CANGGU AN INSIDER’S GUIDE FORTY WINKS First up the all-important question – where to stay? COMO Uma Canggu is without a doubt the most talked-about hotel opening of late, and with good reason. Although there are 119 residences and rooms, set a little back from the shoreline at Echo Beach, a clever layout centred around a vast lagoonstyle pool gives it the feel of somewhere much more intimate. Bedroom decor is minimal and peaceful, mostly all-white with teak furnishings, rattan touches, and beds dressed with crisp Italian linen. Seven treatment rooms offering Asia-inspired spa experiences add the wellness hit COMO’s famed for, while live acoustic guitar sessions at the Beach Club are best watched from a swinging daybed, coconut mojito in hand. For something more traditional, about a 15-minute drive from Echo Beach is Plataran Canggu. It’s Indonesian throughand-through, its reception a painstakingly restored 250-year-old jati wood Javanese joglo (house), with a clutch of alang alangthatched villas sitting riverside, surrounded by gardens that thrum with birdsong. Some have private pools and deep stone bathtubs too. At Teras Canggu restaurant there’s fresh-fromthe-ocean lobster bakso and the Padma spa for Balinese herbal compress massages, followed by lemongrass milk baths. OUT AND ABOUT Edged by black volcanic-sand beaches and fairly consistent waves, Canggu’s a great place for first-timer surfers to have a go. For guaranteed top-notch tuition, book in with surf guru Chucho at Tropicsurf ’s beach shack school at COMO Uma Canggu; he’ll teach you the ropes in the property’s pool before you hit the water. It’s said that Bali has more temples than homes, and a 20-minute drive away from the heart of Canggu is its most famous – striking offshore Hindu site Tanah Lot. While many head there to see it silhouetted against the setting sun, traffic at this time can be hellish, so opt for a morning or afternoon gander instead. Motorbike enthusiasts should hit biker paradise Deus Ex Machina; if you’re not a petrolhead, a small contemporary art gallery and café will keep you entertained. For souvenirs to ramp up the boho aesthetic back at home, pick up furniture crafted from Indonesian materials at Interior Tonic in Umulas, artisan throws and ceramics at concept store-meets café Quince, and all-natural plant-dyed clothing at Yoli + Otis. FINE FARE Culinary enthusiasts are completely spoilt for choice here: so diverse is the restaurant scene that you can indulge a hankering for cuisine from almost anywhere in the world. Ulekan Bali does Indonesian-style fine dining well; mix and match small plates such as classic gado gado salad with charcoal-grilled prawn and chicken satay sticks, or opt for the likes of slipper lobster in black pepper sauce or banana leaf-wrapped barramundi from the mains list. Three nights per week, traditional Balinese dance performances take place. For something more low-key, don’t miss dining as the locals do at a warung or streetside stall. Warung Varana’s nasi campur and spicy sambal are a surefire hit. At quirky Ji Terrace by the Sea, alfresco dining takes place on a seaside rooftop, decked out with statues of goddesses, centuries-old urns, Tibetan Masks, and Indian lanterns. Not only do you get killer ocean views, but the Japanese fusion menu will delight sushi lovers. One of Canggu’s oldest and best-loved restaurants is roadside shack Betelnut, known for its shabby-chic vibe, fresh bright roasted pumpkin and spinach salads, beetroot burgers, and homemade desserts which range from dragon fruit mousse to Snickers cheesecake. BEST BEACH BARS To visit Bali and not check out at least a couple of beach clubs is unthinkable, and Canggu has plenty of lovely spots. Just next door to COMO Uma Canggu is the rather magical La Brisa, a ramshackle-chic beachside bar crafted from wood reclaimed from over 500 disused fishermen’s boats. Walkways flanked by crumbling canoes draped in fairy lights lead to a pool with swishy turquoise daybeds to lounge on and several thatched tree houses decorated with antique buoys, fishing nets, and straw baskets. On the menu are locally caught seafood dishes (think fried squid with papaya Asian slaw), herb-infused cocktails, and passion fruit sangria. For more of a party vibe, there’s popular Finns Beach Club, but instead of joining the masses, opt for a spot next door at the club’s recently opened sister venue, the exclusive VIP Beach Club Bali, where daybeds sit under palm trees on a manicured lawn, and there’s a spa and Champagne Bar. For excellent sour apple martinis and groovy tunes, grab a shaded spot under one of the white-fringed parasols at The Lawn on Batu Bolong beach, and get lost just watching the waves roll in. previous page: Hindu temple Tanah Lot at sunset opposite page, left to right from top: The view from COMO Uma Canggu; fresh cuisine at Plataran Canggu; Aurora Open Deck at Plataran Canggu; fine dining at Teras Canggu; surfing in Bali CONTACT ABERCROMBIE & KENT For more information, or to book your next tailor-made holiday to Canggu, call our South-East Asia travel specialists on 01242 547 704. 32 | AUTUMN/WINTER <strong>2019</strong>
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