Sanur sits on the east coast of southern Bali, in the city of Denpasar, about a 30-minute drive from the airport. Where the west-coast resorts face surf, Sanur faces Nusa Penida across a sheltered lagoon, and its long beachfront path is the reason many families and older travellers choose it. Travel guides describe it as Bali's oldest upscale resort area, with a relaxed feel that suits quieter holidays.
Its history is short but layered. The Blanjong pillar, with ninth-century inscriptions, stands in a small temple in the south. Dutch troops landed here in 1906. The painter Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur lived on the seafront from 1932, and his house is now a museum. In 1966 the Bali Beach Hotel opened as the island's first five-star resort, widely regarded as the start of mass tourism, and a 1971 height cap meant it stayed the tallest hotel on Bali.
Sanur is a place to walk, eat and rest, not to party. Evenings are quiet, the main street has cafes and shops, and the harbour sends boats to Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and the Gili Islands. In July the Padang Galak beach hosts a kite festival with giant traditional kites.
The honest trade-offs are food and swimming. Street food and many restaurants are meat- or fish-based, so vegetarians and Jain diners need to ask, and Indian restaurants in Sanur are fewer than in Kuta or Nusa Dua. The reef also means shallow water at low tide, so pools or tide-timed swims are better than long beach swims. Plan three or four nights, with a couple of outings.
Before you plan
Sanur at a glance
- Best months
- June to September is the driest and…June to September is the driest and most comfortable; August is the driest month. January and February are the wettest.
- Ideal trip length
- 3 to 4 nights as a calm base3 to 4 nights as a calm base, plus day trips to temples, Ubud or the nearby islands
- Airport
- Ngurah Rai International AirportNgurah Rai International Airport (DPS), about a 20 to 30 minute drive depending on traffic
- Railway station
- NoneNone. Bali has no passenger railway, so travel is by road and boat
- Getting around
- Metered taxisMetered taxis, hotel cars and bicycles; the beachfront path is walkable for about 5 km
- Daily budget
- A rough guide is ₹4,000 to ₹10,000…A rough guide is ₹4,000 to ₹10,000 per person per day excluding the hotel; resort dining costs far more than warungs
- Senior comfort
- Good: level beachfront pathGood: level beachfront path, calm water and benches; heat, humidity and temple steps need pacing
- Language
- Indonesian and BalineseIndonesian and Balinese; English is widely used in hotels, cafes and tour desks
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Sanur: June, July, August, September. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Sanur itinerary
One good day
1 day in Sanur
Walk the beachfront path at sunrise, then breakfast at a cafe on Jalan Danau Tamblingan. Visit Le Mayeur Museum in the late morning and Pura Blanjong afterwards. Rest at midday, browse Pasar Sindhu or Nogo Bali Ikat Centre in the late afternoon and finish with a light dinner.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Sanur
Sunrise on the beach path, breakfast, then Le Mayeur Museum and Pura Blanjong. Rest through the afternoon, then walk Jalan Danau Tamblingan for dinner.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Sanur
Sunrise walk, breakfast, hotel pool, then a late-afternoon stroll to the harbour and back along the path.
Day-by-day plan →
