Bali’s Newest “It” Neighbourhood is Canggu

Step aside, Seminyak. Once-sleepy Canggu is the new benchmark for edgy bars, progressive eats and slick spas, says local Jenny Hewett.

Eat

Ji Terrace By The Sea

A tiki-inspired Japanese-fusion eatery with an enviable rooftop location, this culinary wonder overlooking Batu Bolong Beach has somehow managed to remain a secret. Fresh sushi and sashimi and supersize bento boxes sidle up to more modern offerings such as prawn flambé with yuzu butter and coconut crème brûlée.

Quince

Tucked away in the boho-chic Berawa neighbourhood, this brekkie spot (51 Jalan Raya Pantai Berawa) makes your smashed avo seem amateurish. Choose from a range of sweet and savoury delights, including spinach fritters with poached eggs, and coconut crumpets with palm sugar and cinnamon butter.

Macan Café

With its exposed-brick interior and smooth timber furnishings, this elegant bistro is as relaxed as its Berawa setting. The menu showcases everything from pea fettuccine with pork lardons to a mahi-mahi burger that comes layered with aïoli and spiced zucchini relish.

Drink

La Brisa

A nautically themed beach club with live beats, this newcomer is making waves on Echo Beach. Settle in for a sunset session and get ready to sink or swim. There’s no shortage of beanbags and there’s a lagoon pool for frolics between libations. Book ahead.

Stay

The Slow

This offbeat 12-room island stay on Batu Bolong has become a solid base for creatives. The brainchild of former Ksubi designers George Gorrow and Gareth Moody, The Slow, with its block-timber Brutalist-inspired design, snubs tradition. It even relinquishes a main pool in favour of Gorrow’s personal art collection, and TVs for a toe-tapping playlist. Home to one of Canggu’s best restaurants, rotating exhibitions and the duo’s menswear boutique, this place is full of surprises.

COMO Uma Canggu

On track for a February 2018 opening, COMO's newest offering – and its third in Bali – heralds a new level of luxury for laid back Canggu. Combining Asian and Italian influences, interior designers Koichiro Ikebuchi and Paola Navone introduce sophisticated surf shack chic to the 119 rooms - 12 of which include a sea-framing rooftop balcony and private butler service. The property will keep in step with the crowd by including yoga and surfing tuition on-site and also with their dining focus, which remains classic Canggu: locally focused with a modern Australian flourish.

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Do

Perfect your downward dog

No wellness hangout in Canggu is more name-dropped than The Practice. This temple of Zen offers hatha yoga and yin yoga classes in a pavilion overlooking the grounds.

Be pampered

With its feature pond and delicate foliage, Spring is a soothing sanctuary on bustling Batu Bolong. The Hair Rescue treatment – a combination of a hydrating masque, head massage and hot-stone shoulder massage – will change your life. And a glass of prosecco will make it even better.