SANUR BALI INDONESIA
SANUR
Sanur, often overshadowed by its more vibrant neighbours, offers a refreshing escape for those seeking tranquillity and authentic Balinese charm. It's a place we visit a few times a year. It's a perfect stop over for our annual return to Australia when visiting family and friends. Spending 1 month on the way to Australia and another month on the way back to Thailand or to our next destination. Sanur will never be a long-term plan for us due to the cost of accommodation. Unlike other destinations we love, Sanur doesn't have condos or cheap bungalows. When staying in Sanur we stay in home stays or hotels, which we enjoy but it's not perfect for more than a few months.
Being Australians our love for Bali started at a very young age as it does for most Australians. While back in our younger days Sanur wasn't for us, now we love the laid-back vibe.
Things to Do in Sanur
Sanur Beach is the perfect spot to relax. If you are lucky, you may even see Mount Agung. Enjoy a long lunch and some cold Bintangs at one of the many beach side restaurants. If you have ever been to Bali, you know how cold the beers are. I could go a Bintang now lol.....
Rent a sunbed, take a swim and enjoy some sun.
Indulge in some water sports, try your hand at paddle boarding or maybe a jet ski.
Experience a traditional Balinese massage at one of the many spas.
Take a day or half day tour with a local fisherman on a Jukung. A Jukung is a colourful traditional fishing boat, you will see many scattered along Sanur beach. You can simply enjoy the calm waters of Sanur or head out for some snorkelling or fishing.
Bali and Sanur are well known for its beautiful spas and salons. Take some time to indulge in a spa day or enjoy a treatment.
A favourite of ours is The Nest Boutique Spa. It is best to pre-book at this spa. Make sure you enjoy the sorbet after your treatment. The Nest is also good for waxing. Emma Spa is a more budget friendly salon and great for a foot massage. You will find most salons in Sanur are very good and affordable.
Shopping
While Sanur isn’t a shopping haven like Kuta or Legian you can still find plenty of places to find some Bali bargains.
Local Market Stalls - Explore the local markets or stroll along the beachfront walk for souvenirs, handicrafts, clothing and maybe a wooden bottle opener 😉
Fixed price Shops - If you want a hassle-free shopping experience head to one of the many fixed price shops in Sanur. Prices are great, some of the best you will find. It's usually the only place we shop now unless we see something very special that we can't find at a fixed price shop. Most of the fixed shops are located at Baruna Beach Market. A few shops to keep an eye out for - Siki's Shop, Ming Indah's, Monica Shop & Tootsies.
If you not into shopping or had enough a perfect spot to wait is at Tootsie Beach Bar & Restaurant. Enjoy some BBQ satay and a cold Bintang while waiting...win win for everyone.
Boutique Shops - Discover stylish clothing and accessories at the boutique shops along Jalan Danau Tamblingan.
Explore Sanur Beaches
Sindhua Beach - The main beach in Sanur where you will find the majority of mid to high end hotels and beach front restaurants. You will find a range of restaurants from local warungs, mid range restaurants to top end restaurants. You can rent beach lounges for the day or stroll along the great walking path.
Pantai Segara - A great beach to visit on the weekends especially on a Sunday afternoon when the locals come to enjoy some family time and have a swim. Grab a cold Bintang and enjoy the activity.
Mertasari Beach - The most southern beach in Sanur. Mertasari is another favourite for the locals on a Sunday. This beach also hosts the annual kite festival and is a great day to be a part of. Watch the teams fly some amazing kites and families having fun. You will see a lot kites flown in Sanur from late July to October. We visit Mertasari beach a few times while we are in Sanur it's a great afternoon. Grab some food from the street carts and enjoy a few cold Bintangs.
Where to Eat and Drink
Sanur offers a diverse culinary scene to satisfy every taste and budget. You can enjoy fresh seafood at beachfront restaurants, explore the night market, or indulge in international cuisine. From local warungs to up market restaurants. you can find it all.
Some of our Favourites Below
As we are traveling full time cost of food and drinks play a part in choosing our favourite restaurants. We still visit many restaurants however we rarely visit top end restaurants.
Newarung Caretta - We visit this restaurant so many times while staying in Sanur. It's situated on Sindhu Beach so it's a great spot to relax for a few beers on the beach or to have a delicious lunch or dinner.
We recommend the Grilled Mahi Mahi and Pork Kebab both delicious.
Warung Nesa - A small family run Warung on Semawang beach. It's a fantastic spot to chill for a few hours and eat some delicious Indonesian food. Great value restaurant. Sun beds are available at the front of the restaurant.
Recommend dishes Vego Spring Rolls & Ayam Lada Hitam, it's spicy and full of flavour.
Warung Kak Epo - A great little Warung on Pantai Segara. Pantai Segara is a great beach to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Bakso Ayam and Mie Kuah where both delicious and only $2 AUD.
Warung Rakarai - The cheapest Bintangs we could find in a restaurant so it had to make our favourite list 😁 The food is great both western and Indonesian. Live music some nights which are a lot of fun. Avocado and prawn salad was delicious.
Warung Coconut Tree - Great little reggae bar with live music 4 nights a week. We really enjoyed the healthy sandwich and salad raja udang which is similar to a prawn cocktail. Live music is popular so get in early.
Warung Happy Monkeys - Always a fun night at Warung Happy Monkeys. Good value food and drinks. Friendly staff. Live music a few nights a week which gets the crowd involved in the fun. "Life is short smile while you still have teeth" Good plan 😁😁😁
Sanur Nightlife
While Sanur’s nightlife isn’t as electrifying as other parts of Bali, if your looking for a chilled bar to have a few drinks, enjoy some live music or watch some sport Sanur still has it covered.
Beachfront Bars - Enjoy a Bintang at one of the beach side restaurants.
Live Music - You can find a number of bar / restaurants with live music performances.
Casablanca is a popular late night bar with live music. A place to have a dance and a maybe a few too many drinks 🍺🍺
If you’re looking for a place to watch sport in Sanur check out Jimmy’s Bar, Me and You Bar, Clubhouse or Warung Sports.
Up To You Bar - Is another good bar to watch some sport and have a few drinks. You can order Grab food to bar which was great, we ordered a great pizza from Warung Bellissimo.
Sanur Night Market
Unfortunately not as good as other night markets in South East Asian. Some people love it but it wasn't really for us. It's ok to wonder around but not really a market for a fun night out trying different food.
Getting to Sanur
Getting to Sanur is a breeze. The Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) is the main gateway to Bali. From there, you have several options.
Klook - Our preferred option. Pre-book with Klook and make your way to the waiting lounge for your driver to arrive.
Taxi - Make sure you negotiate the fare before getting in including the toll fee.
Hotel Transfer - Can be more expensive however may be easier for some travelers.
Getting Around Sanur
Sanur is relatively small and easy to get around. It's a very walk-able town with a great beach walk path. You can hire a push bike and annoy people on the walking path if you like 😉 Grab, Bluebird Taxi and Gojek are also available in Sanur. If you jump in a taxi make sure its a Blue Bird and make sure they put on the meter. A taxi should only cost a few dollars to get anywhere in Sanur. Electric bikes are no longer authorized to ride on the beach path which we think is a good thing.
Tips for Your SanurTrip
Best time to visit Sanur is from March until late October which offers the best weather conditions. If possible book outside of the Australian school holidays as the price will be higher and Bali is busier in general.
Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) is the local currency. WISE card is accepted at many restaurants, salons and supermarkets. We recommend setting up a WISE account before leaving your home country and ordering a physical card to bring with you to use in supermarkets, restaurants and withdraw cash from ATM's. Money exchange booths have a reputation of ripping off customers so beware and only use authorized exchange booths. ATM's can also have card skimmers so keeping your WISE card locked when not in use. This is a great way to protect yourself. We don't recommend using your home country Visa or Debit card due to skimming, protect your banking and use a WISE card and cash.
Sanur is a great spot to slow travel, with its laid back vibe it is a great place to relax and enjoy some beach time.
Thanks travelingmoses
