Choosing between Sanur and Canggu, two very different beach towns in Bali, is a bit like choosing between chalk and cheese but it’s easier to make that choice when you’ve got all the information you need to hand.
Our guide to Sanur or Canggu, examines in detail, the important factors when it comes to choosing a beach town in Bali for your holiday.
What’s It Like In Sanur?
Sanur is a quiet beach town with a laid-back vibe. There’s a long stretch of beach that is mainly clean and unspoiled and there are still very visible traces of Sanur village life along the coastline.
There’s not much in the way of nightlife, but that doesn’t bother most visitors to Sanur who come with their families to enjoy time at the pool in their hotels and some time on the beach and in the ocean.
We think that Sanur is developing rapidly, however, and it may not be like this for very much longer. The area will soon have its first shopping mall and a lot of effort is going into Sanur to woo visitors from the other beach towns.
What’s It Like In Canggu?
Canggu, on the other hand, is now fully developed. While a few years ago, it was a quiet destination with more rice fields than hotels and restaurants, today, it’s the most popular spot on the island.
There’s plenty to do in Canggu, including the world’s best beach club, FINNS, and the area is alive and vibrant and on top of many tourists’ lists of places to see and do.
That does mean that costs are rising in Canggu and where once Canggu was a budget destination, today, it attracts a somewhat more affluent visitor. However, it’s not as expensive as Nusa Dua or nearby Seminyak.
Sanur Vs Canggu: Head-To-Head Comparisons
To make it easy for you to decide on Sanur or Canggu, we’ve got a list of head to head comparisons between the two towns, based on our experience of each area.
Which Is The Best For Accommodation?
This will depend on the type of holiday that you want to have. Canggu has the most variety of accommodations and has everything from luxury villas to cheap hostels, however, it’s fair to say that as Canggu’s popularity has soared over the years, so have the rates for the rooms here.
Sanur, on the other hand, has a great range of resorts to choose from all of which are within walking distance of the beautiful beach and prices tend to be much lower than they are in Canggu.
Overall, there’s not a huge amount in it but we’d say that Sanur has the edge in this category because it’s better value for money.
Which Has The Best Nightlife?
There’s no choice between Sanur or Canggu when it comes to nightlife. Canggu is famous for its nightlife and beach club scene (including FINNS, the world’s best beach club).
Sanur, on the other hand, is often called “sleepy Sanur” by those in the know. It has some nice beach bars, a few bars and some restaurants that stay open a little late but it’s not a party destination.
This doesn’t mean that Sanur’s not a great place to stay but it does explain why Sanur gets more of a family crowd looking to spend time on the beach all day long and why Canggu sees a younger, more party-oriented crowd.
Canggu is, hands down, the better of the two towns for nightlife unless you’re looking for an absence of nightlife.
Which Has The Best Shopping?
Sanur is about to see its first shopping mall and that could change this category dramatically, but for now, Sanur’s fine for those people looking to buy a few cheap souvenirs on the beach or the occasional Bintang shirt, but otherwise, it’s not the best shopping destination on the island.
Canggu isn’t either, but it is one of the best places to shop apart from Seminyak, and its collections of boutique shops, market stalls and other shopping opportunities are far ahead of those in Sanur.
Canggu is also right next door to Seminyak, so if there aren’t enough shopping opportunities in Canggu for the diehard shopaholic, they don’t have very far to go to get even more.
People visit Sanur for peace and quiet more than they visit to shop and in this category of Sanur or Canggu, Canggu is the clear winner.
Which Has The Best Dining Scene?
This very much depends on what you’re looking for in a dining scene. Sanur has a more limited selection than Canggu but it’s also generally speaking much cheaper than Canggu.
You will find that a like-for-like experience is going to be better value for money in Sanur than it is in Canggu.
However, if you want a big range of choices, then Canggu is the hands-down winner in this category as it has a wealth of options from cute warungs to amazing fine dining.
There are pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants on nearly every street corner and lining most streets too in addition, it has FINNS Beach Club which is home to four of the best restaurants on the island.
We’re giving Canggu the edge on this but it’s not as big a gap as you might think, you can have a great meal by the beautiful beach in Sanur lounging on bean bags and enjoying live music and you’d be perfectly content.
Sanur Beach Vs Canggu Beach
Sanur Beach is the ideal location for water sports (though not for surfing) and swimming.
It’s pleasantly nested against the shoreline and guarded by a large reef which ensures that the waves never really get very big. It’s an ideal location for children to learn to swim under the watchful eye of their parents.
The sand is white and soft and you can happily sunbathe on this beach all day. There’s an excellent boardwalk that runs the length of the beach which is great for walking, cycling, etc.
However, because it’s on the East Coast of Bali, Sanur doesn’t have much to offer in the way of sunset and you will need to get up early in the morning for the best view over the ocean.
Canggu Beach on the other hand is somewhere very dear to our hearts as FINNS Beach Club, the world’s best beach club, is based there.
The black sand beach isn’t the prettiest beach on the island but it is great for surfing, and long walks (dog walkers love the place) and it has one of the best sunset views of anywhere in Bali.
Nothing beats a sundowner at FINNS watching the sun drop below the horizon and the landscape being bathed in stunning light.
However, if we’re honest, overall, Sanur Beach is probably the nicer beach if you want to spend time on the beautiful beaches of Bali.
Which Is The Most Aesthetically Pleasing?
Let’s be fair about this, “aesthetically pleasing” is very subjective and whether you prefer Canggu or Sanur, Bali is very much going to be down to your tastes.
In our opinion, Canggu is the most balanced place in Bali and you can find a bit of everything from classic architecture to modern construction, to beaches, to rice fields, but it’s fair to say that in recent years Canggu has become more developed than it once was.
Sanur is seeing a bit of a construction boom at the moment and there are new Bali hotels being built there all the time, in a few years, it may be the next Nusa Dua (the poshest resort town in Bali) but for now, it’s still a bit of a backwater.
The beach area is very pleasant, the town itself is reasonably walkable and there’s a nice variety of things to see and do.
We’d say that Sanur just edges Canggu from a physical attractiveness perspective, but there’s not a huge amount in it and neither place is unpleasant.
Which Has The Most Things To Do?
Canggu has, by far, the most things to do. Canggu has FINNS (the world’s best beach club), Splash Waterpark, Strike Bowling Alley, surfing galore, Jump Trampoline Centre, a Junior Sports Academy, the incredible fitness centre at the Recreation Club, surf shops, boutiques, Tanah Lot temple and much, much more.
Sanur, in contrast, has water sports, the boardwalk and a few other minor attractions (including some great museums).
We don’t think the “sleepy” tag is fair for Sanur and we said so when we reviewed the best things to do in Sanur, but there’s no doubt that if you want things to do Canggu, Bali offers more variety than Sanur.
Where Would Expats Be Happiest?
While this is somewhat subjective, we think that the majority of expats in Bali would be happier in Canggu than in Sanur.
Canggu is in the busiest part of the island and it’s on the doorstep of some of the most interesting places to be, it’s easy to get to the major shopping centres too, which makes managing life in Bali easier.
It has more of the nightlife and bars, restaurants and cafes that most expats enjoy.
Sanur, on the other hand, is a bit further from everything. It’s quieter and there are fewer amenities available.
This isn’t a big deal if you’re on holiday but it can become a huge deal if you live in a place.
We think Canggu wins this category, but it’s reasonable to say that some expats will prefer Sanur all the same.
Which Area Is Best For Digital Nomads?
Hands down, Canggu is the best area of the two for digital nomads. It has coworking and coliving spaces galore and most of the cafes and warungs are happy to accommodate digital nomads and their laptops and phones too.
Canggu and Ubud are often considered to be the “Mecca” locations of Bali for digital nomads because of their huge popularity with the nomad community.
Sanur, on the other hand, has a few limited options for digital nomads and while that will probably change in the coming years, for now, it’s a long way behind Canggu in this category.
So, Sanur Or Canggu? Which Is The Best Beach Town To Visit?
To recap, we felt that Sanur has the best deal for accommodation, has a nicer beach and is more aesthetically pleasing than Canggu.
On the other hand, we felt that Canggu was better for nightlife, shopping, and dining and had much more to do than Sanur. Canggu was also the best choice for expats and digital nomads.
Thus, we’re awarding Canggu the title of “the best beach town to visit” between Sanur and Canggu but we would like to stress that Sanur’s a lovely place and worth visiting too.
FAQs
Is Canggu Or Sanur Better?
That very much depends on you. Canggu and Sanur are both great places in Bali, Indonesia and you can have an amazing time in either destination.
However, Canggu is better suited to those seeking a balance between nightlife and daytime fun and Sanur for those wanting an escape from the stresses of everyday life and no interest in partying.
Why Is Canggu So Popular?
Canggu has a little bit of everything that most people are looking for on a holiday in Bali. It has great nightlife, plenty of things to do and you can enjoy beaches and rice fields without travelling too far from either.
Is It Worth Going To Sanur? Is Sanur A Good Area To Stay In Bali?
Yes! We think Sanur’s a great place to stay in Bali and if you want a peaceful break from the hassles of working life with your family, you’re bound to have a good time.
When I Visit Bali Should I Stay In Canggu or Sanur?
We’d recommend that you visit both Canggu and Sanur if you can, but if you have to choose one – we’d say pick Canggu, not just because you can visit us at FINNS but also because it has a better mix of things to do and see.
How To Book A Holiday In Canggu, Bali or Sanur, Bali
We always recommend that you book a holiday in Bali through the awesome people at the Bali Res Centre, which is a locally owned and managed travel service.
Final Thoughts On Sanur Vs Canggu
Sanur and Canggu are both lovely beach towns in Bali and they both have their own unique identities. However, if you run through a series of ranking factors (as we do above) Canggu just edges out Sanur as the better place to spend a holiday.
It’s worth stressing, though, that Sanur is a lovely place too and you should book your holiday based on which factors matter most to you and your family.
Either way, you’ll have a great time in Bali and we hope to see you at FINNS soon.
