Sanur is where Bali's first luxury
beach hotel was built over 30 years ago, and has since been the
spot for luxurious seaside accommodation. Conveniently located
near Denpasar on the main road leading to the east, Sanur is not
nearly as frenetic as Kuta, nor as well-mannered as Nusa Dua.
Many foreigners have built lavish villas and bungalows here and
this is the preferred place for up-market, long-term stays on
the island, especially in the BatuJimbar and Belanjong areas.
The main attraction here is the white sand beach bordering a reef-sheltered
lagoon. The beach stretches south from the The Grand Bali Beach
Hotel and ends up in the mangrove marshes opposite Serangan Island.
Due to the protection of the lagoon, this beach is one of the
safest on the island, and thus perfect for families. There is
no surf apart from out on the reef, and one cannot swim at low
tide, but at other times this is the best place in Bali for windsurfing
and sailing.
Prices in US dollars. AC = Air conditioning. Telephone code is
0361.
Sanur
Sanur can be divided into several sub-areas:
The Grand Bali Beach Hotel area. West and south of the hotel,
at the point where the black and the white sand beaches meet.
This northern section of Sanur is popular with local crowds.
Sindhu is east of JI. Bypass Ngurah Rai, and south of JI. Segara
Ayu, extending south to the first stretch of JI. Danau Tamblingan.
This area is classier, with good hotels on the beach, night and
art markets, and good restaurants.
Batujimbar, further south, has few hotels, but is the location
of expatriate and Indonesian jet set society mansions. Exclusive
beaches are reached via small lanes.
Semawang stretches south from the Bali Hyatt Hotel to the Sanur
Beach Hotel and beyond. It houses both the priciest hotels and
restaurants, as well as the red light district.
Get to Sanur from the airport by taxi. Tickets available at the
airport taxi co-op counter outside customs, near "left luggage".
The set fare is Rp. 35,000 to Sanur.
Within Sanur either rent a car or catch one of the many public
bemos that ply JI. Danau Tamblingan for Rp1,000. These can be
chartered for short hops around Sanur ($l-$2), and for trips to
Denpasar or Kuta ($2-$4). Bargain hard. The terminal of the Praja
Taxi company is in Sanur, Phone 289191, 289090. Bali Taxi is in
Jimbaran, Phone 701111, 701621, 701633. Pan Wirthi Taxi is in
Kuta, Phone 723355, 723388, 723952.
Biking around Sanur is also fun. At the Tri Dewi Art shop, JI.
Danau Tamblingan 48, in Semawang, you can rent a bike for Rp15,000/
day; try bargaining. The bicycles aren't the greatest. It may
be wise to pay more by renting through your hotel.
Sanur is an ideal base for trips to Bali's rice growing heartland
and the mountain areas. Rent a self-drive car or a minibus with
driver on a daily basis. There are car rental companies on JI.
Bypass Ngurah Rai and on JI. Danau Tamblingan. Cars and minibuses
for hire are found outside all major hotels, or go through one
of many car rental companies.
The most reputable self-drive rental agencies are Avis, which
has desks at Jimbaran, in the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and the Sheraton
Lagoon Nusa Dua; Bali Car Rental on JI. Bypass Ngurah Rai; and
Toyota Rent a Car at the airport, Jimbaran, on JI. Raya Airport
99X, in the Bali Padma Hotel in Legian, and Kartika Plaza Hotel
in Tuban.
A day-trip in a minibus with a multilingual guide costs from around
$25, including gas, depending on the itinerary. Group tours cost
as little as $10-$15 for the main tourist destinations. Contact
Prema tours or visit our website for list of tours and activities,
or your hotel travel agent.
Private Houses. An alternative to standard accommodations is to
rent luxury bungalows owned by affluent foreigners. These can
work out relatively reasonably, if food and drink are bought at
supermarket prices. Prices range from $250/day for a villa for
two, to $1,500/day for a two-hectare beachfront estate with 14
staff, an archery range and use of a game fishing boat.
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