Sanur or Nusa Dua? It’s one of the most common questions families ask when planning Bali with kids. Both areas have calm beaches, excellent family hotels, and an easy drive from the airport. Once you’re there, though, Sanur and Nusa Dua feel like two very different holidays.
We live in Bali, and here’s how we’d help you choose between Sanur and Nusa Dua for your family.
Sanur vs Nusa Dua: the short answer
Nusa Dua is a clean, purpose-built hotel zone dominated by international resort chains. It’s ideal for families who want to arrive, drop the kids at the kids’ club, and relax.
Sanur blends local Bali life with excellent beachfront family hotels. It’s ideal for families who want to explore independent cafés and shops, eat out affordably and still retreat to a great resort.
Neither is better. The right choice depends on what your family wants from a Bali holiday.
Nusa Dua with kids: a proper resort holiday
Nusa Dua is made for families who want to arrive and relax. The grounds are manicured tropical gardens, the kids’ clubs are polished, and everything you need is inside the resort: pools, activities, restaurants and family-friendly menus. It’s Bali at its most effortless.
What you won’t find is much going on outside the hotels. Nusa Dua is mostly international resort chains, so beyond the hotel staff, your contact with local Bali is limited. For many families, that’s exactly the point. Nusa Dua works best as a resort holiday with a few planned outings or day trips.
Geger Beach: a taste of local life in Nusa Dua
For a change of scene without going far, head to Geger Beach, one of Nusa Dua’s best public beaches. You can rent a sun lounger, hire a kayak, and order satay or nasi goreng from the local vendors for a fraction of hotel prices.
Is Nusa Dua right for your family?
Nusa Dua is a great fit if:
- You’d happily spend most of the holiday inside the resort.
- You want big-resort facilities: kids’ clubs, multiple pools, activities on site.
- It’s your first family trip to Bali, and you want everything easy.
- You’re happy to plan the odd day trip rather than wander out the front gate.
Nusa Dua family hotels we recommend
Paradisus by Meliá Bali is Asia’s first Destination Inclusive hotel. Book an inclusive rate and dining, drinks, the kids’ club and the Aquazone water park are all covered. Conrad Bali has a guaranteed Family Connecting Room, which takes the guesswork out of fitting everyone in. And Grand Hyatt Bali and Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua are classic big family resorts with serious pool setups.
See all Nusa Dua family hotels · Read our Paradisus by Meliá review
Sanur with kids: resort comfort with local life on the doorstep
Sanur gets the balance right. You can stay at an excellent family hotel right on the beach, then walk out the gate into a real Bali neighborhood full of independent cafés, local warungs and small shops.
That makes eating out in Sanur easy and affordable. You’re not relying on hotel menus for every meal, and trying a new café or warung each day quickly becomes part of the holiday.
The Sanur beach path
The traffic-free beach path runs for kilometers along the coast. You can push a pram to breakfast, tweens can hire a bike, and teens get a little independence without anyone worrying. It’s one of the best things about Sanur for families.
Sanur beach and the tides
Sanur’s beach is tidal. At low tide, the water pulls right back, and the reef flat is exposed, which is great for rock-pooling and not so great for a swim. Most families time beach swims around high tide and use the hotel pool the rest of the time.
Is Sanur right for your family?
Sanur is a great fit if:
- You want to explore a little local Bali life between pool sessions.
- You’d like to eat out rather than stick to hotel restaurants.
- Your kids are old enough to enjoy some freedom on the beach path.
- You’re traveling with grandparents who’d rather potter than sit by the pool all day.
Sanur family hotels we recommend
Hyatt Regency Bali is Sanur’s anchor family resort. It has nine hectares of mature gardens, 500 meters of calm private beach, Camp Hyatt for ages 3–12 and a connecting entrance to Andaz Bali next door.
See all Sanur family hotels · Read our Hyatt Regency Bali review
Sanur vs Nusa Dua: common questions from families
Is Sanur or Nusa Dua better for toddlers?
Nusa Dua just edges it for toddlers. The resorts are self-contained, the grounds are pram-friendly, and you rarely need to leave. Sanur also works well for toddlers, especially at a hotel with a toddler pool, like the one with a slide at the Hyatt Regency.
Is Sanur or Nusa Dua better for teenagers?
Sanur is usually better for teens. The beach path, bike hire, and café strip give them room to roam. In Nusa Dua, teens tend to stay inside the resort, which suits some families perfectly. Sanur has Icon Mall as well as spas and markets to explore.
Is Nusa Dua or Sanur closer to Bali airport?
Both are easy. Nusa Dua is roughly half an hour from the airport, and Sanur is similar depending on traffic.
Is Sanur or Nusa Dua cheaper for families?
Eating out is usually more affordable in Sanur, because there are plenty of local warungs and independent cafés within walking distance. In Nusa Dua, most families eat at the resort, although Geger Beach has cheap local food for the occasional lunch.
Can you stay in both Sanur and Nusa Dua?
Yes, and plenty of families do. They’re close enough to split a stay between them. Spend a few days of full resort life in Nusa Dua, then slow right down in Sanur. More common is dividing the stay between either Sanur or Nusa Dua on the Easter side of Bali and a stay in Seminyak or Canggu in the south.
Find your family hotel in Sanur or Nusa Dua
Browse our Nusa Dua family hotels and Sanur family hotels. Every hotel has a “Where You’ll Sleep” breakdown, so you know exactly what you’re booking. And if you’d like a private villa for part of the trip, our sister site Bali Family Villas can help.