Areas
Where to Live in Bali for Surfing: Canggu, the Bukit or Further Out
Beginners and intermediates live in Canggu, experienced surfers on the Bukit; what each costs to rent, and why the quieter surf towns have almost no listings.
Updated 7 October 2026 · 4 min read
The surf bases, compared
Rents are medians of the priced partner listings on 6 October 2026; where a cell says “too few”, the agencies we work with had fewer than five priced rentals there.
| Base | The waves | Level | 2-bed median / month | Priced rentals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canggu (Batu Bolong, Berawa, Echo) | Beach breaks | Beginner–intermediate | IDR 40.0m | 324 |
| Pererenan | Beach breaks next to Canggu’s | Mixed | IDR 40.0m | 81 |
| Uluwatu / the Bukit | Reef breaks below cliffs | Intermediate–advanced | IDR 34.8m | 49 |
| Tabanan coast (Kedungu) | Beach and river-mouth breaks | Mixed | Too few | 11 in all Tabanan |
| East coast (Keramas) | Reef | Experienced | None listed | 0 |
Canggu: the easy wave and the most choice
Canggu built up around surf schools on its beach breaks, which is why it now has the island’s largest rental market and a broad mix of surfers, families and remote workers. The cost is traffic and density, and Canggu sits on flat, low-lying ground that flooded in September 2025 — check drainage on any villa. Pererenan, one village west, offers the same coastline with fewer people and the same 2-bedroom median.
The Bukit: the famous reefs and a car
The Bukit’s reef breaks draw experienced surfers, and its rental stock is smaller and weighted toward larger villas. Being able to walk to a break costs more: listings at Bingin and Padang Padang asked two to three times the Ungasan median. Water comes from deeper wells on the limestone, access roads vary, and most villas need a car. Bingin also carries a legal warning: in July 2025 the provincial government demolished 48 unpermitted structures on protected land at the beach.
Further out
The quieter surf coasts — the Tabanan stretch toward Kedungu and Balian, Medewi in Jembrana, Keramas on the east coast in Gianyar — have almost no agency rental listings in our data: Tabanan had 11 priced rentals in all, and Keramas and Medewi none. These are places where a long stay is found through local contacts, guesthouses and word of mouth, and where Bali’s Perda 4/2026 restricts new tourist accommodation on farmland in Tabanan and Jembrana.
Common questions
Where should I live in Bali if I surf?
Canggu if you are a beginner or intermediate — beach breaks and the largest rental market. The Bukit (Uluwatu, Bingin, Padang Padang) if you surf reef breaks and are happy to drive.
Is Canggu or Uluwatu better for surfing?
They suit different levels. Canggu’s beach breaks at Berawa and Batu Bolong are beginner-to-intermediate; Uluwatu’s reef break below the clifftop temple is a world-famous, advanced wave.
How much does it cost to rent near the surf in Uluwatu?
The Bukit’s 2-bedroom median was IDR 34.8 million a month on 6 October 2026. Near the breaks it is higher: a 3-bedroom at Bingin asked IDR 120 million and two at Padang Padang IDR 150 million.
Can I rent long-term near Keramas or Medewi?
Not through the agencies in our data, which had no priced rentals in either. Long stays there are usually arranged locally, through guesthouses or owners directly.
Is Pererenan good for surfing?
Pererenan Beach is known more for its surf than its beach clubs, and it sits next to Canggu’s breaks, with fewer people. Its 2-bedroom median was IDR 40 million a month, the same as Canggu’s.
Rent medians over the priced villa rentals of Baliestate’s partner agencies as extracted on 6 October 2026. Wave descriptions are general; conditions change with season, swell and tide. This article does not update itself.