We’ve been exploring Bali with our family for over 10 years now, and some of our best days on the island haven’t been in Sanur at all — they’ve been the day trips out from it. Sanur makes a really good base, it’s calm, it’s central, and it’s an easy starting point for just about everywhere worth seeing in Bali. So here are our 12 favourite day trips from Sanur, the ones we actually do, with honest advice on each.
Most people come to Sanur for the resorts, the beach and the food — and that’s reason enough. But if you want to see more of Bali than Sanur Beach, you’re in the perfect spot to do it.
The best day trips from Sanur at a glance
Short on time? Here’s the quick version — how far each trip is, who it suits, and whether it’s a half or full day.
| Day trip | Travel time | Best for | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubud | ~1 hr | Culture, art, families | Full day |
| Nusa Penida | 45 min boat | Epic scenery, snorkelling | Full day |
| Nusa Lembongan | 45 min boat | Chilled island vibe, families | Full day |
| Bali Zoo | ~30 min | Families & kids | Half–full day |
| Waterbom Bali | ~30 min | Families & thrill-seekers | Full day |
| Uluwatu | 1 hr+ | Temples, sunsets, beach clubs | Full day |
| Canggu | 1 hr+ (bad traffic) | Surf, beach clubs, food | Full day |
| Waterfalls | 30 min–3 hr | Nature & swimming | Half–full day |
| Snorkelling trips | Varies | Underwater & marine life | Half–full day |
| East Bali tour | 1.5 hr+ | Temples, scenery, fewer crowds | Full day |
| Mt Batur | 2 hr | Sunrise hike / sunset | Full day |
| Bali temples | Varies | Culture & photography | Full day |
Best day trips from Sanur
Quick thing worth clearing up first: there’s a difference between a day trip from Sanur and a day tour in Bali. A day tour is a set itinerary run by a guide — you see the destinations the tour lists. A day trip you organise yourself with a Bali driver or a private tour, where you pick the places you want to see and your driver takes you there. Both work, it just depends how much you want to plan.
Ubud
Ubud is the one everyone’s heard of. It sits in central Bali, away from the beaches, surrounded by jungle and rice fields, and for years it was known as the island’s spiritual and cultural heart. Many people still head to Ubud for exactly that. Sanur to Ubud is roughly an hour by car, which makes it one of the easiest full-day trips from Sanur.
We’ll be honest though — these days Ubud is like a lot of Bali, overrun with tourists and traffic, and it feels a little less authentic every year. Depending on what you’re after, it’s still well worth a day trip, you just go in with the right expectations.
The highlights worth your time: a trip to the Monkey Forest, Ubud Palace and the surrounding rice terraces and waterfalls. If you want to make a day of it, consider a cooking class, a wellness experience, or something with a bit more adrenaline like whitewater rafting or an ATV tour.
If you’re still there late in the afternoon, grab tickets to the Kecak Fire Dance for a hit of the Balinese culture you probably came looking for. One honest warning: shopping at the Ubud market is a rip-off — you’ll get better prices elsewhere — so if you do shop there, barter hard.
Places to eat in Ubud
- Sayan Point — cracking jungle views, a swimming pool and a Bali Swing, with fresh local dishes. A great spot to relax. Find it at Jl. Raya Sayan.
- Ibu Oka — try the Babi Guling (roast suckling pig), a traditional dish served at rites-of-passage ceremonies. Find Ibu Oka at Jl. Tegal Sari No.2, Ubud.
Try to leave Sanur by 8:00am to beat the crowds and the heat. It’s worth hiring a local driver for the day — you can book one through Klook.
Nusa Penida day trip from Sanur
Sit on the beach in Sanur and the island dominating the view out to sea is Nusa Penida. A day trip there is a good option — a bit of an adventure and a lot of memories that stick with you. We’ve done it ourselves, and it has some stunning locations to see.
From Sanur Harbour you hop on a fast boat to Nusa Penida — about 45 minutes. It’s a bumpy ride, no getting around that, but the views and the day that follows are more than worth it.
Top things to see on a Nusa Penida day trip
- Snorkel with manta rays at Manta Point — an unforgettable experience.
- Kelingking Beach — famous for its T-Rex-shaped cliff and epic photos.
- Broken Beach & Angel’s Billabong — dramatic natural rock formations with turquoise pools.
- Crystal Bay — a relaxing beach with great snorkelling, music and cold beers.
Day trips to Nusa Penida run daily, and you can book through trusted platforms like Klook or Tiqets. You can also just buy a boat ticket and sort a driver once you’re on the island — but honestly that’s more hassle than it’s worth. Book the full tour start to finish and enjoy your day.
The roads on Nusa Penida are rough — be ready for bumpy drives, and bring sunscreen. For some reason it always feels hotter on Penida than on the mainland.
Nusa Lembongan day trip from Sanur
Right next to Penida is Nusa Lembongan — smaller, quieter and nowhere near as built up. It’s got a more chilled vibe than Penida but still packs in stunning views and plenty to do.
Same deal getting there — a fast boat from Sanur Harbour, around 45 minutes. We travelled with Rocky Fast Boat because at the time they were the only company that stopped at a proper jetty; every other boat made you wade off onto the beach.
We actually stayed on Lembongan for four nights and loved its slower pace and smaller crowds. It’s perfect for families or anyone who wants to snorkel and explore. We hired a golf cart for the day and made our way around the island, bumpy roads and all.
Things to do on a Nusa Lembongan day trip
- Mangrove forest tour — paddle through peaceful waters surrounded by thick mangroves.
- Yellow Bridge — snap a photo at the iconic bridge linking Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan.
- Snorkelling / diving — head out by boat to explore vibrant reefs and marine life.
- Beach cafés — chill with a drink and ocean views at a seaside café.
Boats leave Sanur all day, on the hour. If you’re doing a day trip, your best bet is to book a day tour that sorts your boat tickets and a driver to get you to the sights — book ahead through sites like Klook or directly at the harbour.
Booking a Lembongan snorkelling tour to see manta rays? Ask if it’s manta ray season before you pay — they won’t volunteer that there are no rays around at certain times of the year.
Bali Zoo
Here’s one for families that’s close to Sanur. A visit to the Bali Zoo is a cracking day trip, especially with kids. It’s just a 30-minute drive from Sanur, and it does some of the most memorable animal experiences in Bali — including breakfast with the orangutans and the mud pond with the elephants.
You get into the mud pond and the elephants are brought to you, and you rub mud into their skin. Being that close, actually touching these giant animals, was genuinely amazing. It is far better experience than day gone by where elephant riding was allowed.
We’ve been with our own family and loved how hands on it was. This is not your typical zoo — it’s built around letting you get close up and personal with the animals in a fun, meaningful way.
It pays to look up what tours and activities are on before you go — feeding experiences, zookeeper talks and the like — so you can make the most of the day.
How to get there from Sanur
A taxi or private driver takes about 30 minutes. Buy tickets at the gate or book online through Klook or Tiqets. If you’re getting a taxi in Bali, always book through the BlueBird Taxi app so you’re not overcharged.
Tip: if you love animal experiences, you could also visit the Bali Bird Park and the Bali Reptile Park.
Waterbom Bali
Here’s another top choice for families — Waterbom Bali. It’s regularly rated one of the best waterparks in Asia, and it’s an easy day trip from Sanur, just down in Kuta. If you’re travelling with kids (or you’re a big kid yourself), a day at Waterbom will be popular with them, it has everything from gentle lazy rivers for the little ones to proper adrenaline slides for the brave.
It’s set in beautifully landscaped tropical gardens, so even the queuing and the chill-out time between slides feels relaxed. There are plenty of food options, cabanas you can hire for the day, and loungers dotted everywhere. We booked a cabana when we were there, it was well worth the xtra cost just to have base for the day and not have to worry about finding somewhere to sit after returning from the water. A Waterbom day trio is easily a full day out.
Sanur to Waterbom Park
Waterbom is in Kuta, about a 30-minute drive from Sanur (longer in traffic). Grab a Grab, a BlueBird taxi or a private driver for the day. Buy your tickets online before you go to skip the queue at the gate.
Sanur day trip to Uluwatu
Not sure whether to base yourself here instead? See our honest take on Sanur or Uluwatu. As a day trip, Uluwatu sits on the southern tip of Bali, and it’s all about beautiful beaches, beach clubs, surfing, sunsets, the Uluwatu Temple and the Kecak Fire Dance. Fair warning from the few times we’ve done it — the drive from Sanur is a long one, easily over an hour.
The Uluwatu Temple itself is a wonderful sight, especially at sunset — grab a photo with the statue of the founding monk. Just be wary of the monkeys. They’re everywhere, and they will steal from you, sunglasses and phones especially.
Most people time it to watch the Kecak Fire Dance at the temple — the 6pm show lines up perfectly with the Uluwatu sunset, but it gets very busy. Your best bet is to book tickets ahead, or you’ll be queuing at least three hours early to get in.
The area’s full of clifftop bars where you can eat and drink while watching the surfers and the sunset. On the way home you could stop for a seafood dinner on the white sand at Jimbaran.
How to get there
Book a private driver for the day from Sanur, or join a guided tour that bundles multiple stops like Uluwatu, Padang Padang Beach or even Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park. Check sites like Klook or Viator for options.
Canggu — Bali day tours
Weighing up where to stay as well? Read Sanur or Canggu for the full comparison. As a day trip, Canggu is a beach town on Bali’s southwest coast, and these days it’s one of the island’s biggest hotspots — which also makes it seriously crowded. A day trip over promises surfing, great sunsets, shopping, healthy food, yoga and relaxation.
Be warned about the traffic — getting to Canggu can be a nightmare. The roads simply aren’t built for the number of people heading there, so avoid the afternoon crush if you can.
Canggu is home to some of the most popular beach clubs in Bali — Vue, Atlas and Finns — where you can laze by the pool and eat and drink the day away.
Don’t miss Tanah Lot temple on the coast either — this iconic sea temple is made for golden-hour photos. Or, a little up the coast at Kedungu, there’s Beach Love, a laid-back spot overlooking the ocean with beanbags and food and drink service. Perfect for a relaxed evening, and somewhere we’ve happily gone back to more than once.
Bali Waterfall Tour
Bali is famous for its stunning waterfalls, and a waterfall tour from Sanur is well worth a day. You can take in some of the island’s best — Tegenungan, Gitgit and Sekumpul Waterfall.
Gitgit is an impressive 40-metre cascade surrounded by lush greenery. Tegenungan is a popular one near Ubud, known for its picturesque setting and good swimming. Sekumpul is a series of seven falls tucked into dense forest.
We’ve explored several of these, and each one offers something a bit different — whether it’s a swim in a jungle pool or a hike through the forest to see water crashing down the cliffs.
We really loved Tegenungan — it’s close to Sanur, easy to access, and the river club there has amazing views of the falls.
Top waterfalls to visit on a day trip
- Tegenungan Waterfall (near Ubud): great for swimming, easily accessible, has a lift, and a river club on site to relax at.
- Gitgit Waterfall (North Bali): a tall 40-metre cascade in rainforest — a 15–20 minute walk in to reach it.
- Sekumpul Waterfall: a cluster of seven falls, arguably Bali’s most beautiful — but a 2–3 hour drive from Sanur.
How to get there & book a waterfall tour
Some tours combine waterfalls with rice terraces, swings or coffee plantations for a full-day adventure.
Snorkelling Trip from Sanur
A lot of people arrive in Bali expecting great snorkelling everywhere. The honest truth is it’s not like that — especially around the tourist areas of Kuta, Seminyak and Sanur. That’s not to say Bali doesn’t have cracking snorkelling; it’s just that most of the good spots are away from Sanur, and in a lot of cases on other islands.
The snorkelling tours we’ve done have all been good fun, and you’re always in the water with a guide who points out the fish for you.
Top snorkelling spots near Sanur
- Blue Lagoon (Padangbai): calm water, colourful coral gardens, perfect for beginners — the closest spot to Sanur for great snorkelling.
- Nusa Penida: famous for snorkelling with manta rays at Manta Point and the reefs at Crystal Bay.
- Amed: a black-sand beach with coral reefs — but at least 3 hours away on the north coast.
- Lovina: up in north Bali, known for clear water, coral reefs and dolphin sightings.
Book a morning trip. The water’s clearest and the seas calmest early on — as the day goes by it tends to get murkier.
How to book
Along Sanur’s beachfront and the shops on Jalan Danau Tamblingan you’ll find plenty of operators offering group or private snorkelling trips. Or book online through Klook or Tiqets like we did — you get picked up from your hotel and dropped back after. No need to bring equipment, it’s all supplied; just bring sunscreen.
East Bali Tour
An East Bali tour is a great way to see the island’s less touristy side and escape some of the crowds you get at the more popular spots.
You can visit Lempuyang Temple, famous for those Instagram shots through the gates. One warning — get there at daybreak, or you’ll be waiting hours for your photo. I’ve heard of people queuing two hours or more for their few minutes of shots.
The water palace at Tirta Gangga is a real highlight — beautiful gardens, fountains and pools, and much quieter and easier to get around than Lempuyang. On the way in, keep an eye out for locals with snakes, giant lizards and bats trying to get you to pose for a photo with them.
Finally, on the way home, stop and relax at Virgin Beach. Grab some food and drinks, have a massage as the waves roll in, and take a dip before you head back to Sanur.
How to get there from Sanur
Book a private driver for the day to take you to Tirta Gangga and the other spots nearby in East Bali.
Sunset tour on Mt Batur — Bali day trips from Sanur
One of the most memorable things you can do in Bali is sit on the slopes of a volcano and watch the sunrise. How many places in the world let you do that? We felt genuinely privileged, and a bit in awe, the whole time.
As you sit on Mount Batur, the sun comes up over Mount Agung. It’s cool, peaceful, and totally worth the 3am start.
Two ways to experience a Mount Batur sunrise:
- Hike to the summit: our friends did the hike and found it challenging but not brutal. You’ll have a guide and torches, and it takes around 1.5–2 hours up.
- 4WD jeep sunrise tour: we opted for the jeep tour and it was a load of fun — you ride up the volcano and still catch the amazing views. Ideal for families or anyone with limited mobility.
Optional add-ons to extend your day:
- Black lava jeep ride: explore the dramatic black volcanic fields near the base of Batur. We highly recommend this one — the lava fields are like an alien world.
- Hot springs: it sounds odd to visit hot springs in a climate as warm as Bali, but it’s all about relaxing in warm natural pools with the mountains in front of you.
- Kintamani cafés: up in the mountains overlooking the lava fields and volcanoes, Kintamani has loads of cafés set up for that Insta-worthy snap.
Getting there from Sanur
Tours usually include an early pickup from Sanur (around 2:00–2:30am) and get you back by midday. Book through trusted operators on Klook and Viator, or a local agency.
Pack warm clothes — not something you often hear in Bali, but it gets properly cold up the mountain before sunrise. Our driver was shivering and had to buy a cup of noodles just to warm his hands up!
Explore Bali temples
Bali is known as the “Island of a Thousand Temples”, and that’s no exaggeration. Exploring these sacred sites — in villages, on the edge of lakes, on clifftops, even out in the ocean — makes for a brilliant day trip from Sanur.
If you’ve never seen a Balinese temple before, they’re fascinating — the designs are photo-worthy and the history genuinely interesting. A day spent at a few of the island’s most iconic temples is a real window into Balinese culture.
We’ve visited a lot of these over the years, and each one has a different story and a different view.
Top temples to visit from Sanur
- Tanah Lot Temple: perched on a rock by the sea, this is Bali’s most photographed sunset temple. Go late afternoon to catch the sunset, and there are plenty of sellers around for food and drinks.
- Ulun Danu Beratan (Lake Temple): a beautiful floating temple set against the mountains in central Bali. Probably the first place i picture when people mention Bali temples — a stunning setting.
- Besakih Temple: Bali’s “Mother Temple”, on the slopes of Mount Agung and one of the island’s most sacred spots. I remember having to hop on the back of a motorbike to be taken up to the entrance — quite the experience.
- Tirta Empul: famous for its holy water purification pools, where you can take part in the cleansing ritual. Just know it won’t be a private moment — hundreds of others will be in the water too, which can cheapen it a bit in my view.
- Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave): an ancient complex with moss-covered carvings. A little odd, and it trades heavily on the “Elephant Cave” name — nothing outstanding, if we’re honest.
How to plan your temple day trip
- Hire a private driver for flexibility and comfort.
- Book a guided temple tour for deeper cultural insight.
- Combine temples with nearby attractions like waterfalls, markets or rice terraces.
Check platforms like Klook, Viator or KKday for curated temple itineraries.
Dress modestly for temples — knees and shoulders covered. Most temples have sarongs at the entrance you can borrow, so you’re covered if you forget.
So, which Sanur day trip should you do?
Sanur isn’t just the best beach town in Bali — it’s the perfect base for exploring the rest of the island. Great location, laid-back vibe, and a proper range of accommodation and food. From here you can do waterfalls, tropical fish, coral reefs, sunrise volcanoes or temples, all without ever changing hotels.
We’ve used Sanur as our Bali hub many times, and we love how easy it is to organise day trips from here. Ubud, Uluwatu, Nusa Penida, Canggu and beyond are all doable in a single day.
The quick recap:
- Island hopping: Nusa Penida & Nusa Lembongan for beaches, cliffs and manta rays.
- Culture & nature: Ubud’s rice terraces, art galleries and sacred temples.
- Family fun: Bali Zoo, waterfall hikes and animal encounters.
- Scenic sunsets: Tanah Lot and Uluwatu Temple.
- Adventure: sunrise on Mount Batur, snorkelling and jungle swings.
You can book tours on well-known platforms like Klook, Viator or GetYourGuide — or just speak to a local driver in Sanur, like our friend Putu, to organise your perfect Bali day out.
FAQs about day trips from Sanur
What is the best day trip from Sanur?
It depends what you’re after. For jaw-dropping scenery, a Nusa Penida day trip is hard to beat. For culture, Ubud or a Bali temple tour. For families, the Bali Zoo. And for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the Mount Batur sunrise. Sanur’s central location makes all of them easy to reach in a single day.
How far is Nusa Penida from Sanur?
Nusa Penida is about a 45-minute fast-boat ride from Sanur Harbour. Boats run daily, and most day trips include hotel pickup, the boat, and a driver on the island to take you between the sights.
Do you need a driver for day trips from Sanur?
For most mainland trips, yes — a private driver is the easiest and most flexible way to get around, and it’s affordable. You can hire one for the day or book a guided tour that includes transport. For the Nusa islands you’ll take a fast boat and arrange a driver or tour on the island.
What day trips from Sanur are best for families?
The Bali Zoo is a standout for families — just 30 minutes away, with elephant mud play and breakfast with the orangutans. Waterbom Bali, the island’s top waterpark, is another easy 30-minute family day trip. Nusa Lembongan, the waterfalls and the Mount Batur jeep tour are also family-friendly. Sanur’s calm, central base makes travelling with kids much easier.
Can you do Ubud as a day trip from Sanur?
Yes, easily. Ubud is about an hour from Sanur by car, so it’s a comfortable day trip. Leave by 8am to beat the crowds and heat, and you can fit in the Monkey Forest, rice terraces, the palace and a few highlights before heading back.
Is Sanur a good base for exploring Bali?
It’s one of the best. Sanur is central, calm and well connected, with the Nusa island ferry harbour right there and easy driver access to Ubud, Uluwatu, the waterfalls and more. You can base yourself in Sanur and do a different day trip every day without ever changing hotels.
Mark & Bec
Things to do in Sanur
Two Australians who have been to Sanur many times. We have enjoyed food and drink on the beach, sipped coffee on Jalan Danau Tamblingan, stayed in homestays and hotels in Sanur and made day trips to see the best of Bali. We keep our information fresh by continuing to visit and getting first-hand knowledge from our Balinese friends.
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