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 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.
Sanur can be divided into several sub-areas:
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- 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.
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 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 around
$25, including gas, depending on the itinerary. Group tours cost
as little as $10-$15 for the main tourist destinations. Contact
Pacto, Tunas Indonesia, Mekar Wisata, 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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