Sanur is known for being one of the quiet and family-friendly areas of Bali Indonesia, but there are also plenty of good things to do in Sanur.
Families will love the laid back atmosphere and chill restaurants at Sanur Beach, and the sunrise views here are some of the best you can find anywhere in Bali.
This sleepy seaside town on the east coast of Bali was one of the original birthplaces of Bali’s tourism, and it’s still popular for its nice hotels, shopping, breakfast, massages, and easy access to the Nusa Islands.
Without further ado, here is our Sanur travel guide, with some of our top recommendations of what to do in Sanur Beach!
Best Things To Do In Sanur Bali
1. Sanur Beach Sunrise
Sanur Beach may not rank up there with Bali’s top beaches, but it does shine (no pun intended) as one of the best sunrise spots on the island.
The combination of a cool morning breeze, fishermen wading out on the reef, the Mount Agung volcano in the distance, and the spectacular sunrise display here is just plain magic.
A sunrise on the beach is one of the best things to do in Sanur!
2. Sanur Boardwalk
Sanur beach has a very long coastline (around 7 km) and there’s a paved footpath all the way, so it’s perfect for a morning walk, jog, or bicycle ride.
It’s a nice scenic path lined with fishing boats, hotel gardens, and beach restaurants, and you can occasionally get views of the Mount Agung volcano in the distance.
If you’re looking for what to do in Sanur Beach, the boardwalk is a great place to start! The whole public beach area is free to enter, and sunbeds or bicycles can usually be rented for 25k Rupiah (~$2) per day.
For yoga lovers, there’s also a free morning yoga class every day at Pantai Karang. It starts at 7:30 AM and everyone is welcome, just join in with a mat or towel.
As of 2022, the whole Sanur Beach walking path is being renovated to make it wider. This is welcome news because the boardwalk can get pretty busy in the mornings.
3. Sanur Beach
To be honest, Sanur beach can’t compete with the nicest beaches in Bali, because there’s just too much seaweed along the shore and the sand is not special.
There are a few exceptions, but most parts of the beach are just average. However, Sanur is great for families, and that’s why so many Balinese locals and ex-pats like to come to the beach here.
Calm sea waves and shallow water make it an ideal place for kids to swim, and there’s a fantastic breeze in the summer months (May through August).
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4. Bali Kite Festival
The Sanur area is home to the yearly Bali Kite Festival when hundreds of unique looking kites fly the skies in a fun sort of competition.
During the dry season in Indonesia (May through August), Bali gets nice strong winds from the east, so Sanur has perfect weather for kite flying.
You can see all kinds of gigantic and creative kites, sometimes up to 100 meters long!
5. Sea Turtle Release
If you’re lucky, you can sometimes join a sea turtle release at Sanur Beach, although it’s not as common as the one at Kuta.
Olive ridley sea turtles still like to lay their eggs at Sanur Beach sometimes, and when the babies hatch you can release them to the ocean for free (or with a small donation).
Releases are more common during the mid-summer months (June through August), so your best bet is to ask around on the beachfront and hopes you’re present when they do the next release.
6. Sanur Beach Clubs
The Sanur area isn’t known for beach clubs (yet), but a few good ones have started to pop up, and some of the nice Bali beachfront hotels also offer day passes to walk-in visitors.
The two top beach clubs in Sanur right now are Artotel Beach Club and Birdhouse Beach Club.
After you pay the entrance fee, you get a food and beverage credit along with access to a pool, playground, and beachfront lounge with WiFi and sunbeds.
7. Le Mayeur Museum
This is a small museum dedicated to a 1930s Belgian painter and his Balinese wife. It’s set up in their former house in north Sanur Beach (GPS here).
Reviews are mix because the paintings are nice, but the upkeep is bad and there’s no air conditioning. The entrance fee is 50k Rupiah for foreigners.
The main reason to visit this place is to get a small peek into what the real Bali was like in the old days before mass tourism, malls, and the internet.
8. Sanur Rice Fields
These are some rice fields near Sanur that are virtually unknown to tourists, but they’re just as green as any of the others in Bali Indonesia.
There’s a new walking path in good condition, and you can take your bicycle or scooter on it for a nice scenic ride.
With the high speed of development in Bali and especially the Sanur/Denpasar area, sadly these rice paddies may not be around for much longer before they’re replace by buildings. So enjoy them while you can!
9. Sindhu Night Market
This is a small night market in north Sanur where you can buy locally cooked foods like Nasi Campur, Satay, and Nasi Goreng at very reasonable prices.
It’s popular with locals and tourists alike, and you can also find fresh veggies and fruit juices (including durian)!
The night market is open from 6 PM until 11 PM but sometimes can go as late as 1 AM if it’s a busy night.
10. Sanur Watersports
Sanur beach is one of the most popular places to do watersports in Bali.
The surfing and snorkelling in this area aren’t worth your time, but it’s a great place to do parasailing, jet skiing, banana boats, etc.
If you want a unique experience, hire one of the local fishermen to take you around on a traditional ‘jukung’ boat.
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11. Sanur Massage
Practically every third building in Sanur is a massage shop.
Balinese massage is fantastic and the prices can be very affordable, at 150k Rupiah (USD 10) or less for a 1-hour body massage.
Two of the highest-rated places in Sanur are KOA Boutique and The Nest, but honestly, you can go to just about any spa and get a good massage. We’ve never had a bad massage anywhere in Bali.
It’s the perfect way to unwind after a full day of hiking or touring.
13. Souvenir Shopping
Shopping is one of the most popular things to do in Sanur, so it’s a great place to pick up your Bali souvenirs before leaving Indonesia.
Some people go to Artasedana (formerly Hardy’s), which has fix prices, but you can get better deals from the small shops on Tamblingan street or Sanur Beach, where haggling is expect.
You can find the usual souvenirs like keychains and fridge magnets. Or a wide variety of nice handmade crafts like wood carvings, paintings, and rattan bags.
Bali is also know for coffee beans, spices, oils, lace, ceramics. And silverworks, and you can find all of these things in too.
