The villagers were amazed that someone would want to settle by the ocean, as beaches were traditionally shunned by the Balinese because of spirits. Yet Sanur continued to attract an international elite and today is a prominent luxury resort area in the Far East. Here the water is calm due to a fringing reef, which provides another diversion for snorkellers and swimmers. A stone throw away from Sanur's golden mile of beachside hotels lies a string of ancient temples.
It is easy to spend a day around Sanur: lazing by the pool-side, walking on the beach, or following paths through the surrounding hamlets, rice fields and coconut groves. You can take a look at the coral pyramid in the sea temple or the old pillar inscription at Belanjong. In the evening the choices are several. Relax on the beach (especially around the full moon) or on the porch of a bungalow. Elegant triangular sails of fishing prahus glide on the calm sea. These boats are called jukungs and there are many for hire for trips along the shore. At low tide, the waters recede leaving great swathes of sand and coral that stretch for hundreds of meters to the reef.
Built along the beach, Sanur area is ideal in the early morning, for the coast there faces the sun rising over Nusa Penida island. Many attractions of water sport are available on the beach such as Canoeing, Jet Ski, Sea Walker, Recreational Diving, Hobie Cat (Mini catamaran), Parasailing, Kite Surfing, Traditional Boat (Jukung), and traditional fishing. Or you can just lie down and enjoy the nice breeze while sunbathing. Walk along the beach in the early morning to watch the sunrise, or pamper yourself in a luxury spa. Great shopping lies along the main road of Sanur, or you can browse in the traditional market along the beach. In the evening you can have a nice dinner in the various restaurants which serve Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Indian or Western cuisine or have a seafood dinner on the beach. Some pubs and cafes, open until quite late, perform live music.
The Prasasti Belanjong, an inscribed pillar here dated A.D. 913, is Bali’s earliest dated artifact, now kept in a temple in Belanjong village in the south of Sanur. It tells of King Sri Kesari Warmadewa of the Sailendra Dynasty in Java, who came to Bali to teach Mahayana Buddhism and then founded a monastery here. The Sailendra King Built Borobudur in central Java at about this time.
