Bedugul – Head to the Hills

We love to hear about all different experiences in Bali with kids. Eliza from My Awesome Adventure shares her experience with her kids in Bedugul

If the kids are sweltering in the tropical heat, you’ve already ticked Waterbom off your to-do list and you’re wondering how to spend a family day in Bali, you might want to consider a day trip to Bedugul. Bedugul is a gorgeously green hilltop town in the central highlands of Bali. It’s about one and half hours from Seminyak and even closer if you’re coming from Ubud.

It’s also one of the only places in Bali that you’ll have to pack a cardigan because it can get chilly up in the hills. There’s two reasons our kids always loved a visit to Bedugul (apart from the novelty of wearing a jumper). Bali Treetop Adventure Park and strawberries, lots and lots of glorious, luscious strawberries.

Please note that Bali Treetop Adventure Park closed permanently in September 2020

But let’s start with Treetop because it’s a fabulously kid-friendly place to visit. Assuming you or the kids don’t have a fear of heights. A high rope course set up in the trees within a national park, it starts with the Squirrel Yellow Circuit (for ages 4 -95cm minimum) and goes right up to the heart-stopping Adrenaline Black Circuit (over 12 years old). Just for the record, I made it to the Red Circuit and executed a rather ungainly Tarzan Jump. Black still eludes me.

Flying between the trees like Tarzan or Jane is sure to work up an appetite so head to Warung Rekreasi for some good Indonesian food. It’s got all the standards such as nasi goreng and mie goreng and they do a really great gado gado. Best of all is that it has a giant playground and garden out the back. So if the kids aren’t exhausted from their day at treetops, they will surely wear themselves out here. Our kids adore the old school roundabout and swing. If you feel the need for more nature, head to the Bali Botanic Gardens. It’s a perfect place for a picnic if you’re organised enough to pack some goodies and there’s an abundance of space for the kids to run around; a perfect antidote to the craziness of Legian or Seminyak.

What’s a day trip without a visit to a temple? If you’re in Bedugul, it’s absolutely worth a visit to Pura Ulun Danu Bratan. It’s a beautiful water temple overlooking Lake Bratan. If you get there when the light is just right, the temple looks like it’s floating on water.

Last but not least, those strawberries. You can find a place that does Pick Your Own (there are a few dotted around Bedugul). Our kids love it but they do end up eating more than they put in the basket! Or if you’re not feeling like getting down and dirty, there are dozens of road side stalls that you can pull into where you can buy punnets of strawberries and other goodies such as delicious cassava chips.

I guarantee you’ll come back to the “Big Smoke” feeling refreshed from being immersed in so much fresh air and nature.

Eliza xx

Thanks so much to Eliza from My Awesome Adventure for all of her advice on a day out with the kids in Bedugul. We love our My Awesome Bali Adventure Travel Journals for the kids to learn all about Bali and are perfect for school aged kids.