Hotels in Sanur

Sanur is an ambient, mature beach town rich in history. It boasts a natural landscape and is the oldest upscale tourist resort on the southeast side of Bali. The sandy beach stretches over five kilometres, with reef-sheltered beaches, numerous budget accommodation options, and western restaurants, tourist shops, with a limited amount of traffic. Sandwiched between the beach and the main Jalan Ngurah Rai bypass, Kuta is only a 30-minute drive away, and Ubud is just 40 minutes away by car.

There's a great mix of various accommodation options in this beach town ranging from luxury 5-star hotels to mid-range hotels with panoramic views, comfortable, cheap hotels, inns, and guest houses providing great services and lovely scenery, to villas and suites suitable for families.

Neighbourhoods of Sanur

Sanur is made up of a few small towns.

• Belanjong: Situated in the southern area, it is famous for the Blanjong Pillar.
• Bebet: This is the area around Griya Santrian and is home to Besakih Beach.
• Intaran: With plenty of tourist attractions close by, this is one of the budget accommodation areas.
• Batu Jimbar: This little town is where Sting, an English actor and musician (real name Gordon Matthew), gave an impromptu concert. It is also where Jerry Hall (an American actress and model) and Mick Jagger (an English songwriter, singer, and actor) held their Balinese wedding.
• Sidakarya: This town is Bali Zoo's home, where you can have breakfast with the Orangutans or enjoy a cliff temple sunset tour.
• Sindhu: Sindhu beach on Bali's southeast coastline forms part of the long Sanur Beach. It has a significantly sized sand bed and mild wind, making it very popular for water sports. It is close to Pantai Segara Ayu Beach, where some of Bali's earliest new hotels can be located.

What to see and do in Sanur

Some of the greatest things to do in Sanur are for those who are interested in discovering Bali's fascinating culture and nature. The Le Mayeur Museum, the ancient and enigmatic inscription in Blanjong Temple, and even the 'ghost town,' where only the courageous may visit, are historical monuments. On Padang Galak Beach, the isolated coast about 7 km north of the main hub, lies a spooky 'ghost town.' These are the Bali Taman Festival's huge ruins, a favourite place for photographers looking for a bleak and post-apocalyptic setting.

Alternatively, you can get immersed in nature as you walk amid the tropical marine life and beautiful reefs at the Bale Seawalker, ideal for adults and children who are ten years and older, with no swimming or diving experience necessary. Visit a marine garden aquarium or turtle hatchery, or snorkel and swim with young sharks at Bali Sharks, a private initiative focused on nature conservation. Visit the Turtle Conservation & Education Centre and experience the turtles or buy memorabilia from the turtle-themed souvenir shop. For the water lovers, there's diving, kitesurfing, windsurfing, swimming pools, waterslides, canoes, banana boats, glass-bottom boats, and snorkelling. There's also a golf course and you can also walk or cycle along the numerous beaches.

What to eat in Sanur

Chicken is a favourite here. You'll also find pork in plenty. Beef is a bit rare but quite a favourite for many. Some of the common local meals include crunchy deep fried beef, crispy fried chicken, chicken curry pedas (chilli), stewed vegetables, and corn fritters. Fish curry is also a delight in the town.

Typical events and festivals in Sanur

The annual Bali Kites Festival is held between July and August, on the northern side of Sanur at Padanggalak Beach, during the windy season. It is one of the biggest highlights of Bali's provincial calendar. On this day, you can see thousands of youth groups and traditional kite troops using big trucks to transport their massive kites to the beach. The kite's wings typically range from 5 to 10 meters.

The Sanur Village Festival held at the end of August promotes the local culture. During the event, a bazaar, musical performances, jukung (traditional boat) races take place.

How to move around in Sanur

To move around in Sanur using public transportation, you can either use the public shuttle bus, a car charter with a driver or take the bemos (mini bus). Or perhaps you want to enjoy your trip with no rush, in which case, take a car rental from Destinia.

The climate in Sanur

You can expect pleasant temperatures year-round with highs of 31 degrees Celsius and lows of 24 degrees Celsius, making it ideal for travel any time of the year. January experiences the most rainfall with about eight days of precipitation followed by December, with approximately five days. There's usually no rainfall in August. May, June, July, and September get just a day or so of rainfall.