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One of the most common questions I get asked is where are the best places to stay in Bali with kids? This question has many answers depending on the amount of time you have, what your interests are, what you want to get out of your holiday and your budget.

The following is a quick rundown on the most popular spots to stay in Bali with kids. Over my 10 trips to Bali I have stayed in Ubud, Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, Sanur, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Nusa Lembongan, Legian, Uluwatu and Tanjung Benoa. This should help you decide the best places to stay in Bali with your kids and if you need more help feel free to join our Facebook Group. It has so much information as it has been active since 2017.

If you are traveling to Bali with kids also check out our post on Bali Hotels with Kids Clubs here.  You will find a huge amount of resorts in Bali with kids clubs and I would love to know your favourite location to stay in Bali with kids.

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN BALI WITH KIDS

Below are the typical words that people use to describe what they want from there holidays with their family and my personal opinion on what matches what.

• Amazing food, nightlife and shopping: Seminyak

• Great food, easy to get around and quieter: Sanur

• Relaxation and family time: Nusa Dua or Benoa

• Culture and great food: Ubud

• Yummy food, heaps of kids activities and surfing: Canggu

• Lots of activities for the kids to do and awesome family resorts: Legian or Kuta

• Beautiful sunsets with a relaxed vibe: Jimbaran or Uluwatu

• A chilled out relaxed island with a great range of food options: Nusa Lembongan

Seminyak

One of my favourite spots to stay mainly for the food and shopping! The restaurants and cafes are exceptional and it’s so hard to decide where to eat. If you are in search of an awesome coffee in Seminyak, this guide with help you find the best coffee spots.

With regards on where to stay in Seminyak, my general rule is to stay beach side of Sunset Road, as it’s extremely difficult to cross especially with kids. The only exception I make here is the Trans Resort as it’s right on the northern end and crossing the road is a lot easier.

Eat Street, otherwise known as Jl Kayu Aya, is a great central area to focus on. In northern Seminyak is the area of Petitenget which is by far my favourite area. So many upcoming restaurants, cafes and shops. Batu Belig, can also be classified as Canggu, is also a good option but be wary of how difficult it is to walk along, they are slowly creating footpaths along Batu Belig.

This can be a common theme of Seminyak and it can be difficult to walk with a stroller. The footpaths aren’t the best, slowly being improved, so it can be hard walking along. Taxis are easy to get and in the heat we don’t make it walking very far anyway.

We have loved our stays at Montigo Resort in 2018/2019 and Courtyard Seminyak in 2016. You can check out our reviews of Montigo and Courtyard. Other great hotels to check out with kids are the Breezes Resort and Trans Resort. So many villas to choose from and check out our posts on family villas in Seminyak.

Drawbacks: Food and shops is more expensive and expect to pay western prices at times. Footpaths can be tricky with strollers but is improving. A limited amount of kids playgrounds and cafes designed with kids in mind.

Sanur

Fantastic area with young kids. The footpaths can actually cope with a stroller quite well and the beach path is excellent. Great restaurants and cafes with enough shops to put a dent in the credit card! I always recommend staying beach side of the main bypass road as it’s quite tricky to cross. Hardy’s supermarket is a handy place to pick up supplies and is well known. A couple of beach resorts that are great with kids are The Fairmont, Prama Resort and Bali Hyatt Regency.

Also for a great budget friendly option have a look at Prime Plaza Suites as it has 2 and 3 bedroom apartments to choose from that are great value for money. You can find our review of Prime Plaza Suites here. We usually choose a villa set in the residential neighbourhoods of Sanur behind Hardy’s supermarket. They tend to be a 15 minute walk to the beach which works for us. Can you believe in my last 6 trips I haven’t swam at the beach once!! The good things about most of the villas in Sanur is that they are single level so much more suited to young kids than Seminyak villas. We love Villa Kawan and Villa Frangi looks great too.

Drawbacks: Some families think Sanur is too quiet and they prefer the nightlife of Legian/Kuta. Limited resorts with kids clubs.

Kuta

So Kuta often cops a bad rap for being the place to steer clear of! Yes there are certain aspects that are best avoided with kids especially at night but there are some great resorts to check out. Our stay at the Holiday Inn Baruna in September 2016 was excellent plus you can check out our review of our stay at Bali Dynasty in 2018 and 2019. You can find our full review here.

Great shopping malls, Waterbom Park and the beach is right there. The beach path out the front of the Holiday Inn, Dynasty and up to the Beachwalk, was great to walk along with the pram. Other resorts to check out to stay with kids are Bali Dynasty Resort, Sheraton Kuta Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, and the extra great value Febri’s Hotel.

Drawbacks: Kuta can be busy and in your face at times. If you are searching for flash restaurants with outstanding food it’s harder to find in Kuta.

Legian

Legian is situated in between Kuta and Seminyak. It has a great balance of yummy food and great shops while avoiding the chaos of Kuta. My number one choice for Legian would have to be the Padma Resort. Waterslides, kids playground, kids club, happy hour for mum and dad, what more could you want?!

Check out our full review here of our stay in 2019. It can get very pricey with bigger families but check out their website regularly for longer stay deals and a tip I was told the other day is their prices can tend to drop closer to the date?! Also Bali Mandira Beach resort is a great one to check out too.

Drawbacks: The markets and streets can be too busy for some families. Traffic at times can be slow.

Canggu

I love the relaxed vibe of Canggu and it seems like each week a fantastic new cafe is opening! It is spread out over a large area so having access to transport is a must. It can be a bit tricky getting around on a scooter with young kids, please make sure you are licensed if you do, but a lot of the villas include a driver and van for at least a few hours a day.

Finns Recreation Club has some great facilities including Splash, Bounce, Strike Ten Pin Bowling and Cubby House kids club. Charlotte loved the Bali Equestrian Centre as well so lots of things for kids to do! Not as many big family resorts in Canggu so a private villa is usually the way to go. Check out our post on family friendly Canggu Villas.

Drawbacks: Canggu is very spread out and can be tricky to walk around with a stroller due to lack of footpaths.

Jimbaran

Just south of the airport, Jimbaran offers beautiful sunsets and seafood at the many beach side cafes. A great spot to relax and enjoy everything the resorts have to offer. Intercontinental Bali Resort is a gorgeous resort right on the beach with a kids club and has family rooms but can get expensive.

Movenpick Jimbaran Resort is a great family resort with only a short walk to the beach. We enjoyed Sunday Brunch and a swim in the pools, you can find our review here. We stayed at the Sea Shanty Villa in 2017 and is a 4 bedroom kid friendly villa close to the beach. Check out Cuca for lovely food experience and Fat Chow at Temple Hill for delicious meals.

Drawbacks: Jimbaran is quite laid back and lacks market shopping like Kuta or Legian. Some families find it too quiet.

Uluwatu

South of Jimbaran is the area full of luxurious 5 star resorts along the stunning cliff edges plus family villas near Bingin and Balangan Beach. Ayana Resort is one to check out and its sister resort Rimba Jimbaran Resort a more budget friendly option but still 5 star.

I stayed at The Shack at Bingin in 2018 and we loved visiting the Cashew Tree for food and they had a playground too. A couple of villas that I have always been keen to stay in but not got around to yet are Indah Balangan Villa and Fraser Baye Villas. There are some fantastic beaches to explore on the coast and Sundays Beach Club is a great spot with the kids.

Drawbacks: As Uluwatu is set on cliff edges it can be hard to walk down with the kids to the beaches without inclinators. Is more remote from the tourist areas with less shops.

Tanjung Benoa

Tanjung Benoa is a short drive from the airport and is known for its water sports and beach activities. We enjoyed our stays at Holiday Inn Benoa in 2015 and 2019. There were still local shops and restaurants close by and the sunrises were gorgeous. The beach path was easy to walk along with the stroller and very toddler friendly. You can find our full review here.

We also stayed at the Grand Mirage Resort in 2017 in the family wing and had a fantastic stay, all the details are here. A couple of other resorts to have a look at are Conrad Bali and Novotel Benoa which are well known for being a great spot to stay with kids.

Drawbacks: A quieter area with limited shops and restaurants. Some families find it too quiet.

Nusa Dua

Just south of Tanjung Benoa is the gated Nusa Dua community full of 5 star resorts. This is the place to go for relaxation and amazing in-resort facilities. While you may not see the ‘real’ Bali here, it is still a great option for families wanting to spend time together and relax. Club Med Bali, Westin Bali, Melia and Sofitel Nusa Dua are just a few of the big resorts with a price tag to match. Our full review of Club Med is here of our stay in 2019.

We enjoyed our day at Sunday Brunch at Prego restaurant that is located at the Westin Resort. Novotel Nusa Dua is a more budget friendly option and while not on the beach, family and friends who have stayed there have loved it. There is also the choice of privately owned apartments available so check out Flipkey and other booking site for these.

Drawbacks: As Nusa Dua is a gated community some families say it lacks the authentic feel of Bali. Limited cheaper shops, markets and restaurants.

Ubud

I love Ubud. One of my favourite spots in Bali due to great restaurants, spectacular spas, market shopping and stunning views around every corner. The footpaths can be difficult with strollers so maybe think about this if you want to use them with younger kids or bub. It can be done but hard work especially in the heat!!

Check out my post on family villas in Ubud and I also recommend Bisma Cottages with their great family rooms and Padma Ubud for serious family luxury north of Ubud. Check out our full review here from our stay in 2017.

Drawbacks: Difficult to walk around with younger kids. Limited kids clubs in resorts and playgrounds for the kids to play on.

The Rest of Bali

I haven’t covered all of Bali, there is still Amed, Candidasa, Lovina, Sidemen and many more that deserve a mention. The places mentioned above are more realistic with young kids as they aren’t too far from the airport. The longest drive is to Ubud which can take 1.5hrs in peak traffic.

If you are searching for the ‘real’ Bali exploring outside of the tourist areas will show you the beautiful Bali countryside and culture. Even if it’s just a day trip do it at least once with the kids.

Drawbacks: Travel times can be long especially with kids. Limited access to shops compared to tourist areas.

Islands near Bali

There are some amazing islands near Bali including Nusa Lembongan, Lombok and the Gili Islands. We loved our time at Nusa Lembongan in 2019 and the kids loved the boat ride. I love this article on the islands near Bali and it explains all the different options available.

Nusa Lembongan

A 1/2 hour boat ride from Sanur is the stunning island of Nusa Lembongan. There are so many accommodation options and we stayed at Sanghyang Bay Villas in 2019 and absolutely loved it.

The island is great to explore with the kids and includes a waterpark, mini golf and many family friendly restaurants.

Drawbacks: Some people struggle with the boat ride across to the island. If you get sea sick make sure you take some tablets or find something to help you with the ride.

Well I hope you enjoyed this brief run down of tips of where to stay in Bali. Let me know through Facebook or Instagram if you have any questions or need help deciding on the best spot for you and your family, it’s hard work deciding!!

Kate xx

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