Travelling back to Bali for our Bali family holiday in June 2022 was such a relief! The last time we visited Bali was in October 2019 and due to the pandemic, we hadn’t been able to return since. Our kids had grown up since the last time we visited Bali with kids. During our 2022 Bali holiday, they were aged 11 and 8 years old.

Our Bali itinerary for our Bali holiday was as follows:

• Hard Rock Bali in Kuta 2 nights
• Westin Ubud Resort and Spa for 2 nights
• Barong Villas Sidemen for 2 nights
• Villa Melasti Amed for 2 nights
• Candi Beach Resort and Spa Candi Dasa for 2 nights
• Movenpick Resort in Jimbaran for 1 night
• Montigo Resort Seminyak for 4 nights
• Villa Kawan Sanur for 4 nights

The first part of our Bali holiday was just the kids and I and then hubby joined us for the last 8 nights in Seminyak and Sanur. He loves staying in Sanur so it was a must!

Saturday 4th June 2022: Flying to Bali and Hard Rock Bali

A 4:30am start and we were on the freeway to Melbourne to catch our flight with Jetstar to Bali. It had been stressful to get there as we had caught Covid a few weeks before! Requirements had just been lifted requiring covid testing prior to our flight so that was a bonus and a money saving as well.

We arrived 3 hours prior to our flight and masks were still worn at Melbourne Airport. On check in with Jetstar we had to show our passport, that we had downloaded the PeduliLindungi App, Covid travel insurance with Covermore, that I was at least double vaccinated with 2 covid doses (kids under 18 were exempt), that we had a return flight to Australia and had filled in the ECD (Bali customs form).

FIND LINKS HERE TO TRAVEL TO BALI

It was suprisingly quick to get through security and immigration, only a few stores were open but at least one coffee shop was open prior to 7am so I made Charlotte line up to get me a coffee while I found a spot to sit with Mason.

Our flight departed 15 minutes late and I once again had purchased the upfront seats on the Dreamliner plane that Jetstar fly to Bali. I love this section just behind business class, it is a smaller section of seats, toilet is right there and you are first off the plane!

On arrival we were met by TIC Bali for the VIP on arrival. I was wanting to support local Bali businessess and was happy to have an extra pair of hands. It cost approx. $50AUD each including the kids. Prior to our trip I had supplied our passport details, our vaccination details and phone details for our SIM we had also purchased. The SIMs cost $26AUD each for 35GB.

We swiftly were escorted to the VOA (visa on arrival) line and I handed over $200AUD in cash for the 3 of us and received $40AUD and 10,000RP in change. Next we passed the long lines at immigration and lined up to the left hand side. This line is for families with kids under 5, disabilities and over 60s plus VIP. We always use this line due to Mason’s autism diagnosis.

Next to the luggage carousel and our first suitcase came out quickly but Mason’s Lightning McQueen suitcase took over 1 hour! The TIC team didn’t have control over this but it was very handy to have them to converse with the baggage team at the airport so I didn’t have to.

Once we had everything we showed our ECD customs declaration and made it outside. So great to finally be back! The SIM card was then promptly put into our phones by the TIC team, such a great service.

Our dear friend and driver Alex then escorted us to his van and had cold drinks waiting. Finally we were out of the airport and it took 20 minutes to drive to our first accommodation Hard Rock Bali in Kuta.

I had always been reluctant to stay in Kuta as pre-covid it was busy and hectic. As Bali was still slowly opening up I saw it as a great time to try it out.

We had booked a Courtyard Deluxe room and it was perfect for the 3 of us. You can find our full review of Hard Rock Bali here. Our gorgeous friend and nanny Berta was waiting for us at the Hard Rock and it was so great to see her. She’s the best and you can find out about the nannies we use in Bali here.

Once we checked in it was straight to the pool! Amazing and the kids were so happy with the slides and the different sections of the pools. We even managed to be there for the foam party! Food was good and the cocktails were delicious, I arrived just in time for happy hour! We swam, watched the sunset and it was an early night after a very long day!

Sunday 5th June: Hard Rock Bali

If you have followed our Bali adventures for awhile you will know that Mason is an early riser! Lucky for me I also love early mornings in Bali. So out we ventured to the streets of Kuta at 5:45am just before sunrise, Mason on his scooter and I running behind. Scooters can be great for kids but are really only useful in Kuta early morning, the traffic becomes too busy later on.

It was breakfast buffet time at the Hard Rock, it opens at 6:30am, and Charlotte finally woke up to join us at 7am. Great selection including gluten free options.

I am incredibly fussy with my coffee so we went for a walk after breakfast in search of a good coffee. Our destination was a 15 minute walk from the Hard Rock, Crumb and Coaster cafe had fantastic almond latte’s and the kids even shared a delicious pancakes!

I wanted to wash our clothes from the plane so I messaged Nikki Spa & Laundry and she came to pick up our bag of dirty laundry. She returns it to you 24 hrs later washed and dried! For just over 2kgs in laundry weight it cost $7AUD.

Next it was pool time so we headed to the pool to enjoy the cabana we had booked for the day. The cabana’s at the Hard Rock are awesome for relaxing in and the kids can swim and have fun! You need to book them in advance so best to do this when you first arrive.

After lunch Charlotte and I enjoyed a massage at the onsite spa. Berta stayed with Mason in our room as he was needing chill out time after a big morning in the pool.

Late afternoon we walked up to Beachwalk Mall. This is a western style shopping mall and the kids wanted to visit Candylicious. To me it was overpriced but the kids seemed to love it. Next was sitting back enjoying the sunset on Kuta Beach. This is one of my favourite activities in Bali and it is completely free unless you want a cheeky Bintang to enjoy the view 😉

For dinner we enjoyed Jaime Olivers Kitchen connected to the Hard Rock. Guests also receive a discount on their meals and it is a great, easy option for dinner. After dinner it was just up the street to Bing Bong for icecream!

I had promised the kids a swim in the pool at night, how fun are holidays when you are a kid!

Monday 6th June: Travel to Westin Ubud Resort & Spa

Another early morning for me but this time both kids slept in! Even though I couldn’t leave the room what I could do was sit in the beautiful courtyard area outside our room. Was beautiful hearing the birds wake up and the sun slowly rise.

I then had a tour around the Hard Rock and checked out the chill out pool area. What a great spot! If I was to stay again and the budget allowed I would stay in the premium rooms just to get the added bonus of the pool.

Charlotte booked herself in for another massage and Mason and I checked out the kids clubs and facilities. He loved the climbing wall and the Tabu Teens Club room. He watched a movie, played on the Playstation and ate popcorn!

Once we checked out of the Hard Rock we were picked up by our driver friend Alit. He drove us to Parklife Bali in Canggu and on the drive through Legian I stopped at a BMC money changer to change Australian dollars to Indonesian Rupiah. Always use the bank looking money changers!

The kids love playing at Parklife, a few things had changed since our last visit but the food and drinks were still delicious.

After a yummy lunch and play, we were back on the road and drove to Tegenungan Waterfall. The drive took around 1 hour, the traffic out of Canggu is always heavy. We paid the cheap entrance fee of 20,000rp per person (approx. $2AUD) to walk down the steps to the falls.

The Tegenungan Waterfalls are open from 6:30am-6:30pm.

There wasn’t a huge amount of steps but we did take it slowly and take pictures along the hike down. Charlotte was keen for photos, Mason not so much near the waterfall and because I was getting a bit hot and bothered, we went into Omma Dayclub.

The dayclub overlooks the falls and you can enjoy a swim in the pool. The food and drink was good but there is a minimum spend at all areas around the pool level. The table we had was in the lounge area and was a minimum spend of 500,000IDR (approx. $50AUD). We had a chocolate milkshake, watermelon juice, mojito (it was happy hour so got 2 for 1), chicken melt sandwich and sushi for just over 536,000IDR. This also included 2 towels to use and we could swim in the pool.

The reason I visited the most though was the lift to take us back up to the car park! If I was by myself I would have been happy to climb the steps back up but the kids were wilting quickly in the heat! Omma is open from 10am-9pm daily.

We then drove to our next accommodation The Westin Ubud Resort & Spa, it was about a 30 minute drive. You can find our full review at this link. We said goodbye to Alit and hello to Monica our nanny.

After we checked in to our room it was down to experience the beautiful Westin Ubud pool. Such a gorgeous resort that I found strikingly similar to The Padma Ubud Resort.

We enjoyed swimming in the pool and relaxing for the rest of the afternoon before ordering room service. The kids thought it was great, room service is always a novelty.

Tuesday 7th June: Westin Ubud Resort & Spa

Another early morning and both the kids were up so we went for an early morning walk around the Westin Ubud resort. A gorgeous time of day and the pool looked amazing with the sun rising.

Breakfast opens at the Westin at 6:30am and oh my goodness, what a selection! It is now up there with one of the best breakfasts I’ve had at a resort in Bali. So many healthy options and a great selection for the kids too.

I then went for a stroll to the Rusters Cafe and found a delicious almond latte. Open from 8am each day, a great spot for food and drinks taking in the rice field views.

I drink an almond latte with an extra shot and the extras can add up very quickly in Bali! Some places are ok but my coffee at Rusters cost approx. $7AUD. I don’t mind paying good money for a great coffee and that is exactly what I found at Rusters.

Alit our Bali driver then picked us up at 11am to take us into central Ubud. I was keen to see how Ubud was recovering post covid and wanted to visit our favourite restaurant in Monkey Forest Road, Cafe Wayan.

I first visited Cafe Wayan with Charlotte on her first holiday to Bali in 2012 and it was still as fantastic as ever! Delicious local dishes plus pizza for fussy ones like Mason. The staff are amazing and entertained the kids as we waited for our food. Check out the Cafe Wayan Menu here.

I stopped into Mimpi Manis for a quick shop, $120AUD later I had bought a dress, top for Charlotte, 2 clutches, wallet, hair clip and scrunchies. Finally we stopped off at Gelato Secrets on Monkey Forest Road for a gelato before the 20 minute drive back to the Westin Ubud.

Once again it was pool time and Monica our nanny arrived to help with Mason. The afternoon was spent in the pool catching up with friends from Australia and Charlotte enjoyed a pedicure at the spa. Dinner at the in-house Westin Restaurant The Tall Trees was delicious and the kids menu was great!

Wednesday 8th June: Ubud Temples and travelling to Sidemen

Another delicious breakfast at the Westin Ubud and then it was time for one last walk around the surrounding areas. Today was Galungan which is a Balinese holiday that celebrates the victory of dharma over adharma (the triumph of good over evil). The Balinese were dressed up in traditional dress and the temples were full. An amazing walk full of everything I love about Bali.

As you can figure out by now, I also have to find a cafe to have my second morning coffee. This morning was Section 9, a gorgeous cafe over looking the rice fields. Coffee was on point but on the higher priced side for my almond latte with extra shot approx. $7AUD.

We then spent the morning by the pool, in the kids club and enjoying our time at the Westin Ubud before check out at 12pm.

Note: When you are planning your Bali holidays I like to factor in the check in and check out times of hotels/villas. It is different to Australia with check out time usually 12pm and check in time 3pm. So I always spend the time at the resort in the morning then use the in between time for transferring/sightseeing to our next accommodation.

Our Bali driver Dewa from Bali Smart Tours picked us up at 12pm and drove us to Pison Cafe in Ubud. Here we had lunch and I enjoyed my favourite, avocado espresso! I was interested in seeing the Alaya Resort which is next door (I ended up staying here for my solo trip in March 2023).

Dewa then drove us to Goa Gajah temple near Ubud and showed us around the temple. It was an easy temple to visit and for foreigners cost 50,000rp for adults and 25,000rp for children. This also included a sarong to wear. The steps down were easy and you could enter the small cave area.

Next stop was Kanto Lampo Waterfall a 20 minute drive from Goa Gajah. The entrance fee was 20,000IDR each for adults, kids were free. An easy walk down the waterfall and there was change rooms available. A shallow pool to swim in and an easy climb onto the rocks for the photo op. Mason was more than happy to just wait on the steps, he wasn’t keen on getting near the waterfall.

We then had the pleasure of visiting Dewa’s home on the way to our Sidemen accommodation. We met his pregnant wife and son, a gorgeous family.

We chose a local stay for our 2 nights in Sidemen at Barong Villas. It was slightly tricky to find but once we were there the room was gorgeous and right next to the pool. It was more rustic than we normally stay in and I would not recommend staying with young kids that are active as the rooms are on high stilts.

We spent sunset in the pool and I enjoyed a Bintang while the kids swam. Dinner was brought to the balcony of our room and the chicken satay and dadar galung were fantastic. Early to bed after a long day travelling.

Thursday 9th June: Barong Villas Sidemen

A 6am wake up from Mason meant early morning walks through the local village in Sidemen. So quiet and absolutely stunning, the real Bali on show.

It was a simple breakfast at Barong Villas before relaxing in our room while the kids used their favourite Bali diaries, My Big Adventure Bali Travel Diary.

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To the kids delight the only way to get into Sidemen village was by motorbike with the hotel staff! I am usually against riding motorbikes in Bali, even though I always get motorbike insurance with Covermore just in case, but the roads were very quiet and the staff rode very slowly.

We were dropped off at Warung Wisma Bojana for lunch and the kids had spag bol and club sandwich while I ate a yummy nasi goreng.

We were next to Wapa di Ume Sidemen so we went for a visit and look around the resort. The rooms were stuning especially the pool villas, on my list to stay at next time in Sidemen.

I messaged the hotel staff and they came back with their motorbikes and drove us home via the ATM. Sidemen is a quiet village with a small supermarket, money changers, ATMs, restuarants and shops.

It was back to the pool at Barong Villas for a swim and relax time. It is so important to factor in down time especially when travelling with kids. Sweet Warung in Sidemen was our dinner choice and great value. A nasi goreng was $4.50AUD!

Friday 10th June: Travelling from Sidemen to Amed

Our early morning walks through the local village took us to Pura Tirtha Taman Telaga Tawang. A beautiful temple nestled in the valleys of Sidemen and a short walk from Barong Villas.

Relaxing on the balcony during the early mornings was amazing, such a beautiful time of day.

We left Barong Villas at 9am with a driver organised by the villas. When you get further away from the tourist areas of the south, it can be easier and cheaper to use local drivers especially for transfers. The transfer from Sidemen to Amed cost 750,000RP (approx. $75AUD) through the villa. Once again I used the day to do sightseeing before we checked into our Amed accommodation. We first stopped at Tirta Gangga Water Palace, the drive was 1 hour and 15 minutes from Sidemen.

The Tirta Gangga Water Palace was a beautiful spot to explore and it was great with kids as it wasn’t huge. We bought fish food and the kids loved feeding the fish. We also indulged in an ice cream.

A 10 minute drive from the water palace is the Bali Asli Restaurant. I have followed them on Instagram for ages and have always wanted to go there. As it was close by it was an easy stop for lunch. The food was devine and the views breathtaking. Well worth a visit if you are venturing to Amed or including Tirta Gangga on your Bali day trip itinerary.

After lunch we drove the final 30 minutes to Villa Melasti Amed. Once again I had chosen locally owned accommodation that was more traditional. Our room was delightful and Charlotte enjoyed having her own room. The pool was perfect for the kids and I could relax on the balcony while they cooled off.

As I had been deprived of my almond latte’s for a few days I was keen to find a good one 😉 Luckily Good Stuff Amed was a 7 minute stroll down the road. Was easy to walk with the kids as there was minimal traffic and the cafe was awesome! The best coffee art I have seen and Mason especially loved receiving his hot chocolate. We visited many times over the next few days. I also loved the price of my almond latte with an extra shot, approx. $3.85!!

We then walked down to Amed beach to watch the sunset, we walked along the beach and came to the roof top cafe Warung Srikandi. The drinks were cold, the food was cheap, the staff were lovely and the views amazing!

It was going to be a dark walk along the beach so we asked the staff for a local to drop us back at Villa Melasti. Only cost a few dollars and much easier than walking with tired kids 😉

Saturday 11th June: Villa Melasti Amed

I didn’t have much planned for Amed as I wanted to see where the day might end up. I don’t usually travel like this but Amed was the perfect place to try. Early morning was spent watching the sunrise over the water with Mason.

Breakfast served on our balcony was delicious and such a lovely spot to enjoy starting our day.

A driver organised through the villa drove us to Jemeluk Bay so we could go snorkelling. I had packed our own snorkels to use but you could hire them also. We had fresh juices at Warung Jemeluk (they cost 25,000IDR each) and we could used the lounge chairs for free for consuming food and drink. After swimming and snorkelling for 1 hour we hired a boat to take us around to Lipah Beach. The boat cost 300,000IDR and each life jacket cost 20,000IDR to hire.

We then had a seat at Vienna Beach Resort and ordered some lunch. Great spot as Charlotte could swim and snorkel at the beach and Mason could use the pool at the restaurant. Food was good and well priced.

We then had our driver pick us up from the resort and drop us back at Villa Melasti. After a big morning swimming, it was time to relax and chill out.

An early dinner at Good Stuff Amed before watching the sunset at the beach, on google maps it was Pantai Melasti Amed.

Sunday 12th June: Travelling to Candi Dasa

After another lovely night sleep at Villa Melasti we had our local drive Komang pick us up to transfer to Candi Beach Resort and Spa. As I said earlier, I use these transfer days to explore Bali. Our luggage is stored in the drivers van and we pack our backpacks for anything we may need during the day. We had one last coffee at Good Stuff Amed and said thank you to the staff for an amazing couple of days.

Our first stop was Taman Ujung Water Palace located on the East coast of Bali, the drive took 50 minutes from Amed. A beautiful place to explore but come early as it was hot! Price for adults was 75,000rp ($7.50AUD) and kids were 50,000rp ($5AUD). It came with a brochure explaining all the different building and gardens.

After the water palace, we drove 15 minutes to the Bali Chocolate Factory. Bumpy road to get in off the main road but once there it was a beautiful spot. The kids loved the swing and we tried a few different chocolates before buying some to take with us. It was a little bit different and not really a factory. The lady reluctantly showed us some chocolates to try and we bought a small selection. I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to visit but if you are driving past like we were, worth stopping in.

We then drove the 20 minutes to the Virgin Beach. A gorgeous beach with many local cafes set up with sun loungers. It cost 15,000IDR per adult to enter through the gate. We swam and snorkelled for over 2 hours, it was a great spot to relax. We set ourselves up on the sunbeds at Virgin Beach Club and it cost 100,000IDR (approx. $10AUD) to have the sunbeds, iced tea and access to showers and toilets.

Next stop was our accommodation for the next 2 nights, Candi Beach Resort & Spa. The drive took approximately 30 minutes and if you would like our driver Komang’s details, contact him through What’s App on +62 877 62653650. He is located in Amed so perfect for East Bali day trips.

I had booked the Deluxe Ocean Bungalow and we were allocated room 248. It was in a fantastic spot right near the main pool, our room was 10 steps from the pool! It had a day bed that Mason ended up sleeping on but the king size bed was big enough for the 3 of us.

Candi Beach Resort & Spa was beautiful, we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool and had dinner at the resort.

Monday 13th June: Candi Beach Resort & Spa in Candi Dasa

Everyone had a sleep in this morning which was much needed after over a week of travelling around Bali. Breakfast was right near our room so each to wander out of bed. It was ok and had everything we needed but I was a bit spoilt after The Westin Ubud so my buffet expectations are quite high! Coffee was no good so we went for a walk to the cafe next door Oketo and they had a great coffee.

The day was spent relaxing at the resort and for me catching up on social media and emails. We swam in the infinity pool, the main pool and had lunch at Basil Restaurant. We had a soda water, caesar salad, pizza and calamari and it cost approx. $30AUD. Charlotte was lucky enough to experience the spa and the had a spa special running so her 30 minute Balinese massage cost approx. $30AUD.

We also went for a wander outside through the local streets and found a delicious ice cream at Mendira House.

At low tide around 4:30pm, we ventured down to the beach for a swim and play on the sand. Such a gorgeous spot but you need to work in with the tide times otherwise the sand is covered by the sea. At the rooftop of the Ocean Terrace Restaurant is an awesome view of the sunset.

Dinner was once again at Ocean Terrace Restaurant, food was yummy and cocktails delicious. We had a coke, long island iced tea, burger, chicken curry and french fries for $38AUD.

Tuesday 14th June: Travelling to Movenpick Resort Jimbaran

This morning we were up to take in the beautiful sunrise views, Charlotte slept in of course 😉 We had our good friend Made pick us up after checking out of the resort and drove the 40 minutes to The Monkey Bar at Bella Vista. What a gorgeous spot after the drive up the hill. Pool was a great temperature with awesome views and we enjoyed a delicious lunch and drinks. Highly recommend visiting.

Next was the 1.5 hour drive to Movenpick Resort in Jimbaran. On arriving at Movenpick we were lucky enough to be the Accor Member selected to be upgraded! Our room changed from the Classic Twin Pool view room to the Junior Suite. It was a great room, lots of space and the bed easily fit the 3 of us.

Check out our full review of Movenpick Resort

It was straight down to the pool for a swim in the awesome pool. The Movenpick pool is huge and lots of different areas including a kids waterpark and water play ground for the younger kids.

Chocolate hour occurs each day between 3pm-4pm and you can eat as much as you want! The kids loved it and it takes place in cafe near the lobby.

We then walked the short distance to Jimbaran Beach for sunset. I love the sunsets in Jimbaran and the corn is devine!

For dinner we decided to head to Samasta Lifestyle Village next to the entry of Movenpick Resort. A few options for dinner and mid-range prices. We chose Barrels Steakhouse and food was good. The kids then found Timezone and of course I spent a ridiculous amount of money for them to play games!

Wednesday 15th June: Travelling to Montigo Seminyak

Today was a very exciting day as hubby was flying in! Early morning walks in Jimbaran are always delightful, the beach is awesome to walk along and watch the planes fly in.

We spent the morning at the Movenpick and Monica our nanny came to help me with the kids. Breakfast was awesome, so much to select from! Mason loves the kids club so him and Monica spent over 1 hour in there while Charlotte and I chilled by the pool.

Finally time to check out at 12pm and make our way to Montigo Resort Seminyak. Made our driver met us and we stopped at Coffee Club Legian on the way. We love this restaurant on Legian beach and the best part, a kids club next to the restaurant that the kids can play with if you eat at the restaurant.

Finally we made it to Montigo Seminyak and checked in to the 2 bedroom suite. I managed to score an amazing deal on Agoda for the suite, this was the third time I have stayed at the resort. Staff are so great and the space in the 2 bedroom suite was great for our family. Silv from Zero Waste Bali had grazing platters delivered as we arrived, so delicious and the perfect way to start our stay!

Finally Jed arrived and it was time to jump straight in the pool! So good to have all the family together again and for me to finally have some help overnight with the kids.

We then walked down to Petitenget Beach for sunset. So beautiful and dinner at Motel Mexicola was so much fun! Early on in the night it is a great spot for the kids, later on it becomes party central!

Thursday 16th June: Montigo Resort Seminyak

Was so excited to go for a solo early morning walk today! Left the kids and hubby sleeping while I explored Petitenget. Have visited this area for many years and I was keen to see what lasted post covid. I was pleasantly surprised and picked up a morning coffee from Expat Roasters.

Now it is a long walk so I may or may not have also stopped in at Baby Revolver on the walk back to pick up hubby’s coffee and another one for me!

Charlotte was keen for hair braids so after breakfast we went to the spa across the road from the Montigo. While she was having her hair done, Mason loved playing in the kids club. It’s the best, the kids always love going.

Next up was spa time. I love the Montigo Spa and the spa prices are very reasonable for a hotel. 1 hour massage was my thing this time.

Next stop Biku with the kids for an early dinner before Monica our nanny arrived to look after the kids for the night.

Hubby and I had a date night booked, first cocktails at Potato Head then off to Sarong for dinner. So damn good, I am so glad I finally made it to Sarong! So sad to hear it has finished up at the current address we ate at on Jl Petitenget, hopefully they will open in a new location soon.

Friday 17th June: Montigo Resort Seminyak

This morning was a walk in the direction of Seminyak Square and my destination Revolver. Always a great start to the day!

Today we headed to Splash Waterpark at Finns Recreation Club. Don’t do what I did, was too much in holiday mode, but I bought tickets at the entrance. Buy online, so much cheaper!!

BUY CHEAPER SPLASH PASSES HERE

Always a lot of fun at Splash, really easy to watch the kids as all the slides are in easy view. This time we spent 3 hours at Splash, probably would have stayed longer with family and friends. Food was good but did add up quick!

Back to the resort with Monica and time for Tarot reading at Biku. Contact them if you would like to book.

I had been invited by Karlie from Bali Buddies to attend a media event at Kuta Social Club at Mamaka Ovolo in Kuta. I put on my best dress, jumped on the back of a grab motorbike and had so much fun! Beautiful beach front location with awesome sunset views plus the food was delicious. Had fun catching up again with Evie from Mum Pack Travel blog and the entertainment was amazing!

Saturday 18th June: Montigo Resort Seminyak

Surprise, surprise this morning was a tad slow! Hubby did the morning coffee walk and I enjoyed an Expat Roasters coffee in bed. We took a taxi to Coffee Cartel as Mason wanted to have his hot chocolate with Sonic imprinted on it, always a lot of fun!

I took the kids for a look around Seminyak Square shopping centre and we stopped in at Sea Circus for lunch.

I had booked myself a massage at Spring Spa so once I had dropped the kids back at Montigo, I went for my massage, devine.

Another Seminyak afternoon, another beautiful sunset to watch. How could we not as it was our last Seminyak night.

We then headed to Shooters on Jl Petitenget. So much fun and the espresso martinis were surprisingly good! They have mini golf, giant jenga, axe throwing, shooting, the kids loved it and so did we.

Sunday 19th June: Travelling to Sanur

This morning we visited our favourtie surf school Santai Surf School in Seminyak. Located on Double 6 beach we have surfed with Gede many times and the kids love it! Mason was not really feeling on the day that we went but Charlotte stood up many times.

As it was Sunday, we decided to head for Family Sunday at Ku De Ta. Each Sunday they have different kids activities and we visited Volen Art Space had art and craft activities.

We then checked out of Montigo Resort and drove the 50 minute drive to Sanur. We were staying once again at Villa Kawan and it was so wonderful to see the staff Komang and Kadek again. They had helped look after us in 2013 and 2016 when we stayed, was great to see them still in their jobs post covid.

We were hungry for lunch so we walked around to The Clubhouse for a nasi goreng and steak sandwich. After visiting Artasedana (formerly known as Hardy’s Supermarket) we bought some supplies and walked them back to the villa.

It was then swim time in the pool and home delivered pizzas and dadar gulung through Gojek.

Monday 20th June: Villa Kawan Sanur

This morning I had booked myself into the Bamboo Shoots Cooking School. I had heard great things and was happy to finally try it out. I was picked up from the villa at 7:30am and driven to the local Sanur market by Irma the owner. We toured the market with 3 other Australians to buy ingredients for the dishes we were about to make. Amazing food and wonderful company, highly recommended. After we cooked and ate the dishes, I was driven back to the villa. I left the cooking school, located in south Sanur, around 12:30pm.

More chilling by the pool for the afternoon and then we caught a bluebird taxi to Shotgun Social for dinner. Amazing spot with or without the kids, the food was fantastic, live music and a playground for the kids with plenty of room to run around. Highly recommend a visit to Shotgun Social.

We walked home via the traditional markets Pasar Sindu Sanur. A great spot to buy some local delicies to take home for dessert.

Tuesday 21st June: Villa Kawan Sanur

I was determined to get my fix of the beautiful Sanur sunrises so I was up before everyone in the villa at 5:45am to walk to the beach for 6am sunrise. The beach path is so gorgeous in the morning, plenty of people walking and I found Stuja Di Pantai was open at 6am for coffee. Coffee wasn’t cheap but it was good.

I walked south along the beach path and had a look around the Mercure. Was looking in a need of a few renovations, hopefully it has improved since.

Also had a look around Prama Resort and impressed by the suite room that can be booked with the interconnecting room. Quite a lot of space for a family. The more basic rooms were looking quite tired. The kids splash park area at the pool was in need of renovations (this has since been completed thank goodness!) but the location and grounds make this an option in Sanur with kids.

The family then met me at Genius Cafe for breakfast, delicious smoothies and food set in a beautiful location right on the beach.

We then booked a Blue Bird taxi to pick us up from the villa and take us to Plaza Renon only a 15 minute drive from Sanur. The kids were excited about the indoor arcarde games, a lot cheaper than Timezone too! There was quite a few shops, restuarants, supermarket and a cinema at the Plaza. We decided on lunch at the Japenese restaurant Sama Sama and it was delicious.

Chill time back at the villa before we went to La Playa on the beach for dinner. One of our favourite restaurants in Bali, we first dined at La Playa in 2012 on Charlotte’s first Bali holiday. Food and drinks still delicious and I finished off with a massage at Koa Spa in the main street of Sanur.

Wednesday 22nd June: Villa Kawan Sanur

This morning early morning walk was along the beach path to north Sanur. Another beautiful sunrise and I made it to the Byrdhouse for my morning coffee. Absolutely devine and one of the best I had in Sanur. After taking a few photos of this great spot on the beach I walked back down Jl Danau Tamblingan to the villa.

Once back at the villa all of the family got into a taxi and we drove back to the Byrdhouse to spend the morning at the beach. You get dropped at the entrance to Segara Village Hotel and walk through to the Byrdhouse Beach Club. To enjoy a pool day pass it costs 300,000rp (approx. $30AUD) per adult you get a pool towel, locker and food & beverage credit of 200,000rp. For kids under 12 years the cost is 200,000rp and you get back all in food & beverage credit. You can also just enjoy the restaurant facilities on the beach and swim in the ocean.

We hired a stand up paddle board and canoe for some fun at the beach. The kids loved it and the beach was nice and calm. Mornings are usually best in Sanur, the afternoons can get windy.

Charlotte and I then enjoyed a pedicure and manicure at Koa Boutique Spa, very relaxing spot and great prices. Then it was a short walk up to Nest Boutique Spa for a hair creme bathe, very relaxing.

After we arrived back to the villa I took one of the push bikes and rode to Prime Plaza Suites to check it out post covid. Everything looked very similar and it had been well maintained. A great spot for larger families on a budget that don’t mind being a short walk from Jl Danau Tamblingan.

For our last night Jed and I booked a table at Forketta in Sanur. Amazing food, the gnocchi was delicious and the tiramisu devine. Fantastic staff, highly recommend if staying in Sanur.

We then said our finally farewells to our beautiful nanny Monica. She did such an amazing job with Mason and Charlotte loved spending time with her too.

Thursday 23rd June: Fly home day

Mason came on my morning walk in search of coffee and we found it at Kopi Kiosk. Nice and strong, a fantastic coffee. Mason loved using his scooter to ride through the streets of Sanur and I had fun keeping up!

For our last breakfast we caught a taxi to Soul on the Beach. Always great food and coffee!

As the family were resting back at the villa before leaving for the airport, I popped up to Intercontinental and Hyatt Regency to check out their kids clubs.

Also had a look in at Holiday Inn Sanur, the rooftop pool area would make me feel uneasy with younger kids!

Alex our driver then picked us up at Villa Kawan and it took us 30 minutes to arrive at the airport. We always give a porter a few dollars to help with our bags to the check in area.

Check in with Jetstar was easy as usual and from curbside to duty free just past immigration took us 40 minutes.

We arrived at the airport 2.5 hours prior to our flight and this gave us plenty of time to eat, sit for 30 minutes then we boarded our plane back to Melbourne. Flight took off 20 minutes late but arrived in time. It took us 45 minutes to be back at long term parking.

We had an amazing 2.5 weeks in Bali and it was great to try new places like Hard Rock and Westin Ubud. Also loved exploring East Bali and taking it slower in these parts. Definitely came back more relaxed and found Seminyak to be the busiest out of everywhere that we visited.

Feel free to join our Facebook Group if you want to connect to other families planning their Bali holidays.

Kate xx