Bali guide › Sanur and Denpasar
Is the Serangan turtle centre worth visiting, and is it ethical?
Yes, if you want to see sea turtles in Bali responsibly. The Serangan Turtle Conservation and Education Centre (TCEC) is a small rescue and hatchery centre, with no shows and no handling of the animals. The visit is simple and short. It's best from April to September, when you can watch, and take part in, a hatchling release in return for a donation.
Why it exists: Serangan, south of Sanur, was known for its trade in turtle meat. The centre was set up in 2006, backed by WWF, the authorities and the local community, to give locals an alternative. It rescues eggs from the beaches, treats injured or confiscated turtles and runs school programmes. It also raises, under supervision, the small number of turtles still used in some religious ceremonies, so they're no longer taken from the wild.
What you'll see:
- The hatchery: nests of eggs buried in sheltered sand, labelled with their laying date.
- The pools: hatchlings waiting for release and a few adults being treated (injuries, nets, plastic).
- Information boards and, often, a volunteer explaining the species and the threats they face.
- The release (in season): after a donation to “adopt” a young turtle, you release it into the sea yourself, from a nearby beach.
Is it ethical? In Bali, some places let you swim with turtles in pools, hold them or pose for photos with them: avoid those. At TCEC, the money funds care and education, and the animals spend as little time in captivity as possible. Scientists do debate the value of hatchling releases, but this centre remains one of the most serious options on the island.
What about the mangroves? Right next door, between Sanur, Serangan and the airport, lies Ngurah Rai Forest Park (Taman Hutan Raya, or Tahura). It's Bali's largest mangrove forest, about 1,370 hectares (3,400 acres), protecting the south coast from erosion. You can explore it on wooden boardwalks (from the Mangrove Information Centre, on the Sanur bypass) or by canoe with the fishermen of Wanasari, near the airport. Allow one to two hours. Access has sometimes been closed or restricted, and the boardwalks vary in condition: check locally before you go.
Practical info:
- Getting there: Serangan is a former island, linked to Bali by a causeway since major land reclamation in the 1990s. It's 15 to 20 minutes from Sanur by Grab or scooter.
- Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, during the day. Closed on Sundays.
- Price: free entry, donations welcome. Expect a couple of hundred thousand rupiah (about US$11–17) to adopt and release a turtle, depending on your donation.
- Time needed: 30 to 45 minutes for the centre, an hour more with a release.
Verdict: a modest but honest visit, best combined with the mangroves or a day in Sanur. Great with kids, as long as you explain what they're seeing and why.
Tip: come between April and September, on a weekday, and ask at reception whether a release is planned that day. Bring some cash for the donation, and let the turtle make its own way to the sea, without placing it in the water or using a flash.
Information checked in October 2026; check before you travel.
More landmarks in this section
- What is there to do in Sanur and Denpasar?
- Can you swim at Sanur Beach, and when should you go?
- What to see on the Sanur boardwalk and at Le Mayeur Museum?
- What to see at the Bali Museum and Bajra Sandhi Monument?
- Is Badung Market in Denpasar worth it, and when should you go?
- Can you visit Pura Jagatnatha, Denpasar's main temple?