Quick answer: Sanur with kids is the easiest part of Bali for families with little ones. The beach is calm, the water is shallow at low tide, and Sanur has real sidewalks and a beach boulevard, so it is the one place in Bali where we actually used our stroller. It is also a bit cheaper than Canggu, Kuta or Seminyak. The downside: it is small, so a long stay can get boring.
We stayed three weeks in Sanur with kids, in a villa apartment right next to ICON Bali mall and the beach. Three kids: Rico Jr (12), Rosalia (6) and Risa Mia (3). We have spent most of our time in Bali in Canggu, so Sanur was a change of pace, and in a lot of ways a good one.
This is what Sanur is really like with kids: the beach, where we ate, what the kids loved, how we got to Nusa Lembongan, what it cost, and the parts we didn’t love. If Sanur is one stop on a bigger trip, our Bali with kids guide compares it with the other family areas.
Table of Contents
Why Sanur works with kids
The first thing we noticed was the walking. In most of Bali, walking with small kids means narrow roads, no sidewalk and scooters squeezing past. Sanur is different. There are normal sidewalks, and a long beach boulevard runs along the water. We pushed the stroller to the beach, to dinner and back without thinking twice about it. In Canggu, our stroller mostly stays in the villa.
The second thing is the pace. Sanur is calm. Fewer scooters, fewer crowds, less noise. With a three-year-old who wants to walk everywhere herself, that makes the whole day easier.
And there are a lot of families. On the beach there were always other kids around, and ours found someone to play with almost every day without us arranging anything.
It is also a bit cheaper than Canggu, Kuta or Seminyak, for places to stay and for eating out. More on that below.
Sanur beach with kids
The beach next to ICON Bali became our favourite spot. The water in Sanur is calm because a reef sits further out and breaks the waves before they reach the beach. That makes it one of the few beaches in Bali where a toddler can sit in the water without you holding on the whole time.
Check the tide before you go. At low tide the water is shallow, which is perfect for little ones. For us the afternoons worked best, but the tide shifts every day, so look it up. At high tide the water is deeper, and that is more fun for older kids who swim well.
There are plenty of water sports on offer in Sanur. Our kids ignored all of them. They played in the sand and the water for hours, every day, and that was enough.
The best part, according to the kids, was the corn. They got corn from the sellers on the beach and ate it with sandy hands between swims.
One honest note: the beach is short. If you are used to long walks along the sand, Sanur’s beach will feel small. With little kids, though, short is fine. You never have to walk far to get back to shade, food or the toilet.
Where we stayed in Sanur
We rented a villa apartment next to ICON Bali, a short walk from the beach. It cost us around €700 for three weeks. For Bali, that is very affordable, and it is a big reason Sanur works for longer stays on a budget.
Being next to ICON meant we could walk to food, groceries and the beach, and on most days we didn’t need a car at all.
If you are comparing areas, our guide to where to stay in Canggu with kids shows what a family villa costs on the other side of the island.
Where to eat in Sanur with kids
Seafood on the beach. The fish restaurants on the beach were our favourite dinner. Honestly, there isn’t one that is clearly better than the others. We sat most often at Waroeng Amphibia, a seafood place on Sindhu beach, simply because we liked it and the kids knew it. Fish, squid, rice, an omelette, a fresh coconut and iced teas for the family came to Rp 274,000. Feet in the sand, kids playing a few meters away, food that is good and affordable. That is Sanur at its best.
Sushi at ICON Bali. The kids’ favourite, no contest. ICON Bali has sushi restaurants (we went to Akari Sushi more than once), and it was the dinner they asked for most. ICON also has Pepper Lunch, and Cold Stone for ice cream.
Warung De Naksa. A local restaurant in Sanur we kept going back to. Dinner came to Rp 195,000, with a kids’ butter pasta at Rp 45,000 and chicken fried rice at Rp 35,000. Easy, cheap and the kids always found something.
Groceries. Coco Mart, Pantry and Popular are all on Jalan Danau Tamblingan, the main road through Sanur. Everything you need for breakfast and snacks is within walking distance.
Things to do in Sanur with kids
The turtle shelter
Sanur has a turtle shelter, and it was a hit with every age in our family. It is a short, easy outing, and a good one to pair with a morning on the beach. Our visit cost about Rp 325,000.
Rico Jr (12): “If it was up to me, I would have my own shelter to save turtles.” Risa Mia (3) kept it shorter: “Cute turtles.”
ICON Bali
ICON Bali is a big mall right on the beach, and with kids it is more useful than it sounds. It has food, shops and a cinema, and it is air-conditioned. On a hot afternoon or a rainy day it saved us more than once. A movie, sushi and an ice cream is a whole afternoon sorted.
The beach boulevard
The path along the beach is flat and easy, so an evening walk with the stroller is a nice way to end the day. You pass hotels, warungs and beach restaurants, and there is always something to look at.
Water sports
If your kids are into it, Sanur has plenty of water sports, and the calm water makes it a gentle place to try. Ours preferred sand and splashing. No regrets.
A day or more on Nusa Lembongan
Sanur is where the fast boats to Nusa Lembongan leave from, so it is the natural base if you want to add an island to your trip. We did it in April. See the next section for how.
Getting to Nusa Lembongan from Sanur with kids
The fast boats leave from the harbour in Sanur. Here is what worked for us:
- Buy tickets online if you can. It is the easiest way, and you know your time and seats before you arrive.
- If not, buy at the harbour. There are ticket counters at the harbour, and your Grab driver or the people working there can point you to them.
- Compare operators. There are several companies, so you can choose what suits your family. We chose DStar. Very good service and decent boats.
- Price: we paid about Rp 200,000 to 250,000 per person for a return ticket. Prices change, so check before you go.
Getting around Sanur
Sanur is one of the few places in Bali where you can walk with kids. We walked to the beach, to ICON and to most of our dinners, with the stroller for Risa Mia.
For anything further, we used Grab. For a day trip around Bali, a private driver for a full day costs around Rp 500,000 to 1,000,000, depending on how many stops you make and how many hours you need. Sanur sits close to the airport and on the way to Ubud, so day trips are easy from here.
A typical Sanur day with kids
Most of our days in Sanur looked roughly the same, and that was the point. Groceries or errands on foot along Jalan Danau Tamblingan, or a cool hour in ICON Bali when it got hot. Then the beach in the afternoon, when the tide was low and the water shallow. Corn from the beach sellers, sand everywhere, other kids to play with. Dinner at a seafood warung on the beach, or sushi at ICON if the kids got to choose. Then a slow walk back along the boulevard with Risa Mia in the stroller.
No car, no long drives, no plan beyond the tide. Simple, and the kids loved it.
Sanur with a toddler
Risa Mia was three during our stay, and Sanur is the easiest place in Bali we have found for that age. Three things made the difference:
- The stroller works. Sidewalks and a flat beach boulevard mean you can push a stroller to the beach and to dinner. In most of Bali we use a carrier instead.
- Shallow, calm water. At low tide a toddler can sit and splash in the water while you sit next to them, instead of holding on every second.
- Everything is close. Shade, food, a toilet and the walk home are never far away, which is what you need when a three-year-old decides she is done.
For naps, heat and gear, our Bali with a toddler guide covers the rest.
When to go to Sanur with kids
We were in Sanur from late April into May, at the start of the dry season. The dry season, roughly April to October, is the most reliable time for Bali in general, with April, May and early September as sweet spots before and after the summer crowds.
In the rainy season, roughly November to March, Sanur still works. ICON Bali, with its food and cinema under one roof, is a ready-made rainy-day plan, and the afternoons often clear up enough for a short beach session.
What a week in Sanur costs
These are our own numbers from 2026, so use them as a guide:
- Villa apartment next to ICON Bali: around €700 for three weeks, so roughly €233 a week.
- Seafood dinner on the beach for the family: Rp 274,000.
- Dinner at Warung De Naksa: Rp 195,000.
- Turtle shelter visit: about Rp 325,000.
- Fast boat to Nusa Lembongan: about Rp 200,000 to 250,000 per person, return.
- Private driver for a full day: around Rp 500,000 to 1,000,000.
Sanur is a bit cheaper than Canggu, Kuta or Seminyak, and because you can walk almost everywhere, you also save on transport.
The downsides of Sanur
Sanur is not perfect, and it is not for every family.
It is small. After a week or two, you have seen most of it. For a long stay it can get a bit boring, especially for older kids and teenagers.
No beach clubs. If you like a beach club afternoon, Sanur doesn’t have them. In Canggu we go to The Lawn and La Brisa with the kids. In Sanur, the beach warungs are the beach club.
The beach is short. Calm and great for little ones, but if you want long beach walks or real waves, look elsewhere.
Sanur or Canggu with kids?
We love both, for different reasons.
Choose Sanur if you have toddlers or young kids, want calm water and sidewalks, and want to spend a bit less. It is also the right base for Nusa Lembongan.
Choose Canggu if you want more variety for a longer stay: more restaurants, family-friendly beach clubs, surf for older kids, and more to do. Our guide to Canggu with kids covers it all.
For toddlers, our Bali with a toddler guide goes deeper into naps, heat and gear. And if you are worried about safety, read our honest answer on whether Bali is safe for families.
Sanur is a neighbourhood of Denpasar on Bali’s southeast coast; Wikipedia has its background and history.
More in Sanur: night market, Mertasari and kite season
A few more things worth knowing if you’re in Sanur with kids:
- Sindhu night market. The local night market (Pasar Malam Sindhu) runs every evening, roughly from 5 to 10pm, with food stalls and snacks. An easy dinner when the kids want to choose their own food.
- Mertasari beach. At the southern end of Sanur, free to enter, and known for calm, shallow water. A good option for little ones who want to splash.
- Kite season. In July and August, the big kite festivals take place at Padang Galak and Mertasari beach. Giant traditional kites, teams with drums, and kids everywhere. Dates change every year, so check before you plan around it.
- Sanur Village Festival. The yearly Sanur festival (Sanfest) has moved around in recent years. Check the dates if you’re visiting in the second half of the year.
Planning a family trip? Our complete guide to Bali with kids covers the best areas, activities by age, food, safety and getting around.
FAQ
Is Sanur good for families with kids?
Yes, especially with toddlers and young kids. The water is calm, there are sidewalks and a beach boulevard, lots of other families, and it is a bit cheaper than Canggu, Kuta or Seminyak.
Is Sanur beach safe for toddlers?
It is one of the calmest beaches in Bali, because a reef breaks the waves further out. Go at low tide, when the water is shallow, and stay close to your little ones as you would anywhere.
How much does a stay in Sanur cost?
Our villa apartment next to ICON Bali was around €700 for three weeks. A seafood dinner on the beach for the family was Rp 274,000, and dinner at a local warung about Rp 195,000.
How do you get from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan?
By fast boat from the harbour in Sanur. Buy tickets online or at the harbour counters. We used DStar and paid about Rp 200,000 to 250,000 per person for a return ticket.
When is the best time to visit Sanur with kids?
The dry season, roughly April to October. We were there from late April into May. In the rainy season, ICON Bali is an easy rainy-day plan.
Is Sanur boring for kids?
Not for a week or two with young kids. For a long stay, or with teenagers, it can get a bit quiet: it is small, the beach is short and there are no beach clubs.
When is the kite festival in Sanur?
Kite season is July and August, with the big festivals at Padang Galak and Mertasari beach. The exact dates change every year, so check the local event listings before you go.
Questions about this? Ask us here