The Best Sunrise Spot in Bali is in Pantai Karang, Sanur

Bali, the island of Gods, is known for its beautiful beaches. As you are living on the island, you are not only able to enjoy the stunning sunset, but also you can catch some beautiful sunrise in the morning. Sanur, on the east side of the island, is a popular destination among travelers in Bali with so many beaches in the surroundings such as  Sanur itself, Segara Ayu, Duyung to Karang Beach. Offering scenic views of the sunrise with the background of Agung active volcano and Balinese gazebo, Pantai Karang, is the best sunrise spot in Bali in my personal opinion.

About Pantai Karang

If you are looking for a sunrise spot with a stunning view in Bali, I highly recommend pantai Karang. It is located only 20 minutes away from Denpasar city, and about 5 minutes away from the famous Sanur McDonald's crossroad. Besides, it is very close to Massimo Gelato in case you'd like to grab some after sunrise or did some activities by the beach.

Personally, in my opinion, the main reason is of course because of the view. If you are coming in the summer season and the weather in the early morning is very clear, you can get the jaw-dropping sunset with Agung Mountain in the background. You can also see the twin Balinese gazebo from a distance. If the tide is high enough, you will see the water giving some beautiful sky reflections. And if you are lucky enough, you can also see the amazing Rinjani mountain from a distance. Yup, the third-highest mountain in Indonesia. Here are some images I took when I was there in August 2023.

Activites in Pantai Karang

I would love to spend all day here in Pantai Karang. There are so many things that you can do besides watching the beautiful sunrise. This beach area is managed by locals and personally, I think they are quite well to manage this destination. Here at Pantai Karang, you can do cycling or jog along the pedestrian with an ocean view, or you can join yoga open classes right next to the main gate. Compared to some Sanur beaches, Karang's waves and tides are not as rough as the other so I suggest you do also explore paddling and canoeing as one of the activities.

If you want to do paddling or canoeing, there are some options that you can find along the beach. For a single-boat canoe, it costs around IDR 30,000 to IDR 50,000 which you can rent for about 30 minutes. If there is no other customer waiting, you can use it as long as you want. My favorite is the two-person canoe with transparent fiber. You can see the water under you, watch some fish swimming by, or see kelp and reefs under you as you paddle. It cost about IDR 50,000 for each boat and it can take two people.

As the sun rises, most people are coming to Karang Beach to not only enjoy the view but do some other activities like kids they can play with the sand, kites, or swim. Adults most of them are doing like renting sun beds, reading books, drinking ice-cold beers, and kinds of stuff. For me, I just love to sit by the beach while relaxing and hearing the sound of the waves, or I go rent a paddle or bike to explore.

Besides the stunning view of Mount Agung, there are plenty of activities that you can do on the beach. My favorite one is going paddling or canoeing, even tho I cannot swim (LOL). No worries, it's quite shallow as long as it is not on high tides. I highly recommend you visit this place. For the best time, you can come before 6 AM if you are looking to get some dawn photos or wanna see the amazing Rinjani. You won't be alone, there are other photographers you will see around the beach at that time. Also, the best time to visit Bali as well is in June - September, as it will be the summer season in Indonesia but you get some fresh winds from the winter in Australia. I can guarantee that you will get a clear sky picture if you are coming around that period. That's pretty much it for Pantai Karang. One of the best sunrise spots in Bali with so many activities that you can do. So, let me know if you are going there ya!