has more accommodation options than Uluwatu and while there isn’t quite as much high-end luxury accommodation, there are far more mid-range options that are going to appeal to a wider audience.
The area still has guesthouses and hostel accommodation and while it’s not as cheap as it once was in this corner of the Southwest Coast, it’s still great value for money when compared to other busy parts of the island.
To sum up, it’s a close call but we’d say that for most people Canggu edges out Uluwatu for accommodation but that’s there’s not very much in it.
Which Has The Best Nightlife?
Uluwatu has nightlife but there’s no single spot for it and you might need to stroll around keeping an ear open for some live music in some parts of the area though Kelly’s Warung is usually a good bet for a few drinks in the early part of the evening and there are plenty of local warungs near the beaches.
The surfer crowd will often find a great spot for some night fun in Uluwatu and if you’re into the scene, which is easily accessible, you should have no problem unearthing a hidden gem or two of Uluwatu’s nightlife.
However, there’s no doubt that Canggu has a reputation for excellent nightlife and it has a wealth of bars, clubs, restaurants and more where you can have a great time each and every night of the week.
FINNS Beach Club, for example, is open from 11 a.m. to midnight every day, except for Nyepi when nothing is open in Bali, and there are DJs, live vocalists, and more on to entertain you while you party.
After FINNS is done for the day, you can head to the excellent Friends Bar, where the party never stops until you do.
And that’s just a single night out in Canggu, there’s so much variety to be had in the area’s nightlife that if you want to party, you can always have a great time.
This is an easy win for Canggu which has, probably, the best nightlife on the island with its only serious competition coming from Kuta and Seminyak.
Which Has The Best Shopping?
If you were hoping to shop for surf gear, then you won’t go wrong in Uluwatu where many of the local stores support the industry that brings the most visitors to the area.
However, there’s not much else in Uluwatu and there’s not even a supermarket or a mall to fall back on for the things you might need that aren’t board-related.
Canggu, on the other hand, is becoming one of the must-do shopping destinations in Bali and there is a wealth of boutique stores where you can buy nearly everything that you need and if you can’t find it in Canggu, Seminyak and Kuta are just a short drive away.
That’s not to say that Canggu has the best shopping on the island, but it’s much better than it is in Uluwatu. So, Canggu is our pick in this category.
Which Has The Best Dining Scene?
Both areas have excellent dining scenes and while we found 54 best restaurants in Canggu when we went looking, we also found 50 best restaurants in Uluwatu!
They both have excellent fine dining scenes and both areas are very well represented by local restaurants and international options.
There are cafes scattered liberally through both parts of the island too and Indonesia has some of the world’s best coffee and the Balinese people know just how to make it too.
This leaves the winner in this category as a tough decision but in the end, we’re going to hand it to Canggu because if you look at Tripadvisor it has more highly rated restaurants than Uluwatu.
In fact, FINNS has the four top-rated restaurants in Canggu, which makes a visit to our beach club even more essential. We’ve been told we’ve got some of the best coffee in the neighbourhood too.
Uluwatu Beach Vs Canggu Beach
Uluwatu has a lot of beaches including Uluwatu Beach, Padang Padang Beach, Thomas Beach, Nunggalan Beach, Bingin Beach, Dreamland Beach, Melasti Beach, and Pantai Pandawa.
The best known is Bingin Beach which has some of the finest surfing but all of the beaches in this area are very pleasant places to sunbathe and some of them offer safe swimming environments too.
Canggu on the other hand has fewer beaches, Berawa Beach, Echo Beach, Canggu Beach, etc. and they’re black sand beaches which people don’t consider to be quite as pretty as white sand beaches.
We, of course, are very partial to the beach in Canggu and the sunset views are amazing from a lounger at FINNS but we have to concede that the Uluwatu area has slightly better beaches than Canggu.
Just one caveat on this, Uluwatu’s beaches are usually only accessible down flights of steep stairs on the cliffs, whereas Canggu’s beaches are much more accessible and you can walk on to the beaches from the road.
Which Has The Best Surf Spots?
Uluwatu, Bali is one of the best surfing destinations in the world but that doesn’t mean that its surf spots are perfect for everyone.
If you want to surf in Uluwatu, you should be, at least, an intermediate surfer and many of the beaches are best surfed by highly experienced or even professional surfers.
Similarly, Echo Beach in Canggu is often considered to be a good spot for better surfers.
Canggu’s other beaches, on the other hand, are more beginner to intermediate-friendly and the surf schools in the area can help you build up the skills you need on a board before you hit the water in Uluwatu.
However, on this, we have to award the title to Uluwatu as it’s the part of Bali that attracts the major professional surfing events.
Which Is The Most Aesthetically Pleasing?
The two areas are quite different. Uluwatu is spread out and there’s not much in the way of dense built-up areas, thus, there’s a certain amount of natural charm to the area and some of the resorts are world-class.
Having said that, Canggu has its urban charm and because it’s relatively recently built, the buildings are modern and incorporate plenty of traditional Balinese influences.
But we’re going to say that it’s the drama of the cliffs and the white sand beaches that give Uluwatu the edge and thus, Uluwatu is our choice of “prettiest place” but again, there’s not much in this.
Which Has The Most Things To Do?
It’s a close-run thing but Canggu has the most things to do, though our article on things to do in Uluwatu has more things to do than our guide to Canggu, that’s because in Canggu one location can result in many things to do.
For example, FINNS Recreation Club is also the home to an excellent spa, Strike Bowling Alley, the Junior Sports Academy, Bistro C Bar, and Jump trampoline park!
There’s nothing comparable to that in Uluwatu and thus, Canggu has the most things to do, though you shouldn’t be bored if you spend a few days in either town.
Where Would Expats Be Happiest?
This is an easy question to answer based on expat volumes. Canggu has a far bigger expat community than Uluwatu and that’s because it’s closer to many of the places that people will work in and because it has more amenities.
That’s not to say that no expats have chosen to live in Uluwatu, of course, they have. It’s just to say that when it comes to long-term living most people will opt for day-to-day convenience.
We haven’t had the opportunity to survey each of the expats in question to find out if where they live makes them happy, but the author of this piece is currently based in Canggu and they’re happy enough.
You can be happy in both areas, but based on a simple headcount, Canggu is the winner of this category.
Which Area Is Best For Digital Nomads?
Canggu alongside Ubud is without a doubt the top destination in Bali for digital nomads, many of whom will be found in the local coworking space working on a blog post before they head down to the beach for the day.
In fact, if you need a coworking space, Bali has plenty of them all over the island but Canggu has more than any other area, and it also has coliving options (where your hostel also has a coworking option which is more cost-effective than paying for rent and coworking separately).
The town of Canggu also has the biggest digital nomad community in Bali and if you’re looking for some company on your nomadic journey, there’s no doubt it’s easiest to find it in Canggu.
On the other hand, while Uluwatu may not have a wealth of coworking spaces if you like to work in quiet solitude from your laptop at your hotel cafe overlooking the beach, it’s an ideal spot for that.
Uluwatu’s the kind of place where we see people going to work on a book or a large software project in order to get away from other people.
There’s no question in this category though, Canggu is the best area of the two for digital nomads.
So, Uluwatu Or Canggu? Which Is The Best Beach Town To Visit?
So, to tally up the wins…
Canggu wins for accommodation, nightlife, shopping, and dining and it has the most things to do. It’s also the preferred spot for digital nomads and expats.
Uluwatu, on the other hand, is the prettier town and has the better beaches.
Of course, there’s not a massive margin in any category between each of these towns and they’re both great places to go on holiday.
However, in our (admittedly totally subjective and unscientific) head-to-head Canggu is the best beach town to visit when compared to Uluwatu.
FAQs
Why Does Canggu Have So Many Cool Spots?
Canggu was, for a long while, the overflow area from Seminyak and Kuta.
That meant it was cheaper to develop new businesses in the area and because most of the standard tourist-facing businesses already existed in the other beach towns, people were free to create new experiences in Canggu without worrying about the overall party scene or the overwhelming numbers of great restaurants already around them.
This has led to a town which has an incredible amount of choices for a night out or in terms of shops and businesses.
FINNS Beach Club, for example, was born in Canggu because it seemed like a place of great opportunity to build a unique beach club, unhindered by the expectations of other beach clubs.
Now, FINNS is considered the world’s best beach club, not just by us, but also by the host of influencers and reviewers who visit all the beach clubs in both Bali and globally to rate them.
Where Are The Best Beach Clubs Canggu Or Uluwatu, Bali?
Canggu has the best beach clubs.
In fact, it’s fair to say that not only does Canggu have FINNS, the world’s best beach club but Uluwatu doesn’t really have any traditional beach clubs, though there are some clubs with a view of the ocean mostly they’re not actually on the beaches.
Is It Better To Stay In Canggu or Uluwatu, Bali?
A lot depends on what you’re looking for from your holiday.
Overall, we think that most people will prefer Canggu as it’s easier to get around, has more to do and is closer to some of the other cultural highlights of the island.
This is reflected by the fact that as we go to press, Canggu is the most popular destination in Bali.
In fact, the main beach towns (including Canggu, Legian, Kuta & Seminyak) attract, by far, the most tourists compared to the rest of the island.
This is, in part, due to their reputation as tourist towns, mind you, and we’re not saying that the rest of Bali has nothing to offer, far from it, in fact.
Uluwatu is a great place and if your ideal holiday involves world-class surf on a stunning beach, you can’t beat Uluwatu, Bali.
The trade-off for staying in Uluwatu is that you will need some form of transport available most of the time and you will need to travel a bit further to sample the rest of the island.
Is Uluwatu Like Canggu?
In some ways, Uluwatu is like Canggu. They both have great food, beautiful beaches, awesome sunsets and some amazing temples.
However, in other ways, they’re very different. Uluwatu is more spread out and less like a town and more like a series of small villages in the same area. Canggu has more shopping and dining experiences and more hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes.
They both offer most of the facilities that you’d need on a holiday, but Canggu will almost certainly have more to do (except for the amazing waves that Surfers chase in Uluwatu) than people will find in Uluwatu.
Is It Worth Staying In Uluwatu, Bali?
Yes! We think it’s totally worth staying in Uluwatu. It’s a great place with beautiful beaches, delicious food, amazing waves, great bars, and much more to offer.
The main temple is one of the cultural highlights of the island and it’s the only place on the island where monkeys have learned to steal things from tourists and then ransom them back based on their value in food! (So, please don’t make it easy for them to steal from you).
It’s the most authentic place to witness the Kecak Fire Dance, a dramatic Hindu epic set to a backdrop of vocal and drum performances that culminate just after sunset in some highly skilled dancing involving actual fire!
You don’t have to be a surfer to appreciate Uluwatu, either, the area attracts some of the best surfing competitions on Earth and you’re welcome to go along and spectate.
Is It Better To Stay In Seminyak Or Uluwatu, Bali?
This isn’t much different from “Uluwatu or Canggu?” Because Seminyak is one of the most popular beach towns in Bali and it’s right next to Canggu and Kuta, most people are going to prefer Seminyak to Uluwatu.
However, it doesn’t have the world-class surf of Uluwatu and it has less cultural highlights than Uluwatu too.
Thus, it’s going to come down to personal preference, if you want a more relaxed holiday with a taste of “real life” in Bali, Uluwatu on the Southernmost tip of Bali is going to be your preference, otherwise, it’s going to be Seminyak.
How To Book A Holiday In Uluwatu Or Canggu?
We always recommend that you book your holidays in Bali through the Bali Res Centre which is a locally managed and owned tour operator.
They can use their local knowledge to ensure that your stay in Canggu or Uluwatu, Bali is the best possible experience and their prices are very competitive for flights, accommodation, and day trips and tours.
The thing we like most about using the Bali Res Centre, however, is that the money you spend with them is going to stay in the local economy and won’t be siphoned off by multinationals.
Final Thoughts On Canggu Vs Uluwatu, Bali
We’re not being biased when we say that when it comes to Canggu Vs Uluwatu, Bali, for most people, Canggu will win out.
This is because Canggu has more to do and it’s better located than Uluwatu. However, Uluwatu is a very pleasant place too and for experienced surfers, it’s going to be the preferred option.
If you do decide to come to Canggu, we hope we’ll see you for sunset at FINNS, the world’s best beach club, and one of the highlights of the town.
