Wayan — beloved identity of Sanur — is thriving as life slowly but surely returns to the streets of Bali, as tourists return, trade picks up, and life gets somewhat back to normal. While covid hasn’t gone for good, the days of lockdowns and the worst of the pandemic, seem to be, hopefully, behind us.
While the residents of Sanur are welcoming new faces with open arms, we thought it was time to bring you an update on some of the old faces and locals, and what life looks like now for the people of Sanur.
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Wayan: The Heartbeat of Sanur
Wayan is as beloved as ever, and a well-known Sanur identity. She’s still working hard for the banjar and cleaning the Sanur streets, but she always has time to stop and chat with her neighbours and any tourists on their morning walks. In fact, if you want to know something, stop and spend some time with Wayan, she knows everyone and everything going on in and around Sanur, and always has a moment for a friendly catch-up.
While the pandemic years were hard for Wayan and her family — as they were for so many in Sanur — they survived together. Adit and Komang continue to go from strength to strength, both finding their own paths with admirable determination and spirit.
Adit, Komang and Ketut: A Family Thriving
Adit still loves surfing and fishing, but he is busy now studying hospitality so he can pursue a career in tourism and hospitality. And when he isn’t busy with his studies and work, he is usually making TikTok videos, playing with his animals or hanging out with his sister Komang.
And Komang? Well, she’s doing well at school, but her main passion is still rescuing and caring for animals. She’s a well-known animal angel in Sanur, taking in injured and orphaned wildlife to add to her ever-growing, but always loved and cared for, zoo which currently includes 3 dogs, 1 puppy, 4 ducks, 17 chickens and 6 cats!
Ketut is burning the candle at both ends, working nights as security at the beach and during the day he is fishing for the family or taking guests on tours over to the islands. But both he and Wayan are happy with hard work, anything for their kids.
The pandemic was hard on everyone, but Sanur and Bali are rebuilding, along with the rest of the world. Locals like Wayan and her family are familiar faces around Sanur, and for many, they were the happy faces that greeted us as we walked to the beach during the pandemic – like the official smiling greeting party of Sanur, reminding us to always be grateful, present, and happy with what we have. For Ketut and Wayan, hard work has never been a burden — it is simply the Balinese way of showing love for your family.
Together, Wayan and her family embody what makes Sanur so special: community, resilience, and an enduring warmth that transcends circumstance. Wayan’s story is a reminder that the soul of Bali is not found only in its beaches or temples, but in the warmth and resilience of the people who call it home and who show up every day, rain or shine, with a smile and an open heart. For more on the communities and culture that make Bali extraordinary, read our guides to Bali traditional villages and Bali luxury villas. For background on the Sanur area, see Sanur, Bali on Wikipedia.
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