With kids · Bali · Indonesia
Bali with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bair175, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Bali is very popular with families thanks to calm beaches at Sanur and Nusa Dua, villas with private pools, kids' clubs, water parks and friendly attitudes to children. Traffic, heat and monkeys need some planning. Top picks: Waterbom Bali, Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and Tanah Lot. Families usually base themselves in Sanur.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 7
- Best area for families
- Sanur
- Rainy-day options
- 0
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Theme park · Kuta
1.Waterbom Bali
A water park in tropical gardens in Kuta with slides from gentle family rides to near-vertical drops, a lazy river and a separate children's play area with smaller slides.
Go on a weekday and arrive at opening to get a shaded sun lounger.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
Nature · Ubud
2.Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
On the edge of central Ubud, this forest of giant banyan trees and moss-covered temples is home to several hundred long-tailed macaques. Paths and a stone bridge cross a ravine to the 14th-century Pura Dalem Agung temple.
Bring no food or loose items, avoid eye contact with the monkeys and keep children close; seek medical advice after any bite or scratch.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Iconic
- Photo spot
Religious site · Tabanan
3.Tanah Lot
This 16th-century sea temple sits on a rocky outcrop that becomes an island at high tide, on the coast north of Canggu. Only worshippers may enter the temple itself, but visitors can cross to its base at low tide, and the cliffs around it are a classic sunset spot.
Arrive mid-afternoon to see it at low tide and stay for sunset from the cliff-top cafés.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Kids
Landmark · Bukit Peninsula
4.Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park
A cultural park on the Bukit Peninsula centred on the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue of Vishnu riding the eagle Garuda, completed in 2018 and, at about 121 metres including its base, one of the tallest statues in the world. Dance performances run through the day.
Visit late afternoon and continue to Uluwatu Temple or Jimbaran for sunset.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Views
- Photo spot
Nature · Gianyar
5.Tegenungan Waterfall
About 20–30 minutes south of Ubud, Tegenungan is an easily reached waterfall on the Petanu River, with steps down to a pool at its base and viewpoint cafés above. It is busier than the northern falls but much closer to the main bases.
Check conditions before swimming; the current is strong after heavy rain in the wet season.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Palace · Karangasem
6.Tirta Gangga
Built in 1946 for the Raja of Karangasem, this water palace has ornamental ponds, stepping stones among koi carp, fountains and spring-fed bathing pools surrounded by rice terraces in East Bali.
Combine it with Lempuyang and Amed in one day on the east side of the island.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Architecture
- History
Religious site · Bedugul
7.Ulun Danu Beratan Temple
Built in 1633 on the shore of Lake Beratan in the cool highlands, this temple dedicated to the lake goddess appears to float on the water when the lake is high. Its 11-tiered meru shrine is one of the most photographed images of Bali.
Bring a jacket; Bedugul is often misty and cool, and the morning has the calmest water for reflections.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Architecture
- Kids
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays, beach and couples
Sanur
Sanur faces east over a reef-protected lagoon, with gentle water, a beachfront path of about 5 km for walking and cycling, and fast-boat departures to Nusa Penida and Lembongan. It attracts families and older travellers and keeps a slower pace than the west coast.
- Good
- Calm, shallow water; Sunrise views; Boats to Nusa Penida and Lembongan
- Watch out
- Low tide exposes the reef; Quiet nightlife
- Nearby
- Sanur Beach, Sindhu night market, Le Mayeur Museum, Serangan
Family travel tips
- Choose Sanur or Nusa Dua for calm, shallow water; the west coast has strong surf and currents.
- Book a driver with child seats in advance; they are rarely provided otherwise.
- Use high-factor sunscreen and keep children hydrated; the equatorial sun is intense.
- Keep food and shiny items away from monkeys at temples, and seek medical advice after any bite or scratch.
- Plan only one or two sights a day, with pool time in between, to avoid long traffic jams.
Day trips for families
- Nusa Lembongan (About 30–40 minutes by fast boat) — A smaller, calmer island with a laid-back village, mangrove kayaking, snorkelling and the Devil's Tear rock blowhole; a suspension bridge links it to Nusa Ceningan.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–June and September–October. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Bali good for kids?
Bali is very popular with families thanks to calm beaches at Sanur and Nusa Dua, villas with private pools, kids' clubs, water parks and friendly attitudes to children. Traffic, heat and monkeys need some planning.
+What can kids do in Bali?
Waterbom Bali, Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Tanah Lot, Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park and Tegenungan Waterfall.
+Where should families stay in Bali?
Sanur: Relaxed east-coast beach town with a long seafront path.