best local venues in bali : insider's guide to awesome places to hangout on the island
Living in Bali is a lot more than sunsets, scooters, infinity pools, luxurious villas (should we go on?) and visa runs… there’s a whole island of local venues to get to know. But where should you start when it comes to finding the best restaurants, beach hangouts and even spas to visit? Well, that’s where we come in.
If you can’t spare a year to live the tropical dream (poor you!) our insider’s guide to Bali’s favoured expat haunts is the next best thing. We’ve listed our top places to spend a few hours across Canggu, Ubud, Seminyak and beyond to help you get started. And remember – if ever in doubt – look for the crowd with the deepest tans (but no dodgy lines or sunburn), or those sipping lychee martinis looking a bit too smug.
1.BETELNUT CAFE
Just down the road on Batu Bolong is Canggu’s most frequented café, centrally located but overlooking evergreen rice fields. Looking a bit like Robinson Crusoe lives upstairs, Betelnut is a breezy beach house serving natural, delish delights for the cool crowd of expat locals, surfers and hipsters. Grab a booth or a place at the communal table upstairs, or sit in the small air-con area downstairs.
2.REVOLVER ESPRESSO
The bad news: This hole-in-the-wall discovery may now be Seminyak’s worst-kept secret, but for good reason. Great. Coffee.
But without Revolver Espresso, life in paradise just wouldn’t tick all the perfection boxes. Let alone, fuel our energy levels for all the surfing, yoga, scootering and island socialising that defines Bali life.
The good news: Revolver now supplies directly to many of Bali’s best cafes, so if you can’t go original, you can get your fix all around the island.
3.BUNGALOW LIVING
Love. That’s how we feel about everything inside our favourite homewards mecca and cafe, Bungalow Living. Aussie expat owner Giovanna has curated the perfect mix of Balinese and Indian goodies in her store and bigger gallery. It’s worth a visit even just to check out the picture-postcard welcome, above, on entering the gallery space. Not to mention all the photo opps with local legend and Canggu’s 2014 bachelor of the year, Bungalow’s gorgeous Golden Doodle BB King.