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The peaceful fishing
village of Sanur, has recently seen a massive modernization
and facelift with millions of dollars poured into hotel
renovations together with a spectacular conservation and
landscaping project that replenished the beach and safeguarded
the coral. As a result, the calm and shallow lagoon is
increasingly conducive to an entire range of marine sports
and beachside activities. On any given day you can see
people fishing, snorkelling, sailing, surfing, or simply
wading towards the reef searching for colourful shells
and playful tropical fish. Colourful jukung outriggers
dot the horizon and the scene is perfectly idyllic all
year round.
Characterized by its unique charm and unhurried pace,
Sanur has long been a popular destination for guests seeking
a stylish, laid-back beachside getaway. Visitors and meeting
participants delight in the romantic beachfront - a picturesque,
unbroken seaside promenade that stretches the length of
ocean-front hotels, luxury villas and exuberant gardens,
affording a pleasant stroll in the cool early mornings
and late afternoons.
In the 1930s, Sanur attracted a collage of colourful expatriate
characters - bohemian artists and entrepreneurs who chose
to set up house with the families of local landowners
claiming a piece of the nearest beach as their very own
slice of paradise. Belgian impressionist Le Mayeur, Dutch
artist Arie Smit, Australian artist Donald Friend and
the flamboyant tourism pioneer Jimmy Pande all set up
residence in Sanur during the 20th century. Over time,
guest rooms gave way to guesthouses that made way for
chic B&Bs the precursors of Bali’s first collection of
international-standard hotels that eventually sprang up
along Sanur’s reefprotected shore.
Famed for its legendary sorcery and magic and home to
Bali’s oldest archaeological monument - the AD 911 Belanjong
Pillar - Sanur still retains a decidedly village atmosphere,
in spite of tourist development.
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The community, focussed around important priestly Brahmin
homes, is constantly busy with ceremonies and celebrations
featuring unique performing art-forms and processions
found nowhere else on the island which highlight the calendar
all year round.
Villagers and tourists nonchalantly intermingle, exuding
an easy familiarity bred from generations of symbiosis
and mutual curiosity. Sanur, where local banjar meeting
halls and ancient coral-walled temples sit side-by-side
with exclusive hotel properties, offers a harmonious cluster
of world-class restaurants, shops, nightspots, water-sport
centres and traditional markets - a melange sure to provide
days of serendipitous discovery for those who venture
out into the many shady lanes and byways.
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