Bali

This page is about **Bali**. Look above at **"Discussion"** to post or answer questions.Use the **table of contents** on the right to help you navigate through this page. If you want to **add stuff**, use the edit button on the right (also see tips on the Guidelines page).

=General Bali Information= toc

Useful Websites:
Bali with Kids: a book and also a website. Has all kinds of listings for things to do, places to stay and see, focused on travel with kids of all ages. Travelfish.org: There are a number of articles written by Samantha Brown that showcase things to do in Bali with kids. Search keywords "kids." Lonely Planet Hotels in Bali with Kids

Kuta (+Legian, +Seminyak)
Kuta is more of the partying scene full of backpackers and budget travelers, but there are lots of others there too. It's a very busy part of Bali. That said, it is filled with things to do and places to stay. The beach here is nice, but busy, and th ere is a beach break for surf, so young children might be put off. As you go further north, you move into Legian, and then Seminyak. Legian is similar to Kuta proper, but possibly more mellow. Seminyak is known for boutique shopping, trendy restaurants and bars, and fancy hotels. A very nice place, but could be taxing on the wallet.

Sanur
Great beach for the family on the south-east side of Bali. The waves break far off shore, so the beach is very calm. There is a long boardwalk that you can walk or ride a bike on, and there are a plethora of hotels, restaurants, shops, etc. all along the boardwalk. Sanur tends to be cheaper than the west coast, and tourism is plentiful, but seems to cater to an older, mellower crowd than in Kuta. It's not fancy or as expensive as Seminyak either.

Bukit Peninsula
Staying here makes you feel more like a local expat. It has tourists, but they seem to be spread out a lot more, so it's not nearly as busy as places like Kuta or Sanur. Jimbaran seems to be more touristy, akin to Kuta and Sanur. Nusa Dua is packed with mega resorts and also villas with many restaurants that will offer to pick you up for free. Other areas are much more spread o ut throughout the peninsula, with lots of small hotels, distant resorts, and private villas. It could be useful to have a car, motorbike, or some form of reliable transport if you are staying here.

Strollers?
Depending on the part of Bali you are in, walking can often be a challenge. In the Bukit Peninsula, walking is a general nightmare as the roads are congested with cars and motorbikes, and there is no usable sidewalk. Strollers would be useless, and it is best to carry your toddler somehow, with a backpack or child carrier. In other places, it can be better. The more touristy, the more likely to have decent sidewalks. The motorbike problem is consistent though. Sanur and Kuta have sidewalks and busy roads, but the sidewalks can suddenly have huge gaps and missing sections (with a good 1/2 meter hole drop exposed). Probably best to avoid strollers altogether unless you plan to stay in a resort the whole time, or only visit heavy touristed areas.

=Bali Hotels= There are so many restaurants, hotels, villas, condotels, serviced apartments, etc. etc. in Bali. Finding ones that are suitable for travel with young children is not a problem (from afar) because of the fact that there is so much out there. Hotel rooms are in abundance. Large hotels and resorts are predictable and do a great job of catering to families. However, when your needs become more specialized, such as finding a private villa within a specific budget, or locating an apartment walking distance to the beach, the search becomes more difficult. The perfect place that you want probably out there, but it may or may not be found online. The places below are meant to be a guide that kidsonthego users have experienced first hand.

Bali Holiday House - Vacation Rental Property/home

 * Location**: Jalan Pura Masuka 8, Ungasan - near Banjar Wanagiri. Generally, near Uluwatu, Jimbaran and Nusa Dua, at the summit of Bukit, the southern Bali peninsula. Close to surf beaches (10 minutes+ by car/motorbike).
 * Contact**: baliholidayhouse (@) yahoo.com
 * Description**: Vacation rental/home, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, private pool
 * Price** (approx): A$100-$110/night
 * Kid Friendly Features:** Owners frequently have young family visiting, and will allow renters to use their baby cribs, high chairs, strollers, and car seats upon arrangement. No need to bring your own gear along unless you have specific need or are going to other places. The pool also has a temporary fence if desired (more of a visual barrier) to protect children. Pool is child friendly with shallow area. Plenty of kids DVDs in the house.
 * Other Details:** See website for details, as it is very extensive. Wayan who manages the house, will help you with transportation. He can be your driver (for additional fees), or can even organize the rental of a motorbike (with surf racks if needed). 5-10 minute walk up the road are restaurants, shops, warungs, supermarket, and even Nirmala water park (25,000 Rupiah for adult entry) with waterslides, floating river, and other activities. Staying here gives you more of the feeling of living in Bali. It is not on a tourist strip. Local roads are not ideal for toddlers walking. Forget the stroller (owners have one you can use if you really want one). Carry your toddler (or use a backpack/child-carrier) because the roads have no sidewalks and cars/motorbikes are unpredictable. Staying here can sometimes make you feel a little isolated (less of a tourist, and more of a resident). You may want to organize transportation for yourself, or hire Wayan. It is definitely relaxing (but can have lots of road noise--motorbikes made intentionally loud!).

Pondok Linaya - Luxury Vacation Rental Property

 * Location**: Nusa Dua
 * Contact**: villalinaya@hotmail.com
 * Description**: Luxury vacation rental/home, huge private pool, 4 bedroom + mezzanine + tv room, view to the sea. Very nice situation, 20 minutes from Denpasar airport.
 * Price** (approx): 390 usd (low season) - 450 usd (high season)
 * Kid Friendly Features:** Kids are welcome, owners have young family visiting frequently. No protection on the pool. Service and driver/car can be included during renting time. Massages can be booked in house.
 * Other Details:** see website

Lily Villa - Vacation Rental Propery/home

 * Location**: Wisma Nusa Permai, Nusa Dua
 * Contact**: On flipkey, or Suzy +61403589991
 * Description**: 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom (no tub), private pool
 * Price** (approx): US$100-120/night
 * Kid Friendly Features:** Privacy of home with separate living spaces, kitchen, dining room, and private pool/patio.
 * Other Details:** No restaurants nearby, but many things are a 5-10 minute car ride away. Taxis are easy to get and cheap.

Villa Artman - Vacation Rental Propery/home

 * Location**: Sanur - on a tiny gang off of Jalan Sudamala near Jalan Cemara
 * Contact**: Jankie at kitesurfbali (at) yahoo.com
 * Description**: 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom (no tub), large enclosed yard.
 * Price** (approx): US$60-100/night depending on length of stay.
 * Kid Friendly Features:** Privacy of home with separate living spaces, kitchen, dining room, and private yard safe for kids to play. Beach is short walk (about 10 minutes or about 300 meters... 2 minutes by bicycle).
 * Other Details:** Plenty of small shops, eateries, spas/salons, and more just seconds outside the front door. There will be no shortage of restaurants to visit from here. It is worth renting a bicycle with kids seat, and using this for local transportation, as it makes everything much quicker, although this property is located very close to everything already. The sidewalks are terrible, so it can be tough for strollers and even for walking toddlers. The house has two units, but separate entrances and separate yard entrances as well, so you really won't interact with the other property if you don't want to. One unit is 2 bedroom/2 bath (double-master ensuites), and the other is 1 bedroom/1 bath. Both are new, modern, and clean, having only opened in early 2012. It is very well equipped with most things you could need, except for an oven and microwave. Then again, it does not have a clothes washing machine, beach towels, or bathtub. The daily housekeeper will take your clothes to a local laundry for you, and instead of a bathtub, consider going to Harvey's supermarket (by bike, about 10 minutes away) and buying a blow-up kiddie-splash pool for about 50,000 IDR.

Villa Kresna Boutique Villas - Small villas

 * Location**: Seminyak - Jalan Sari Dewi #17 (a tiny narrow road close to the beach), just south of Ku De Ta restaurant.
 * Contact**:
 * Description**:
 * Price** (approx): US$100+/night, depending on season and where you book the room (can be booked on various hotel reservation sites)
 * Kid Friendly Features:** Privacy of home with separate living spaces, kitchen, dining room, and private pool/patio. Semi-private pool, with shared yard. 2 bedroom unit is excellent for space, but not ideal for toddlers (better for older kids who are confident with steep stairs). This unit has 2 bedrooms upstairs that are connected by a door. The 2nd bedroom has a daybed and a loft space. Plenty of room for a rollaway bed, and even an extra floor mattress on the loft if needed. The living room also has a giant sofa that is fine for sleeping, thought he living room does not have aircon. Restaurant on the property is nice and reasonably priced. Has a great patio/garden for kids to run around, although they will require supervision because there is a pond.
 * Other Details:**

=**Potential Places to Stay**= Through some research, there are some shortlisted places that might make great places to stay. However, they are not listed above until a contributor has had first-hand experience staying there. If you stay in one of these places, please list it above, or if you found other great potential places, please list it below.

**Jayakarta Hotel Apartments**
This is a hotel, but there is also an adjacent apartment building that is part of the hotel. Most are 1 bedroom apartments with kitchenette, sofabed, and patio. Generally there are many apartments available that tend to run under US$100 in the high (not peak) season. Apartments seem to vary in quality from basic/average to modern and nice. Many are advertised by owners in their own websites, or via other groups. According to tripadvisor, it also seems apartments can be booked with the hotel itself. Rental of an apartment includes use of the hotel pool and facilities (which according to tripadvisor seem to be very busy and crowded). The hotel's location, however, is right across the street from the beach (apartments are on the back side of this). Some websites that rent these apartments (there are more): @http://www.8degreesapartments.com/jayakartabali.php @http://www.bali-flat.com/ @http://www.sejuksuites.com

[|Balivillini]
Runs a variety of small villas in the Seminyak area. They seem to have great locations, range from 1-4 bedrooms (some with private pool, and some without), and range in price from about US$60+. Affordable for the area, but they also have more elegant properties. In high season, they will only book for a minimum of 7 days. They also don't take credit cards, but want payment via bank transfer. They have very favorable ratings on tripadvisor, and the owner Brenda is very responsive via email.

Sayang Sanur
Centrally located in Sanur, this is a serviced apartment style place that has a pool, and a number of 1-bedroom units (separate bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining room). Prices appear to be around US$100/night in high season (2012).

Sanur Beach Villas
Good reviews. Has 2 bedroom units at about 700,000 IDR (2012).

**Sativa Sanur Cottages**
Good reviews. 5-6 minutes from beach. Has adjoining rooms.

Good reviews. Has large (2 bedroom) apartments. Caters to long stays.
 * Villa Puri Ayu**

Gardenia Guest House
Has a lovely little restaurant with a pretty garden, pool, and white guest houses out back. Small. Rooms seem reasonably priced, starting at A$50, with an adjoining room set for A$95. Very close to the entrance of the Mercure hotel, and probably a 5 minute walk from the beach. In the south part of Sanur, much quieter and mellower than the main road of Jln. Danau Tamblingan.

=Bali Restaurants= Restaurants in Bali, depending on the type of place it is, will vary in what it has to offer kids. Generally, the nicer restaurants (mid level to upper) will always have a high chair. If you go to a smaller warung or tiny food stall, then generally there won't be anything special for kids. The more international clientele, the more likely high chairs are available. However, one thing that always seems to be the case is that the staff, if available, always seem to be happy and eager to play or interact with your kids. This includes following your toddler up the stairs, or carrying him/her around to have a look-see while you enjoy your food. Don't expect this--but don't be surprised if it happens.

Ga Ra Si

 * Location**: Jalan Uluwatu, in Ungasan, just past the Nirmala supermarket
 * Contact**: +
 * Description**: Indonesian Restaurant
 * Price** (approx): 30,000 - 80,000 IDR per plate
 * Kid Friendly Features:** High chairs and a staff that is lovely with kids. They also have a large patio out back which is great for the kids to run around if they need to.
 * Other Details:**

Jimbaran Seafood Restaurants

 * Location**: on the beach in Jimbaran
 * Contact**: +
 * Description**: Seafood restaurants are plentiful on the beach in Jimbaran. Dining is at tables in the sand if the weather is favorable.
 * Price** (approx): Seafood package dinners can be about 200K-400K per person. It's expensive, but you pay for location and fresh seafood.
 * Kid Friendly Features:** Dining on the sand. Kids can entertain themselves. Live dancers also perform.
 * Other Details:**

Restaurant 3

 * Location**:
 * Contact**: +
 * Description**:
 * Price** (approx):
 * Kid Friendly Features:**
 * Other Details:**

El Parque

 * Location**: Seminyak, next to Nunia Villa, on a small road just next to Gang Mertasari and Jalan Beraban (near Bvilla Spa).
 * Contact**: +03614737990, http://www.elparquebali.com/
 * Description**: Playground and kiddie swimming pool with cafe.
 * Price** (approx): Meals around 40,000 IDR. Some baby purees/soups on the menu (25,000 IDR).
 * Kid Friendly Features:** Everything about this place is kid friendly. Plastic cups, plates, and utensils (the Ikea kind); high chairs aplenty; indoor play space with tables, chairs, puzzles, giant chalkboard; outdoor playground with baby-friendly swing; giant daybed for sleeping tots; shallow swimming pool; mini-bowling alley; sand-pit; toys, toys, and more toys. My kids loved the chicken fingers, though there were lots of good things on the menu. The staff generally supervise the kids too so you can enjoy your coffee, juice or lunch.
 * Other Details:** Food is good, nice salads and juices, and yes, you can have a beer. There is a cute little kids' shop at the entrance with T-shirts, other outfits, accessories... although they don't sell swimsuits! They do sell swim trunks though.
 * Tripadvisor Review here**
 * Travelfish blog**

La Lucciola
Tripadvisor Review
 * Location**: Seminyak, next to The Semaya hotel, facing out onto the beach.
 * Description**: Generally upscale Italian restaurant on the beach (definitely not a small warung). Two stories, with beautiful views. Yummy food.
 * Price** (approx): Lunch, around 70,000-100,000 per plate. Dinner, around 80,000-150,000.
 * Kid Friendly Features:** Location, location, location. Open air restaurant that overlooks a giant patio and small hilled lawn. Over the hill is the beach. Great for letting the kids run around.
 * Other Details:** Strangely does not have high chairs, but will offer extra chair cushions for toddlers who can sit at the table.

=Other Information=

Gegar Beach

 * Location**: Bukit Peninsula, Nusa Dua
 * Description**: Nice mellow beach if you are staying in the Bukit peninsula. Gentle waves, thought it is a steep slope to the shore. Restaurants will charge you 20,000 IDR to use a beach chair. Construction of a large hotel is in the works (2012) that will change this place.

Balangan Beach

 * Location**: Bukit Peninsula. Heading south, take the Uluwatu road, and at Nirmala supermarket, turn right (west). Follow the main road. From the parking area, it's just a short walk down a dirt path, and then there are about 30 easy steps.
 * Description**: Great beach with good surf. At low tide, the waves are far out, and there are lots of tide pools exposed that are fun to explore. No major facilities, but many warungs available that will feed you, hydrate you, and rent you beach loungers. Some even have rooms to rent (basic). Not heavily touristed. Very nice beach to take the kids to.

Dreamland

 * Location**: Bukit Peninsula. Heading south, take the road to Uluwatu. If you go to the Klapa area, you will enter the New Kuta resort area. You can also access Dreamland beach from the road to Balangan.
 * Description**: This beach used to be much like Balangan, but apparently there was major construction as parts of it were developed. Today it is part of a large tourism/residential community, and the Klapa (club?) sits at the cliffside overlooking the beach. The beach itself is probably not the best for kids to swim in, as the waves can crash right on shore at high tide. The water is pretty rough, but apparently excellent for surfing. A relaxing family option (but it means supporting the massive business) is to enter the Klapa complex. If you buy meal coupons, you can use them to pay for food in the various restaurants within Klapa.
 * Price** (approx): It is probably possible to use the beach for free. Otherwise, if you want to combine the beach visit with a nice lunch and pool use, meal coupons are 100,000 IDR per person. Not sure if this is mandatory. Use of the pool is an additional 30,000 IDR per person (adult, not children). The view is fabulous.
 * Kid Friendly Features**: Lots of space for the kids to run around. Eating can be in the Klapa restaurant or out on the patio. Excellent kiddie pool that sits atop the standard infinity pool. Both overlook the Dreamland vista. Not sure if there are food services down at the beach, but there likely are.
 * Other Details:** Bathrooms and a locker room are available at Klapa, but are in poor condition and don't compare to the rest of the facility. Access to the beach is down steps from the building by the locker room.

Sanur Beach

 * Location**: Sanur
 * Description**: Nice long stretch of beach with a continuous boardwalk, allowing for a nice stroll or bike ride.
 * Price** (approx): Free
 * Kid Friendly Features**: Excellent beach for kids. The water is gentle and shallow quite far out. In fact you can wade out at low tide, and never seem to get more than knee deep. There are many facilities on the beach (restaurants, beach loungers, shops, etc.), but not much in the way of a public restroom (just use one at a restaurant). Many hotels are situated on the beach, so this can be convenient. If you are not on the beach, there are plenty of free spaces. Just near the Puri Santrian hotel is a jetty, and near it is a great shallow cove with a dock. This dock is great for "rinsing" off the kids after they have played in the sand... good way to clean them up without re-covering them in sand as they dry.

Family Yoga Power of Now Oasis

 * Location**: South Sanur at Mercure Hotel
 * Contact**: +
 * Description**: Family yoga class on Wednesdays at 4:00-4:45
 * Price** (approx): 60,000IDR pp (2012)
 * Kid Friendly Features**:
 * Other Details:**

[|Cheeky Monkeys]

 * Location**: Sanur, Jalan Danau Tamblingan #82 (non-beach side of road, across from Besakih Beach Hotel, next door to a salon called Chic's, not far from a big restaurant called The Village, or just behind a bar called Lazer).
 * Contact**: +62 361282420
 * Description**: Preschool/play center starting from age 1 (walking). During July and December, they offer sessions for non-registered children over the holiday seasons. In 2012, it was 10-12 and 2-4 daily, and the 2 hour session was 50,000 IDR per kid. You can do both sessions in a day and with lunch it is 150,000 IDR. Great playground, organized crafts and activities, safe environment.

Beach Bike Ride

 * Location**: Sanur boardwalk along the beach
 * Description**: You can rent bicycles in many places. If you look around and ask, many will have decent child seats with child bike helmets. Bikes can be cheap, around 100K-150K IDR for a week.

Fun Zon e

 * Location**: Sanur, on third floor of Hardy's Supermarket, Jalan Danau Tamblingan
 * Description**:
 * Price** (approx): 7,000 IDR for 30 minutes
 * Kid Friendly Features**:
 * Other Details:** By no means is this a "must-see" destination, but when your kids need a playground fix, or if they want some fun piggybacked onto a trip to the supermarket, then this is a great option.

Bali Zoo

 * Location**: Singapadu, near Batubalan, northeast of Denpasar, South of Ubud. Jl. Raya Singapadu Sukawati Gianyar, Bali - Indonesia
 * Contact**: +62-361294357. @zoo_bali (twitter), info@bali-zoo.com
 * Description**: Nice, fairly low key, small-ish zoo.
 * Price** (approx): Adults US$24, children $12, or family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids) $65 (2012)
 * Kid Friendly Features**: pony rides (fee), feed and/or ride elephants (fee), be photographed with and/or touch a lion cub, baby crocodile, feed the lions (really... from a pulley), bird show, and for the older kids (and kids at heart) the treewalk (zip line, bridges, spider nets, and other activities all up in the trees... 130cm minimum height for entry)
 * Other Details:** The zoo can arrange transportation (pick up and drop off) but you are at the mercy of their schedule. Check out some of the packages which include transport. Generally they will pick you up (depending on your location) around 9-10am. However, if you can get to the zoo when they open at 9, it is very calm and quiet in the morning. This could be best with toddlers. One option is to hire a driver for the day, and he/she will wait for you. You can also consider taking a public taxi. However, getting a taxi home could be problematic. The zoo claims that there are not many taxis in the area, and if you want one, they can call one for you, but it includes a surcharge.

See Restaurants in Seminyak, above.
 * El Parque**

=Getting There and Around=