Sanur – Bali

If you’re looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of Kuta, Legian and Seminyak then why not head to the relative peace of Sanur? With the outcrop of a reef some 200 meters off shore, the Sanur beach provides lovely calm waters, ideal for children to swim in safety and the perfect place to try your hand at stand up paddle boarding, kite surfing, kayaking and even sailing on a catamaran. There is a great selection of restaurants and cafes and by far a lot less hassle from the persistent shop owners of Kuta and Legian.

The average temperature hovers around 30°C year-round. There are dry and wet seasons – dry from April to October and Wet from October to March – but it can rain at any time of year and even during the wet season rain is likely to pass quickly. In general, the best months are April to September, when humidity is lower and the rain is light and infrequent.

The unique aspect about the Sanur beach which stretches approximately five kilometers is the paved walking path that expands the entire length of the beach itself. On one side of the path is the sand, inner calm waters and then the reef, with crashing waves while the inland side of the path is lined with a good selection of hotels, restaurants and the beach side massage ladies. Many locals and tourists ride bicycles along the path especially in the afternoons and the cafes are laid back serving great food and cold drinks.

As you walk along the beach you will find several artificial arms built from large stones and cement that stretch out into the lagoon some 100 meters or so. At the end of these arms you will sometimes find a large traditional bale where you can shelter from the tropical sun or maybe watch an amazing sunset. The purpose of these small artificial peninsulas is really an attempt to reduce the erosion of the beaches and to retain the existing sand on the beach.

Most Balinese make Sunday a holiday and they tend to head to the beach in droves, especially later in the afternoon where you will find the beach busy with locals. You will find plenty of local vendors here on Sundays in particular selling chicken sates, BBQ corn and an array of other culinary delights.

From June to August you will find plenty of kite surfers making use of the flat waters found at the inner lagoon. You can also find The Rip Curl School of Surf at Sanur Beach located at Prama Sanur Beach Hotel. When local trade winds become off-shore at Sanur from November through to February the surfing conditions are most favorable and surfers can test their skills at a couple of famous breaks such as Oka Point and Lighthouse Rights.

Sanur is one of the island’s original “tourist areas” and today is especially popular with families with kids. The pace here is far slower and relaxed than Kuta/Seminyak and by midnight just about everywhere is shutting up shop. There are a number of good restaurants in Sanur mostly located along Jalan Tamblingan which runs parallel with the beach a few hundred meters back. Massimo is a very popular Italian restaurant and very well known for its refreshing gelato. The Fire Station is another reputable restaurant offering international cuisine at reasonable prices.