My Secret Hideout in Bali
I always try to arrive at an airport three hours before my scheduled flight. This time I chanced two, and of course the lines were massive. I was so focused on getting to the gate that I forgot to pick up the tax refund for the phone I bought in Siam. I was hoping I could still get it from customs if I returned to Bangkok’s airport on my way home, but I never did.
Once I arrived at the airport in Bali I took a cab to the nearby town of Kuta. The driver was really nice, welcoming me to Bali and making some chitchat during the ten minute drive.
Kuta is the most touristy area of Bali and where most backpackers start due to its proximity to the airport. I recommend leaving as soon as possible though as Kuta is pretty awful. While I heard it used to be paradise decades ago, it’s now as overdeveloped and touristy as Ko Phi Phi or Ao Nang in Thailand.
My hostel in Kuta was really nice though. It was called The Island Hotel, and after checking in I met a guy and girl from the U.K. in the common room. This is also where I had my first Bintang, the most popular beer in Indonesia. It was a decent beer, reminding me of a less flavourful Heineken or Steamwhistle, but I found myself missing Chang already.
At this point it was dinner time so I went to Billy’s Bar with the girl from the UK. It was here that I had my first authentic Balinese meal of bami goreng: Indonesian stir-fried noodles with meat skewers and shrimp chips. It was pretty good, but Indonesian food doesn’t hold a candle to Thai in my opinion.
There was a band playing and while they were actually really good, their English was broken and they fumbled the lyrics often. At one point they played In the End by Linkin Park, but the rapping was so fast that the singer was nearly incomprehensible and was clearly struggling.
Normally I’m quite shy and wouldn’t do something like this, but since we were the only people in the place other than one other table of Australians, I ran up to the stage and reached out for the mic! The singer looked excited and happily gave it to me. After I unleashed my inner Mike Shinoda, I got some applause and the singer looked really impressed.
The next morning we had breakfast at the hostel and then headed to the beach. We didn’t stay long though, since Double Six Beach was littered with garbage! I went for a brief swim but plastic bottles were touching me constantly and it was really gross. We were also constantly accosted by locals wanting us to buy their knick knacks which got really annoying.
So yeah, don’t go to Double Six Beach if you can avoid it. While I was there during the off season, it’s still pretty overdeveloped even when it’s clean. The further north you go towards Seminyak the better it gets, but it’s still nothing compared to the beautiful beaches I was on in Thailand. I visited many great beaches in Bali later on, but you won’t find them here.
That day I took a Grab to Canggu which ended up being one of my favourite spots in Bali. If big beaches and night clubs aren’t a priority, I highly recommend skipping Kuta completely and heading to Canggu instead. Canggu feels custom-made for backpackers, expats and digital nomads, reminding me a lot of Chang Mai and Pai in Thailand.
My hostel in Canggu was called The Hideout Hostel and I loved it. As the name implies, it’s tucked away from town in what feels like a backyard oasis. It had everything I needed to kick back and relax: multiple lounge areas, pool, hammock and not one but two hostel doggos! I was really impressed with the hostels in Bali so far, and they would only get better from here.
After checking in I met a bunch of people who were hanging out in the common room. It was a great crew and I had a lot of fun chilling with them over the next couple days. The next morning I was told I had to have breakfast at a café called Crate. This place was fantastic and I highly recommend going there if you’re in Canggu. They focus on health-conscious and vegetarian food, which was a nice change from the bar grub I had been eating so far. I ended up getting a green juice and a mango smoothie bowl. It was very filling and delicious!
Another go-to spot for food was Manas Cafe, located right next door from my hostel. This was super convenient as their food was fantastic and I barely had to leave the hostel. The staff were always super friendly and it was definitely a highlight of my time in Canggu.
The next day I went to Echo Beach with some people from the hostel. It was better than the beaches in Kuta but not by much. The sand is very dark and there’s lots of little restaurants with patios and beach chairs. The main draw here is the surfing, and while some people from the hostel took a surfing lesson I decided to abstain.
While I had already been in Bali for a few days, my adventure was still only beginning. I would be heading north to a famous town you know about if you’ve read the book Eat, Pray, Love. While I haven’t read it, I was already aware of the town’s reputation as a must-visit in Bali. Off to Ubud!
Next: The Nicest Hostel I’ve Stayed At in Ubud
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