Top 14 Things To Do In Sanur - Sanur Activities
Bali has been one of the best vacations I've had in south-east Asia. And after exploring Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, that's a big statement to make. I travelled across the island for 11 days, starting my journey with Sanur. So, here's my list of the Top 14 things to do in Sanur that can help you plan your travel in Sanur, Bali.
SANUR ACCOMMODATION - WHERE TO STAY IN SANUR
1. Griya Santrian beach resort (value for money) - Book your stay by clicking here.
2. Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali suites & villas (luxury) - Book your stay by clicking here.
3. Kembali Lagi guest house (budget) - Book your stay by clicking here.
TOP 14 THINGS TO DO IN SANUR
1. VISIT PURA BLANJONG AND SEE THE BLANJONG PILLAR AND INSCRIPTION
Pura Blanjong is a small Hindu temple situated at Jalan Danau Poso street in the southern area of Sanur, Bali. It houses one of the oldest relics in Balinese history - the Blanjong pillar.
The pillar is housed in a glass enclosure and is usually covered with a cloth. On the pillar, you can read an inscription written in Sanskrit (Indian language) and the Balinese language describing the proud military campaign of the Balinese ruler - Sri Kesari Warmadewa.
It's a symbol of authority and testifies to the connections between India, Bali and Java. If you're lucky like me, then you might get to see a royal Hindu ceremony in the temple as well.
NOTE - Wear a sarong before entering the temple, as a mark of respect for the Hindu culture.
2. ENJOY FOOD AND DRINKS AT GENIUS CAFE
By far one of the best places to eat vegetarian food in Sanur, Genius Cafe provides the ultimate ambience to get you into the holiday mood.
It's a huge beachfront cafe with both an indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating with the plush bean bags by the beachside gives a laidback feel to the place.
You can head for a swim in the clear blue waters of the ocean and then satiate your hunger with some deliciously healthy food that the cafe offers.
The cafe offers everything that you can think of - salad bowls, soups, pizzas, burgers, cocktails, smoothies, tacos, quesadillas, falafels, guacamole, mocktails, juices, fruit platters, desserts etc. It also has a vegan and gluten-free menu for starters, mains and desserts.
If you wish to chill by the beachside and enjoy good music while having some of the tastiest food, then Genius Cafe is the place for you.
3. VISIT THE TURTLE CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION CENTRE
Visiting the Turtle Conservation and Education Centre is one of the most heartwarming things to do in Sanur. The centre offers you a free tour with one of the volunteers from the organisation explaining you everything about the endangered species and their rehabilitation.
The place adopts injured turtles and takes care of them till they can be released in the ocean. You can see turtles hatching in the hatchery and even hold 3-day old baby turtles on your palm.
Green sea turtles, hawksbill turtles, olive ridley turtles are some of the species that are being sheltered at the centre. The place has free entry and it's up to you to donate whatever amount you're comfortable with.
4. ENJOY A MEAL WITH A SEA VIEW AT WARUNG PANTAI INDAH
If you fancy a relaxed meal by the beachside, then Warung Pantai Indah is the place to be. It's located next to Peneeda View Beach hotel and offers lip-smackingly good food at a cheap price.
The food is fresh, food portions are generous and the staff is friendly. The sea view adds to the ambience of the cafe which otherwise is quite basic and not too fancy. Enjoy a chilled Bintang beer with local delicacies at this little gem of a place that not many people know of.
5. VISIT THE LE MAYEUR MUSEUM
Located at the north end of the Sanur beach is a museum that houses paintings made by the Belgian artist Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur. His work speaks about the beauty of the female body and reflects a liberal ideology, one which is much more censored in the current cultural climate of Bali.
He came to Bali, fell in love with a Balinese dancer named Ni Pollok and immortalized her on his canvas. Ni Pollok along with her friends modelled for him, as he captured their beauty doing the most basic routine activities.
He married Ni Pollok who continued to inspire his work and settled in Bali. Later he built a beachside house in Sanur where he continued making paintings of her.
Due to ear cancer, he had to move to Belgium for treatment. After his death, Ni Pollok continued to live in their Sanur home. She died in 1985, after which the place was turned into a museum.
Along with the paintings, you can also see various artefacts that are kept in a small mansion.
This mansion is an ideal example of Balinese architecture with fine wood carvings and decorations. Entry fee is 50,000 IDR (3.5 USD) per person and the experience is well worth the money charged.
6. ENJOY THE BEST SUNSET VIEW WITH COCKTAILS AT "TREE BAR AT MAYA"
Having cocktails at the Tree Bar at Maya with stunning sunset views is an indulgence you deserve. It's one of my favourite experiences in Sanur which explains why I spent two consecutive evenings here.
The Tree Bar at Maya has a royal ambience with two levels of wooden deck overlooking the serene beach.
On the opposite side of the beach, you can witness a gorgeous sunset as well. Enjoy live music with a variety of cocktails during the happy hour period from 5pm-7pm.
I would recommend you to try the berry mule, passion club, devilish mojito, burning mandarin, fabuloza and exotic bubblegum.
The place comes alive at night with lights hanging on the trees giving it a glowing and almost surreal appearance. Spending time here is one of the best things to do in Sanur during the evenings.
7. EXPERIENCE THE SANUR SEA WALKER TOUR
Bali offers a variety of water sports for adventure sports enthusiasts, one of which is the Sea Walker Tour. My travel buddy Marinela and I were quite excited to do it as we'd never heard of such a thing before.
There are various water sports companies at Sanur beach that provide you with this experience. The average cost per person for the Sea Walker Tour is 50 USD. Payment has to made upfront so be sure to take the receipt from them.
You are provided lockers to keep your bags and you can change into your diving clothes in the changing rooms. In this activity, firstly they provide you with the swim fins. Then they take you into the sea on a boat, which drops you to a yacht.
The staff at the yacht make you wear a helmet and connect it to the oxygen cylinders placed on the yacht. You are then taken underwater by the trainers who guide you as you walk along a fenced path. Enjoy your time underwater as you see fish vrooming past your helmet.
You get to see a variety of species of fish from close quarters and even get to feed them. The experience is overwhelming as time just stands still underwater. Breathing inside the helmet is really comfortable and the pressure underwater isn't troublesome at all.
At the end of your experience (which lasts 25-30 minutes), the staff even clicks pictures of you on the yacht. All in all, it's the most enjoyable and exciting thing to do in Sanur and one that you shouldn't miss at any cost!
8. VISIT THE BALI ORCHID GARDEN
You don't have to be a horticulture expert but just love natural beauty to appreciate this place. At 1,00,000 IDR (7USD), the entry fee per person is a bit expensive but then managing 100+ species of the rarest orchids doesn't come cheap, does it?
You're greeted with a refreshing "welcome drink" and a knowledgeable guide - who gives you a tour of the entire garden. Beautiful orchid gardens provide for visually pleasing sights and the ambience is filled with the pleasant smells of the exquisite orchids.
Observe a variety of orchids based on shapes and colours of creatures like butterfly orchids, scorpion orchids, leopard orchids, rabbit orchids among others. The place has clean washrooms and a cafe, besides a souvenir store where you can buy the orchid perfumes and the famous Luwak coffee of Bali.
The Orchid Garden provides a pleasant break from the hustle and bustle of Sanur streets and deserves a place in your list of "things to do in Sanur".
9. TASTE THE BEST GELATO AT MASSIMO
Gelato fans rejoice! An Italian restaurant Massimo located at Jalan Danau Tamblingan 228, offers you the best gelato in Sanur. I'd read about the place earlier but went in with low expectations since I'm not a big gelato fan.
But after tasting the 3 flavour gelato in a lime cone at Massimo, I've developed a fondness for gelato. The place is always filled with people and things can get a bit confusing with everybody shouting their preferred gelato flavours simultaneously.
However, the quality of gelato more than makes up for it. Do visit the place if you have a sweet tooth and you'll be thanking me at the end of it.
10. GET A RELAXING BALINESE MASSAGE AT "GOOD MASSAGE"
To come to Bali and not experience a Balinese massage is criminal. Relax your senses at this parlour called Good Massage (yeah, literally) at Jalan Danau Toba No22 and experience pure bliss.
The masseurs are well trained, friendly and professional at their job. The facilities might be modest but the service is worth every penny. I opted for a one-hour foot massage which cost me 90,000 IDR (6.5 USD) and came out a rejuvenated man.
A massage treatment here can cost anywhere between 6-10 USD depending on your requirement. I recommend you to try the place as it's far better than the expensive parlours that overcharge for mediocre service.
11. EAT AT THE PASAR SINDHU NIGHT MARKET
Pasar Sindhu is the famous night market in Sanur where you can gorge on some delectable Indonesian cuisine. Enjoy having the Indonesian style fried rice "Nasi Goreng" along with piping hot noodles.
You can also have fresh fruit juices (costing just 1 USD) with your meal. The place isn't that big but the small warungs provide for great eating experiences. The warungs are clean so hygiene isn't an issue.
There's also a small play ride at the left of the entrance area of the market so parents with little kids don't have to worry about keeping their little devils engaged.
The market is filled with small shops selling cheap clothes, bags and footwear so you can enjoy some inexpensive shopping as well.
12. VISIT THE GRIYA SANTRIAN ART GALLERY
Located inside the Griya Santrian Beach Resort & Spa, the Griya Santrian Art Gallery is a nice little art exhibition which features works of talented artists.
Entry to the gallery is free. Works of contemporary and abstract art adorn the walls of the gallery as the stories told on canvas capture your imagination. It also hosts book launches and is a must visit place for art lovers.
If you're lucky, then you might even get to meet an artist who's painting features in the exhibition at the museum.
13. HAVE LUNCH AT WARUNG JAWA
Also present at the same Jalan Danau Poso street are various warungs or small restaurants. One of my favourites among them is Warung Jawa. Here you can enjoy a nice authentic Indonesian meal at an economical price.
It has a buffet of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items to choose from. The food is fresh, spicy, full of flavours and costs you less than 2 USD (which is dirt cheap).
14. SHOP AT THE SANUR BEACH MARKET FOR CHEAP SOUVENIRS
I have seen many bloggers suggesting buying souvenirs from Hardy's supermarket but I'd like to tell you that - "Don't shop from Hardy's". The souvenirs at Hardy's are extremely overpriced and the same quality that you get in a small souvenir store so don't waste your money.
Instead, shop at the Sanur beach market which sells souvenirs and other local handicrafts at a much cheaper price. The vendors here are friendly so all it takes is a smile and polite haggling skills to get the item you want at the desired price.
CONCLUSION
That was my list of the Top 14 things to do in Sanur. Sanur is one of those underrated places in Bali that has a lot to offer to travellers - temples, beaches, museums, markets, beach cafes, warungs, water sports, gardens, animal conservation centres etc.
It has something to cater to every age group and the fact that it's less touristy than Kuta and Seminyak makes it an automatic choice for those seeking peace and serenity.
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