Seminyak wasn’t my favorite neighborhood in Bali, but that’s not to say I didn’t like it. After all, one of my favorite cafes in Bali is in Seminyak. I don’t know how many people realize that Bali is a massive island with all different landscapes, beaches, and towns. Certainly not all beaches are the same. Canggu is perhaps the busiest neighborhood full of expats and resorts for travelers. Seminyak is just to the south and known for its high-end restaurants, cafes, and shops. That’s definitely my own experience there.
Staying at Cove Renata in Seminyak
My accommodations in Seminyak was a co-living space called Cove Renata. It was quite comfortable, but it didn’t really have a co-working/co-living feel like other similar places I’ve stayed at. By far the best part of Cove was how good the air conditioning was in the room, allowing me to escape the summer heat of Bali. Of course, the spacious room and comfortable bed were also nice perks. The best part was the location, close enough to the beach to be easily walkable, while far enough away so the traffic wasn’t as bad. It was certainly one of my better accommodations in Bali.
Repeat Visits to The Dusty Cafe
I found several good places to eat in Seminyak. Wild Habit, just down the street from Cove Renata, easily had one of the best pizzas in town. Indian food at Chaskaa was quite good too, although rather expensive. This is the “posh” neighborhood of Bali after all. But easily my favorite spot to eat at was The Dusty Cafe, halfway down the road to the beach. The cafe is super rustic, almost bordering on a cyberpunk design. The food was simply incredible, creative dishes cooked to perfection.
I went both mornings I was in Seminyak and tried several dishes off the menu. From a healthy omelet to a super colorful fruit bowl, everything was fantastic. I particularly loved the coconut lattes, again perfect for the hot weather.
Walking Along Seminyak Beach
Seminyak Beach is an interesting beach. For years, other travelers had painted Bali as an idyllic paradise to me. While there are certainly some beautiful spots around Bali, such as on Nusa Penida island, Seminyak Beach wasn’t one of them.
I wouldn’t say it’s horrible as some other influencers have on social media recently (incidentally getting them banned from Bali), but it’s not a particularly pretty beach. There’s quite a bit of trash around, and I hear a lot more shows up after the frequent storms. And the water had a peculiar smell which prevented me from wanting to enter the water.
It was nothing like the pristine water of the beaches in Scotland. But all that aside, it was still nice to take a long walk along the beach with weather significantly warmer than Scotland.
Rating Seminyak vs. the Rest of Bali
To be honest, each part of Bali has pros and cons. Ubud is a very hispter neighborhood with expensive restaurants, bungalows overlooking rice paddies, and some nice health resorts. However, its more remote and rather small compared to the coastal towns. Denpasar has more of a simple, busy city feel, and the traffic is horrendous. Nusa Penida is a beautiful island to visit, but with very little infrastructure.
I would say I preferred the meals I had in Ubud, but that’s not to say I didn’t love the food in Seminyak. Bali really is developing a world-class culinary scene. The traffic was really a nightmare in Seminyak, but from what I saw, Canggu and Denpasar were worse. The beaches at the very southern tip of Bali are said to be the best on the island, but those are also much more remote. Overall, I would say Seminyak is one of the better neighborhoods of Bali, and one to consider staying in.
