Is Bali a good place for a family holiday?

[slimboyfat]

Thinking about going there for a week in June. Is it any good for families with kids of ages 7 and 11? Any recommendations of places to stay?

Come on KW, give me some answers. Thanks bro

[chinthee]

Yes, Bali is a wonderful place for a family holiday. I think I went there in June too with my (then) young family.

Places to stay depends on your budget. Lots of great 5 star places, but I'm sure there are good middle and budget places too.

[Texpat]

Mind Indo cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is on the streets spreading his love to local pale faces. He's a new man after his two-year rehabilitation. Compassionate and merciful.

[kingwilly]

Come on KW, give me some answers. Thanks bro

sorry mate, didnt see this.

In answer, yes, absolutely.

Decent prices, plenty to do, with the exception of the bomb years ago quite a safe destination. Despite ppl rubbishing Kuta as too touristy etc, with a young family I would still recommend staying there. Many shops, restarunts, cheap souvieners stalls, beaches busy with touts (surfboards, body boards for high, hair braiding, fake tattoo painting etc) food, etc.

close to but further up the beach/road is Seminyak which is sort of simliar.

You can go inland to visit Ubud - mountain air, monkey temple and forest, tame white river rafting, pizza and cafe stores abound, plenty of artists and bookstores, since it holds a writers festival or two everyyear.

Taxi's plenty and cheap, mostly have to bargain as metre usually broken.

Try staying at the BaliHai - i think they have a website - decent sorta hotel.

plenty in the area and plenty of travel agents will give u a discount or package deal also.

in fact I'm heading there next month for a week, when u thinking of going?

[kingwilly]

the have the bungey slingshot machine in Kuta also. plenty of bars for watching the footy etc playing pool.

[slimboyfat]

To Our Valued Guests & Friends,
The news about the upcoming closure of Balihai Resort & Spa took us by surprise and it is with sadness that I am have to announce this information.
Due to totally unforeseen circumstances related with Indonesian law, Balihai Resort & Spa has to close its doors definitely by 20 May 2007, with no certainty to open again.

All 260 employees are being taken care of according to the prevailing Indonesian law and will receive appropriate severance pay.
It is a bitter surprise for me and all our employees and we offer our sincere and deepest apologies regarding this matter.
Our guests and travel partners have always been good supporters of Balihai Resort & Spa and the comments that we receive are always positive.
We wished we could have continued this relationship longer. In the meantime, rest assured that we will take good care of any guests until 20 May 2007.

Balihai Resort What's New & News

[stroller]

Tourism has declined since the Bali-bombings, but I'd still recommend the place for a family holiday - satisfaction guaranteed.

Don't listen to the anti-Islam fear- and hate-mongers, it is much safer than many resorts in the US or UK, and cost less and is a lot more fun all around.

[kingwilly]

^^ Holy crap!

I'll get some other recommendations for u then...

[Hootad Binky]

Don't go to Kuta Beach! Unless you like crass commercialism and being constantly hounded by touts.

Better to go to Ubud, the old cultural center in the northeast part of the island (after an exciting drive though lush tropical volcanic mountains).

Lots of lush, reasonably-priced guesthouses. Not the kind of guesthouses in Thaland, mind you; I stayed in one like this:



for about $20 US.

But that was back in 1998!

Bali Cheap Accommodation - Cheap Guest Houses in Bali

[kingwilly]

with a young family i think Kuta might be the better option, Ubud is pretty sleepy ... forest walks and reading books and drinking coffee all day might not be a hit with them....

places like that are now $30 a night...

anyway, Ubud is only a 2 hour private taxi drive away...

[kingwilly]

latest plans?

I'm heading there later this week.

[slimboyfat]

Still considering Bali, or Pulau Tioman (Malaysia)

Looking for some kind of place with a beach chalet or similar that can accommodate 2 adults and 2 kids rather than a hotel.

[kingwilly]

did i give ya that name of my travel agent who books places for me?

[kingwilly]

Thinking about going there for a week in June. Is it any good for families with kids of ages 7 and 11? Any recommendations of places to stay? Come on KW, give me some answers. Thanks bro

some more info mate,

stay at Pelangi Bali - good prices, ordinary rooms, beachfront views, nice pool. good location, friendly staff (no windows falling out of rooms either!)

Seminyak beach bali
reservations@pelangibali.com
+62 361 730346

[kingwilly]

I visited a place called waterbom - its a water park $20 entry (or have family prices)

loads of things to do, about 10 different water slides, one of them was awesome, kids pools and slides also, food, plenty of shade.

Welcome to Waterbom Bali

[kingwilly]

here's some of the water slides they have! the one on the left was frighteningly fast!

[kingwilly]

I found a cool fishing restaurant ... i'll post pics later, when I get a chance to d/l them off the camera.

Warung Akame. Salt Water Fishing Pond and Restaurant. Human made lake. Open daily 10 am - 10 pm, contact: 361-855 0819, 0818 0561 6621

Found a website for them.

warung akame

[kingwilly]

and i saw a brochure for an elephant safari park - prices slighty ecxpensive, i thought, but they say it goes to conservation. Coincidently i bought a book about Bali and elephants to read, and it was written by the owner of this park (an aussie, apparently Steve Irwin, aka corocdile man gave it a good review)

elephant safari park Bali Adventure Tours. Bali's No.1 Adventure Company. Elephant safari park, white water rafting (mountain cycling and trekking tours) both include free entrance to the elphant safari park, Taro. Bali Adventure Tours :: rafting, trekking, elephant safaris :: Bali Weddings :: Safari Park Lodge :: the best value in Asia.

[kingwilly]

and of course, even just on the beach at kuta, we bought a kite from an ordinary tout, and spent the next hour playing with it.

[slimboyfat]

I saw this thread title on the main page and thought I would jump in with a resounding YES

and now I see I was the thread starter.


Anyway

jump in

RESOUNDING YES

and I'm out if here

[slimboyfat]

and I am back again because I just saw KW posted actual pics rather than smilies or txt tlk

strewth KW

when we were there in June last year Kuta beach was really quiet. That looks like a different beach

[kingwilly]

when we were there in June last year Kuta beach was really quiet. That looks like a different beach

stolen from internet, but it was slightly busy. June/July is high season.

reread your quote, you were in June then too, i guess Bali is finally getting busy again, post bombs and stuff.

but the traffic was nightmareish.

[kingwilly]

the fishing place! (and young version of KW)



then they cooked some of our catch....

[kingwilly]

the new water slide - boomerang, you slide down, then up the other side freefall backwards to the waterpool.

[extras]

Is Kuta still worth staying a night? I'm looking at going there with my sister. Some people say it would be better to use Ubud as the base as it's easier to get around?