The hotel choice we made in Sanur - Swastika Bungalows is turning out to be an excellent one, the place is clean comfortable and friendly with prices inside the hotel on a par with outside so you can order drinks and food without having to go outside if that is what you want. It is about a three minute walk from the beach and is situated in te heart of Sanur
One noticeable improvement is the lack of dogs - they have been removed (somehow) and only local pets remain they seem to be kept inside.
There are many affordable retaurants and I will give a break down when I return at the end of my month. The presence of taxis everywhere has made a big difference to Sanur it is now only 12,000 - 15,000 rps to Kuta so it is easy and cheap to make hit and run shopping trips or take a night out and return to the peace of Sanur afterwards. Blue taxis ALWAYS turn the meter on the others it is sometimes after some discussion - we now stick to the blue ones
For the nervous TCs are very little differencce to cash a couple of hundered rps so if you are nervous it is not worth worrying about. There was a reported bag snatch from a Japanese tourist last week from a motorbike-DO NOT HAVE A BAG SLUNG OVER YOUR SHOULDER we have only hear of the one instance so it is not a crime wave Sydney style
Trees I saw planted on JL Legian two years ago and gave no hope of surviving are now providing footpath shade. There are no hawkers evident in Kuta but you get business cards inviting you to look at watches.
Tootsies (no28) at Sanur Beach Markets is for real but the fixed price idea does not seem to have spread. Business must be good as the shop is being extended - prices are fair dinkum and good value.
Life remains idyllic - Ubud is a treasure and all is well with the world in Sanur
ColinB