Bali With Kids: A Family Friendly 1 Week Itinerary

Bali, Indonesia always struck me as a place for couples and solo travelers but probably because that’s who I knew when I first heard about Bali. It was always on our list to visit someday but that day didn’t come until we were past the doting couple and had become doting parents. As good a time as any though.

Bali is very family friendly. From beaches to rice terraces, delicious food, and monkeys, there’s so many things to do in Bali and a lot that kids would enjoy too. We took a trip to Bali with my mother so it was a multi-generational adventure that met the needs of the foodie husband, the little lady, the adventurer in me, and my mom.

Plan a trip to Bali with kids:

• What To Know
• Where To Stay
• How To Get Around
• Why you should travel to Bali with kids
• One week itinerary in Bali with kids
• What To Do
  • Uluwatu Temple
  • The Turtle Conservation and Education Center (TCEC)
  • Ubud Monkey Forest
  • Ubud Art Market
  • Coffee Farm
  • Tirta Empul Temple
  • Penglipuran Village
  • Lake Batur
  • Petulu Heron Colony
  • The Bali Bird Park
  • Bali Butterfly Park

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What To Know

Bali is a province in Indonesia that includes the island of Bali as well as a few other islands including Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan. This is the main tourist hub in Indonesia so it’s not off the beaten path by any means.

Inhabited from around 2000BCE, stone tools have been found dating back to this time period and inscriptions reveal that Bali was an independent nation where Buddhism and Shaivism were practised simultaneously. There is an immense history that you could dive into on your visit to the island.

Bali is the only Hindu-majority province in Indonesia today with almost 90% of the population practicing Balinese Hinduism. It is also part of the Coral Triangle which is an area with the highest biodiversity of marine species including fish and turtles.

In this area alone, there are 500 reef building coral species which is about seven times more than the entire Caribbean area. From history to culture and conservation and biodiversity, Bali, Indonesia makes for an incredibly educational and cultural place to visit with children.

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Where To Stay

When it came time to choose a place to stay, we chose to split our time between Nusa Dua and Ubud.

Westin Resort Nusa Dua

Element by Westin Bali Ubud

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How To Get Around

Hiring a driver is very budget friendly. Having seen the narrow roads that cut through the rice paddy fields and even cars that had run off of them into the fields, I can say without a doubt, I’m happy that I hired drivers to take us around when we wanted to get out and see different things.

I highly recommend hiring a driver for a day so that you can create your own itineraries if some of the things I suggest below aren’t for you. They’re flexible and can adjust to your needs.

We booked both specific tours as well as days with just a private driver through Klook while we were in Bali and had a fantastic time.

• Klook has some great options for hiring a private driver. Klook is a well known tour provider in Asia. We’ve used their site many times for our travelers and have always had great experiences.
  • All-In Bali Private Car Charter: Plan your own itinerary and choose a 6, 10, or 12 hour day. They can provide vehicles that fit groups up to 14 and drivers can speak multiple languages including English, Chinese, and Korean as well as Indonesian.
  • Bali Private Car Charter Per Zone: Some areas of Bali are easier to navigate and some more difficult or further away. If you want to see a lot of a specific zone at one time, check out this option. It might make it easier to plan on your end.

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Why you should travel to Bali with kids

• Family friendly resorts
• Balinese people are so friendly with kids
• Budget friendly food and plenty of options even for the fussy/picky eaters
• Immersive educational opportunity abound

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One week itinerary in Bali with kids

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What To Do

We had loads of fun in Bali, but what I’ve learned about traveling with my kid… and husband, is that for every day we’re on the move, we need a day in between to chill. The great thing, as I mentioned above, is that you can hire a private driver in Bali and plan the days that you want to have.

This is important for families I think because any number of things can happen. Maybe you’ll want to stay longer here, or end up with an overstimulated kid and need to go home early. Get your own driver, and you can do what you like. Check out our itinerary below with how we put everything together and then plan your own trip.

Uluwatu Temple

After a day at the hotel beach and pool when we stayed in Nusa Dua, the Hindu temple named Uluwatu that dates back to the 11th century was the first place that we went to see on the island and was a great evening introduction into the culture of Bali. Called Pura Luhur Uluwatu locally, meaning ‘something of divine origin’, Uluwatu Temple is one of the key temples in Bali and is one of the most touristy temples in the area as well.

Perched atop a steep cliff 70 meters above the ocean, it provides gorgeous views especially if you head there in the evening to watch the sun set while you take in the Kecak Dance. Before all of that though, take the time to walk around the beautiful temple. Do be careful of the monkeys who reside at the temple, though, as they are drawn to anything shiny.

The Kecak Dance is a traditional performance that is performed regularly all over the island but it’s performed at Uluwatu Temple daily. Here you can see a traditional performance and a fire show. Very much for tourist benefit, the performance starts at 6:00pm and ends just after sunset.

There are around 75 dancers that head into the inner circle stage to present the Ramayana epic in elaborate costumes. It’s a stunning location and very exciting for the kids in tow.

• Address: Pecatu, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia
• Hours: 9:00am ~ 7:00pm
• Klook Options:
  • Private Driver, Uluwatu Temple, Kecak Fire: This is the option we chose from our hotel in Nusa Dua. Our driver took us to and from the temple and waited for us while we were inside. We got admission included to the temple and saw the fire show.
  • Uluwatu Kecak Fire Tickets: If you want to make your own way to the temple, you can also buy the tickets for the show separately.

The Turtle Conservation and Education Center (TCEC)

Another great afternoon adventure we took while we stayed in Nusa Dua was to the Turtle Conservation and Education Center. The only legitimate turtle sanctuary in Bali, the TCEC at Serangan Island south  of Sanur is educating both the local people and schoolkids to help end the turtle trade and support conservation.

The center rescues hurt turtles and buys turtle eggs from local markets to try and encourage the public to stop consuming them. Then, they keep the eggs until they hatch into young turtles and at one month, to give them an edge, they are released. They hold back the runts and sickly babies until they are a bit stronger. Whether they should be released as soon as they hatch versus a month after is up for some debate in turtle conservation circles but TCEC follows advice from The Turtle Hospital, Florida.

Visit the center and you can see the baby turtles and injured turtles in pools. Walk around and you can learn about turtle conservation. Because the turtles are kept, visitors can “adopt” one to help release at the beach and this is the most touching there is but it is truly a special experience to have.

From the center, groups head out to a nearby beach. Turtle release happens from April to September. We had gotten to the center a bit late and didn’t realize what time release was done. They said we could still make it to the beach so we did a quick tour of the facilities before asking our taxi driver to take us to the designated beach area.

We met the educators at a beach and released our own turtle into the ocean. To do this, you should donate to the great things the organization is doing and then be apart of the beginning of the great journey these turtles are about to take. The taxi driver we had with us had never been to TCEC and didn’t know about the release of the turtles. He was so excited to join us when we went and cheered on our daughter as we let her be the one to release the baby turtle into the ocean.

• Address: Jl. Tukad Punggawa, Serangan, Denpasar Selatan, Kota Denpasar, Bali
• Hours: Monday and Tuesday: 9:00am ~ 5:00pm; Wednesday and Thursday: 9:00am ~ 4:00pm; Friday: 9:00am ~ 12:30pm; Saturday: 9:00am ~ 3:00pm
• Website: https://tcecserangan.jimdofree.com/

Ubud Monkey Forest

Well known as the Ubud Monkey Forest among tourists, in Indonesian, this nature reserve and Hindu temple is called Mandala Suci Wenara Wana. A natural habitat for the Balinese long-tailed macaque, the forest sees over 10,000 tourists each month.

The park area is heavily forested and has quite a few steps and hills though is still fairly easy to walk through. We had a driver who took us to the Ubud Monkey Forest and Ubud Art Market for a day out from our hotel in Nusa Dua.

There are three Hindu temples on the grounds including Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, Pura Beji, and Pura Prajapati. The temples were all constructed around 1350 and as you take in the architecture, watch out for the very playful monkeys.

There are five different groups of monkeys in the park that have their own territories. There may be conflicts between the groups of monkeys, so try to stay aware and vigilant not to be between them. When there is a disturbance, staff will quickly come over to try and keep visitors safe.

The monkeys are very active during the day and because some of them can be bigger than your kids, watch them closely. One monkey grabbed on to our little lady’s dress and made her a bit nervous. We had talked with her before entering about how we can’t squeal or scream inside as that can get the monkeys riled up.

When she started showing discomfort, I had my husband pick her up while I preoccupied the monkey that had attached itself to her dress. The Ubud Monkey Forest is very fun and interesting to visit, but make sure your kids know how to act and watch over them just in case.

• Address: Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali
• Hours: 9:00am ~ 6:00pm
• Admission: Weekdays: Adults: IDR80,000; Children: IDR60,000; Weekends: Adults: IDR100,000; Children: IDR80,000
• Website: https://monkeyforestubud.com/

Ubud Art Market

Located right in Ubud town, stop into this somewhat chaotic but thrilling market area. Get your souvenirs here if there are any that you’re looking for. Vendors may press but they’re not aggressive, generally just persistent. Feel free to negotiate a bit and get what you want for the price you’re looking to pay. Most of the goods you’ll find here are made in nearby villages Pengosekan, Tegallalang, Payangan, and Peliatan.

Since the Ubud Monkey Forest is just up the road, this was an ideal spot to stop to shop and then eat. There are a plethora of restaurants and cafes in the area to choose from.

• Address: Jl. Raya Ubud No.35, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali
• Hours: Every day: 8:00am ~ 5:00pm

Tirta Empul Temple

This temple was founded in 962AD around a natural spring that fills the various baths still today. Dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu God of water, Tirta Empul means ‘water gushing from the earth’. There are shrines to Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Indra, and Mount Batur. One of the five of the holiest temples in Bali, people from all over visit to wash in the holy waters.

Walk through a large stone gate to the outer courtyard and take the intricate details of the statues in. The inner courtyard holds the main area of the temple and the most popular crystal-clear pools with 30 waterspouts. There are some changing rooms where you can keep dry clothes for after. Start in the pool to the left and bathe in each spout and then join the line for the next pool. There are two spouts that are only for the dead which you are prohibited from washing in.

After the purification pools, head to the other areas of the complex. A lot of visitors just head to the purification pools and then leave, but there are some beautiful places to see and a large pool with koi fish. This is an active temple, so do be respectful of worshippers.

There’s a great story about the creation of the temple. Be sure to look it up and share it with your kids before you go.

• Address: Jl. Tirta, Manukaya, Kec. Tampaksiring, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali
• Hours: Every day: 8:00am ~ 6:00pm

Penglipuran Village

Home to traditional Balinese homes, this is a unique village where residents still maintain the philosophy of indigenous life. Vehicles are prohibited and as you walk down the clean paths, you’ll notice signs that welcome you into the homes that now also serve as restaurants and cafes. This was where we decided to have lunch.

• Address: Jl. Penglipuran, Kubu, Kec. Bangli, Kabupaten Bangli, Bali
• Hours: Every day: 8:15am ~ 6:30pm
• Admission: Domestic tourists: IDR15,000; Foreign tourists: IDR30,000

Lake Batur

The largest lake on Bali Island, Batur Lake is located at an altitude of 1,050 meters above sea level on the slopes of Mount Batur, an active volcano. Adventurous tourists will trek to the top of Mount Batur, but if trekking isn’t in the cards, a visit to Lake Batur with the mountain in the background is the way to go.

Resto Apung

Since we weren’t trekking Mount Batur anytime soon, we opted for a nice relaxing spot along the water for an afternoon coffee and snack. This floating restaurant also has a resort to stay in, but you can also just enjoy the scenery for a meal as well and I highly recommend it. We had the place to ourselves one afternoon as we took in the view before heading back to our hotel.

• Address: P99Q+F2C, Jl. Kedisan, Songan B, Kec. Kintamani, Kabupaten Bangli, Bali

Petulu Heron Colony

Since the 60s, and the massacres during that time, a huge number of herons started coming to nest in this village on the site of one such massacre. Known locally in Balinese as kokokan, the white plumed herons and Java pond herons feed all over the island and return to Petulu in the late afternoon to spend the night in the village’s giant fig trees.

We walked to the Ceking Rice Terraces of Tegallalang just north of Ubud to watch the herons return for the evening. As you walk up the road, you can spot signs for a couple spots that are specifically open for bird watching. Head up and take a seat to watch the arrival. You want to get there a bit before sunset to enjoy the show.

• Address: Petulu, Ubud, Gianyar Regency, Bali

The Bali Bird Park

A park with over 1000 birds that has breeding and conservation programs while educating the public. There are birds divided into seven different areas that recreate the natural habitats of the birds and include the misty jungles of Sumatra as well as Papua. It’s a really fun experience especially if your little one likes animals the way ours does.

• Address: Jl. Serma Cok Ngurah Gambir Singapadu, Batubulan, Kec. Sukawati, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali
• Tickets: You can get tickets for Bali Bird Park online. If you purchase them online, you can get a discount on the entrance price.

Coffee Farm

Another popular activity in Bali is to visit a coffee plantation. A stop generally takes one to two hours and because there are quite a few, you can easily splice one into a day out. While you might think this isn’t as interesting for the kids in tow, I beg to differ.

Ours was traipsing through the tree lined paths, following our guide and had great fun when they were talking about Kopi Luwak Coffee and how it is… obtained, ahem. Our guide suggested a stop at Bali Pulina which we enjoyed, but if you want some other recommendations, check out KatiecafTravel’s great guide to coffee plantations in Bali.

Bali Butterfly Park

Butterflies have always been mesmerizing for our little one who quite enjoyed getting caterpillars back home and watching then cocoon and become beautiful butterflies weeks later. Visit to see the diverse array of butterflies in all sizes and colors.

FYI, there are a couple different butterfly parks in Bali so make sure your driver knows where you want to go and what will fit in your itinerary for the day depending how everyone is feeling. The Kemenuh Butterfly Park is just 15 minutes from Ubud, while the Bali Butterfy Park in Tabanan is about an hour from Ubud. Plan accordingly. The World Travel Guy has some good info about each Bali butterfly park so you can see what you think about them each.

• Address: 
  • Bali Butterfly Park: Br.Sandan Lebah, Jl. Batukaru, Sedandan, Kec. Penebel, Kabupaten Tabanan, Bali
  • Kemenuh Butterfly Park: Jl. Ir. Sutami, Kemenuh, Kec. Sukawati, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali

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You are ready for a family friendly adventure to Bali, Indonesia if you ask me. There are so many great things to do with kids in Bali. Plan a week, another week, and maybe another week if you can. It’s worth it!

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