G'day,
Welcome to this week's Things to do in Sanur Newsletter.
Shoulder season is here. The August crowds have gone home, the prices are coming down.
Here's what's on, what's new and where the deals are.
WHAT'S ON
Sanfest is coming. The Sanur Village Festival is the big one on the Sanur calendar. Five days of food, music, kites, watersports and a lot of very happy locals along the beach. The 2026 dates still haven't been locked in, but everything points to November. It used to be August, then it moved, then it moved again. So don't book flights around it just yet. Follow @sanurfestival on Instagram and we'll let you know the second the dates drop.
If you're in town on a Thursday, Arunika at The Meru Sanur runs a Taste of Tradition night every week. It's a Balinese BBQ dinner and a pretty easy way to try local food without the guesswork of ordering off a menu you can't read.
NEW IN SANUR
Sanur's food scene is going nuts. Five years ago you'd get a nasi goreng and an early night. Now there's wagyu tomahawks.
LUCA opened at Jalan Danau Tamblingan No. 156 back in May. It's the new one from the Boy'N'Cow crew, so it's steak first, but they've added Italian dishes and pasta you can only get there. Two floors, an open grill and a lounge upstairs for drinks after. Not cheap. We haven't been yet. It's on the list. Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NJFpmrbCvpLsQufc8
Junsei, at Jalan Danau Tamblingan No. 49, is a new Japanese izakaya doing yakitori over binchotan charcoal. Honeycombers rated it as one of the best new tables in Bali right now. Chicken on sticks and cold beer. Hard to argue with that.
From Here opened in July at Jalan Danau Poso No. 54, in a restored joglo surrounded by garden. All day dining, proper baking and a slow pace. It's from the Eatopia Group, the team behind NOAA and Aunty Ji's. They picked Sanur on purpose because they didn't want to be another Canggu hotspot. Good call.
Also worth a look are Pasar for wood fired Peruvian and South American food, and Noku, a Japanese counter spot doing robata and sushi.
FROM THE THINGS TO DO IN SANUR FACEBOOK GROUP
The group's been busy this week. Half of you want to know where to watch the AFL Grand Final. It's Freo v Brisbane this Saturday and the bounce is 12.30pm Bali time. Here's where the group reckons you should head.
Deeko, opposite the ICON mall, got the most votes. Rama backed it in too.
Kathy's pick is Jimmys.
Adi put up Warung Rakarai on Jalan Pantai Sindhu.
Leone rattled off a whole list. BJ's Sports Bar, Apa Kabar Sports Dining & Bar, Teras Sport Bar & Grille and Warung Sports.
Our tip? Get there early. Every Aussie in Sanur will have the same idea.
Someone else was after a lobster dinner in Sanur. The group delivered.
Warung Amphibia won by a mile. Jo, Rani, Lou, Jodes and Jed all put it up. Lou's verdict? "Can't go wrong."
Tootsies came in second. Jodes called it delish and Elly reckons their lobster mornay is wonderful.
If you want to splash out, Jo had a whole list. Blossom Steakhouse at ICON Bali sometimes does a whole rock lobster beside your steak, with ocean views.
The Glasshouse has lobster dishes, but book ahead if you want the platter. Pier Eight at the InterContinental does a lobster bun that people love. And The Village Cucina Italian on the main road does lobster with angel hair pasta.
Jodie's tip is the seafood platter at Andaz. You can add a lobster to it. Like it so much you want to stay? You can book the Andaz here: https://booking.tp.st/1KkrIOKc
And Steve's advice? Just head to the beach. There's usually a sunburnt tourist doing a pretty good lobster impression.
Not in the group yet? Come and join 50,000 people who know Sanur better than anyone. Ask anything. Someone will know.
FROM OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Speaking of the Andaz. We went and had breakfast there recently. We weren't even staying. You can just book in and eat like a guest.
Is a five star Sanur breakfast worth the price tag? Watch it and tell us what you think. Spoiler. We reckon it was amazing.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/u-WCm1FYFS8
If you enjoy it, subscribe to Street Eats & Window Seats. More Sanur videos are on the way.
DEALS AND SPECIALS
This is the bit you actually opened the email for.
STAY PICK OF THE WEEK: THE MERU SANUR
Luxury Escapes has a limited time LUX Exclusive on The Meru right now. Five nights from A$2,099, or A$1,999 if you're a LuxPlus member. They reckon it's valued at up to A$4,007.
Here's what you get. Breakfast every day at Arunika. Lunch or dinner every day at Arunika, Roso or the Beach Bar & Grill. Two hours of free flow drinks and canapés in the lobby. Every. Single. Day.
A 60 minute massage each at Taru Pramana Spa, a bottle of wine waiting in the room and a wellness workshop thrown in. Flexible cancellation too.
Guests rate it 9.2 out of 10 from 233 reviews. With all your meals and a daily drinks session sorted, do the maths on that one. Book it here: https://luxuryescapes.sjv.io/2R06rQ
Dinner and drinks by the water
Bali Beach Hotel has a Medan style rijsttafel at Roso for IDR 500,000++ a head. It finishes 30 September, so you've got about a week
Over at Arunika there's a four course Spanish set menu called Brisa Espanola for IDR 580,000++. Same end date.
Sunset drinks. The Aperol Sundown deal at Bali Beach Hotel is IDR 120,000++ a glass, or two for IDR 200,000++. Two Aperols overlooking the water for about twenty bucks Aussie. Yes please.
More places to stay
Maya Sanur is running a hot deal of up to 40% off plus another 10% off, for stays through to 30 June 2027. That's a big discount on one of the nicer resorts on the beach.
Want to compare prices? Maya Sanur is on Trip.com too: https://trip.tp.st/BAKYojdX
InterContinental Bali Sanur will give you up to 15% off if you book at least three days out and stay three nights or more. Easy.
Want to see every Sanur deal Luxury Escapes has on right now? They're all in one spot here: https://luxuryescapes.sjv.io/qW6KnL
WORTH KNOWING
The weather bureau has warned of big seas from 26 to 30 September, with waves off Sanur up to around two metres. If you're heading to the Nusas on a fast boat from Sanur Harbour this weekend, check with your operator first. We've done that crossing in a swell. Not fun. Not fun at all.
The rainy season is on its way too. Denpasar is clearing drains and working on the rivers after last year's floods, which were the worst in 70 years. If you're coming between now and March, have a Plan B for the wet days.
One bit of good news to finish. Bali's hotel and restaurant association reckons Sanur is now outperforming every other tourism area on the island. They put it down to the locals and the council actually working together. We could've told them that.
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That's it from us. See you next Friday.
Mark & Bec
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