The quiet side of Canggu

Yes, significantly. Canggu covers a wide area with very distinct neighbourhoods that feel nothing like each other. The centre of Canggu around Batu Bolong has the energy, the cafes and the surf culture you came for. It also has heavy traffic, ongoing construction that starts at 7am, and bar noise that carries late into the night.

Babakan Kubu is 5-10 minutes from all of that by scooter, and it is a completely different experience. Working rice paddies on both sides of the lane, almost no through traffic, the sound of frogs and birds rather than generators and bars. You still have access to everything Canggu offers, but you come home to quiet.

Most guests who have stayed in central Canggu before say the difference is immediately obvious. The rice field edge is where Canggu still feels like Bali.

The areas that cause the most complaints among returning visitors are those with active construction. Bali is developing fast, and the difference between a street with construction work and a quiet one is enormous: excavators start at 7am and run all day. Check any property's immediate surroundings carefully before booking.

The very centre of Kuta and the busiest parts of Legian are also worth avoiding unless nightlife is your primary reason for visiting. Traffic-locked streets and bar noise make sleeping difficult.

Babakan Kubu has none of these issues. There is no active construction on the lane, no bar noise, no commuter traffic. The road serves the rice fields and the small number of residential properties on it: that is all.

Canggu is one of the best areas in Bali for families, especially the quieter residential neighbourhoods like Babakan Kubu. The reasons are practical: very little through traffic on the lanes, no bar or club noise, a slower pace than Kuta or Seminyak, and a good mix of family-friendly cafes, markets and beach access nearby.

A private villa is also significantly better for families than a hotel. Children can use the pool whenever they like, you can prepare meals at home, everyone has their own bedroom and bathroom, and you are not constrained by hotel breakfast times or restaurant bookings. The concierge can arrange a babysitter if you want an evening out.

Berawa Beach and the shallow end of Echo Beach are both suitable for children, and the drive to Tanah Lot for sunset is easy with a private driver.

They are genuinely different places suited to different trips. Seminyak is more polished: better fashion shopping, higher-end restaurants, a more manicured beach scene. If boutique shopping and upscale nightlife are the priority, Seminyak does it better.

Canggu has something Seminyak has largely lost: the feeling of Bali still being Bali. Rice fields, local warungs, surf culture, organic markets, a mix of long-term expats and travellers who are not in a rush. The pace is slower. The scenery is better. The accommodation, particularly a private villa on the rice field edge, is a completely different experience to a Seminyak hotel.

For a group trip, a family holiday, a surf and yoga trip, or anyone who has been to Bali before and wants something quieter and more local: Canggu, specifically Babakan Kubu, is the better choice.