Bali | Six Must See Family Friendly Places

I’ve always wanted to travel, see the world and experience different cultures. It was my plan to do but then we unexpectedly had the children, so now they are on hold for a little while. But since all this awful weather we have had of recent, it’s got me thinking of the places I would like to explore. There are so many destinations I would love to visit around the world, some near and some far. Now that we have our little family I’d love to be able to explore with them, show them the sights I never got as a child.

One place I’ve always wanted to explore is Indonesia, and being one of the most popular islands there, Bali is high on the list, and with the snow and rain of recent it’s lead me to daydream more about exploring there.

Generally, you think of Bali and think volcanic mountains, beautiful beaches, and stunning coral reefs. Known for its meditation and yoga retreats, it seems like a beautiful calming destination. To top this off you think of staying in a beautiful Bali vacation villa.

Image Credit - Luxury Retreats

However, believe it or not, upon my quest for some winter sun there are plenty of things to do which kids would find mesmerising too. My children love exploring; they aren’t really ones to sit still so when planning this beautiful retreat I also looked at where to explore.

I’ve made a list of the top ten things I’d love to explore in Bali with my family.

1. Ubud Monkey Forest. 

Image Credit - Ubud Monkey Forest

What better place to take my little monkeys than to somewhere we can view over 700 monkeys of 186 different species. In the village of Padangtegal lies Ubud Monkey Forest, which the locals view as a spiritual, educational and conservation centre for the village. Located within 12.5 hectares of forest, you are sure to be able to explore the many wonderful sights and beautiful monkeys.

2. Waterbom Bali 

Image Credit - Waterbom Bali

In the heat of the Bali sun, it's easy to become warm so Waterbom is the perfect destination to cool off. Waterbom is the number one waterpark within Asia, and number 3 within the world, so kind of a must see when in Bali. Waterbom spans 3.8 hectares and provides a memorable experience to the guests who visit. It’s suitable for those adrenaline junkies, not me, and those wanting to enjoy and relax away from the outside world. There is a swimming pool with swim-up bar and various rides and slides to enjoy as well as a lazy river.

3. Explore the coral reefs

When in a beautiful place with stunning views and gorgeous waters, it’s only natural to want to explore the corals. You may not necessarily wish to get wet though so exploring out on a glass-bottomed boat would be much more enjoyable. Exploring the detail of the fish, the stunning corals, and the other amazing marine life out in their natural habitats has got to be an amazing time.

4. Bali Safari and Marine Park

Image Credit - Bali Indonesia

As a family we love animals, so finding a safari park was one of my top must see's within Bali. The Bali Safari and Marine Park have literally everything you could want to see all in one place, safari, aquarium, dolphin show, roller coasters along with a cultural show. There are over 60 different species to explore at the park with feeding displays and shows to keep everyone entertained. They even offer an amazing night time safari experience, this is when the animals mainly come alive so to get to experience this up close and personal would be an amazing once in a lifetime experience.

5. Temples

Image Credit - Bali Indonesia

When in a country well known for its temples, its only right you pay at least one of them a visit. All of them are very similar although Uluwatu looks incredible. Located at the top of a steep cliff, 70 metres above sea level, this temple is within a stunning location. To the front of the temple lies a small forest home to hundreds of monkeys, which are believed to guard the temple.

6. Beaches

Finally, a visit to the beach, you cannot go on holiday and not enjoy the waves gliding across your feet. There are some beautiful family friendly beaches in Bali including Batu Bolong Beach, Nusa Dua Beach and Sanur Beach. Batu Bolong is more the beach for surfers and lazy sandy days. Nusa Dua is ideal for families who enjoy walks, although shoes are essential due to the coral and seaweed. Sanur beach is a family friendly clean and safe beach where the waters are shallow and the children can enjoy a splash.


The more I look into a beautiful trip to Bali, the more I wish to go. There is so much to see and explore in Bali, this is just a short snippet of my family friendly places I’d love to explore with the children. It would be such an amazing adventure, one I know we would all thoroughly enjoy as a family.

Have you ever been to Bali, either alone or as a family? Where would you recommend for must-see locations?

Please Note: This post is in collaboration with Luxury Resorts.