Who said you cant travel with kids?
I am starting to realise some of our favourite holidays have been with our little loves. Yes, when mybiglove said he wanted to go to Bali with mylittleloves, I thought he was off his head! I mean Bali, full of luxurious resorts, the Gilli Islands and beaches kept the way God created them.. Why would you bring kids? Second honeymoon perhaps? Anyway, he was right again! Here are our top ten activities…
1. Monkeys hear no evil, monkey see no evil , monkey speak no evil! Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud is a forest whose main inhabitants are monkeys! The ticket costs 20,000 rupiahs (5Dhs) and you are able to buy bananas to feed the monkeys on your way into the sanctuary. As you walk through the forest, monkeys approach you and quietly observe if you have anything that they might fancy. You would really want to wear a bum bag with anything worth money kept locked away inside. They are soooo cheeky but so clever! Cobblestone lanes lead you through a maze-like paracours that finishes at a temple. Monkeys are able to roam around freely and so are your littleloves.
Tip- not buggy friendly.
2. Beach Walk in Kuta, is stunning. You feel like you are in South Beach, Miami. This shopping center is not only very upscale and trendy, it’s gorgeous and has astounding architectural details everywhere you look. From high-end dinning to a very authentic and varied food-court you will find just what you need and kids will absolutely love the floor that’s devoted to them. With fun playgrounds, arcade game area and even a cheeky monkeys play centre, it will cater to everyone’s tastes. We had dinner here with our littleloves most nights. One restaurant we loved was Sadrina. With stunning views of the beach and a selection for the whole family (plus happy hour) we where all happy!
3. With a Safari Journey , Aquarium, Petting Zoo and a Bali Agung Show the Bali Safari & Marine Park has everything you could possibly want to see within the same place. You can ride on Elephants, pay to take pictures with snakes, monkeys and baby tigers or just enjoy visiting over 300 species of animals. We stayed away from the food court however there is a restaurant called Uma that had something for everyone. Entrance into the park is 750,000 Rupiahs (200Dhs) for Adults and 600,000 Rupiahs (160Dhs) for children over 3.
Tip- Stay for the Bali Agung Show. (4:30pm Daily)
4. You are in Bali. You are at least entitled to one Balinese Dance show despite your husband’s reluctance and mylittleloves restlessness. They usually don’t take longer than an hour and they provide such an authentic scenario of Balinese culture. Gamelan music and colourful costumes can keep the kids entertained for a while. I believe most of these shows take place at sunset and are performed by “the most beautiful girls in the world” – Cadhla-Rose… Either way Aoibhie was not leaving until she got a photo with the girls!
5. Bali Sea Turtle Society.. This actually should be number one for us but It was our first day and my brain isnt functioning well today at all! (No more bintang for this mammy). This amazing society is based on Kuta Beach and the volunteers dedicate their time to saving and conserving the Sea Turtle. They relocate the eggs from the beach to a safe area and once the eggs have hatched natuarally (around 45days) they are allowed to be released back into the ocean the following day. This is where mylittleloves come to play! You select your turtle and help them into the ocean. Such an incredible experience.
Tip- My tip is TIP them! They need all the money they can get to insure this society stays running.