Digital Nomads in Sanur, Bali
[This post was updated in November 2024]
Sanur is a quiet, beach side neighbourhood in Bali, located in the south-eastern part of Bali.
For those of you seeking peace and quiet, and just wanting to have a relaxing stay near the beach, then Sanur might be the place for you.
The only downside is that there is not much of a digital nomad community - if you are looking for more community vibes, I would suggest going to Ubud or Canggu instead.
But if you’re looking for tranquility, then read on for more tips on Sanur!
Quicklinks:
Things To Do
Sanur was the first real developed touristy area in Bali when tourists first started coming to this magical island. But now, places such as Seminyak, Ubud and Canggu seem to be current hotspots. This makes Sanur nowadays slightly more local and relaxed, while still having a good infrastructure, available and affordable accommodations and a decent food scene.
Sanur is pretty quiet, especially on the beach side, and there is a very long beach that stretches out for about 7 kilometres, so there are plenty of activities to do along the beach, such as windsurfing, paddle boarding, and much more.
Chill on Sanur Beach
Sanur has a long stretch of beach and there’s plenty to do and places to chill along this stretch of coast. There’s also plenty of water sports you can do as well.
For chilling and relaxing, I always go back to Genius Cafe, which is an amazing co-working cafe right at the beach, and they also have beach lounge chairs.
Do Yoga at the Power of Now Oasis
If you’re into yoga and want to join a class overlooking the sea and beach, then go visit the Power Of Now Oasis. They’ve got different classes available at different times of the day.
Oh and while you’re there, visit Angelique, the resident cow that lives at there:)
Go To The Spa
There are plenty of lovely spas in Sanur - and, as is the norm in South East Asia - it’s pretty cheap to get a nice massage, facial or manicure.
I went to this spa here: The Nest Signature Spa, which was a lovely place and I very much enjoyed the massage!
Discover the Cafe Scene
There are plenty of nice cafes and specialty coffee places in Sanur, and new ones keep popping up! So if you’re like me and love cafe hopping, then there are definitely a few ones to try, such as Simply Brew Coffee Roasters and The Bare Bottle.
Day Trips to Other Places in Bali
There are plenty of other places in Bali that you can visit from Sanur.
For example, Ubud is about an hour away by car, and Uluwatu about 1-2 hours.
From Sanur, you can also easily hop on the boat or ferry to go to the islands of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan as well as the Gili islands.
Where To Eat
Indonesian Cuisine
Warung Kecil, Indonesian - a little Warung that serves Nasi Campur - an Indonesian dish with rice and an assortment of different side dishes, that you can choose yourself from the
SEJA, Indonesian - a quite beautifully designed restaurant that serves Indonesian and Balinese dishes.
Warung Mak Beng, Indonesian - A local Warung specialised in seafood
Malaika Secret Moksha, Indonesian/Indian/Vegan, $$, Tip: They have a super delicious Chocolate tart
International Cuisine
Hanoi by MeVui, Vietnamese - if you fancy some authentic Vietnamese food, then drop by this restaurant, located in the southern part of Sanur
Massimo, Italian - For some authentic Italian go here to Massimo, one of the most famous Italian restaurants in Sanur
Juicy & Crispy, American/BBQ - Tip: The baked potato is amazing!
The Glass House, Western/Australian
Genius Cafe, Vegetarian/Western/Asian
Specialty Coffee & Breakfast
BettyBake Bakery & Coffee - a lovely cafe and bakery that makes really nice pastries, such as croissants, pain au chocolat and pan suisse. They also have decent specialty coffee.
The Bare Bottle, Specialty Coffee - a lovely little specialty coffee shop in the south of Sanur.
Simply Brew Coffee Roasters, Specialty Coffee - A specialty coffee place and roaster
Soul in A Bowl, Brunch
Gecko Coffee, Specialty Coffee
Bread Basket, Breads and breakfast
Where To Work From
Genius Cafe
My favourite spot to work from in Sanur is Genius Cafe which is right on the beach with amazing views, and serves delicious food, hosts cool entrepreneurial events and has an incredibly decent membership cost compared to other coworking spaces around the world. The only catch is that Genius is not 100% a coworking space: It's also ‘just’ a cafe, so there are tourists eating there during day and night, which sometimes not really helps when you are focusing on work.
Other than that, it truly is a great place, and as they are still new, the team at Genius cafe do really make an effort to attract digital nomads and make them feel welcome, which we appreciated a lot.
Where To Stay
Mid range options
Airbnb - Airbnb is still a great option for a mid-range budget - there are some really nice Airbnbs that you can find in the Sanur area.
Hyatt Regency Sanur - A really lovely resort is the Hyatt, that is right next to the beach in Sanur, features many pools, a lounge and a spa. You can check out my full hotel review here.
Akana Boutique Hotel - for a mid-range, boutique option, check out the Akana Boutique Hotel. It’s located in the South of Sanur and in walking distance from my favourite cafe, Genius Cafe. There are also loads of restaurants and shops around.
Luxury Stays
Andaz Sanur - For a refined and luxurious stay, check out the Andaz hotel by Hyatt. It’s a modern and gorgeous hotel, located right on the Sanur beach, so also closely located to many shops, restaurants and bars.
How To Get Around
Scooter - especially if you’re in Sanur for a longer period of time (a few weeks to months) it might make sense to rent a scooter, which is the most convenient way to get around. And especially if you live across the Ngurah Rai Bypass (the other side of the big road, away from the beach), it makes sense. A monthly scooter rental is very cheap (around 60 - 70 euros a month). Just make sure you wear a helmet, because the traffic is no joke (as in most Southeast Asian countries).
Bicycle - If you’re staying close to the beach area, then going around by bike is a good option as you can easily bike on the boulevard of Sanur. You can also bike on some of the main roads - just be careful of the scooters and traffic
Grab/Gojek - If you’d rather not drive yourself, then ordering a Grab or Gojek (kind of like Uber in Southeast Asia) is a convenient and affordable option. With Gojek, you can hop on the back of a motorbike and with Grab you can order a car.
How To Get There
Sanur is about a 30-minute drive from the airport, so it’s probably the easiest place in Bali to get to from the airport.
To get to Bali, you need to fly to Denpasar airport. Bali has become such a popular destination that there are many flights going there from all over the world.
Check out the plane tickets via Kiwi.com:
Community for Digital Nomads
As Sanur is not really known to be a digital nomad hotspot, there is not really a community here like in Canggu or Ubud, which are very popular places. I have heard from other Digital Nomads that they have been to Sanur and actually loved it, as they were seeking for a more quiet and relaxed spot at the beach. But of course, it depends a bit what you’re looking for. I can imagine it might get bit boring after a while.
If you're not a surfer, or a party animal, and you love a relaxed vibe, then Sanur is definitely the place to be. And even if you're into Yoga and you think Ubud is the only place where you can practice Yoga in Bali, then you're wrong! Sanur has a lovely Yoga place right next to the Genius coworking cafe, called Power of Now Oasis.
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