Already dreaming about your next family holiday? Are those dreams taking you towards the beaches and rice paddies of Bali? Good on you! Bali is a family paradise awaiting you and your little ones with open arms. Wondering what to do, where to stay and when to go? Find out more about Bali Family Holidays in this dedicated travel guide, meant to inform and inspire families from Australia and beyond.
Bali family paradise
Just a couple of hours on the plane and you are landing on sacred grounds on a gorgeous island that bursts with tropical charm, unique traditions and impeccable natural beauty. Bali is exotic and mysterious and yet, at the same time, it’s a safe place, a beautiful place with a loving blend of ancient traditions, natural beauty and modern comforts. The perfect family holiday to Bali involves booking a private villa with a pool, spending time on the beach, visiting waterparks, animal sanctuaries and more. Bali is diverse, it gives the kids a great glimpse into a completely different culture and nothing is too far away from one another as the island is only small. Let the family trip to Bali kick off…
When to go and what to see
Bali is a great holiday destination all year round. Of course, prices change depending on the season. Furthermore, the seasons shift from dry to wet but really, even in the rainy season, Bali is still a wondrous place with plenty of places to visit and things to do!
If not bound to school holidays just yet, the best time to visit Bali is from April to June, just after the heaviest rainfall (read: monsoon showers that last for an hour or so and usually fall in the early morning and afternoon) and before the peak season starts. October is also a great month, quieter, cheaper and just before the monsoon’s arrival.
Coming in March? You will be in for the mystical and magical Nyepi celebration – the Balinese New Year. Don’t mistake it for a regular new year celebration, on Nyepi Day, you cannot leave the compound of your private villa and you cannot make noise or turn on lights in the evening. Why? The Balinese believe that the Gods and Demons are out and everyone is to stay inside their houses and keep quiet. This is not to be taken lightly – the island is closed on Nyepi day. Think about it – it is actually quite cool – where else on planet earth does this happen? The evening before Nyepi is bursting with colours, liveliness, loud music and parades of demon-like puppets carried out on the streets. It’s a bit frightening, like a demon-inspired carnival but it is another unique experience for you and the kids for sure! Exciting, it is!
August is when the wind is the strongest and all the Balinese people are out flying their kites in the afternoon. A great time to visit the kite festival in Sanur. You will see the biggest handmade kites you have ever seen in your life blowing in the wind as high as they can go.
Why go in the rainy season?
Prices are lower, lesser tourist crowds, the island is greener (thanks to all of the rain blessings), waterfalls are more impressive to see and rafting on the river is even more adventurous (but still perfectly safe for families with kids).
Why go in the dry season?
The temperature is cooler and less humid. The sea is cool, there is a strong wind blowing through the rice fields and there are lots of other kids around to play with. Outdoor activities such as rice paddy walks, cycling, ziplining, surfing and more are great in the dry season when the sky is blue and there is not the slightest chance of rain.
Suggested itineraries
Do you love the beach and entertainment? The south is the place to be. Seminyak and Canggu are great places to combine sunset cocktails at beach clubs, modern cafes with kids’ playgrounds, surfing lessons for the entire families, eating out and shopping around till you can’t shop anymore. These buzzing beach towns make up for great east-meets-west holiday destinations.
Want to cycle along the coastline and still have the convenience of shops, restaurants and beachfront bars? Go to Sanur. It is in the south of Bali but a lot more relaxed and laid-back than cosmopolitan Seminyak and hipster Canggu. Some say Sanur is the best destination for families with kids.
Want to escape the crowds and explore the underwater world? Amed in the east of Bali and Pemuteran in northwest Bali are the perfect places to reside for a couple of days. You’ll get to stay at beautiful villas at unbelievable prices and there won’t be anything to disturb the precious family moments. No noises, no traffic, no crowds or anything. It’s just you, the mountains, the sea, the fishes and nature.
Ubud is another wonderful place if you want to stay somewhere in the middle of rice paddies and river valleys. The surroundings of Ubud are breathtaking and there are many mystical temples to explore, as well. In the centre of Ubud, there is The Sacred Monkey Forest for close-encounters with monkeys, there are lots of shops and plenty of vegan health cafes and restaurants. You can also go see a traditional Balinese dance performance at Ubud Palance in the evening.
Uluwatu and Nusa Dua are beautiful places in the southern tip of Bali Island, great for families who can’t get enough of pristine white sand beaches and amazing surfing waves. Nusa Dua is home to The Pirates Bay where kids can live out their pirates’ fantasies while parents get to enjoy a beachfront lunch or dinner with a bottle of wine. Uluwatu has got plenty of hip cafes and restaurants and the ambiance is laid-back and fun – a lovely area to meet other families with kids.
What not miss during your family Bali holiday? Check this list of activities:
- Bali Treetop Adventure Park (Bedugul)
- Waterbom Bali (Kuta)
- Seawalkers (Nusa Dua)
- Finn’s Recreation Club (Canggu)]
- The Pirate’s Bay (Nusa Dua)
- DMZ (Dream Museum Zone in Legian)
- Bali Safari and Marine Park
- Bali Zoo
- Pod Origin Chocolate farm and Factory
These are just some suggestions for your holiday itinerary in Bali. There are many places to visit and things to see and do. Many more than mentioned above! Feel free to contact us to discover more amazing places and activities in Bali for families with kids.
Accommodation
Bali is home to the most beautiful family villas. Whether you want to stay in celebrated beach towns such as Seminyak and Canggu, the cultural center of Ubud, or you prefer to stay on the quieter side of the island in Candidasa or Pemuteran, your private pool villa will never disappoint. You will get a private pool to do some splashing and plunging, a living room with a kitchen and plenty of bedrooms or perhaps even some bunks for the kids. Ideal! On the beach, in the rice fields, up in the hills or in a gang off Oberoi’s Eat Street in Seminyak, everything is possible! Most villas have got baby-friendly facilities and the loving staff can always arrange for a pool fence, a private driver, a chef and/or a nanny.
Transport
The best way of getting around really depends on where you are staying. In busy tourist towns like Seminyak and Ubud, there are plenty of Blue Bird Taxis and also other handy local (and cheap) transport like Go-Jek and Grab. However, in some areas like Canggu and Uluwatu, they are banned. Want to travel a bit further than from your villa to the beach or some shopping or dining street, it is the best thing to book yourself a private chauffeur. Very convenient and cheap and they aren’t banned anywhere so you can really go anywhere you like without having to worry about getting back. The staff of your villa can most certainly arrange it at a good price which should be around 600.000 IDR for 1 day up to 8/10 hours including petrol.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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