11 Days in Bali with Kids
Kids ages: 7 & 5
Month of visit: May
We were thrilled to finally visit Bali as a family after canceling not once, but twice due to pandemic travel restrictions. Timing turned in our favor as we arrived during the week the mask mandate was lifted, making us among the first international travelers permitted back into the country. Over the course of 11 days, we explored the island, soaking in the beauty of East Bali in Manggis, the natural wonders of West Bali National Park, and the vibrant culture of South Bali in Sayan and Jimbaran. In the end, we felt it was well worth the wait.
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DAY 1-4 | MANGGIS, EAST BALI
Amankila beachside pool
After an easy arrival and customs experience at Denpasar (DPS) airport thanks to the VIP Fast Track immigration service booked through the hotel (totally worth it for us after the long flight), we met our driver and embarked on a scenic 2-hour drive to our hotel in East Bali. Our base for this leg of the journey was Amankila in Manggis perched high up in the cliffs overlooking black sand beaches below. Read full Stay Review here.
Amankila beach view from cabana
Our first day began with a sunrise breakfast at Amankila Restaurant. We spent the morning at the stunning main pool and later had lunch in a poolside cabana (available on first-come, first-served basis). Afterward, we spent the afternoon at the private black sand beach, where the children played with beach toys provided by the resort while we lounged in the mangrove-shaded cabana. We capped off the day with dinner at Amankila Restaurant, enjoying local musicians. Most days followed this pattern with added activities.
Amankila Suite
We stayed in two freestanding Garden Suites that were nearby but not connecting. In retrospect, this was the one thing we would have done differently as the rooms were lovely but the separation was logistically challenging.
Tamansari breakfast
Highlights here included hiking around Mount Agung through rice paddy fields and the UNESCO-listed subak irrigation system near Tenganan village in East Bali, Tamansari Breakfast at a private hillside bale with scenic views at Amankila (compliments of the hotel), our visit to Luwak Coffee & Honey Agritourism Farm, and the daily turndown gifts made by local artisans.
Amankila before sunup
The wow factor here cannot be overstated. While this property lacked a gym and full-service spa, the overall stay and experiences here were a wonderful way to start our journey in Bali.
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DAY 5-7 | WEST BALI NATIONAL PARK
Plataran Menjangan Resort & Spa
We arranged a ground transfer to Plataran Menjangan Resort & Spa located in West Bali National Park, which involved a scenic seven-hour drive across the island's lush landscapes. A delightful lunch was enjoyed at The View Munduk, a private dining venue on a mountaintop owned by Plataran Menjangan with breathtaking views. After the meal, we checked into Plataran Menjangan Resort & Spa with a lovely sunset dinner at outdoor Wantilan Restaurant.
Sunrise views from Ocean Front Mangrove Villa
Initially stayed in a Forest Villa then switched to an Ocean Front Mangrove Villa which offered incredible sunrise views (and fewer jungle critters inside the villa).
Beachside picnic after scenic trek
Highlights here included the scenic mountaintop drive through Munduk surrounded by hydrangea farms, guided hike ending with a stunning beachside picnic lunch, snorkeling excursion to Menjangan Island (2 dive spots), Balinese dancing, music, and snack-making lessons for the kids, national park “safari tour” on the resort’s double-decker bus, mother-daughter massages at Padma Spa, and spotting two of the rare Bali Starlings on a birding excursion. The team here went above and beyond to entertain the kids even though there was no official kids club. We loved the authenticity and uncurated feel of this part of Bali and the above-and-beyond service experience. That said, this place is much more rustic than luxurious so travelers staying here should adjust expectations accordingly.
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DAY 8-11 | SAYAN & JIMBARAN, SOUTH BALI
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
After wrapping up our time in West Bali, we headed to Ubud for yet another change of scenery and immersion in Balinese culture and hospitality. We chose Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan as our hotel base because of its extensive family-friendly amenities (spacious and value-priced family suites, kids club and family activities, family-friendly pools and spa, generous kids welcome amenities, kids menus in restaurants and room service), unique location on the Ayung River, and stunning “rice bowl and chopsticks” inspired architecture. The food and beverage program here was especially impressive.
Family Suite at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
We stayed in a Family Suite which was part of the resort’s main building and a perfect setup for our family, with over 2,300 square feet of space, a separate kids room with a trundle bed, two bathrooms, living and dining room, and terrace.
“Day in the Life of a Rice Farmer” experience
Each place we visited in Bali was special and great for families, but the Four Seasons was the place that was hardest to leave. Highlights of our time in Sayan included:
Ayung River rafting excursion
“Day in the Life of a Rice Farmer” — afternoon rice planting experience followed by family spa treatments, then coming back to our room to find the dirty clothes from rice planting freshly laundered and pressed, compliments of the hotel*
Balinese Cooking Class at Sokasi Cooking School with morning excursion to local market followed by multi-course cooking instruction and demo, and delicious, private riverside lunch at Sokasi Chef’s Table*
Guided morning trek through onsite rice paddy fields, jungle and neighboring village*
Overall dining program here but especially the tableside martinis at Jati Bar and dinners at Ayung Terrace
Afternoon Tea, private Kecak (Fire) Dance performance, and dinner at nearby Tanah Gajah Ubud (compliments of Tanah Gajah Ubud)
Kids For All Seasons Kids Club (fully supervised), which the girls had all to themselves during our stay
*Activities provided at a discounted media rate
Kids For All Seasons kids club, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran
After checking out of Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, we had a late flight and decided to spend our departure day at the Sundara Beach Club at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran with their Sundara VIP Boarding Lounge experience since the drive time from Sayan to DPS can vary widely and sometimes take hours. This promotion was available to the public but only to those departing the island on evening flights. The paid package included a reserved Beach Cabana, Kids for All Seasons Kids Club access (included because we were guests of the sister property), food and beverage credits (we had lunch and dinner at Sundara Beach Club), and discounted spa treatments (we did not use due to time). The transfer from Jimbaran to DPS airport was only 15 minutes. With gorgeous views and top-notch service, we could not have imagined a better way to end our time on the island.
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GOOD TO KNOW
Kecak dance, Tanah Gajah Ubud
Don’t miss the guided treks through rice paddy fields (guides scare away the snakes) and visits to temples (where you will see monkeys everywhere). The tap water is not safe to drink here or use to brush teeth but hotels provide plenty of bottled water. In hindsight, we would love to come back and spend more time in Ubud. In West Bali, we over-scheduled our days because so many great activity options were included in our package — we probably could have done with 1-2 fewer treks here to allow more downtime at the pool.
The airport VIP fast-track immigration service was totally worth it (can purchase through hotels). Alcohol is very expensive here but local beer was good and well-priced. Ocean plastics pollution is a real problem here and across much of Southeast Asia — there is no way around it when staying at a beach resort, even with staff members constantly cleaning plastics from the beach. Our closest comparison to our experience in Bali was Maui and we felt Bali delivered a much richer experience for a far better value.
Pack high SPF sunscreen, after sun care, insect repellant, sting relief wipes (Balinese ant bites pack a punch), sun hats, activewear, breathable clothing, iPads and headphones for the kids (always). We didn’t pack rash guards and that is an item we’d highly recommend — it cost us dearly at Amankila’s gift shop.
