If you’re looking to go catch some surfing and yoga in Bali, unwind, bike around the area and get some full-body massages under US$15 (AED 50), consider going to Canggu. Surfing and yoga in Canggu, Bali is truly recommended for beginners at both! As mentioned in the itinerary I provided, we decided to spend our time at The Chillhouse. Here is what transpired and my hacks and tips to help maintain your budget when you decide to go surfing and yoga in Canggu, Bali:
Ok, for firsts, there’s barely a party scene here which I think you will have better luck finding in Kuta. If you’re a person that enjoys doing other activities than drinking, Canggu might just be your haven.
Alright, on to the activities I did:
Surfing and yoga in Canggu, Bali
Surfing in Bali
On our first day here, we woke up late as we arrived at 1 in the morning. Basically, no surf for today as we require lots of energy and a day in advance booking to go. Also, keep in mind that the early hours are usually reserved for intermediate surfers, but for beginners they suggest a time around 10 or 11am, so be prepared to wake up a teensy bit early if you want to surf. Surf bookings have to be done a day in advance.
The Chillhouse has a partnership with the local Bali surf school where there are a bunch of friendly instructors. Not all of them speak English well. The day we decided to go had a really strong current, so you need to be a really good swimmer to be able to paddle and catch a wave. Each surf class costs roughly US$68 (AED 250), but they get cheaper as you purchase bigger packages.
TIP #1: Make a friend or two and split the amounts.
Surfing is no mean feat. I thought I’d be able to atleast balance myself on the board while paddling, but even that is tough. It also didn’t help that my instructor was a total mumbler. If you get a chance, pick Veeru as an instructor. He speaks very clearly and coaches you really well. He taught N. and she managed to get on her knees.
You need to paddle. A lot. If swimming in the sea is something you’re good at and you can endure sea salt in your mouth and nose, go ahead. The boards are heavy. Now I know why surfers are so damn fit, you need both strength and agility to conquer the strong waves. Besides that, be careful as there are a lot of novice surfers and sea urchins. Safety is key.
TIP #2: Don’t drink or do any strenuous activity before your surf class. Make sure you eat breakfast well in advance to avoid feeling sick.
Yoga & meditation in Bali
On our first day, we went to a guided meditation class. This was by far a really interesting experience. The teacher Karin first gave us mantras for awakening our chakras. There are seven chakras in your body, one at the base of your spine (LAM) , one in your pelvis (VAM), one in your solar plexis (RAM), one in your heart (YAM), one in your throat (KAM), one between your forehead for the third eye (OM) and above your head which was supposed to be silent.
We took a Vinyasa morning yoga class and I felt so energised. The stretching felt amazing, but a few hours later, the real soreness hit. Now I wished I stayed longer here to build my strength and stamina. Yoga classes are roughly AED 35 per class and I got to do two Vinyasa classes and a guided meditation when I was there. Make sure to read this article to ensure you know the basics of yoga first.
TIP #3: Try out restorative yoga or meditation sessions in the evenings which are a lot more calmer and help you relax your muscles after surfing.
Biking in Bali
The good thing about The Chillhouse is that you have free bicycles at your disposal to head down both Batu Bolong and Echo Beach. The bad news? They suck. My poor friend ended up in a ditch due to malfunctioning breaks and the traffic can be quite intimidating for those who are not used to it. Lucky for us, we received immediate medical assistance from the locals which was wonderful. There are plenty of ups and downs, so if you’re fit it’s going to be a breeze. Otherwise, if you detest cycling as much as I do you might want to skip this.
I think there will be less faulty bikes for their mountaineering bikes up the volcanos and mountains, but we skipped that.
TIP #4: Grab your bikes early in the morning to get a good quality bike.
Chilling in Bali
The amazing thing about the Chillhouse is that you have everything at your beck and call. A full Balinese massage costs about US$13 (AED 50). An excellent idea after surfing to soothe those sore joints after surfing.
TIP #5: If you’re active on Instagram, make sure you take awesome pictures and tag @thechillhouse as well as the relevant hashtags #chillhouseyoga, #chillhousefood or #thechillhouse, you can win an unexpected massage. You will find similar spa packages near the Chillhouse as well.
In terms of our rooms at the Chillhouse, I suggest getting Satnam or Namaste. The room and bathroom is massive and comfortable for you to share with others. If you are willing to splurge, consider the Gerry Lopez loft for twice the price. The top loft has beautiful panoramic views.
The party scene here is nil unless you head to Old Man’s bar in Canggu. The bar is only open till 12 am, but keep yourself busy with surfing and yoga and you won’t even make it there. There’s an Australian bar called Satu lagi that does serve decent bar food close to the Chillhouse.
Near Echo and Batu Bolong beaches, you have a lot of bars and unique restaurants. Satay Bali offers the best chicken satay after 5 pm, and there are several coffee shops close by.
We did a LOOOOOT of this at the Chillhouse. It has two adorable plunge pools and a unique amount of bean bags on the side. Ordered smoothies and Bintang beer, sat on the bean bags and chiiiiiiiiillled with a good book. Doing surfing and yoga in Canggu, Bali really made us feel like our chill time was very much well deserved.
That’s really what a vacation is about, isn’t it?
This is an awesome little write up thank you for taking the time to create this about The Chillhouse!
Thank you! We really loved our time there!
Soooo cooollll 🙂
Thanks Pao! 😀
Awesome I am surely going to bookmark this page ,as it’s an easy reckoner for newage travellers who are looking to just unwind n chill
Thanks Vinny 😀
I’ve heard such amazing things about the Chillhouse – I’m a massive surf & yoga nut so this sounds like the perfect place to spend a week (or two)!
I totally think it’s a fab place for both yoga and surfing! It has such a chill vibe!