Canggu is by far one of our favorite places that we’ve ever stayed in as digital nomads! If you’re not familiar with the term digital nomad it’s basically the fancy term for someone who works online which gives them the freedom to travel the world full-time…woot woooot!
One of the main reasons we luuuurv Canggu so much is that it’s home to our fave coworking space on the planet – no exaggeration here chica — Welcome to Dojo Bali.
The Best Coworking Space in Bali
Imagine an “office” 1-minute from the beach that looks like a tropical treehouse cafe where you kick off your shoes before entering, surfboards line the front entrance, coconuts and acai bowls are delivered right to your desk, a pool sits outback for you to take a dip and digital nomads crank out work on their laptops throughout the day!
It’s that office that doesn’t feel one bit like an office — and that’s why we’re totally obsessed.
When you run an online business and have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world, this is exactly where I want to be…
The Ultimate BB Guide to Canggu, Bali
Oh btw, if you’re new around here, welcome chica! This blog post is just one part of our Ultimate Bucketlist Bombshells Guide to Canggu, Bali. Be sure to also check out:
EAT: A Complete Foodie’s Guide to Canggu, Bali
PLAY: The Best Spots to Sip, Pamper & Play in Canggu, Bali
STAY: Where to Stay as A Digital Nomad in Canggu, Bali
The Dojo Community
With over 4000+ active members that come from over 68 different countries, this place is packed with like-minded digital nomads, entrepreneurs and remote workers paving the path for the future of work! You’ll meet tons of digital nomads here who say they can’t help but keep comin’ back because Dojo isn’t just a community, it’s a family.
In terms of the type of remote work everyone is working on it ranges from social projects, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, freelancing, stock trading, website developing, video editing, online course building, business coaching, app developing and so much more.
Every week, Dojo hosts a variety of community-driven events so you can get to know other members like:
- Beach & Beers (every Friday at 5pm!)
- Members-only BBQs
- Speed Networking
- New Members Breakfast
- Dojo Day Out Excursions (trips to nearby islands, exploring rural village life, etc.!)
We love how easy it is here to meet new people and have friends fo’ life all over the world.
The Space
Ahhh…where do we even begin?!
Once you’re ready to crank out some work (any time of the day… Dojo is open 24 hours!), scoot on over to Echo Beach, hop off of your scooter and stow your surfboard away…
You’ll be prompted to kick off your shoes and make your way through the Dojo cafe area…
The Dojo Cafe
Most hours of the day, the front cafe area is bustling with members — working and chatting with the espresso machine humming in the background. Because, let’s be honest, coffee and wifi basically fuels us all.
Before you pick out the best seat in the house, order yourself some delicious coffee and some brekkie made by the sweetest staff ever…
If you’re feeling snacky, the cafe has a huge menu of items from acai bowls to burgers, healthy smoothies to chocolate shakes basically all.day.long. You legit don’t even need to leave your desk if you’re not feelin’ like it! Although, beach breaks are highly encouraged. The coffee is also so freakin’ delicious, we may or may not have a few cups a day.
The Open Work Hall
Past the front cafe area, you’ll enter into a large working hall with high ceilings and long wooden desks. This area is slightly darker than the rest of the space which is perfect if you’re needing a little switch up of settings to hunker down in front of one of the many fans.
The Pool Area
In the back area, you’ll be greeted by a pool surrounded by colorful bean bags, a lush tropical garden, a long standing desk area and air-conditioned conference rooms for those peeps that really need a break from that island heat.
The Quiet Area
If you like your peace and quiet while you work, head on up to the second floor where you’ll find more open-air desk spaces, two quiet conference rooms and soundproof Skype Booths for your private calls.
Overall, we love that there’s such a variety of areas to work from, little nooks, areas to meet and collaborate or just simply, put your headphones on and crank out work on your own!
Workshops + Events
If you’re ready to up your girl boss biz game and learn from incredibly talented people, the Dojo free members workshops are where it’s at!
Check out the list of events here for the weekly workshops like:
- Crash Course Bahasa Language Class
- Weekly Business Mastermind
- Photography Meetup
- Toastmasters Meeting Club
- Rediscovering Work/Life Balance workshop
Plus, there are multiple active social impact projects you can get involved in like an epic recycling program and beach cleanups! Just check out the Cogiving board by the front desk 🙂
Fastest Wifi on the Island
You didn’t think we’d forget to chat about the wifi did ya?
Dojo has five business grade load balanced fibre optic lines — if that sounds like Chinese to you, basically all you need to know is that Dojo has the fastest wifi on the island!
They’re even equipped with a backup generator when the power goes out at times on the island so you can keep on workin’ #thankgoodness
All in all, the Dojo is seriously one of the BEST coworking spaces we’ve ever been to…in the world. We seriously hope more coworking spaces around the world follow suit and tone down the corporate vibes and put a strong value on community, because it truly makes the space that much more awesome!
Best Cafes to Work From
So maybe you’re looking to switch it up for an hour or two and head to a cafe to crank out a bit of work while you eat brekkie or lunch?
Keep in mind though that many cafes in Canggu are simply that — cafes, which means that strong wifi isn’t a priority and they often get quite busy and loud with people dining. As a serious girl boss, we highly recommend that you get a membership at Dojo, then pop into a cafe to work every now and then.
Here is a list of our faves cafes to work from in Canggu for an hour or two:
Mocca Cafe
Mocca Cafe is a cool, open-air tropical cafe with plenty of comfortable seating both downstairs and on their upstairs patio right in the middle of Canggu. Their decor is eclectic, the food is pretty good and the wifi is fair to crank out some emails.
Bungalow Living
Bungalow Living is a teeny-tiny cafe hidden in the back of a gorgeous boho-chic interior design store in Berawa. There are only four tables and minimal plugs but we love how beautifully designed it is, their wifi and coffee is good and they play chill eclectic music. It’s our secret gem.
Peloton
Peloton is a large industrial style bicycle shop and raw-vegan cafe in Berawa. They have plenty of seating and cute little nooks upstairs to get some work done for a bit in a cozy setting.
Cinta
Cinta overlooks lush green rice fields and has lots of tables, comfy chairs and a few sofa spots to work from. It’s a breezy open-air cafe with plenty of yummy food to keep you satisfied for an hour or two.
Machinery
Machinery is conveniently located on the main Batu Bolong strip in the center of Canggu. It’s a simple, cute cafe with descent wifi. Most days, you’ll be joined by at least another digital nomad or two gettin’ that hit of wifi and caffeine.
Coffee Cartel
Coffee Cartel is located in the neighboring town of Seminyak but it’s so dang cute and cozy that we couldn’t help but mention it. We usually make it to this boutique cafe once every few weeks — their decor is a mix of pink-tropical, modern vibes and their upstairs nooks have plenty of plugs. Plus, their brekkie is beautiful and delish.
Top 5 Tips for Staying Productive in Canggu
Find a routine that works for you
It’s easy to throw routine out the window when you’re feeling all the island vibes…but sticking to a routine will not only help you be more productive, you’ll also feel more balanced. That being said, it’s totally up to you to design your day — whether you want to surf early mornings or mid-day, start working at 10am or work late nights, go for a lunch yoga session etc.
Don’t be glued to your computer all-day
We’ll be honest, sometimes we get caught up in hustle mode and get glued to our computers all day long. But remember there’s more to life than the everyday hustle! Set a timer for work and take a break to plunge in the pool, go for a walk on the beach or attend an event.
You’re not on vacay
This is for you newbie digital nomads — it can be easy to fall into the vacay-mode of island life with lots of tourists in town, weekday party nights etc. But remember, at the end of the day you have a biz to run and grow and that’s all about responsibility!
Schedule self-care time
Productivity for us is all about balance — this includes carving out time to take care of YOU. Whether that’s treating yourself to a massage, taking time to indulge in a yoga class, going for a sunset walk on the beach, reading a book in the sunshine etc. You’ll feel refreshed and rejuvenated to keep workin’ and building your dream online biz!
