Bali has been admitted as one of the world’s most famous destinations, even long before the movie ‘Eat, Pray, and Love’, which was starred by Julia Robert and set in Bali, was released. It is not only the natural beauty that is searched by millions of tourists who come each year, but the cultural life of Balinese people has attracted those people from around the world. The way people live that still upholds the tradition from their ancestors, and the spiritual life of the Balinese has become a unique attraction that is highly appreciated by tourists.
Bali is also rich of natural beauty tourist resorts that spread all over Bali Island. One of the most popular tourist resorts that has been known since the early tourism industry in Bali started is Sanur Beach. As one of the well-known beaches in Bali, Sanur has some attractions that are quite appealing for the visitors to enjoy. Sanur Beach itself was first introduced by a European, AJ. Le Mayeur. As a painter from Belgium, he had stayed and witnessed the charm of the Beach since 1937 with his wife. Since then, the tourist destination gradually showed its beauty to the world.
The Location of Sanur Beach
Sanur Beach is located in Sanur Village, Denpasar, Bali. This beach is at the East and South part of Sanur Village that faces the Indonesian Ocean at the South of Bali. The area had been well known since the historical war between Balinese and the Dutch army that landed on the Beach on September 20, 1906. It is not difficult to reach the area. The location is around 6 kilometers from Denpasar and can be reached in about 20 minutes drive from the Ngurah Rai International Airport. There are many public cars heading to Sanur Beach, so there should not be any problems to get there.
It is also quite easy to drive from Kuta or Legian to Sanur. It takes only about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, it may take a longer travel time of 30 minutes from Ubud and Seminyak, or a shorter time of 15 minutes from Denpasar.
Sanur Beach: the Charm of Bali
Sanur Beach is famous for the amazing view of sunrise, different from the Kuta Beach that is famous of the sunset. The beach stretches along 3 km facing the East, where the sun rises. That is why it is also often called the Sunrise Beach. It presents very beautiful scenery when the sun rises in the morning. There are many huts and seats, which are provided for visitors. Besides, because of the sunrise, the beach also has white sand combined with coral that results in a very interesting beach view. Sanur is also relatively friendly for children recreation as the wave is not dangerous.
Even though famous as the place to see the sunrise, the beach is quite attractive to be enjoyed during late afternoon. When the tide comes, there is an interesting view of coral along the uncovered ocean. Many visitors use this moment to do canoeing.
Sanur can be regarded as one of the firstly developed tourism resorts in Bali. Therefore, the growth of this area is quite fast and large. Many world-class hotels have been built around the beach area. Hyatt Sanur Bali, Mercure Resort, Sanur Beach Hotel, and Grand Bali Beach are to mention some of the high-end hotels. Those hotels usually have private beaches at the back, even some of them are also completed with golf areas. The beach is relatively quieter and calmer than Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak are. Therefore, it is a perfect place to get some relaxations and peace with family.
Besides high-class hotels, Sanur also has many hotels, villas, guesthouses, and cottages with various budget ranges and facilities. There are many places to stay; they are quite budget friendly and offering good services. As mentioned before, Sanur is one of the first tourism resorts developed in Bali, therefore, there is no need to worry about where to stay because there are many options available.
What to See
There are some interesting places to see during the visit to Sanur. One of them is the Turtle Island or Seaman Island Turtle Conservation Centre. This place is located about 3 km at the south of Sanur. This place used to be the market for Balinese to trade the turtle meat. Then, after the practice was not allowed, it has been used as the centre to learn about the conservation initiatives on turtles. Mangrove Information Centre is the next place that also conserves the natural resources around Sanur. There is a huge 600-hectare mangrove forest, which is used to educate students as well as visitors about the importance of mangrove forests for the beach ecosystem.
Pure Banjoing is another place to visit. This is the most notable temple in Sanur with Precast Blanding (a stone inscription) that shows a Javanese king visiting to Bali in the 10th century Furthermore, an International Kite Festival, Padang Gala Beach that is at the north of Sanur is held every July. This event is originated from the traditional practice of the Balinese people to send message to the Gods in Hindu for abundant harvests.
What to Do
Various activities can be done in Sanur. There is a 5-km cycle path from Metacarpi Street area in Sanur to the main beach at Hang Utah Street. Renting a bike in the morning and enjoying the beautiful view of the early morning in Sanur will be a very good activity to start your vacation. Some water activities also took pity to be missed. Diving, surfing, and canoeing can be done with the guidance of the professionals for those who are new to those water sports.
For the body and mind relaxation, there are many spas, with many kinds of beauty and relaxation treatments from modern to traditional available with the cost of half-lower than what might be charged in Europe or North America. There is many more beauty, which can be found in Sanur Beach. The charm of Sanur Beach will always be memorized for those who have been there. If you want to visit this spot and other spots in Bali, you may use a Bali car rental with driver for more flexible tour.
Check also: Goa Gajah Temple
