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 gorgeous Sanur beach in south Bali |
| gorgeous Sanur Beach, Bali |
SANUR BEACH Bali Seaside Extraordianaire
Sanur is one of South Bali’s beach-side tourist areas, and one of my favorite places in Bali. Although Sanur is quite developed, it’s very tastefully developed with a rather upscale, refined vibe. And it’s full of great Balinese ‘treasures’ including gamelan (Balinese music), jukung (Balinese sail boats), coral-stone walls, stone statues, temples and wind-whistlers.
The atmosphere at Sanur is a great contrast to that at the Kuta-Legion-Seminyak sprawl about 30 minutes away. Kuta is the heart of the party-bars-tacky souvenir shops-surfing-go-crazy scene that Bali has become notorious for. That scene, By the way, only exists in one small section of Bali. The rest of Bali is entirely different.
Long ago, Sanur was a fishing village. It also was the center of Bali’s upper class priestly Brahman Hindu caste, which accounts for Sanur’s refined atmosphere, distinquished traditional Balinese architecture, and botanical beauty. Some of the origional Sanur resorts were started by wealthy Balinese families, as opposed to westerners, and several of those resorts still exist.
Sanur stretches along 5 km/3 miles of unending white-sand beach fringing a calm shallow sea. The entire coastal stretch is lined with a long pedestrian walkway and backed by tasteful upscale resorts, small boutique resorts and refined open-aired restaurants. There’s no road, thus no traffic. This makes Sanur’s beach side very natural, peaceful and quiet. You’ll only hear wind blowing in trees, birds singing, gentle waves washing across the beach and the distant roar of ocean breaking on Sanur’s fringing reef, which sits about 200 M offshore.
The far southern end of Sanur, where few tourists venture, is bordered by a massive mangrove swamp. A small Balinese temple surrounded by a beautiful coral-stone wall sits on the swamp’s edge. That mangrove forest extends along the coast westward for several kilometers towards Kuta and the airport.
Just north of the mangroves and coral temple, on the southernmost edge of Sanur’s sandy beach, you’ll find some intriguing beach ‘toys’ that make use of Sanur’s often strong wind. One type consists of tall bamboo poles with holes cut in their sides. As the wind blows across them, they make a strong, piercing, eery whistling noise. Another type are Balinese ‘windmills’. They are wood carvings of Balinese shadow puppet characters with wooden ‘propellers’ attached to them and then tied on top of tall bamboo poles. These windmills also make a long wailing sound.
Sometimes you can watch a local man holding one of these large puppet-head-propellers, attempting to control it as a strong wind whirls the propeller furiously around in a whirlwind of speed.
Because of Sanur’s strong seasonal winds, kite flying is a popular hobby. June and July, when winds are strongest, bring the annual kite-flying contest. Bali’s gigantic kites have to be seen to be believed. Many are literally much bigger than a human. The kites bodies can be up to 3-4 M wide and 3-6 M long ( 12 ft x 18 ft) Kite tails are up to 10 M long. It takes several men to carry these huge kites. I’ve even seen kites carried on top of trucks and cars. The kites actually outsize the vehicles!
Several small temples are situated at Sanur’s southern end . This area is popular for cremation ceremonies, during which the ashes of dead relatives are cast into the sea along with various offerings. Because of the many temples, temple offerings, beach side ceremonies and abundant flowering trees, the air is wonderfully fragrant with tropical flowers and incense along the entire Sanur coast.
One oddity of Sanur’s southern end are wandering cows. Cows are just not something you’d ever expect to find at a beach, let alone at a tourist resort area. Even stranger, one large Sanur resort keeps a lone cow permanently on its premises. The cow has its own little grassy pasture and cow shed, located just behind the beach and beside the resort rooms. I still don’t understand WHY there’s a cow AT the resort, but he’s always an amusing, delightful sight.
A huge variety of boats are anchored in the calm, shallow waters of southern Sanur. They range from small modern speed boats to larger diving boats to the traditional wooden Balinese jukung. On land, southern Sanur is the ‘poor’ neighborhood, still sporting a few thatch/wood cafes and bars, which are nearly extinct in Bali, a remnant from the 60s and 70s pre-tourism boom. A bit further north Sanur’s big classy resorts begin, starting with the ‘cow’ resort.
Although I don’t always like large resorts, I have to say that most of the resorts along Sanur beach are really exceptional. They sport stunning beaches, shady trees, gorgeous gardens, beautiful architecture and tasteful swimming pools. Hppily, Sanur has very few massive-tourist-suburbanite-vacationer hotels. Instead, Sanur offers one charming resort and small boutique garden after another, interspersed with atmospheric open-air restaurants.
Walking northward, you’ll eventually reach the award-winning gardens and grounds of Bali’s Grand Hyatt, with it’s massive trees, long sweeping beach and landscaped grounds. It’s one of my favorites. Just beyond that are several private homes, set behind coral-stone walls. The walls are low enough to glimpse into the gardens of these luxurious properties. North of the private homes are more small resorts and restaurants with great architecture, walls and gardens. One of the nicest, most tasteful is the Tandjung Sari Resort, one of Sanur’s first resorts, started in the 1960s by a wealthy local family. Originally it was their home, surrounded by a few walled, private villas for guests. They’ve since expanded to include more villas, all set in well-established gardens.
Now you’re in the heart of Sanur beach. It’s a good time to remember that Sanur is great for swimming, unlike many beaches in Bali that have deep water and very strong, often dangerous currents. Sanur’s coral reef, situated about 200 M offshore, catches the ocean waves, leaving the area inside the reef calm and shallow. Even so, there can be a somewhat strong current moving parallel to shore in one direction or the other. To break up this current, a series of stone ‘jetties’ has been built out from the beach. Built of beige stone and topped by beautiful wood pavilions sporting red clay tiled roofs, these ‘breakwaters’ actually look fantastic and add an exotic touch to Sanur’s coast.
Although not many people know it, Sanur is also a great place for snorkeling! Though much of the sea bottom is full of sweeping green seaweed, there’s a huge variety of sea creatures and tropical fish. I’ve seen exotics like seahorses, robust ghost pipefish, snake eels, morays, sea snakes, sea urchins and starfish, crabs, corals and many colorful reef fish.
 Balinese en route to ceremony |
 resident cow at a Sanur beach resort |
At Sanur beach you have a spectacular view of the Balinese coastline stretching north then eastward, curving around into the distance. When the skies are clear, you are treated to the magnificent sight of Mt. Agung, Bali’s highest and most sacred volcanic mountain. It’s nearly a perfect cone, imitating Mt. Fuji in Japan, but with views from the sea. Spectacular!
Far out to sea is large Nusa Penida island, with 2 smaller islands flanking it. What I notice even more strikingly while walking along Sanur beach, though, is the vast vast sky stretching out over the ocean and all the grand trees flanking the beach and resorts.
Another unique sight at Sanur beach are the wading fishermen in their traditional woven conical hats and extra long fishing rods. They wade out into Sanur’s shallow waters, as close to the roaring reef as possible, and cast their lines. I’ve chatted with a few fishermen and chekcd out their catch. Sorry to say for all us divers and reef lovers, they are catching beautiful reef fish, including parrotfish, surgeonfish and wrasses. Dagnabit! But at least they eat their catch. The fishermen have assured me that the reef fish are very tasty.
 jukung on Sanur beach |
 traditional Balinese gate at one of Sanur's beach side resorts |
Speaking of eating, besides the plentiful resort restaurants, locals set up food stalls at sevaral places along the beach. Many of the vendors hail from Java, though some are original Sanur residents. You can find satays, soups, gado-gado, nasi campur, grilled whole corn and a variety of drinks.
Besides its great stretch of beach, Sanur has another major section back off the beach, which is Sanur ‘town’. It consists of one long road stretching the entire length of the coast, and lined by shops, restaurants, bars, souvenir stalls, and the main entrance to many of Sanur’s beach side resorts. It’s definitely a modern, fully developed town. But it’s still fairly quiet, upscale, and retaining its Balinese character. Even so, I spend as little time there as possible, preferring to spend my days beach side.
 Balinese statue guarding resort entryway |
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On the far side of Sanur’s main road are many narrow winding alleys lined with local houses and larger private residences. Many long term Sanur families live down those lanes. Unlike other tourist areas in Bali that sprouted up out of nowhere purely as tourist ‘towns’, Sanur began as a real Balinese town. Because of its origins, Sanur has some great local culture. One is the Sanur night market that sets up every night, offering an amazing array of delicious Balinese and Javanese foods. Locals eat there, of course, but I’ve noticed more and more tourists eating there in recent years. I’m always a bit surprised because the Sanur market is NOT a pretty place. It’s set on a broken-up parking lot, is fairly dirty and full of potholes. Nobody seems to mind. I certainly don’t mind, since the food is delicious and the prices very low. It’s definitely worth a visit!  Balinese gamelan troupe at local funeral ceremony Sanur also has a few gamelan orchestras and Balinese dance schools. If you’re lucky, you’ll come across evening rehearsals at Sanur’s local ‘banjars’: community open-aired meeting halls. You’re quite welcome to watch the rehearsals, and usually some members will motion you in with smiles and invite you to sit down. I love the lively Balinese gamelan, so I’m always delighted to stumble upon a rehearsal.
Of course these rehearsals aren’t done for nothing. Gamelan is played at various Hindu ceremonies, both at temples and households. In addition, many Sanur restaurants and resorts present regular gamelan/ dance performances. Most nights of the week you can find a performance at one venue or another.
 Mt Agung from Sanur beach- Bali Whenever I stay in south Bali, I stay in Sanur! I love everything about it: the long sweeping beach and sea, views of the Balinese coastline, occasional glimpses of Mt. Agung, colorful wooden jukung parked on the white sands, the tall Balinese ‘flags’ bending in the breeze, the sumptuous gardens, statues, walls, and architecture, the grand trees, the tasty night market and the tinkling sounds of gamelan… ahhh, Bali!
I sincerely hope you can visit sometime. cheers, Lash
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Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
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[…] LashWorldTourTravel Blog offering Cultural Insights, Travel Tips, and Tales of Adventure from 14+ years of world travelsHOMEABOUTAbout LashWorldTourAbout LashContactWhat’s in a name?LashWorldTour Travel MapLash’s Travel Fast FactsMissionsWorld Travels Overview: 1991-2011PressDisclaimerCOUNTRIESASIABALI- INDONESIABalinese CultureDiving in BaliBicycling in BaliAmedSanurBali MiscBANGLADESHBRUNEICAMBODIASHANGHAI- CHINAHONG KONGINDONESIABaliJavaLombokJAPANLAOSMALAYSIAKuala LumpurPenangLangkawiBorneoDiving in MalaysiaMYANMARNEPALPHILIPPINESSINGAPORESRI LANKATHAILANDVIETNAMAUSTRALIAEUROPEENGLANDSPAINS AMERICABRAZILUSAADVENTURESBicycle TravelCycling Bali SeriesHikingMotorbike TravelScuba DivingSky DivingSurvivor TV CrewTravel DisastersWWOOFTRAVEL TALESCULTUREPHOTO GALLERIESTRAVEL TIPS10 Free Things to do in… SeriesAccommodation TipsFlight TipsMoney TipsTravel Safety TipsMisc Travel TipsBeyond GuidebooksTRAVEL STOREFREE eBookTRAVEL BOOKS STORELWT CYCLING AND HIKING GUIDEBOOKS TO BALITRAVEL RESOURCESTRAVEL INTERVIEWSHOTEL – TOUR – MUSEUM REVIEWSBOOK REVIEWSLINKS wp_flash_img_show will display here (config: default)« TRAVEL INTERVIEW WITH TRAVELING CANUCKSPHOTO GALLERY: DALI MUSEUM ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA » 10 FREE THINGS TO DO ON TROPICAL ISLANDS AND BEACHES 2011/06/17 by Lash WorldTourWelcome! If it’s your first time here, you might want to subscribe to RSS —–>>My idea of ‘Paradise on Earth’ = tropical islands and beaches. My answer to any “Where’s the best…?” is without hesitation, “Tropical islands and beaches.” Qs: The world’s most romantic place? Top travel destination? Best place to retire? Same answer every time. Therefore, I’m always astounded to meet travelers who get bored after a mere few days at a beach. How is that possible? More surprisingly, I meet such travelers frequently. Finally it dawned on me that perhaps it’s not so obvious to people just how many fun and interesting activities are available at beaches and islands. My solution: ’10 Free Things to do on Tropical Islands and Beaches,’ written for anyone suffering beach boredom or seeking more tropical activities. In a nutshell, simply by making yourself aware of the beautiful nature and local culture surrounding you, you’ll find unbounded adventures to fill days or weeks on end, whether you prefer chilling out, expending energy or trying out new experiences. All for FREE! Starting off with the most obvious, you can: Lash tanning on Karon Beach, Phuket, Thailand1. Bake in the sun and get a marvelous tan Laying on soft powdery sand, relaxing, soaking up the nourishing sun’s rays, getting your dose of important Vit. D, coaxing a golden tan, and enjoying a gentle breeze are tropical luxuries not to be missed! You will need sunscreen (your one tanning expense) to prevent burning, but if you’re in the tropics you’ll need that anyhow. And if you think suntanning is dull, consider this. You definitely want to have a lovely tan to some degree of brown or other if you’re romping around the tropics. Nobody looks more out of place than a westerner strolling a tropical beach with lily-white skin. While milky skin looks marvelous in cold climes like UK and Scandinavia, it’s simply shocking in tropical destinations where nearly everyone, including locals and travelers alike, have a healthy sun-tanned glow. So go out an enjoy some beach tanning. Just one hour per day will soon turn you a lovely golden tan. sunset at Phuket, Thailand2. Watch sunrises and sunsets Regardless of whether your tropical island is a flat sandbar or a mountainous volcanic protrusion, tropical sunrises and sunsets are stunning natural color displays. If 6am sunrises are a bit painful for ‘morning challenged’ travelers, evenings are a perfect time to sit down and appreciate nature’s amazing free shows. strolling the beach in Krabi, Thailand3. Stay fit Naturally, people equate beaches with relaxing, sitting around and chilling out. But beaches are also perfect places to exercise and stay fit. Walk, jog, hike the jungle, swim or snorkel. Choose your favorite activity and take care of your physical fitness while inhaling fresh unpolluted air and viewing splendid scenery.swimming- Tropical locales generally have warm seas, perfect for simultaneously cooling off and keeping fit. Swimming is considered the no. 1 whole-body workout. If the tropical heat gets a bit too much for comfort dashing into the sea is a luxurious means of cooling off. ** Always be sure to check sea conditions before jumping in. While many tropical seas present calm friendly waters, others have dangerous currents or waves.snorkeling- A majority of tropical beaches are fringed by beautiful coral reefs. It’s worthwhile carrying your own mask and snorkel set when you’re traveling to the tropics so you can enjoy the astounding natural under water ‘technicolor movies’ called coral reefs. Fantastic for hours of free entertainment and wonder. hiking- Most tropical destinations, whether they’re islands or mainland beaches, have more vigorous hiking/ trekking opportunities- in jungles, rice fields, or mountains. Check with locals, other travelers or guidebooks for hikes in your area. 4. Read a book, magazine, newspaper Nowadays most tropical destinations in the world have long-standing, well-developed tourist facilities. Whether they’re bungalow resorts, home stays, or guesthouses, most have books, magazines, guidebooks and newspapers left behind by other travelers. Just about anywhere you can find something to read for free. Another option is to do book-swapping with fellow travelers. Some places also offer free internet to guests, where you can keep in touch with the world and/or download thousands of free eBooks. camping on the beach at Perentian islands, Malaysia5. Camp on the beach Camping is free on many beaches in SE Asia. If you’re traveling with a tent, beach camping allows you to fall asleep to the sounds of gently lapping seas, breezes blowing through palm fronds and insects chirping in dense vegetation. Wake to soft sunrises over the sea, chirping morning birds and the ever-present waves on sand. I’ve camped solo on beaches all over SE Asia in complete safety, without threat, theft or harassment. Many of my campsites were in national marine parks, which charge a minimal fee, but I’ve also camped free at numerous beaches and islands. Singapore city even offers free beach camping! Sri Lankan fishermen stopping to chat with me6. Investigate local boats Boats are found at all beaches and islands. Along with them are local boatmen and fishermen. Go have a chat! They’ll be excited and honored to tell you about their boats, fishing techniques and their lives. 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Join beach games In evenings on beaches all over the world locals gather to play their favorite ball games: volleyball, soccer, takrow, hacky sack, frisbee, badmitton, paddleball. Most times they’re very happy to have travelers join their games. It’s another fantastic way to become part of the local community, make new friends, have fun and also stay fit. In addition, many travelers play beach games throughout the day. Everyone’s on vacation, so they’re usually in a happy, open and friendly state of mind. Most likely they’ll be delighted to let you join. friends with staff in Krabi, Thailand9. Befriend the local shop, restaurant, guesthouse owners and staff Staying at a resort or guesthouse owned by locals? Eating at locally-owned restaurants? Drinking at local bars? Perfect opportunities to befriend people of other cultures, to learn their habits, ideas, outlooks on life, worries and concerns, aspirations, views on westerners, all sorts of intriguing information. Generally, they love conversing with travelers. It makes them feel you care about them and their country. 10. Listen to / play live music Another favorite past time of both locals and travelers to tropical beaches is playing music. Nearly everywhere you can find someone with a guitar, harmonica or singing voice strumming out tunes. Travel with a musical instrument and you’ll make instant friends and fans as well as brighten up peoples’ days. If you’re not musically talented, don’t fret. You can still join in as part of an appreciative audience. Musicians need viewers and love dancers! So to all the beach skeptics out there I hope this list will help you enjoy your next tropical destination more thoroughly. See you on an island! cheers, Lash———————————————————————————————————————————————————–100 Free Things to do in Asia – FREE eBook by LashIf you found this post useful, you’ll love my FREE eBook:100 Free Things to do in Asia. It describes 10 free things to do in 10 different Asian cities and destinations.Check out my Free eBook here You might also like: Guide to Scuba Diving in Thailand Guide to Scuba Diving in Bali Guide to Scuba Diving in Malaysia Scuba Diving at Tioman Island, Malaysia Sanur: South Bali Beach Town Extraordinaire————————————————————————————————————————————————————- /* /* 6 comments1 ping Suzy says: 2011/06/19 at 6:51 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyI love beach vacations, but sadly I have the skin tone that doesn't let me stay in the sun long. I much prefer to swim rather than lay on a beach. And I always stand out as a westerner for I can't tan! You're lucky Lash. LASH says: 2011/06/19 at 9:49 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyHi Suzy,Oh, dear, sorry if I diss'ed you for having lily skin in the tropics! But you're right, there are many people who just can't tan.. guess it's better to NOT lay in the sun then! Swimming is a great option!cheers, Lash Sofia – As We Travel says: 2011/06/20 at 10:20 am (UTC 8 ) ReplyCamping on the beach (or right next to it) is among the most romantic things I know. One of the fondest memories from camping was by an empty beach in New Zealand. LASH says: 2011/06/20 at 7:55 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyI agree Sophia! THanks for stopping by. cheers, Lash Popy says: 2012/07/20 at 11:51 am (UTC 8 ) ReplyHi I am going to Indonesia this sept for three weeks. Me and my friend are plnninag to go to Lombok, Bali and Jakarta. Our hotels for Bali and Jakarta and flights are all set. Hard Rock Hotel in Bali and Pan Pacific in Jakarta.. But nothing yet for Lombok My friend likes to go by plane from Jakarta to Bali and ferry boat from Bali to Lombok.. I like to check on cruise ships or passenger ships from Jakarta to Bali Thus i need suggestions for this and how long does it takes to travel by sea if we do it and the places that it will pass by if there are any I tried Pelni but their site is outdated and the phones are either not functioning or not answered.. I also need suggestions for places to go and activities to do Thanks a lot Lash WorldTour says: 2012/07/25 at 1:19 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyHi Popy,Great, I hope you enjoy your travels through Indonesia! Sounds good.I’m sorry I dont’ know anything about taking a ferry from Jakarta to Bali. I personally would not recommend that- takes a long time, boats dodgy, seas rough. . much better to fly between Jakarta and Bali or else go overland. I’ve never spent any time in Lombok, so I can’t really make suggestions about that island, though i’ve heard from many that Kuta Beach (Lombok NOT Bali) is great. Hiking Mt rinjani could be wonderful if you’re into hiking. That’s about all I know of Lombok. For java, check out my podcast interview with Amateur Traveler, which aired on July 15th on his site. For Bali, check out my post on this site ’10 Free Things to do in Bali’ and my dozen other articles on Bali n Balinese Culuture. there’s so much to do here, it really depends on your interests and time frame. BEst luck, Cheers, LashBudget Travel Guide to Adding Luxury to Your Travels – LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour says: 2012/06/25 at 9:33 am (UTC 8 ) Reply[…] sea water. Walk, jog, or play frisbee on stunning sands. For more ideas, check out ‘10 Free Things to do on Tropical Islands and Beaches‘.Marina Bay Sands Hotel lobby- Singaporestunning lobby of Singapore’s luxurious Marina […]Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published.Name:Email:Website:Message:You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> […]