Bali, Blog, Indonesia, Travel | 24 April 2025 | 10 MIN READ
Pererenan vs. Canggu: Why Long-Term Digital Nomads Should Choose Pererenan
1 day ago
Introduction: Finding Peace Near Paradise
If you’re a remote worker considering Bali, your choice of location can make or break your productivity. While Canggu has become the default digital nomad hotspot, neighboring Pererenan offers significant advantages for those planning extended stays.
My journey took me from the social energy of Canggu’s TRIBAL Coworking to the tranquil setting of Villa Kirana in Pererenan, revealing a stark contrast in livability that every serious digital nomad should consider.
The Noise Factor: Peace Just Minutes Away
It’s night. You’re sitting on the corner of 7hungry, drinking your Bintang. Then all of a sudden, you see a Gojek driver zooming by with an Aussie passenger on the back of their moped. They’re punching the driver under the rib cage, visibly harder and harder each time for not following this drunk passenger’s instructions. Still, the Gojek driver—with more to lose—keeps his eyes focused on the road as he turns the corner closest to me, possibly heading to the drunk’s hostel or bar. That’s Canggu.
Would you rather deal with that chaos or enjoy some peace just a few minutes extra drive but only a 4-minute ride to Canggu?
Enter Pererenan.
A quaint town that buddies up against Canggu—it’s like a world away with less noise and less commotion from tourists. While there isn’t a complete reduction in tourist behavior, you’ll be in a quiet space with villas featuring large leads that oversee their respective properties, and you’ll hear the sound of bats at night versus drunken tourists frolicking up and down the streets near Canggu beach.
The reduced noise factor means it’s easier to have more dedicated focus on work or projects that you wouldn’t get otherwise. You can play YouTube TV (more so the news)–whenever you want at a high volume and not worry about strict quiet hours. Of course I did this via my Beryl Ax router on StarVPN–otherwise YouTube TV just wouldn’t work.
Gear Used
Accommodation Comparison: Space & Value
The Villas around Pererenan are the real beauty of the area. You get a great deal of space for the value.
Of course, I have to put aside the amount of properties being created and the economic disparities in such a property and that Western travel and tourism is propagating such conditions on an exponential level with the increase in the number of tech workers, remote tech work, and cheap flights–especially from Australia.
However, that aside, the spaciousness offered by the villa is quadruple or more the amount that you’d get in a hostel in Canggu. For us Americans, that means you basically get a Seattle sized two bedroom apartment for each “room.” Except this oversized apartment comes with a pool. That’s just crazy.
But, let me bury that inequality-fueled guilt. Instead, let’s break down the numbers:
- Villa Kirana (private villa): $700 total for 6 nights (IDR 11,200,000 or €642) for two people
- TRIBAL hostel: $451 total (IDR 7,160,000 or €414) for two private rooms for 4 nights
- Per night cost: $58.33 per person at the villa vs. $56.38 per person at the hostel
That means for just $1.96 per day (about €1.75) more than TRIBAL Hostel, you get more than 4x the space—making it absolutely worth it.
Other recommended villas in Pererenan:
Note: Many people think that when you get a villa in Bali–it’s going to be some Polynesian experience or that you’re in the South of France and forget that you’re essentially in Canggu.
That means you are in an area undergoing substantial economic and industrial development. So there will be narrow streets, work and industrial sites. It won’t be “spotless” if that’s what you’re referring to. You won’t even get that in those many open-aired hostels.
Work-Life Balance: The Infrastructure Reality
The work-life balance here is as good as your internet connection. And unfortunately, while the Villa did have a faster connection, there was a power outage in the whole area vs. Canggu.
So while there is an emphasis on being able to focus on work–when the power goes out–which it did–you have no power, no internet, and quite frankly since it’s a quieter neighborhood, all the power is out.
That means you can clearly see the moon, the stars, and the great galaxy above.
But that’s not great when you’re working in a U.S. timezone and your meeting with your boss is in an hour and you still don’t have the internet. Your laptop battery that was at 20% (that you thought was charging but the cable slightly fell off when you tripped walking to the couch) is now at 5%, and the green leaf icon has now come on to conserve your energy. And now, you’re running the internet from your phone.
What would you do?
They say hotels in Canggu have generators. Is it worth the risk? Maybe. But, then maybe I shouldn’t come during the rainy season–aka the shoulder season.
Lessons learned:
- Bring a high-capacity power bank
- Invest in a travel router with cellular backup
- Consider staying at properties with generators if you have critical work
- Infrastructure reliability in Bali is a significant challenge for serious remote work
Local Culture Immersion
The neighborhood overall gives a more comfortable feeling and an easier chance to blend with the local population compared to Canggu. This makes it more appropriate for families given the quieter aspect.
During my stay, Nyepi preparations were underway, allowing me to walk by temples and see everyone working on their displays, offering a genuine cultural experience that can be harder to find in tourist-heavy Canggu.
Practical Amenities
Everything you need is within easy reach in Pererenan:
- Another F*cking Cafe (for your morning coffee)
- Mini Mart (for grocery items and just to chill, eat your ice cream, or drink a beer)
- Jaw Laundry (for doing your laundry–the villa will also do this for you)
- Bali Direct organic food store (a little further out, but easily accessible for your health drinks, alternative anti-Mozzy treatments, and amazing desserts (even the vegan ones))
- BONUS: Haven’t tried it but this Pizza joint, Unconventional Pizza, is offering Man v. Food-type challenges.
Distance & Transportation
The distance to many locations around Canggu is probably around 0.7km to 3.1 KM (about 0.4 to 1.9 miles). And if you have a moped then it’s pretty straightforward. Otherwise you can get a Gojek for your transportation needs.
For us, with Gojek, the average cost of traveling from Pererenan to the main areas of Canggu was between IDR 22,000 (approximately $1.47 or €1.36) and IDR 50,000 (approximately $3.35 or €3.10).
Also note that this was either a 4-door car or SUV. So if you want to bum it out on a Gojek moped, the cost will be drastically cheaper amount than the already low amounts shown above.
As you can tell, navigating around Bali is drastically different than Ubering in either Seattle, WA, Boston, MA, or other areas like Norway in terms of cost. As a result, it’s very easy just to travel via Gojek for most of your needs, without breaking the bank.
Social Life Reality
In Pererenan it’s very quiet aside from a few establishments. If you want late-night activities, your options are limited to a burger joint (that you should skip), a pizza place, and the M Mart.
It’s easier to use Pererenan as your living base and Canggu as a social point. That means either going out to Old Man’s or other spots, or just hanging out at 7Hungry convenience store’s outside patio, people-watching. All that is just a Gojek ride away.
Pererenan v. Canggu
Tips, Tricks, and Logistics
- Socialize First, Villa Later: Pick a hostel to network and make friends first, then move to a villa for serious work from home. During social droughts, pay the day minimum (around IDR 100.000) at hostels to mix it up.
- Power Backup is Non-Negotiable: Bring high-capacity power banks for your laptop, not just your phone.
- Villa Value Math: For less than 2 dollars more per day than a hostel, get 4x the space with a Seattle-sized two bedroom and pool. At $58.33 vs. $56.38 per person per night, you’re basically getting a luxury upgrade but with social sacrifices.
- Ride-Share Economics: Gojek from Pererenan to downtown Canggu costs between IDR 22,000-50,000 (from $1.47 to just under $3.50).
- Social Arbitrage Strategy: Live quietly in Pererenan, party hard in Canggu. Use your villa as a proper home base and just Gojek to Old Man’s or 7Hungry when you need to watch people-watch.
Conclusion: The Perfect Balance
Ideally, families and serious digital nomad professionals with demanding remote jobs should choose Pererenan over Canggu. It offers a considerably slower pace of life while keeping Canggu’s amenities and social life within easy reach.
For longer stays, the quieter environment is more appealing while still having access to Canggu’s Western amenities and social scene—especially if you’re interested in the party or dating scene.
Remember, Pererenan is what Canggu used to be before it blew up—it’s getting developed fast, but it’s still the quiet neighbor with better value and less douchebaggery.