Echo Beach Bali – Canggu’s Best Beach
Are you planning to visit Echo Beach Bali?
Echo Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Canggu, and it’s situated in the heart of this bustling coastal town. It’s a must-visit place if you’re in Canggu. This post is the full guide to visiting Echo Beach Bali.
Where Is Echo Beach, Bali Located?
Echo Beach is situated at the end of Pantai Batu Mejan Street. It is one of the three most popular beaches in Canggu amongst Batu Balong and Berawa. It is definitely the most upmarket beach being home to the fancy La Brisa Beach Club.
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Best Places To Stay Near Echo Beach
Luxury
This hotel is situated right on Echo Beach and is the most luxurious option in Canggu that is rather known for a chiller, surfer vibe. Rooms are specious, very modern and come with all the comforts fo a luxury hotel. There is a huge, lagoon styled pool, a span and a gym. The hotel also owns a COMO beach club where you can hang out at sunset times.
Midrange
Manca Villa consists of 3 private villas with pool and it’s a perfect option for couples seeking peace and quiet. Rooms are simply yet beautifully designed and come with fully equipped kitchen. The property is located on the edge of Berawa Beach and Batu Beling. The beach is within a walking distance so are the shops and restaurants. This option is an excellent value for money!
Budget
This hostel is relatively new, it offers a choice of dorm rooms and private rooms, all nicely decorated with a bohemian, hipster vibe. It is located conveniently within a walking distance to Berawa Beach, close to a range of restaurants, beach bars and nightclubs. Facilities include a nice pool, free wifi and a range of sports activities that you can take part while staying in Canggu.
What To Expect At Echo Beach Bali
As you arrived at the end of the street, there is a parking fee of 2k IDR charged all day long. You can then go left to find a space for your motorbike.
The entrance is just across the street, go right where you find a small staircase, and you’ll find yourself on the Echo Beach. Immediately, after the stairs, there is a large rocky area; this is where La Brisa is located. If you walk past La Brisa, you’ll find a sandy stretch of the beach with more beach bars and shacks selling drinks and snacks and renting sunbeds and parasols.
If you go to the left from the entrance, you will find Pura Batu Mejan Temple. Locals also refer to the beach as Pantai Batu Mejan named after the temple.
Echo Beach is a black sanded beach and one of the best surfing spots in Bali. The most sought after wave is just in front of La Brisa and it’s more for advanced surfers, but if you’re not into surfing yourself, it’s still cool to watch other surfers showing off some incredible skills sipping fresh coconut or Bintang.
If you want to get some surfing lessons or are a more intermediate surfer, then head to Batu Balong Beach which is just a walking distance to the left from Echo Beach. Batu Balong is particularly good for beginners in the mornings with more gentle waves. There are plenty of surfing schools to choose from and surfboards rentals.
The going rate is 50k IDR for 2 hours surfing board rental and 350k IDR for 2-hour lesson, including surfboard and rash vest.
Things To Do At Echo Beach
Spend the day lazing on a sunbed. One can rent sun loungers for 50k IDR for a whole day. If you prefer not paying for the rental, you can sit on one of the bin bags for free as long as you buy a drink.
Watch the sunset sipping fresh coconut and chilling on a colourful binbag. This is one of my favourite activities in Echo Beach. Bali’s sunsets are stunning, and even on a cloudy day, you may get surprised with an unexpectedly epic sunset. Coconuts in Bali are so tasty and cheap (about 25k IDR). When you order one, don’t forget to ask for a spoon, and after you drink the water scoop out the coconut meat!
Spend the day or evening in style at La Brisa Beach Club. Their grounds are super cute with lush greenery, a pool and fancy seats overlooking the ocean. Every Sunday, they organise a market which is also a fun thing to do in Canggu.
I wrote a full post about Best Canggu Markets where you can read more about it.
Have some sushi at Warung Kaemon Beach Club which can be found passed La Brisa. They’ve got an extensive menu, and their food is always very fresh, and prices are affordable.
Have roasted corn on the cob from the local vendor. They are my favourite snack on Echo Beach, glazed with sweet and sour barbecue sauce, they are a real treat and only cost 15k IDR.
Have some fresh, delicious seafood at Echo Beach Club. The restaurant can be found to the left from the beach entrance, and it’s a trendy place for a seafood dinner. You can pick your own seafood, and it will be freshly cooked for you and served with free unlimited salad.
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Getting Around Canggu
Rent a scooter
The most convenient way to get around Canggu and Bali is to rent a scooter. There usually are two types on offer a Scoopy which is a lighter bike, and it looks more like moppet and a bigger scooter more like a motorbike. The rental costs 50k to 80k IDR per day. If you don’t have much experience, I recommend getting the lighter and slower Scoopy style motorbike. Petrol is widely available in Bali. Vendors sell it in glass bottles on the side of the road. If you ever wondered why they sell vodka on the side of the road everywhere, that’s not vodka but petrol in vodka bottles. Petrol currently costs 10k IDR per bottle, and a scooter holds about three bottles.
Use Gojek
Gojek is equivalent to UBER in Indonesia. It is super easy to use and very reliable. Download the app and see your location then just say where you want to go, and the app will send your driver. You can either get a car or a motorbike lift. The payment is typically taken by cash unless you top up the app and it’s very affordable. You can even get a Gojek to pick up your groceries. How convenient!
Hire a driver
In Bali, there is no public transport, and most people just ride scooters. When it comes to a longer trip, you can hire a driver for a full day that will go with you to all the locations on your itinerary, wait for you and take you back to your hotel. The rates start at 500k IDR for 8 hours. If you’re interested, just ask the reception staff at your hotel to recommend someone. Many people in Bali earn a living by taking visitors around the island so you will find a driver easily.
Tours
Another great and convenient way to explore Bali is to book a tour. A tour is an excellent option if you want to tick off a lot of places but don’t have much time and don’t want to plan the logistics of the trip. Here are some best tours of Bali by Get Your Guide:
Instagram Highlights Tour – perfect tour to take those killer shots for your feed. Check availability HERE
Mount Batur Sunrise Hike – most epic adventure. Check availability HERE
Best of Nusa Penida – the most gorgeous clifftop views you can imagine. Check availability HERE
Northern Charm of Bali Tour – includes Temple Ulun Danu Beratan and Insta famous Handara Gate. Check availability HERE
Cash
Cash is king on the island. Ensure you always have some on you, especially at the markets and when buying things from small shops such as local petrol vendors.
Also, Bali’s cashpoints are a little unreliable, which basically means they often run out of banknotes. It also means that not every card works at every cash machine. I know it probably sounds weird to you, but trust me, it is the case here. How I go about it, is I make sure I’ve got a Visa and a Master Card on me, and that way if one doesn’t work, I can use the spare one.
Service Charges & Tax
Just to keep in mind, all the prices you see on menus in Bali cafes and restaurants are exclusive of tax and services charges. Bali’s tax charges are 10%, and services charges are between 4% and 8% depending on the place. So, your final bill will always be around 15% more than the price you saw on the menu, and you don’t have to leave any tip because the service charge covers that.
Plastic
Bali is very serious about tackling the plastic problem, which means you won’t see plastic bottles, plastic shopping bags or plastic straws! The plastic problem’s severity is evident during the rainy season when all the trash gets washed out to the beaches.
Water
Tap water in Bali is not drinkable, so you can only ever drink filtered water. I recommend bringing a reusable water flask with you that you can re-fill at your hotel for free and use throughout the day. Water is served free in most Canggu cafes as well, which is an excellent custom.
What to pack with you
Day Backpack – for this adventure and many other ones, you’ll need a day pack. My favourite one is the stylish and minimalistic Kanken. It is made of durable materials and it’s super simple and super comfortable.
Mirrorless camera – I love Sony cameras! If you’re looking for an entry-level, compact camera that takes awesome photos, go for Sony Alpha 6400, I’ve used it for years and took some excellent pictures with it. For a more advanced selection, I recommend Sony A7iii, I can’t be more happy with it, and I know lots of professional photographers and creators who use it too.
Power bank – power bank to charge my mobile phone saved my life a few times, no kidding. It is handy if you’re using Google maps which is a drain on the phone’s battery. I recommend choosing a lightweight one
Raincoat – I know you’re probably thinking I’m crazy, but trust me, the raincoat is essential, especially if you’re scootering your way through the island. When it’s rainy, it actually gets cold on the scooter, and during the rainy season, which is between November and April, it rains buckets!
Reusable water bottle – water flask, especially thermal ones, is so practical here in Bali. Many hotels and restaurants let their guests refill the bottles for free in an effort to reduce plastic use on the island.
Sun cream – this is another essential to carry with you and frequently reapply. Choose an eco-friendly and vegan one to do your part for the environment.
Adventure sandals – sports sandals with straps are the best type of footwear for any Bali adventure. They dry quickly and are sturdy enough to keep you safe on your hikes. I use North Face sandals, I’ve had them for years and they never let me down.
For more tips on what to pack, visit “Bali Packing List “.
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