Canggu

Canggu
Village
A street in Canggu
Canggu
Coordinates: 8°39′21″S 115°08′3″E
Country	Indonesia
Province	Bali

Canggu (Indonesian pronunciation: [ˈt͡ʃaŋɡu]) is a coastal village with a 10 km-long beach on the south coast of Bali, Indonesia. It lies approximately 10 kilometers north of Kuta.

Main streets, temples and beaches

The main Canggu streets are Jalan Raya Canggu, Jalan Batu Bolong, Jalan Padang Linjong, Jalan Batu Mejan and Jalan Tanah Barak. Along Jalan Batu Bolong you find the temple of the dead, Pura Merajapati, and the Pipitan Cemetery. Along the beach there are two main temples, Pura Batu Bolong and Pura Batu Mejan, both hundreds of years old, built upon the initiative of Dang Hyang Nirartha.

Echo Beach (also known as Mejan Stone Beach) is the westernmost beach in Canggu just before Perenenan. Batu Bolong Beach is well known, situated next to a temple. It's famous for Old Man's, a beer garden/restaurant with a large stage. At the end of the road it leads to Sand Bar, as well as many other bars and restaurants. The quieter "Nelayan Beach" is the last beach before Berawa Beach.

Tourism and development

The Canggu area used to have scenic views of paddy fields and coconut groves but the current rapid development is quickly replacing these traditional views with private villas.

The Taryan Dragon project, Seseh Beach in Cemagi

One project in particular has gathered much controversy: the five-star and — originally — seven-floor Taryan Dragon Resort & Residence, on more than 1 hectare right along Seseh beach in Cemagi, next to Canggu. This project had earned Ukrainian company Taryan Towers a world-class win of the International Property Awards in the category of “Best Residential High-Rise Development 2021 Nomination”. But following a mediatised protest campaign and petition, its developper halted the project in September 2023 and proceeded with what he had not done as yet: meet and consult with the community leaders.
Agreements were made to ensure that the development benefits both the community and the surrounding area, with commitments from the hotel to respect Balinese and Indonesian traditions and regulations, to focus on integrating cultural and religious activities, to not feature noisy venues like beach clubs or karaoke bars, to ensure that 40% of the workforce will be local people, to collaborate with local communities in the field of tourism education and training, and to involve local security (pecalang) for a smooth process of development and operations. Additionally, Taryan Dragon will endeavour to assess and provide assistance for Seseh’s own village (desa) projects, including a comprehensive road reconstruction project, better lighting, smoother surfaces and marked laneways. More environmentally-responsible commitments were made too: the number of floors has been reduced, building sections reduced and reconfigured, the beach club changed into a beach lounge, facades covered with greenery, more Balinese materials integrated, as well as the use of local eco-materials and recycled plastic through an agreement with an Indonesian recycled furniture company.

From around September 15, it took hardly six weeks for the local community leaders to warmly welcome the new Taryan project. By the following November 3, many of them and the Taryan Dragon Resort & Residence team took part in a traditional Balinese Ngeruak ceremony. This was immediately followed by a meeting at Adat Seseh in Cemagi that gathered owners’ representatives and shareholders of the Taryan Group, the local Balinese architects and construction company, and more than 100 community figures. A berita acara officiation or letter of support was signed by all parties and validated the project.

The final design was presented in December 2023, with work on the ground due to start early January 2024, aiming for completion in 2026.

Traffic

While traffic is quite heavy within Canggu, the main road (Jalan Raya Canggu) is notoriously jammed with traffic. In order to avoid going north-east to the main road, many riders choose to take the infamous Canggu-Berawa shortcut or Canggu shortcut (Jalan Anggrek), which connects Canggu to Seminyak. It is also often congested and restricted due to its narrowness, even though cars can only travel one way, from Canggu to Berawa.

Surfing

Canggu has gained popularity among surfers as a longboard-friendly surf spot, one of the few on the island. Three main strips have developed for tourists - surfers and non-surfers alike. The spotlight on the area as a surf destination has been helped along by the presence of Deus Ex Machina's Bali outpost, the Deus Temple of Enthusiasm, and its annual contests that focus on classic single-fin long-boarding.

Gallery

• Canggu
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  A canang sari
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  A beach
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  A beach
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  Harvesting rice
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  A terraced field
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  Pura Batu Mejan

External links

• Canggu travel guide from Wikivoyage