If you’re taking a trip to Bali and your first stop is Canggu, it’s important that you know the most affordable and efficient ways from Bali airport to Canggu.
The first time we visited Bali, we went straight from the airport to Canggu. Initially, we only spent 3 days in Canggu. But we loved it so much that we flipped our whole itinerary on its head to spend an extra week here!
Since then, we’ve been coming back to Bali again and again. We even spent a couple of months living and working in Canggu. It’s our favorite place to spend extended time in Bali and always the first stop on our itinerary. It has so many cool cafes, restaurants, yoga studios, and great surfing!
So, we put this guide together to help make your airport transfer to Canggu much less confusing.
How to Get To Canggu (3 Options)
The distance between Canggu and Denpasar Airport (a.k.a. Ngurah Rai International Airport) is only 18 kilometers, but with traffic, it takes upwards of 40 minutes to get to Canggu.
There is no direct bus from Bali Denpasar International Airport to Canggu, but luckily, there are 3 practical options for this journey.
The most common option is to take an airport taxi to Canggu, which is best if you don’t have much time to book an airport transfer ahead of time but still want some level of comfort getting to Canggu. Both public taxis and ride-hailing apps work at Denpasar Airport.
You can also hire a private transfer. This is by far our favorite because it’s relatively affordable but also the most reliable and stress-free. We personally use WelcomePickups.
The other method is to hire a rental car at the airport and drive to Canggu before exploring the rest of Bali!
1) Private Transfer
One of our favorite things about traveling to Bali is how cheap it can be, and a private transfer from the airport to Canggu is no exception.
This is, BY FAR, our favorite way to get from the airport to Canggu!
One of the most common complaints about the Bali Airport is tourists being harassed by drivers at the arrivals terminal, trying to get anxious travelers to pay way more than they should for a short ride.
Booking a private transfer gives us peace of mind because it guarantees us a ride upon arrival, so there’s no negotiating with drivers after 20+ hours of flying from the States.
WelcomePickups is our favorite airport private transfer service in Bali! They offer door-to-door service, all payments are processed through the website, and they have English-speaking drivers.
The ride takes about 30 minutes and generally costs less than 300k IDR ($20). You can check the current prices here.
They take you directly to your hotel or guesthouse in Canggu, all payments are processed through the website, and they always have English-speaking, respectful drivers who provide outstanding service!
You can also use them to get back from Canggu to Denpasar Airport or book a taxi from Bali Airport to Ubud, Uluwatu, Kuta, Seminyak, or even from Canggu to other cities in Bali.
2) Public Taxi from Bali Airport to Canggu
If you fail to make any plans ahead of time, you’ll probably end up using a public taxi in Bali to get from the airport to Canggu.
This isn’t much of an issue, though, as taxis are available 24/7 at Denpasar Airport to take you to Canggu.
Once you step out of the terminal, you’ll be bombarded with hundreds of local drivers shouting over the next guy to get you to negotiate with them. It’s pretty chaotic, and getting a good deal is usually hard.
Typically, the taxi from Denpasar Airport to Canggu should cost 200k-300k IDR ($12.50-$20), and we would never agree to a taxi that costs more than 300K.
Once you agree on a price, you follow the taxi driver to his car in the parking garage and set off toward Canggu.
We didn’t know any better the first time we traveled to Bali and thought we could find a deal at the airport. Ultimately, we paid about $10 more than we should’ve, and negotiating was a huge headache.
So we never did it again.
3. Ride-Sharing Apps: Grab & Go-Jek
Uber doesn’t exist in Bali, but other ride-sharing apps fill the gap.
If you’d like to call a taxi from the airport directly to your hotel in Canggu, Grab is one of the easiest apps to use. It’s the most popular ride-share app in Southeast Asia, and we use Grab all the time to get to yoga classes in Canggu or between cities.
We actually took a Grab from Ubud to Canggu (over an hour), and it only cost us $14!
They even have a dedicated lounge in the arrivals area of Denpasar Airport with attendants to help you book a ride with the app!
But Grab charges a pretty high surcharge for rides departing from the airport, so it’s way more expensive than using it for other taxis around Bali.
Unfortunately, Grab has a surcharge for leaving from the airport, so it can be more expensive, but it’s still an ultra-convenient way to get to Canggu.
Bluebird Taxi is often considered the most ‘local’ option. This app connects taxi drivers with people looking for rides. Rides can be paid for in cash or by card through the app, and this is the app.
Go-Jek is the cheapest but most challenging option for getting a ride-share from the airport to Canggu. While it’s the most affordable ride-sharing app, it does come with some inconveniences.
If you want to use Go-Jek, you’ll need to pick up an Indonesian SIM at any SIM card kiosk at the airport to create an account for Go-Jek. Also, Go-jek cannot enter the arrivals terminal, so you must walk from the arrivals terminal parking area to a connecting street to call for a ride.
3) Rent a Car at Bali Airport
If you’re traveling with your family to Bali, it’s challenging to drive a scooter around the island.
But having our own transportation is one of the biggest hacks to enjoying your time in Bali. So, if you aren’t comfortable on a scooter or have a big family, you’ll be glad to know that hiring a car at Denpasar Airport to get to Canggu is possible.
This gives you the freedom to travel to places that are difficult to reach with public transportation or require an expensive guided tour. We’ve found hidden waterfalls, explored lesser-known temples, and had chats with locals that never would have happened otherwise!
As Americans, it’s also the first place we ever drove on the left side of the road!
Renting a car at Denpasar Airport is also relatively easy. AVIS and TRAC Astra Rent A Car are the only two companies with cars for rent, and you can check which has the cheaper prices here!
3 Best Things to Do in Canggu
Canggu is a unique destination in Bali and definitely worth visiting. We love Canggu for many reasons, but we’re not the only ones.
The beach town is full of people on a surf holiday, yogis taking wellness retreats, and digital nomads taking extended work holidays. It also has some of the best food in Bali.
- Go Surfing at Batu Bolong –As we said before, we LOVE surfing in Canggu. The beaches have great surf breaks, which is what keeps us coming back to this little town, only 30 minutes from Denpasar Airport!
- Cafe-Hop – Enjoy a smoothie bowl or delicious Indonesian curry. Canggu has a fantastic cafe scene, vegan options, and so many delicious restaurants that make it easy to pass the time between surf breaks.. From local foods to specialty vegan restaurants (Secret Spot was a personal fav), Canggu has it all!
- Take a Yoga Class – Along with the awesome surfing, restaurant, and cheap scooter rentals, Canggu attracts people worldwide for yoga classes and retreats. Bali is a majority Hindu island, after all. Let yourself relax and stretch at one of the many yoga studios in Canggu, Bali.
- Definitely check out ClassPass if you’re visiting Bali! ClassPass allows you to purchase credits that get you into several different gyms, yoga studios, spin classes, and more! We signed up for the free trial in Bali, which gave us enough credits to try out several different studios around Canggu without paying a dime. We visited The Pilates Project, Nunu Bali, Serenity Eco House, Power + Revive, IN Balence, and ZYCLE Studios!
Final Thoughts
Once you know all your options, getting from the airport in Bali to Canggu is super easy.
There’s no bus, but you can find public taxis, hail a ride with Grab/Go-Jek, book a private transfer, or reserve a rental car to pick up at the airport.
We’ve flown into Bali a handful of times, and booking a transfer to Canggu from the Airport is the easiest way to save the most time without spending a fortune, and it’s what we do every single time we come back to Bali.
Wondering what to do when you get to Canggu? Check out our complete list!
