Sample journey · 10–12 days
Bali with children: rice fields, calm reefs and an island across the strait
Sanur, Ubud, Amed & Nusa Lembongan
Photo: Pitua Sutanto / Unsplash
Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.
To children, Bali is like a picture book: every morning, flower offerings are laid at the gates, gamelan rings through the temple streets and fishermen return in outriggers whose floats look like insect legs. This journey is shaped so all of it can be seen without hurrying: two or three nights in each place, no drive longer than three hours, and room in every day for both the pool and an afternoon nap.
It begins in calm Sanur, where the reef holds back the waves. Then Ubud, with rice-field paths and dance and batik lessons. In the east, Amed: fishing villages beneath the Agung volcano and a reef you can swim to from the beach. To finish, Nusa Lembongan, a small island across the strait where you get around by bike and explore mangrove channels by boat. The journey suits families on their first long-haul trip and children from about five who love the water. The stays are spacious villas or family rooms with a pool, chosen so everyone has room.
The route
The journey
- Sanur
- Ubud
- Tirta Gangga
- Amed
- Nusa Lembongan
- Sanur
01Days 1–3 · Sanur
A calm first shore
From the airport it's about half an hour, sometimes more, to Sanur, the calmest stretch of Bali's southern coast. Two nights here are for recovering from the flight and adjusting to the time difference. A reef well offshore holds back the waves, so the water by the beach is usually calm, and shallow at low tide: good for little ones. In the mornings the sun rises over the sea as fishermen push their jukung into the water; a path several kilometres long runs along the shore, lovely for cycling with children. In the windy months, around the middle of the year, huge traditional kites rise above the beach. In the evenings, dinner on the sand and an early night: the journey is only beginning.
02Days 3–6 · Ubud
Rice fields, dance and batik
About an hour up into the hills to Ubud, and three nights in a villa among the rice fields outside town, where frogs sing in the evening. In the mornings, while it's still cool, a walk along field paths with a local guide who shows how the fields are watered by the centuries-old subak system, while the children look for ducks and dragonflies. One day is for making things: a batik lesson in which everyone dyes their own cloth, or a short Balinese dance class where children learn the movements of eyes and fingers. In the evening, a dance performance in a temple courtyard, shorter and easy for children to follow. Central Ubud is busy, so we choose a quiet spot on the edge and visit town in the mornings. In the Monkey Forest the monkeys are curious: snacks and sunglasses stay in bags.
03Days 6–9 · Tirta Gangga & Amed
A reef from the beach beneath the volcano
About two and a half hours east, with a stop at the Tirta Gangga water palace, where children hop across stepping stones between koi and fountains. Then Amed, a string of fishing villages on the east coast beneath the Agung volcano, and three nights by the black volcanic sand. Here the reef starts just a few metres from the shore: on calm days a mask and snorkel reveal bright fish, coral and sometimes a turtle. In one bay the wreck of a small boat lies in the shallows, easy to see from the surface. We snorkel with a local guide, with buoyancy vests for the youngest and only when the sea is calm. In the afternoon, the salt makers on the beach who still evaporate seawater the old way, and the fishing boats coming home at sunset.
04Days 9–11 · Nusa Lembongan
An island by bike and mangrove channels
About two and a half hours back to Sanur and roughly half an hour by boat across the strait to Nusa Lembongan. Two nights on an island with few cars and short distances: by bicycle or electric scooter you reach the beaches, the yellow bridge to neighbouring Nusa Ceningan and the seaweed farms that families tend in the shallows. One morning, a boat through mangrove channels where the water is clear and crabs and small fish hide among the roots. A snorkelling boat trip goes only to calm spots and only on a calm day: some places around the islands have strong currents, so we choose experienced local boatmen. Waves on the rocky coast are powerful, so we stay well back from cliff edges. In the evenings, sunset to the west, with Bali's volcanoes on the horizon.
05Days 11–12 · Sanur
A last night without a rush
In the morning, the boat back to Sanur and a final night by the calm shore, close to the airport. This kind of ending helps families a great deal: most flights to Europe leave in the evening or at night, and boat timetables depend on the sea, so it's better not to risk it on the same day. The last day is slow: a swim in the pool, a longer breakfast than usual, perhaps one more bike ride along the beach path or last presents for grandparents from local workshops. In the afternoon, a small goodbye to the sea and the last page of the children's travel diary. We leave for the airport with time to spare, as traffic in southern Bali is often slow in the evening.
Experience highlights
- 01
Calm Sanur
A reef-sheltered beach, a cycle path along the sea and sunrise with the fishing boats.
- 02
Ubud's workshops
Batik, Balinese dance and rice-field paths where children learn how rice grows.
- 03
The reef at Amed
Snorkelling from the beach, a wreck in the shallows and, often, a turtle.
- 04
Nusa Lembongan
An island by bike, mangrove channels and seaweed farms in the shallows.
First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.
Make it your own
With toddlers
In place of Amed, a few more nights in Sanur or a villa with a pool on a calm east Bali bay. Drives then shrink to an hour or an hour and a half.
With teenagers
A surf lesson, a try-dive at Amed with a certified instructor or a sunrise hike up Mount Batur with a local guide.
With the seasons
The dry season, roughly April to October, is best for the sea and boat crossings. July, August and Christmas are busier, so we book stays earlier.
With Lombok or the Gilis
Instead of Nusa Lembongan, a few nights on Gili Air, which has no cars at all, or Lombok's quieter south coast.
Practical considerations
- The best time is the dry season, roughly April to October; in the wet months rain usually comes in short bursts, but the sea is rougher. During school holidays we book stays earlier.
- For the boat crossings to Nusa Lembongan we choose reliable operators with life jackets in children's sizes; whether boats sail depends on the sea, so we leave a margin.
- We snorkel only with a guide and in calm water, with buoyancy vests for the youngest. Currents around the islands can be strong even on a calm day.
- For vaccinations and health questions, we recommend speaking to a travel clinic before you go; we check current travel requirements before you leave.
General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.
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