As the coastal area closest to the capital Denpasar, Sanur predates Kuta, Nusa Dua, and Uluwatu as the oldest destination for beach tourism in Bali.

[a] In 1963 under Indonesian President Sukarno construction started in Sanur on the then Bali Beach InterContinental Hotel,[4] financed with money from the Japanese War Reparations funds.

[5] Eventually, it brought the Bali Governor to issue in 1971 a new legislation forbidding all future hotel development higher than 15 m, which is more or less the height of a mature coconut tree.

[7][b] On 20 January 1993, a fire that lasted 3 days caused the hotel to be shut; it was rebuilt and reopened on October 4, 1993[6] with a new name: the Grand Bali Beach.

Among other buildings, it includes the Sanur International Hospital (built in collaboration with the USA Mayo Clinic), expected to be completed by the end of 2023 and operational by early 2024; the Ethnomedicinal Botanical Garden, with more than 500 species of plants on 6.5 hectares; a commercial center with a cultural space; and a number of hotels, including the Bali Beach hotel beside the Bung Karno / Meru Convention center.

Among those, The Sandwich Bar, Flamingo Beach Club in Pantai Saba, or Italian Gelateria and restaurant Massimo is a long-standing institution,[12] with queues to be seen on almost every night.

Another Italian style in Sanur is resort wear boutique BIASA, a fashion pioneer on the island founded by art enthusiast Susanna Perini.

[13] There are plenty of other retail spots along the coastal area, which, in comparison to other destinations on the island, cater more to a mature group of Bali visitors.

[15] Another interesting sight can be visited south of Sanur in Jalan Danau Poso Street beside Pura Blanjong, a small Hindu temple.

A stone column, the Belanjong pillar measuring 1.77 metres, can be seen under a roof at the end of a short and narrow blind alley.

[18] Sanur does have a comprehensive public transportation system - it is part of the extensive route offered by government-owned Trans Metro Dewata.