Sanur Beach is one of the first tourist spots in Bali to see the influx of tourism that Bali has seen during the past half century. Nevertheless, it is still rich in history and retains much of the calm atmosphere of its previous days, attracting a different kind of crowd compared to the lively scenes you will find in Kuta and Legian. Sanur boasts many small connected beaches that are all quiet, with a gentle paved path where locals and expats enjoy the morning fog against the rising sun.
1- Beaches of Sanur
The Sanur coast stretches about 8 km from north to south, between the coastal borders of Gianyar Regency and the mangrove forests of southern Denpasar. Along this distance from end to end, you will be able to enjoy several notable beaches, even though the entire Sanur Beach is mentioned. The pedestrian path connects all these coasts, and provides a wonderful morning jogging trail and scenic bike paths.
2- Bali Seawalker
A great activity for anyone wanting to enjoy the depths of Bali island that is filled with tropical marine life, Bali Seawalker provides a safe and enjoyable time for families. The float is anchored five minutes from the beach, from where you go under the waves through a ladder with a specially designed helmet, then walk on sand to see beautiful coral reefs with colorful fish. The “walk” takes about 30 minutes, with reliable and experienced guides overseeing the activity from top to bottom. The tour can be enjoyed by children aged 10 years and it is suitable for those who have no previous diving experience.
Location: Sekar Mint Building, Jalan Bybas Ngurah Rai No. 5, Padanggalak, Sanur
Phone: +62 (0) 361 281 408
3- Le Mayor Museum
Le Mayor Museum is a hidden treasure located directly on the main beach of Sanur, behind a collection of art stalls and souvenirs. This memorial museum mainly houses the artwork and personal history of the painter Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres, a fond artist in Brussels, and admired the island of Bali and the beaches of Sanur, where he devoted his entire life to the two things he loved: her arts and women. He fell in love with Legong dancer, Ni Pollock, who later married her and became his inspiration, and appeared widely in his oil paintings.
Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday from 8 in the morning until 2 in the evening
Location: Jalan Hang Toah, Sanur
Phone: +62 (0) 361 286 201
4- Bali Sharks
Bali Sharks, also known as the Serangan Shark Island Project, is a special nature conservation initiative that has embarked on a mission to save sharks with black and white edges, while providing Zorzbali with the first environmentally friendly tour of its kind in Indonesia. In close cooperation with a group of local fishermen, they built a safe floating nursery 10 x 10 m in the eastern waters of Serangan Island. The tours are suitable for all ages and allow participants to swim and snorkel with little sharks, proving all that is wrong with passive depiction of sharks in Hollywood movies.
Location: Jalan Tukkad Punjawa Restaurant & Bar, Agus, Sarangan Island
Phone: +62 (0) 621 996 1 1
5- Bora Blanjung Temple and Stone Inscriptions
For those interested in the history of Bali, the Palanggung Temple or Pura Palanggung, in the sub-village area of the same name within the Antaran Village in southern Sanur, houses one of the oldest known artifacts in Bali in the form of a stone pillar with inscriptions in Sanskrit. It was believed that this stone pillar is a type of victory monument, mainly from King Sri Kesari and Armadewa, who visited him in Bali in the tenth century and installed what was probably the first official government in Bali. In addition to the carved pillar, other monuments at the site of Blanjung include sandstone statues, such as the Hindu Lord Ganesh and a number of animal figures.
6- The Turtle Protection and Breeding Center
Marine turtles, which in the past were a traditional commodity among the Balinese in the distant past, have become a protected species, while supporting major conservation efforts throughout Bali. The Turtle Protection and Breeding Center, established on Sirangan Island, is one of them. The center acts as a hatchery, nursery and haven for turtles that are mistakenly caught by hunters. The center is open to the public and offers an ideal educational day for all family members. Supervisory staff are available to provide information and short tours if they are not engaged in cleaning and maintaining swimming pools or feeding turtles.
Hours of Operation: From 9 am to 5 pm
Location: Jalan Tukad Punjawa, Agus, Sarangan Island
Phone: +62 (0) 361 857 7881
7- Grea Santrian Gallery
Located inside the Grea Santrian Boutique Hotel in Sanur, the Greya Santrian Gallery is an open-air gallery that regularly hosts art galleries and launches books and art events that include local and international artists. It is one of the most famous exhibitions of its kind in the Sanur region, and it is definitely a must visit for art and culture enthusiasts. Almost every month, this gallery displays many paintings and sculptures by artists who mainly focus on classic styles, with some living and prominent characters that have appeared in the past
Hours of Operation: From 09:00 AM until 09:00 PM
Location: Griya Santrian, Jalan Danao Tamplingan 47, Sanur
8- Bali Kite Festival
Padanggalak Beach, on the northern tip of Sanur, stretches over a wide black sand and grassy field, and is also the regular host of the annual Bali Kite Festival. The festival is usually held around the wind season, between July and August, with certain dates after favorable weather conditions. It is one of the most prominent events of the regional calendar in Bali displaying unique cultural scenes on par with the pre-Bali arts festival. Throughout the festival’s history, thousands of traditional kite teams and youth groups from all over Bali are transporting giant kites to the beach using big trucks, with wings ranging from 5 to 10 meters.
9- Bali Garden of Orchid
Bali Orchid Garden is a must-have place for flower lovers and gardeners. It is set amongst rows of local garden stores along Tobati Road, north of Sanur, which includes a variety of outdoor kiosk collections and tropical plant stalls. The Bali Orchid Garden is the only one of its kind to offer tours, and indoors you will experience a world full of natural colors. There are 1 hectare of landscaped tropical gardens for guided tours where you can witness an abundance of orchids and enjoy many exotic tropical plants.
Location: Jalan Tohpati, Kusamba 1, Denpasar
Phone: +62 (0) 361 461 010
10- Taman Bali Festival “Ghost Town”
The most important place on this list is an abandoned park, the Taman Bali Festival, which only saw its climax in 1997, but eventually closed after three years due to marketing and money problems. It is now considered a ghost town, literally by some locals who think deserted places are inhabited by “invisible world” spirits, which is a favorite photo location for photographers looking for a desolate post-apocalyptic environment. This is due to the buildings that are still widespread but degraded in their main buildings with partially collapsed roofs, ticket booths, theater and dining areas covered with dust, moss and creeping chrome. Colossal statues and ornamental figures around the courtyards and throughout their open spaces, which now stand beneath the dense foliage, create a strange sight even in broad daylight. Great care must be taken about dilapidated buildings.
