The Icon Mall in Sanur – touted as the biggest shopping mall in
South-east Asia – will open to the public on the 17 May, a development
which is expected to position Sanur as Bali’s go-to spot for shopping,
entertainment and dining.
Attractions at the mall include the new 8 Wonders of Bali, which
includes a butterfly park, edible garden, a four-storey vertical forest,
indoor cultural amphitheatre and sunset laser water show.
Also expected to attract visitors will be two new beach clubs and the
Jaje Bali Floating Market, dedicated to local vendors selling Balinese
food, desserts and knick-knacks.
Visitors will interact directly with more than 50, mostly small,
home-based sellers, operating from their boats, display stands, bicycles
and rickshaws.
Sanur is rapidly leaving behind its reputation as sleepy ‘Snore’ and
instead giving visitors new reasons to skip Seminyak and Canggu for a
more relaxed Balinese experience.
The Bali International Hospital will open later this year, adjacent to the renovated Grand Bali Inna Hotel, now known as The Meru Sanur.
“Investments by the government and the private sector are really
focused on making Sanur a more attractive tourist destination without
losing its charm,” said a spokesperson for ICON Bali.