Sanur is Denpasar’s seaside district, on the city’s east coast, and the place where tourism in Bali began. Foreign artists settled here in the 1930s; the ten-storey Bali Beach Hotel opened in 1966 and so alarmed the island that a rule followed limiting new buildings to roughly the height of a coconut palm. Sanur has stayed low-rise, leafy and unhurried ever since.
The beach faces east, protected by an offshore reef that keeps the lagoon calm and shallow. A paved path runs along almost the entire shore, for several kilometres, past fishing jukung, beach cafés, hotel gardens and little pavilions built out over the water. At its northern end is Sanur harbour, the departure point for fast boats to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida.
Top things to do at Sanur Beach
Get up for sunrise
Sanur is known as Bali’s sunrise beach. Be on the sand by about 6 am to watch the sun come up out of the sea, with Nusa Penida to the right and, on clear mornings, Mount Agung to the north.
Walk or cycle the beach path
The path is flat and traffic-free, and bicycles can be rented all along it. Cycling the whole length takes under an hour without stops; with stops for coffee and a swim it fills a morning. A guided e-bike tour also takes you into the village lanes behind the beach.
Visit the Le Mayeur Museum
The beachside house of the Belgian painter Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur, who lived here from the 1930s with his Balinese wife, the dancer Ni Pollok, is now a small museum of his paintings and carved wooden shutters.
Find the Blanjong pillar
In a back lane in southern Sanur, the Blanjong inscription is a stone pillar dated to 914 CE and attributed to King Sri Kesari Warmadewa — the oldest dated inscription in Bali.
Take a boat to the Nusa islands
Fast boats reach Nusa Lembongan in about 30 minutes and Nusa Penida in about 45. You can buy a boat ticket or a full day tour in advance; see getting here for how the harbour works.
Watch the kites
In the windy dry-season months, around July and August, enormous traditional kites are flown from the beaches at Padanggalak and Mertasari, with teams competing in festivals.
How to get to Sanur Beach
- From central Denpasar: about 20–30 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing car.
- From the airport: around 30–40 minutes by car via the bypass road.
- From Ubud: about one hour by car.
- Getting around: Sanur is flat and compact; walk, rent a bicycle or use ride-hailing apps for short hops.
Insider tips
- At low tide the lagoon becomes very shallow and swimming is poor; check the tide and swim around high tide.
- Stay inside the reef. Beyond it the currents are strong.
- The path can be busy with bicycles and electric scooters — keep an eye out when walking with children.
- Arrive at the harbour at least 30 minutes before your boat. Boarding is from a jetty at the terminal, though at some tides and for some operators you may still have to wade.
- Sea conditions are roughest around July and August and in the rainy-season storms; boats are occasionally cancelled.
Best tours & tickets for Sanur Beach
These well-reviewed experiences are the easiest way to see Sanur Beach:
E-bike tour from €43 Sanur Village E-bike Tour
A gentle, family-friendly ride that shows the Sanur behind the beach hotels: village lanes, a neighbourhood market, a temple and the remaining rice fields. Flat terrain and electric assistance make it suitable for almost anyone.
- Easy electric-assist ride through Sanur’s back lanes
- Local market, a temple and rice fields
- Reviewers mention a turtle sanctuary stop by the beach
Cooking class from €33 Sanur: Balinese Cooking Class with Optional Market Tour
Learn the spice pastes behind Balinese cooking and make a handful of classic dishes, then sit down to eat them. The optional market visit is worth adding: it explains the ingredients you will see all over Denpasar’s markets.
- Hands-on class with a local chef
- Optional visit to a local market first
- Eat what you cook; pickup within the Sanur area
Workshop from €23 Bali: Coconut Oil Making Master Class in Sanur
A small, well-reviewed workshop on how coconut oil is traditionally made in Bali. An easy two-hour activity for a rainy afternoon or a slow Sanur day.
- Make coconut oil by hand the traditional way
- Small workshop with consistently high ratings
- Short enough to fit around a beach day
Boat ticket from €6 Bali: Nusa Penida One-Way Fast Boat Transfer Ticket
A plain boat ticket from Sanur harbour, on Denpasar’s east coast, to Nusa Penida. For travellers who want to explore the island independently or stay overnight.
- One-way fast-boat ticket between Sanur and Nusa Penida
- Several departures a day
- Buy the return separately or choose a return option
