Sunny Beach has a very small permanent population, but during the summer the resort is home to many thousands of tourists. The main strip of high-rise hotels backing onto the beach is 5 kilometers long and extends along a wide bay between Sveti Vlas and Nessebar.

The resort's construction began back in Communist times, in 1958. Construction work began at a site where there were two old wells that supplied Nessebar with water in ancient times and during the Middle Ages.

The airports serving Sunny Beach are Burgas Airport and Varna Airport.

Sunny Beach (Sunny Beach bus station) is connected by bus to all larger Bulgarian cities.

Attractions for tourists include the beach, water sports, and the nearby historic site of Nessebar. There are two water parks near the resort. The Decade of Symphonic Music, part of the International Folklore Festival, fashion shows, and various beach competitions are held in Sunny Beach. The Golden Orpheus song contest was held here until 1999.