A Sightseeing Guide to Sanur, the Original Bali, Sanur, Indonesia

Together with Kuta, Sanur is one of the oldest flagship beaches of Bali, so by that association alone I expected it to be tacky and filled with tourist trappings of early-day Bali commercialization.

In some ways, Sanur is exactly that. You have endless rows of hotel developments and even shopping malls! If you are expecting a full beach experience, Sanur may not be the place to be. But if you liken it to a charming coastline city with modern amenities, Sanur becomes surprisingly enjoyable.

Plus, the sunrise and sunset here are always remarkable! Well, at least for all three nights that I was there. And if the weather is cooperating, you can even see Mount Agung on the coastline!

While this is not my favorite place in Sanur, I want to mention this because the name had me fooled. “Matahari Terbit” means “sunrise”, but it turned out that this very small coast is located right beside the port and it’s hard to appreciate the charm when there are port elements blocking your view. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).