THE TICK LIST

To accommodate this new style of surf holiday, we love to pick beautiful boutique resorts with horizontal vibes, and great surf access on the doorstep. As we don’t want to face dragging the kids around town every night to find a restaurant, we also make sure that we look for resorts that offer good clean and healthy food.

Some of our favourite family-friendly spots in Bali are the laid-back surf shores of Canggu, off the beaten track cool of Keramas and the Bukit Peninsular where we feel most at home.

On our recent trip to Bali, our search for the ultimate family-friendly resort with direct access to some of Bali’s best surf, lead us to the COMO Uma Canggu. It ticked all our boxes; incredible accommodation, great waves, and tons of opportunity to rest and recharge in style.

 

 

THE RESORT – COMO UMA CANGGU REVIEW

We booked three nights at the COMO Uma Canggu, choosing to stay in the one-bedroom residence that peers out over the lagoon pool and the rolling fun of Old Man’s surf break. There’s an instantaneous relaxed vibe as soon as you step into the COMO Uma Canggu. Despite it being a fully-fledged five-star resort, there isn’t an ounce of stuffiness.

 

 

Easy Access

As a big part of our reason for being in Bali is the surf, we picked the COMO Uma Canggu because of its perfect proximity to Canggu’s best waves. Old Man’s and Echo Beach are both just a paddle away. With views out towards both breaks, Scott could easily pick the best time to paddle out without having to make the trek with his board in tow. Being surrounded by a thicket of tropical gardens also granted us the best of both worlds; stashed away from the hustle of Canggu but still within easy reach.

 

 

 

PLAY by COMO

Another reason for choosing to stay at the COMO Uma Canggu is their great kid’s club, Play by COMO. Our daughters are 4 and 2 and both loved the warm haven curated by the COMO Uma Canggu. Every day was a feast of fun with everchanging activities including mini yoga classes, discovering vibrant Balinese fruits and even designing and painting Batiks. We booked a nanny to look after our 2-year-old in the kids club so she could enjoy all the fun as well.

 

COMO Beach Club

All of us, kids and adults alike, loved starting and ending the day at the COMO Beach Club. This is where we would spend our lazy mornings swinging on hanging daybeds and where chill afternoons would melt into evenings, making way for live music to accompany those dreamy sunsets.

 

 

THE ACCOMMODATION

We picked the one-bed residence with those surf break views because we needed that bit of extra space to spread out. With two small children, we found the one-bedroom option a great option. It came well equipped with kitchenette and bar which meant we could prep our own breakfast for the kids who were usually up and hungry before the restaurant opened. The kitchenettes full-size fridge meant we had plenty of space for cold water, kids snacks we had purchased along the way and a bottle of wine for mum!

 

Sleeping Space

The bedroom could also be portioned off by the sliding doors, which meant that when the kids were all tucked up in bed, Scott and I could enjoy our evening with a glass of wine in hand without disturbing them – a win for all. We also loved the generous balcony; it was the perfect space for rest and retreat.

 

THE CUISINE

The COMO Beach Club had a great menu, which offered a range of COMO Shambhala signature dishes. Our mornings started with fresh tropical smoothie bowls and healthy quinoa salads loaded with greens and finished with the restaurants incredible seafood dishes.

We particularly loved The Glow Juice Bar which provided us easy access to zesty salads, freshly squeezed juices, whipped up smoothies and coffee. Finding healthy snacks for kids while travelling can be a challenge, so the Glow Juice Bar was a godsend.

Just across the road from the resort we also found a great little sushi restaurant that made for simple kids lunches or dinners that were guaranteed to get eaten.

 

 

THE SURF

With Canggu Lefts and Old Man’s well within reach, this is where Scott spent most of his time surfing. Old Man’s was a mellow 2-foot ride perfect for a funboard or longboard. While Old Man’s is a favourite for those learning to learn or intermediate surfers, the crowds were thinner than over at Batu Balong which is a little further along and often overflowing with surfers.

 

 

Performance Swells

Echo Beach was around 4 foot throughout our stay and there were plenty of waves to be had. Canggu Lefts is something of a swell magnet and is often bigger than the surrounding breaks. On these waves, swap out the funboard for a performance board.

Peaky Sandbars

Next to Canggu Lefts is the fun and peaky Canggu Sandbar which is always a popular spot for performance surfers and bodyboarders, especially on low tide.

Conditions are often the best first thing in the morning before the trade winds blow in. The resort’s beachfront location meant Scott could get his first surf in before being back in time to meet us for breakfast.

 

 

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Kid-Friendly Fun

COMO Uma Canggu is more than welcoming to families and those thoughtful touches are all in place. Our girls love to swim so the lagoon pools large wading sections were perfect for hours of fun. The kids club was a great all-rounder, they had an amazing schedule of activities and we were able to hire a babysitter for our youngest daughter so she could also attend.

 

 

Lots of Adult Time

For mama here, the COMO Shambala Spa was without a doubt one of my highlights. I opted for the Remedial Massage and my masseuse tailored the treatment to include certain stretches to unwind all those tight muscles in my neck. It was by far one of the best massages I have ever had.

The gym also offered complimentary daily classes which we took advantage of. We were really impressed with the quality of the instructors and the ability levels that were catered for in the Pilates class.

 

 

Excellent Location

Finally, the location – any parent knows that location can make or break a stay and fortunately, the COMO Uma Canggu was great. Not only did it have all those incredible surf spots on the doorstep but the resort is within easy reach of Canggu’s best restaurants, cafes, bars and shopping meaning that no-one will get cabin fever.

 

 

 

 

THE COMO UMA CANGGU REVIEW

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the COMO Uma Canggu, it was a heavenly home away from home. For those families who are seeking an easy-breezy retreat right next to Canggu’s best surf spots, this is a winner. The emphasis on wellness, the convenience of location, and the dedicated balance of providing plenty of things to do for both adults and kids strikes a great balance. We would definitely return and this time, stay a little longer.

 

 

SMALL CONSIDERATIONS

• When booking your room it’s worth remembering that those on the ground floor have direct access to the lagoon, and therefore are not suitable for families travelling with Little Wayfarers under 12.
• The Penthouse is a stunning option for larger families or those travelling with other couples.
• The Resort Rooms are a good option for active travellers or those who are planning on being out in the water a lot as these don’t have outdoor spaces or balconies.
• Finally, for those wanting to find a spot suitable for learning to surf or kind to beginners, then Old Man’s is soft, slow and very mellow.

 

 

We hope you enjoyed our COMO Uma Canggu review, please feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions about the resort or if you are ready to book a family surf trip to Bali.

ENQUIRE NOW or call us on 1300 611 338

Head over to our resort directory to read more about the COMO Uma Canggu.

Check out of Mini-Guide to Bali with Kids for all our family-friendly favourites or download our FULL 28 page Bali Travel Guide HERE.