Bali is a tropical paradise known for its beaches, markets, temples and cheap holidays. It attracts people from all around the world and Bali has plenty to offer family travellers. You will find plenty to do in Bali with teenagers, teens, kids and toddlers. No matter how big or small your family is Bali has something awesome for you.

Visiting Bali with kids is a great idea with plenty of value for money food and accommodation wise. You will find water parks, water activities, cultural experiences, sightseeing and much more in Bali for families.

Surfing lessons at Kuta Beach

As you walk along the beach at Kuta you will be rushed by sellers offering you everything from necklaces to sarongs and massages. You will see surfboards lining the beach right next to plenty of chairs under large umbrellas.

Travelling the world surfing is a romantic notion that many of us have thought of in our younger years thanks to some huge movies of the ’90s! Our daughter Marley was keen to give the surfing at Kuta try while we sat under one of those umbrellas watching. We approached Galih who offered to take Marley surfing at Kuta.

We talked price and ended up paying $20 AUD (Rp.200,000) for 1-1.5 hours worth of lesson and surfing. Marley was taught the basics on the beach for about 10-15 minutes like how to stand, how to get up, positioning and balance.

As Marley headed into the Kuta surf she only had eyes for the waves rolling in and the possibility of riding them! With Galih’s help and some determination, Marley was able to stand up at times as the small waves of Kuta pushed her to the shore. We all cheered her on yelling and clapping as Galih high 5’ed her!

While our youngest daughter was learning to surf Kuta beach our eldest child was sitting on the beach getting a Henna tattoo drawn on her hand. The tattoo lasted for around 10 days before it really started to fade. Willow has very sensitive skin and we had no problems with the ink used on her. Hair braiding was also on offer by many of the sellers on Kuta beach for kids to have done.

The Bali Swing

What started as one good idea in one spot in Bali has now spawned what seems like a million copies. The Bali Swing attraction where you glide out over the rice fields or high above lush vegetation is everywhere. You just need to look at Instagram or youtube to garnish their popularity. Many differ in height and price.

The swing makes for a great experience for the kids. They loved the freedom and sense of flying that it brings. You will pay anywhere from Rp.150,000 to Rp.250,000 for a go (around $15-$25 Australian dollars.) Try and haggle the price if you think they are receptive. We ended up getting both kids for Rp.150,000 at one spot as the weather was turning bad.

Waterbom

Waterbom is constantly rated the best waterpark in all of Asia. Visiting Waterbom we had high expectations for a brilliant day out. We hired a cabana near the lazy river area which was excellent and provided us with a shady spot to go back to throughout the day. Our oldest teen seemed to think it was a good place to have a sleep for a while with the occasional dip into the lazy river. Our tween, on the other hand, was straight at the water slides of which there are many, that go by names such as boomerang, constrictor and super bowl just to name a few.

Waterbom is basically in the main street of Kuta. Expect it to be packed and the lines for the water slides to be long. To spend money at Waterbom you need to get a wristband which is topped up with credit. You then just swipe your band when buying drinks, food or massages. A visit to Waterbom with a teen in Bali will cost you western prices. Kids over 11 are charged adult prices. For us, that meant a cost of just over $200 AUD for entry and a cabana.

• We also suggest you put a little bit extra on your wristband to spend especially if you are hiring towels. We put Rp.300,000 on our card on entry and that went straight on hiring towels for the 4 of us. Towels are only Rp.10,000 to hire BUT you need an Rp.50,000 deposit on all of them each that you receive when you return them.
• There are top-up stations all over the park though so it is easy to do and you don’t have to return to the entrance to top up. If you have money left on your wristband at the end of the day you just have to go to the ticket booths at the entrance and they will give you your remaining money back in cash.

The Secret Waterslide

Way up in the North of Bali around about 3 hours from Kuta lies the secret waterslide. The drive is slow and windy on back roads where you will be dodging dogs, chooks and steep drops till you reach Lemukih Village. This place is that far north you can see the coastline and Singaraja the biggest city on the north coast. You need to trek through some amazing rice terraces on the way with steep forested mountains surrounding you. The walk alone is something that is pure magic!

You will arrive at a little shack that serves food and drinks while the sound of running water rings in your ears. The river below is where the fun in Bali really begins. A fast flowing down hill stream awaits you. The forces of the water over thousands of years has worn the rocks smooth down into some little pools at the end of the slides.

An attendant will have some tubes waiting for you to sit on so you can head down the slide at full speed! If you are a little unsure the attendant will even go down with you the first few times, maybe even backwards. This was something the girls loved and thought it was fantastic that the attendant was going down with them too! This adventure is best done as a part of a tour with Bali Customized Tours.

Tirta Empul

We think it is important for our teen and tween to experience cultural activities while we travel. For teens in Bali this can only mean a visit to Tirta Empul. Legend has it that the Hindu god Indra created a spring that feeds the temples 13 fountains. The Hindu religion dictates that you bathe in the holy water to guard off evil spirits. This is a truly special cultural event to experience in Bali with teens.

It requires you to put a sarong on and imerse yourself in the cold waters of the bathing pool. When you get to the front you must put your head under the running water to wash the evil spirits away. There is 13 fountains where this can be done and traditionlly you must wash at all 13 of them. This cultural ceremony is unique and cooling on a hot Bali day

We had a driver take us from Ubud to Tirta Empul. He waited the 2 hours while we were inside and then he took us back to Ubud for $25.00 AUD or Rp.250,000

Frankensteins Laboratory

Located in Seminyak is Frankensteins Laboratory. It is a cabaret show, restaurant and bar. Each day they have an afternoon family show that starts at 4.30pm and runs till 7.30pm. This place really gets into the swing of it by having drinks in syringes and even I.V bags. They have some amazing makeup artists on hand to make you look all types of freaky and deformed. The cabaret characters come out dressed as Jason from Friday the 13th and Freddy Kruger just to name a few.

They happily wander the venue scaring people and posing for pictures. Then the real entertainment begins when they start the dance routines to such hits a Micheal Jacksons ‘Thriller’and Bruno Mars. The food and drinks were a little more expensive than most venues but you are paying for the entertainment which was first class and kept our kids in Bali very much entertained for the entire time we were there.

Where is Frankensteins Bali:
 Jl. Camplung Tanduk No.6, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361 https://frankensteins-laboratory.com/

If all else fails in Bali with teenagers!

In the Kuta area, there are 4 cinemas (two are Cinema XXI) showing the latest movies in air-conditioned comfort. Most of the movies come in English with Indonesian subtitles or in Indonesian voice over with English subtitles.

• Cinema XXI
• Cinema 21
• Cinemax

There are two 10 pin bowling alleys in the Kuta area for family fun in Bali. Nothing beats a bit of sibling and family rivilary as the pins go flying in Bali.

• Strike Bowling
• Paradiso Bowling

Best places to stay in Bali for families

Harris Riverview – Kuta

Harris Riverview was just far enough back from Kuta Beach to be away from most of the tourists but still within a $2.50 grab of the beach. Harris Riverview had a family room that easily fits four with a king size bed and 2 singles. The hotel has 4 pools but only 3 being able to be used when we were there. Breakfast was available every morning for $7.50 AUD for adults and kids under 12 eat free.

They have a free shuttle bus that will take you to the Discovery Shopping Mall or Kuta beach twice a day. Once at 10 am and again at 4.30pm. There is a convenience store next door and an official money exchange over the road.

For more information and prices at Harris click here

Money saving tip: Join the Tauzia rewards program (Harris is part of the Tauzia Group of hotels) and you will get discounts off food and beverages.

Alam Terrace – Ubud

Alam Terrace is like a small bit of paradise hidden away in the hustle and bustle of Ubud. It is tucked away off the busy J.Bisma street. You walk to get to check in down a little alleyway, past some other apartments and restaurants. From the moment you walk down the stairs and lay your eyes on the pool surrounded by palm and coconut trees you know you have made the right choice.

No noise from cars, or people walking the streets just the sound of water pouring into the pool from the statues. Our room consisted of 2 queen size beds and a huge bathroom. Breakfast was included in the price and could be taken in the food area or your room. Food could be ordered all day just basic meals such as Fried Rice, noodles, fries and fruit but they were beautifully prepered and tasted amazing.

For more information and prices at Alam Terrace click here

Drivers and Tour Companies

While we were in Bali we had the pleasure of using a few different services for day tours and transfers. There is so much to see and do in Bali. Don’t forget to visit places like Canggu Denpasar and Uluwatu We recommend the following companies for your use while in Bali.

• Bali Family Tours – for day tours and transfers
• Bali Customized Tours – for day tours
• Marco Bali for a day driver and transfers

Restaurant Recommendations in Bali

There is literally a restaurant every few meters in Bali for you to eat at. We won’t go into all the places we ate at while in Bali, but we will recommend a place both in Kuta and Ubud we ate at and loved.

Warung Pak Hadi in Kuta.

Food: Chinese and Seafood

The menu is in both English and Indonesian. They give you a note pad so you can write what you want in Indonesian since the owners English is not so great. Amazing, need I say it again amazing food at this place.

We walked over a kilometre to eat here 3 times while we were in Kuta. Great selection of seafood, chicken, beef and lamb dishes with the best-tasting vegetables anywhere. Also for the vegan’s there are plenty of rice and noodle dishes with vegetables.

Where:

Jl. Patih Jelantik No.100, Legian, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361

Price:

We constantly had 4 mains with a Nasi Goreng to share with 1 beer and 3 soft drinks for anywhere between Rp.180,00 ($18.00AUD, $13.00USD, 11.00Euro) and Rp.220,000 ($22.00AUD, $16.00USD, 14.00Euro)

Umah Pizza – Ubud

Food: Pizza, Italian and Indonesian

This place was a hit with our kids in Ubud. I think after eating noodles and rice for 10 days they were looking some comforts of Western food. I can tell you Umah Pizza did not disappoint. Burgers, pasta, pizza, chicken and vegetables were amazing. Not to mention the Oreo dessert pizza with ice cream and whipped cream. They have a big menu with something for everyone including noodle and rice dishes. The chicken burger was excellent, the crabonara amazing and the chicken fillet with mushroomsauce and mash hit the spot.

Price:

We found the prices in Ubid a little higher than the Kuta area. We were paying anywhere up to Rp.320,000 ($32.00AUD, $23.00USD, 20.00Euro) for the four of us. In saying that we were having 2 entrees with these meals. Typically a pizza was around Rp.40,000-Rp.60,000, while a chicken burger and spaghetti carbonara were 45,000IDR.

If all else fails you will find the usual fast food outlets in Bali such as KFC, McDonalds and Burger King just to name a few.

Things to be aware of in Bali

• ATM machines only dispense up to Rp.3,000,000 at a time ($300AUD). Best bet is to bring some cash with you.
• Always ask for a receipt at the small convenience stores they will and do rip foreigners off.
• Get a Grab (Asian version of UBER) or negotiate the price of the cab first, especially if their meter is not working.
• Don’t drink the water, don’t even wash your toothbrush in the water, always use bottled water
• Sunscreen is ultra expensive and you will need it!
• Mosquitos can be a problem. We choose to bring some Para’Kito wrist bands to keep them away

How to get to Bali

Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport is the only international airport in Bali  It is located 13 km south of the capital Denpasar. In 2018, the airport served 23,779,178 passengers and is capable of handling the biggest aircraft up to the A380. Kuta is located just 2.5 kilometres from the airport. Udud is 40 kilometes and will take you 1-1.5 hours depending on traffic

Airport transfer in Bali

Kuta is located very close to the airport. You will be at your hotel with 5-10 minutes depending on the traffic. If you are travelling further afield like Ubud it will take 1-1.5 hours. If you don’t want the hassle of finding a ride when you arrive in Bali your hotel may offer transfers. You would easily get a grab for around the $5.00AUD mark. Blue Bird taxis are the most official company. Always check to see if they have a meter in the car that is working and if not negotiate a price first. We transferred from Ubud to the airport for $30.00AUD. As we mentioned above both Family Bali Tours and Marco Bali are excellent for airport transfers in Bali.

We hope you find this article useful and it gets you started on planning your trip to Indonesia. There are so many things to do in Bali with teenagers that will have you entertained for your families whole stay in Bali. Look out for more upcoming Bali articles from us here at Wyld Family Travel.

About the Author

Mark Wyld is a father, Husband and traveller. Having been to over 30 countries worldwide I think I know a thing or 2 about travelling with kids.  I have been writing about travel on our website for the last 4 years and have featured on numerous other websites. When I am not talking, dreaming and planning travel I can be found working in disability support