Sanur is where Bali's first luxury beach hotel was built over 30 years ago, and has since been the spot for luxurious seaside accommodation. Conveniently located near Denpasar on the main road leading to the east, Sanur is not nearly as frenetic as Kuta, nor as well-mannered as Nusa Dua. Many foreigners have built lavish villas and bungalows here and this is the preferred place for up-market, long-term stays on the island, especially in the Batujimbar and Belanjong areas. The main attraction here is the white sand beach bordering a reef-sheltered lagoon. The beach stretches south from the The Grand Bali Beach Hotel and ends up in the mangrove marshes opposite Serangan Island. Due to the protection of the lagoon, this beach is one of the safest on the island, and thus perfect for families. There is no surf apart from out on the reef, and one cannot swim at low tide, but at other times this is the best place in Bali for windsurfing and sailing. Sanur can be divided into several sub-areas :

The Grand Bali Beach Hotel area.
West and south of the hotel, at the point where the black and the white sand beaches meet. This northern section of Sanur is popular with local crowds.

Sindhu Beach
Sindhu is east of JI. Bypass Ngurah Rai, and south of JI. Segara Ayu, extending south to the first stretch of JI. Danau Tamblingan. This area is classier, with good hotels on the beach, night and art markets, and good restaurants.

Batujimbar
Further south, has few hotels, but is the location of expatriate and Indonesian jet set society mansions. Exclusive beaches are reached via small lanes.

Semawang Beach
Stretches south from the Bali Hyatt Hotel to the Sanur Beach Hotel and beyond. It houses both the priciest hotels and restaurants, as well as the red light district.