Mythical Bali has much to offer to travellers, from the young and adventurous to families with young kids.
We spent around ten days in Bali in June 2015, together with Amanda’s parents. We had four days in Ubud, exploring the temples, rice fields and nature, before heading over to the beaches in Nusa Dua.
Why We Like Bali
- Temples: the magnificent Tanah Lot Temple can be reached via a short walk during low tide (instead of just admiring from the coast). Marvel at Uluwatu Temple perched atop a dramatic cliff
- Kecak and Fire Dance: after visiting Uluwatu Temple, enjoy the mesmerising Kecak and Fire Dance at Uluwatu, with the beautiful sunset as background
- Rice fields: relax among the beautiful rice fields in Ubud, especially Tegalalang
- Volcano: admire Kintamani volcano and Lake Batur while having a drink
- Beaches: take a stroll, cycle along or take a dip at the beach in Nusa Dua
- Balinese dance: exquisite Balinese dance performances at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
- Rice growing: A Day in the Life of a Balinese Farmer activity at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
- Horses & ponies: learn how to ride and take care of horses and ponies at Bali Equestrian Centre
- Fireflies tour: kids get very excited by the fireflies tour organised by Baliedu. Their friendly staff are very good with young kids
- Releasing baby turtles: Bali Sea Turtle Society runs a conservation program to protect sea turtle eggs. It relocates turtle eggs laid in Kuta Beach to a central hatchery. When the baby sea turtles hatch, it releases them into the ocean. Everyone can join in the baby turtle release in Kuta beach, near Hard Rock Cafe, with priority given to kids.
- Feeding monkeys: kids enjoy feeding monkeys at Monkey Forest Ubud
What We Dislike About Bali
- Other than traffic jams, there are not many things to dislike about Bali
Accommodation In Bali
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
- Beautiful and serene setting with its own rice fields, and soothing sound of fast-flowing Ayung River right next to the resort
- Kids had a great time trekking around the resort and growing rice in A Day in the Life of a Balinese Farmer activity. We opted out of the accompanying spa session, which helped to reduce the cost
- Complimentary Balinese dance performance in the evenings
- Great discounts are available in its website, such as a fourth night free stay. We even had a free upgrade to a villa, which was simply gorgeous. With a king bed and a complimentary single bed, the four of us (two adults and two young kids) slept comfortably
- Along the best beach in Nusa Dua. Easy to hop over from the big swimming pool to the beach
- Beach chairs get snapped up quickly, especially the ones in the pavilion. Consider reserving them early. Another option is to rent and relax on the Dream Bed by the beach
- We stayed in a Deluxe Terrace Room, which opens out into the big swimming pool and is convenient for young kids. The two double beds were just about big enough for the four of us
Getting Around In Bali
- Special mention to Bobby from Bali Made Tour (personal email: eka_beken@yahoo.co.id; hp: +6281337021968). Not only was he a responsible driver and tour guide, he explained Balinese culture with passion, and took great care of my kids and parents-in-law
Food In Bali
- Naughty Nuri’s Warung and Grill (Ubud): barbeque pork ribs
- Bebek Tepi Sawah Restaurant (Ubud): deep fried duck
- Warung Babi Guling Ibu Oka (Ubud): roast suckling pig
- Bumbu Bali (Nusa Dua): delicious Balinese cuisine in a traditional village setting
Practical Tips For Bali
- Do not just stay in your resort. Bali has enough places for young kids to explore for a week or more
- Spend a couple of days in Ubud. It is the cultural centre of Bali, and is a good base to explore nature and children activities in Bali
- Be careful when feeding the monkeys in the Monkey Forest. Do not hold onto the bananas for too long when feeding them, as some of them can be quite aggressive
- A good tour guide makes a huge difference in Bali. We were fortunate to have Bobby (from Bali Made Tour) as our driver and tour guide. He must be one of the best, if not the best, tour guides around
- Do some research before visiting the animal attractions, as some of them do not seem to care much about animal welfare
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