Work from Bali: 5 conducive cafés to check out

Krizia Mojado
Krizia Mojado
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Working from the beautiful island of Bali has many attractions. An increasing number of Digital Nomads- those who make a living online whilst travelling rather than working from a fixed location –  are moving to Indonesia. Indonesia offers a tropical lifestyle in vibrant communities, great quality of life, low cost of living with a lot of fun things to do. Bali has long been a tourist hotspot but is now appealing to more and more people as a destination for their hybrid and remote work.

The Indonesian government is trying hard to entice more remote workers to the country and is currently working on a new digital nomad visa that will have a streamlined application process and be valid for up to five years. The new visa will entitle the visa holder to work duty-free in Indonesia – providing that their source of income is overseas. The aim of the Indonesian government is for the country to boost sustainable tourism and for Indonesia to become the next digital technology hub.

Bali is the perfect choice for those who want to ‘live the dream’ of working in a tropical paradise and it has recently earned the nickname ‘Silicon Bali’ because of the steady stream of digital nomads arriving to work there. Canggu and Ubud are popular as are Sanur and Uluwatu on the southwestern tip of the island. 

Bali has gorgeous sandy beaches and great water sports including surfing and diving. On land, there is good trekking, horse riding and golf as well as good nightlife and delicious street food. Life there is ideal for business travellers as it has good Wi-Fi Internet connections. Some great new co-working spaces and co-living facilities have recently opened up too, with more planned. Canggu has a particularly vibrant remote community comprising many Europeans and Americans as well as young professionals from Indonesian cities like Jakarta.

There are great Balinese cafés that are ideal for business travellers on corporate trips and remote workers as they are comfortable,  well-equipped, work-friendly and good places for networking. The Canggu area is proving the most popular area and consists of Canggu, Berawa and Pererenan. It has an amazing number of upmarket cafés and brunch restaurants. As well as traditional dishes like Nasi Goreng you are just as likely to be able to order croissants, French Toast and great pancakes 

Here we bring you five ideal cafés for business travellers and remote workers:

Zin Café

Just a two-minute walk from Canggu beach, Zin Café is the only free co-working space in Bali. Another big bonus is that it is open later in the evenings which makes it perfect for those working in European or American time zones and its close location to the beach makes it a great travel experience. 

Zin Café is large and airy as it is spread over four floors. It has a modern tropical theme and plenty of tables and chairs. Plugs are plentiful too and there is good Wi-Fi. At the back, there is a large table for group meetings. If you need totally quietness there is a separate ‘Quiet Room’ with no music. The café serves really good Z Roasters coffee and brunch ideas include western dishes and local favourites or you may be tempted to use the gym next door instead. 

Location: Jl. Nelayan No.78F, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung
Opening hours:           Monday – Wednesday 08.00- 21.00, Thursday 08.00-22.00, Friday 

                                   and Saturday 08.00-21.00 and Sunday 08.00-16.00   

The Miel Café

Situated on the Batu Balong in the heart of Canggu, Miel is a really great workspace as it is large, bright and airy with plenty of natural wood and stone features to add to the ambience. White paint has been extensively used to increase the feeling of space. There are plenty of tables and chairs and the noise level is pleasantly low. The coffee is good and there are delicious croissants and other brunch ideas available. This café is open long hours which is a real bonus for remote workers from Europe and the United States. 

Location:                            Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong No.5, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara,                                    

                                           Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361

Opening hours:                  Monday – Sunday 07.00-22.00

Satu Satu in Canggu

This popular cafe is situated in Berawa and has a beautiful covered outside area at the front with a large air-conditioned room at the back. Both areas have plenty of tables and plugs and the nose level is nice and low, the Wi-Fi is medium and certainly workable. Satu Satu is owned by a local family who prides themselves on making their own coffee which is served in the café and tastes really good. The menu is really well-priced with both international and local specialities.

Location:             Jl. Pantai Berawa No.36, Tibubeneng, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten 

                            Badung, Bali 80361
Opening hours:  Monday – Sunday 07.00- 23.00

Brunch Club Pererenan

Pererenan is the new neighbourhood of Canggu and has plenty of coffee shops but for those who are working remotely, this one ‘ticks all the boxes’. It is open with high ceilings and decorated with plants. There are tables and chairs plus comfortable sofas. Plugs are plentiful, the Wi-Fi is medium and the noise level is nice and low. 

There are great brunch ideas to tempt you including the famous pancakes which are fluffy soufflé pancakes. The really good coffee is the perfect work accompaniment! 

Location:               Jl. Pantai Pererenan No.110, Pererenan, Kec. Mengwi, Kabupaten   

                              Badung, Bali 80351

Opening hours:     Monday – Sunday 08.00-16.00

Kebun Bistro in Ubud

This is a pretty little French Bistro that is full of character and popular with diners, but it makes a really good remote workspace too. The Bistro is quaint and packed with curios – which mustn’t be allowed to distract you, though even if they don’t the heavenly sweet treats such as Tarte au Citron Meringue definitely will! There are plenty of delicious savoury options too. 

From the working point of view, Kebun is comfortable and has good Wi-Fi and plenty of plugs. On the whole, it is a very quiet location too. 

Address:                      Jl. Hanoman No.44, Ubud, Bali 80571 (next to Tegun Galeri)

Opening hours:           Monday to Friday, 11.00- 23.00 Saturday and Sunday, 09.00- 23.00                   


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