Sanur
Map
Sanur
Facts
 A
prosperous and historic resort area, Sanur is Indonesia's
answer to Waikiki. It's nine km southeast of Denpasar and
crowded with high-priced luxury hotels and clusters of serene
bungalows in leafy compounds along the shoreline of a gentle,
reef-sheltered lagoon. Guesthouses started appearing here
as early as the 1940s and heralded the age of modern tourism
on the island. Large hotel enclaves, shady lanes, trees, and
coral walls give the village a park-like setting.
The sunrise over Pulau Nusa Penida each morning is magnificent.
At sunset, sailboats dot Sanur's horizon. Sanur is smaller,
quieter, prettier, safer, and more sheltered than Kuta 15
km to the southwest. It's also more expensive.
The big luxury hotels which have made Sanur famous are on
side streets off the main street and its 'dukun' and trance
mediums are renowned all over the island.
Despite the throngs of tourists, the village still retains
its Balinese character. Sanur is one of Bali's largest traditional
villages. Nevertheless village life goes on and visitors can
really experience the real Bali.
The trees are mature, the streets in good repair, and there's
less construction than in Kuta or Lovina. Sanur is the preferred
long-term residence for those Bali expats who prefer the ocean
and the city. The most exclusive private estates, separated
by vine-draped coral walls and palm-fringed lanes, are in
the Batu Jimbar neighborhood.
Within these elegant compounds are luxurious gardens, swimming
pools, lotus ponds, well-tended lawns, and elegant, traditional
thatched-roofed villas. Because of its glamour, and snob appeal,
the Sanur area is also a favorite of diplomats and foreign
consulates.
Only 2.5 km south of the Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel Resort
and Spa, just beyond the village of Kesiman, is an important
place of remembrance, Padanggalak.
From the beach enjoy fine views of the coastline and Sanur's
'hotel row'. It was on this beach that the Dutch forces which
eventually subjugated the Balinese landed in 1906.
Thirty-six years later Dutch fleeing the Japanese also came
ashore here. And in 1946, the Dutch were back here again,
attempting to re-establish control over their former colony,
using KNIL units and meeting stubborn resistance from the
Balinese.
Padanggalak also commemorates a tragedy. A monument here is
dedicated to the people who died in the crash of a Pan Am
Boeing 707 that crashed into the side of Gunung Patas west
of Singaraja on 22 April 1974.
Mistaking the lights of boats and fishing platforms off the
north coast for the landing strip lights at Bali's airport
in Tuban in the south, the pilot came in low and crashed headlong
into the mountain, killing all 107 people onboard. Visitors
from 11 nations still come here to pay their respects to the
dead, laying flowers and offerings at the small altar containing
the ashes of the victims.
The village of Sanur located on the eastern coast of Bali
is the ideal beach for snorkeling as it is protected by a
coral reef. Sanur is Bali's first beach resort.
Getting There
From Kuta to Sanur, take a 'bemo' first to Terminal Tegal
in Denpasar, then a dark blue 'bemo' all the way to Sanur.
Or take a dark green 'bemo' from Denpasar's Kreneng Terminal
to Sanur. A two-km-long four-lane highway runs six km from
the southeastern edge of Denpasar (Renon) to northern Sanur,
dropping you off just north of the Grand Bali Beach compound,
then continuing down Jalan Danau Tamblingan.
With or without prior booking, look for the name of your hotel
on signs or vehicles at the airport for a free air-conditioned
ride to Sanur. A different way to reach Sanur is to walk along
the beach from Lebih, south of Gianyar. This involves crossing
the mouths of several rather large rivers-exercise cautions.
Getting Away
The Sanur Terminal is at the south end of Sanur near the Trophy
Pub Center at the end of Jalan Danau Tamblingan. On Jalan
Tanjung Sari, flag down a blue or green public 'bemo' heading
northwest to Denpasar's Kreneng Station or a blue one heading
south to Tegal Station. From here you get another 'bemo' to
Kuta.
Take yellow metered Praja taxis, tel. 62361-289090/191, to
the Matahari Department Store in Denpasar. You can also take
private cars or minibuses into Denpasar. If you have your
own vehicle, drive the beautiful new superhighway via Batubulan
in the direction of Ubud. This highway-perhaps the best on
the island-makes Sanur a good base from which to explore the
regencies of Bangli, Gianyar, and Klungkung. |
