Sanur is one of Bali's oldest resort areas, stretching along the island's southeastern coast about 20 minutes south of Denpasar. Unlike the frenetic energy of Kuta to the south, Sanur moves at a gentler pace. The beach is calm and sheltered by a reef, making it good for swimming and safe for children. At low tide the reef sits exposed and the water recedes some distance — the beach is best at high tide.
A paved beachfront promenade runs the full length of Sanur, lined with cafes, warungs, and surf shops. Accommodation is mostly mid-range, and the atmosphere is laid-back rather than party-driven. Sanur is also the departure point for boats to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida from Sanur Harbour, making it a useful base if you're planning day trips to those islands.
The town has a small but charming museum of Balinese art, the Museum Le Mayeur, housed in the former home of Belgian painter Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès, who settled here in the 1930s and married a celebrated Balinese dancer. Quietly tucked away in the southern part of town, Pura Blanjong holds the oldest dated inscription on the island — a stone pillar from 914 AD that is the earliest written evidence of the Balinese kingdom.