Business news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Is Bali dead? I checked into Canggu’s oldest and newest luxury hotels to find out
Canggu has become a symbol of Bali’s rapid growth in tourism, with traffic, crowds and nightlife prompting some visitors to declare the island “dead”. Anna Moloney visits the area’s first hotel and its newest luxury resort to explore how Canggu has changed and whether it still offers a worthwhile holiday.
Bali welcomed just under 7 million international visitors in 2025, 173 per cent more than a decade earlier. Hotel Tugu opened in Canggu in 1997, when the area was mostly rice paddies, temples and beaches; its manager says the transformation accelerated around 2015, as visitors increasingly came for restaurants, cafés, padel and gyms.
In short
- Bali’s visitor numbers have risen 173 per cent in a decade.
- Canggu has transformed from a quiet village into a tourism hub.
- Two luxury hotels offer a view of the area’s contrasting eras.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Canggu’s growth can be seen as a sign that Bali remains attractive and has developed more ways for visitors to enjoy it, from restaurants and cafés to sport and luxury stays. Tourism also brings business and employment, and the contrast between the area’s early days and its current hotels may show that a holiday there can still be worthwhile for travellers who value choice and comfort.
The case against
The rapid rise in visitor numbers and the spread of traffic, crowds and nightlife can erode the quiet landscapes and local character that drew people to Bali. For travellers seeking rice paddies, temples and uncrowded beaches, development may make Canggu feel less distinctive and less enjoyable, even if the island still draws millions of visitors.