Echo Beach Sundowners
As we as a world find ourselves in these strange and uncertain times, I can’t help but look back on these wonderful travel moments and feel incredibly blessed for the memories made. Whilst this all seems a long way away now, I don’t doubt that we will all enjoy the luxury of travelling abroad again before we know it.
This was our last evening together on Echo Beach with my travel buddy, a special time which I will cherish forever. Life doesn’t get much better than watching a sunset on the beach with beers and your best friend by your side.
As we sipped our beers and watched on as the sun dipped below the horizon, I had an overwhelming feeling of content and happiness. Life can get on top of us all at the best of times, but in taking myself out of my comfort zone and exploring new places over the past few years, I have gained a more worldly perspective on my privileged life.
Little did we know that our time in Bali together was to end on such a high as following these sundown drinks, we had another spontaneous night out partying. After meeting more great Aussie guys who ended up being our companions for the evening, we found ourselves dancing on the beach at Sand Bar again until 3am!
I thought Bali was good for my soul in so many ways; from the stunning beaches lined with palm trees and awesome clubs open at any hour, to the laid back lifestyle of friendly locals and their outstanding health food scene, I’m hooked on the place. Bali, I will be back for more wonderfully wild times again soon ❤
La Brisa really is an oasis by the sea encapsulating the essence of boho chic Bali style. Built amongst the palm trees upon a natural decent towards the beach, it’s like a wonderful maze walking amongst the different areas to discover the hidden bars and pools.
Whether you just want a sundown drink and good tunes, or fancy renting your own daybed complete with cute nautical style decor, this place is a sanctuary for metropolitan and nomadic travellers alike.
Being just a 5 minute walk from our hotel, we couldn’t help but wonder down to catch sunset with a few drinks at La Brisa most evenings!
With treehouse inspired architecture and enchanting decor made from hundreds of reclaimed Balinese fisher boats, La Brisa is an otherworldly escape amongst the madness and beauty of Bali.
One of the places high on my list to try in Canggu was Give Cafe, sister to the famous Kynd Cafe in Ubud. This colourful little eatery with its pretty interiors gives all of its profits to charity, so at the end of your visit you pop your token into one of the charity boxes that they support to choose where your money goes. A fully vegan menu includes local dishes such as the Balinese curry which I opted for, as well as nutritious salad bowls and meat free alternatives which could be mistaken for the real thing – those satay skewers were just like chicken!
Another awesome cafe we were keen to hit up was Cinta Cafe which overlooks a rice paddy. This makes for a picture perfect lunch setting in the heart of Bali, especially when enjoyed sitting back and sipping on a coconut.
Next we tried Shady Shack for dinner as we’d heard great things about this hidden gem nestled in the trees just off the main drag in Canggu. Sat on wooden benches amongst the foliage glistening with fairy lights, it makes for an intimate dinner setting with friends or a partner. I was overwhelmed with the extensive choice of salad bowls and vegan dishes, but finally settled on the green bowl including zucchini noodles, broccoli heads and lettuce drizzled in a creamy peanut sauce and topped with a sweet almond brittle. Everything was so fresh and portions were certainly generous without compromise on flavour; this was my favourite dinner spot as I can’t resist a loaded salad bowl.
Back to brekky, I had my eye on the acai bowls I’d seen on Instagram from The Loft. A little on the pricier side given its reputation, I couldn’t fault the presentation of this perfectly formed bowl which even came with a cute pineapple gold spoon for me to scrape every last bit from the coconut. Located on one of the main strips in Canggu, I sat out on the terrace and savoured by sweet acai bowl whilst watching the madness of Bali scooters racing by.
Given our short trip, we weren’t in Bali long enough to sample all of the fabulous places I’ve seen scrolling through Instagram. We did however cover a lot of Canggu and on the most part everywhere was reasonable and eating out was relatively cheap, with the total cost of dinner and drinks typically about half what you’d pay in England! Whilst I didn’t manage to photograph every place we went – I was enjoying myself too much 😉 – below is a list of some of the best cafes, restaurants and bars we did visit and would highly recommend trying for yourself:
At just 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah (about £25) for a private two hour lesson, including the hire of boards and rashy also, it was a bargain! Although I had already surfed quite a few times before, it was great to have one on one tuition and I learnt so much too including how to turn and gather more speed on a wave.
By the end of our two hours my friend who had never surfed before was catching waves and we didn’t want our afternoon to end. I must admit though, my muscles were aching a lot afterwards especially in my arms as it takes strength and stamina to paddle to catch those waves.
Our instructors were very pleased with our hard work and even brought us both a beer afterwards. They were a good laugh and made us feel comfortable and safe in the water which is so important when learning an extreme sport like surfing.
By sunset we were sipping the last of our beers and discussing the night’s plan for partying ahead. We grabbed a polaroid with our new Balinese mates and later that evening found ourselves sharing more beers together at Old Man’s. What a perfect Bali day – surfing until sunset and then partying by the beach until the early hours – living the dream!
The next week exploring Bali was so eye opening and exceeded all expectations. The Balinese people are incredibly welcoming and friendly and on the whole I felt very safe walking around. We spent our time in the beautiful town of Canggu in our stunning hotel just off of Echo Beach.
I was obsessed in trying all the trendy health food cafes and restaurants which were just so cheap as well. It was hard to resist getting yet another smoothie bowl every morning and the vegan foodie scene is next level, even meat lovers would find it hard to resist.
Likewise shopping in Bali is reasonable if you’re brave enough to haggle! We were spoilt for choice when it came to cool surfer shops and luxurious swimwear brands, but one of the best places to bag a bargain in Canggu is the Love Anchor Market.
We totally emerssed ourselves amongst the bustling social scene of Bali too which would seem to have no care for what day of the week it is, everyday is a party! From sipping beers on the beach at sunset to partying the night away at Old Man’s famous midweek Wednesday blow out, we certainly lived it up Bali style.
I’m looking forward to reliving some of our best moments in Bali here on the blog, so stay tuned for all the wonderful memories we made and tips if you plan on visiting Canggu yourself 🙂
Soon enough my friend turned up on the dock and we jumped in his boat! We jetted across the harbour over to Chowder Bay where we took a dip in the water and soaked up the midday sun.
We didn’t have too long as we were due at the airport at 4pm, so it was a short but sweet trip. The journey back across the bay was a choppy one and in such a small boat we found ourselves battered by the rough waves – thank fully we made it back to dry land in one piece!
Stopping by for a late brunch we got seated on an outdoor bench and table overlooking the golden stretch of Bondi beach. Having been out for a few wines the night before, I was ready for some clean food and kick of good coffee to fuel my afternoon, so I opted for the bircher muesli topped with crunchy granola, yoghurt and heaps of fresh berries.
I was however a little envious of my friend’s choice to have the french toast which was made with a deep fried croissant instead of bread. Basically a desert for breakfast, but we weren’t mad about it and I was more than happy to help her finish it off!
After devouring our delicious breakfast we sat and sipped our coffee watching the hustle of Bondi pass by as we soaked up the afternoon sun. I was particularly chuffed with my purchase from the day too – a Stanton bucket hat. I’d wanted a bucket hat for ages so when I saw this one at the street market in Bondi, I couldn’t resist. Happy days 🙂
Now I find myself looking back on that time doing my farm work in the South of Australia and feel a pang of pride as I think of what I achieved and the awesome memories I made. It certainly wasn’t an easy time but with all the loyal, lifelong friends I made along the way, somebody always had my back.
I certainly wouldn’t rush back to those brisk cold 6am mornings stacking rocks on that stone wall, but the whole experience really pushed me out of my comfort zone and revealed my true character. Determined to earn my second year visa in Aus, not much was going to stop me.
Going back to see the wall a year and a half on was very special and I was astounded at how much it had developed and grown. The concept of stone walling is very simple yet takes much patience and an eye for detail to achieve the aesthetic desired. The unique benefit of these walls is that once built, they last an extremely long time and are almost indestructible as the structure can move and adjust with the earth’s gravity.
Given our hard work and long gruelling days spent on that wall, we were very proud to carve our names into one of the rocks…we’re a little part of Australian history now!
Strolling the endless rows of distinctly Victorian terraced houses, you never know when you might stumble across the next cute café or even another old fashioned pub. Famous for its English style architecture and leafy green tree lined neighbourhoods, it certainly feels like you’re miles away from the city in Paddo.
We found ourselves a little table outside Café Five Ways and dug into some delicious food having worked up an appetite shopping and walking around. I always loved this café for its location and the fantastic food for a very reasonable price. I went for a goat’s cheese beetroot salad whilst my friend chose a melted brie toasty with some cheeky chips to share – yum!
It was the perfect way to spend our arvo in Paddington; strolling, shopping, lunching and laughing!
Following the famous walk from Bronte to Bondi, the beaches were buzzing and summer in Sydney was in full swing.
This walk was one of the first things I did when I came to Australia two years ago and now I had the pleasure of showing my best friend the breathtaking Aussie coast in all its glory.
Looking out over the open ocean and into the vast deep blue sea is a wonderful reminder of how small we are on this planet and just how precious our time is here.
Living life just on the edge not knowing what is around the corner is the best way to welcome new horizons and opens doors for your future. I guess my move to Aus was one of my bravest decisions and undoubtedly helped me grow and learn how life can never be mapped out in detail, you just have to let each day be and keep yourself happy in wherever you end up.
Dani Aneka 