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Bali with kids — What shall we do today?
55 places children love across Bali and its islands, from turtle releases to water parks, each with a note for parents. Answer two questions and the best ones come first.
Zoos & animals
Zoos, a bird park, reptiles, butterflies, farm animals, turtle hatcheries and the monkey forests.
Bali Safari Park
Animals · Gianyar, Central Bali · All ages
The tram ride past lions, tigers, zebras and hippos suits even toddlers, and the Water Play & Fun Zone has pools and slides.
Good to know: Now called Taman Safari Bali. Plan a whole day and go early: by midday it is hot and busy.
Bali Zoo
Animals · Singapadu, Central Bali · All ages
Feeding sessions, keeper talks, water play and a zone where children dig for dinosaur fossils fill a day for every age.
Good to know: Go at opening time, when it is cooler and the animals are most active; animal-welfare groups criticise the hands-on encounters, so choose them with care.
Bali Bird Park
Animals · Gianyar, Central Bali · All ages
Walk-through aviaries bring parrots, hornbills and birds of paradise close, and children can join the bird shows, the feeding sessions and the Komodo dragon talk.
Good to know: Under-12s stay with an adult.
Bali Reptile Park
Animals · Batubulan, Central Bali · For ages 3+
Snakes in a cave, iguanas and tortoises roaming free and a keeper's king cobra show, for children from about three; any handling is supervised.
Good to know: The paths suit strollers, and the bird park is next door.
Kuta Beach Sea Turtle Conservation
Animals · Kuta, South Bali · For ages 3+
Watching hatchlings scramble to the sea is magic for children from about three.
Good to know: Releases are announced on the day in the hatching season, and people queue from mid-afternoon: one parent can hold the place while the other waits with the children.
Turtle Conservation and Education Center
Animals · Serangan, South Bali · All ages
A compact, shaded hour for all ages: turtle eggs, hatchlings and recovering turtles up close, with staff explaining their life.
Good to know: Not to be confused with the turtle pens at Tanjung Benoa, where turtles are kept for photos.
Kemenuh Butterfly Park
Animals · Kemenuh, Central Bali · All ages
Butterflies drift past in the netted garden, and in the pupa room children may see one come out of its chrysalis.
Good to know: Go in the morning, when they fly most, bring repellent, and walk on to Tegenungan Waterfall.
Bali Farm House
Animals · Pancasari, North Bali · All ages
Pony rides from age three, alpacas and donkeys to feed and a play area: ideal for toddlers to about ten.
Good to know: It is cool and often rainy in the afternoon up here, so go in the morning and pack rain jackets.
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
Animals · Ubud, Central Bali · All ages
Children love the monkeys, but hold their hands: the macaques grab bags, hats, glasses and food, and can scratch or bite.
Good to know: Bring no food (feeding is not allowed), pack away sunglasses and hats, and never let children touch them.
Sangeh Monkey Forest
Animals · Sangeh, Central Bali · For ages 5+
Shadier and calmer than Ubud's monkey forest, for children from about five who can stay calm around monkeys.
Good to know: Food is sold for feeding them, but children are safer watching; take off glasses and hats and keep toddlers close.
Alas Kedaton
Animals · Tabanan, Central Bali · All ages
A small, shady forest with a troop of monkeys and giant fruit bats hanging high in the trees, quieter than Ubud's monkey forest.
Good to know: The same rules apply: no food in hand, and keep children close.
Water parks
Slides, wave pools and lazy rivers, with shallow play areas for the youngest.
Waterbom Bali
Water park · Kuta, South Bali · All ages
The Kids Area's small slides and water play have no height limit, and shady gardens and loungers make it an easy full day.
Good to know: Most of the big slides take riders over a metre tall, some only taller ones.
Bali Wake Park & Aqualand
Water park · Denpasar, South Bali · For ages 6+
Aqualand's floating inflatables are for children over six, and the beginners' cable lets older children try kneeboarding, which suits first-timers.
Good to know: Parents can ride or watch from the pool.
Krisna Waterpark
Water park · Temukus, North Bali · All ages
Kids' and toddler pools, a wave pool and a lazy river make it an easy day on a north-coast trip, and the fair next door adds a carousel and bumper cars.
Play & adventure
An indoor theme park, indoor adventure halls and play parks with slides, pools and climbing, good in sun or rain.
AeroXSpace Adventure
Play · Denpasar, South Bali · All ages · Covered
Trampolines and slides for children from 110 cm tall and a toddler zone for ages one to six, air-conditioned for a rainy or very hot day.
Good to know: The climbing walls and the coaster need 120 cm, the ropes course 140 cm, and under-sevens need an adult with them.
Trans Studio Bali
Play · Denpasar, South Bali · All ages · Covered
Rides for every age, a children's playground and a nursery room under one air-conditioned roof.
Good to know: Each ride has its height limit, under-13s need an adult with them, and the zombie and werewolf rides may scare little ones.
Mai Main Playground
Play · Canggu, South Bali · For ages 2+
For ages two to twelve, with staff watching the play zones, a toddler area, pools and animal feeding at the farm house.
Good to know: Socks are a must, and the weekend foam parties are a favourite.
Mookiland Park Bali
Play · Kerobokan, South Bali · For ages 2+
Best for ages two to twelve: giant inflatables, the ninja course and water play.
Good to know: Under-12s need an adult with them and most play is unsupervised; bring socks, as shoes come off on the inflatables.
Bali Family Hangout
Play · Singakerta, Central Bali · All ages · Covered
Covered, so it works in strong sun and in the rain: water slides, a splash pad, sand and climbing nets, with a toddler room for the youngest. A good break between temples and rice terraces.
Pangolin Kids Club
Play · Pecatu, South Bali · All ages
A climbing tower, a ball pool, daily workshops and nannies for children from babies to fourteen, so parents can surf or have a coffee.
Good to know: Handy on the Bukit, where calm beaches are few.
Museums
Masks and puppets, an upside-down house, a volcano museum and art workshops: good for a rainy or very hot afternoon.
Upside Down World Bali
Museum · Denpasar, South Bali · For ages 4+ · Covered
Children who can hold a pose, from about four, love the photos of themselves walking on the ceiling.
Good to know: Air-conditioned and over in half an hour or so, a good stop on a hot or rainy afternoon.
Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets
Museum · Mas, Central Bali · For ages 4+ · Covered
Halls full of shadow puppets, wooden puppets, demon masks and barong from Bali and far beyond, in a quiet garden. Children from about four enjoy hunting for their favourite faces.
Museum Geopark Batur
Museum · Kintamani, Central Bali · For ages 6+ · Covered
A big model of the volcano, shiny lava and obsidian rocks and a short film on the eruptions make Mount Batur real for children from about six.
Good to know: Some displays are worn and the English is partial; bring a jacket, as Kintamani is cool.
Agung Rai Museum of Art
Museum · Ubud, Central Bali · All ages · Covered
The paintings are for parents, but children can join workshops in painting, batik, wood carving, gamelan and Balinese dance, and local children often practise dancing in the grounds.
Good to know: Ask at reception what is on.
Beaches for children
The beaches we rate best for children, 4 or 5 out of 5: calm, shallow water and soft sand, with what to watch out for at each.
Melasti Beach
Beach · Ungasan, South Bali · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Flat access, toilets and beach clubs; wade in the shallows inside the reef at low tide, but waves break near shore on some days.
Nusa Dua Beach
Beach · Nusa Dua, South Bali · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Calm, shallow lagoon behind the reef with soft sand and a flat beach walk; at low tide it drains to sea grass, so come at high water.
Pandawa Beach
Beach · Kutuh, South Bali · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Park by the sand, with lifeguards, toilets and kayaks; the reef keeps waves moderate, but watch for rocky patches.
Sanur Beach
Beach · Sanur, South Bali · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
A reef keeps the water calm, and the paved beach path of about five kilometres suits strollers and children on bikes.
Good to know: Swim at mid to high tide: at low tide the water drains over sea grass and coral, where water shoes help.
Geger Beach
Beach · Sawangan, South Bali · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Shallow, gentle water inside a far reef, with warungs and loungers; sharp shells, coral and seaweed underfoot near shore.
Lovina Beach
Beach · Lovina, North Bali · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Usually calm, gently shelving water, and boats leave around dawn to look for wild dolphins: choose one that keeps its distance rather than chasing them.
Good to know: The black sand gets hot by midday.
Pemuteran Beach
Beach · Pemuteran, North Bali · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
A calm, shallow bay for a first snorkel from the beach over the Biorock reef frames.
Good to know: Bring water shoes for the coral and stones underfoot, and ask at the Reef Seen dive centre about its turtle project.
Tanjung Aan Beach
Beach · Lombok, Islands · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Calm, shallow water and soft white sand; reef shows at low tide, and shade and food are scarce since the beach warungs were cleared.
Pandanan Beach
Beach · Malaka, Islands · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Gentle water, shady trees and warungs suit families; shallow coral with sea urchins in places, so bring reef shoes.
Selong Belanak Beach
Beach · Lombok, Islands · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Soft sand and a gentle sandy slope with small rolling waves; keep clear of learner surfboards and the fishing boats at the south end.
Nipah Beach
Beach · Malaka, Islands · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Calm, sheltered bay with warungs, shade and toilets; coral and rocks show at low tide, so paddle at high water.
Sira Beach
Beach · Sigar Penjalin, Islands · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Very good (4/5).
Calm, shallow water and soft white sand with palm shade; at low tide the reef flat has sea urchins, and facilities are few.
Jimbaran Beach
Beach · Jimbaran, South Bali · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Good (3/5).
Soft sand, flat access and seafood cafes; a small shore break is usual, so watch children closely and come on calm mornings.
Mertasari Beach
Beach · Sanur, South Bali · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Good (3/5).
Calm, shallow water at high tide and a shaded playground at the quiet south end of Sanur. In July and August kite festivals fill the sky over it with giant traditional kites.
Kuta Mandalika Beach
Beach · Lombok, Islands · All ages
For children: Very good (4/5). Swimming: Good (3/5).
Calm, shallow water with a lifeguard post, shaded huts and play rides; coarse sand, fishing boats and hawkers are the drawbacks.
Outdoors & culture
Temples, gardens, walks and boat trips that children enjoy as much as their parents.
Lapangan Puputan Badung
Outdoors · Denpasar, South Bali · All ages
A free, shady playground and skate park in the heart of Denpasar, busy with local families in the late afternoon. Giant chess boards and room to run make it a break on a city day.
Tirta Gangga
Outdoors · Karangasem, East Bali · All ages
Children love hopping across the ponds on the stepping stones among the big koi, and fish food is sold at the entrance.
Good to know: Go in the morning, before the queues for the stones.
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple
Outdoors · Bedugul, North Bali · All ages
Shrines on the lake, lawns to run on and swan pedal boats for hire, in the cool air of the highlands.
Good to know: Bring a jacket: at 1,200 m it can be chilly.
Bali Botanic Garden
Outdoors · Candikuning, North Bali · All ages
Wide lawns for picnics and running about, and forest paths through the collections.
Good to know: Cars can drive in, which helps with small legs on such a large site.
Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park
Outdoors · Ungasan, South Bali · All ages
The giant statue amazes children, and dance performances run through the day in the amphitheatre.
Good to know: There is little shade, so bring hats and go in the morning or late afternoon.
Goa Gajah
Outdoors · Gianyar, Central Bali · All ages
The cave entrance is carved as a huge demon's face, and the short, dark passage inside feels like an adventure.
Good to know: The way down has steps, so a carrier beats a stroller.
Tanah Lot
Outdoors · Tabanan, Central Bali · All ages
At low tide children can walk to the foot of the temple rock and its spring.
Good to know: In a cave in the cliff opposite, the temple's holy snakes are banded sea kraits: look, but do not touch, as they are venomous.
Uluwatu Temple
Outdoors · Uluwatu, South Bali · All ages
The Kecak fire dance at sunset, about an hour long, holds children's attention.
Good to know: The temple's monkeys snatch sunglasses, phones and hats, so pack them away before the clifftop walk.
Ubud Palace
Outdoors · Ubud, Central Bali · All ages
The evening dance performances in the palace courtyard last an hour to an hour and a half, with masks, costumes and a gamelan orchestra; the programme changes from night to night.
Lembongan Mangrove Forest
Outdoors · Nusa Lembongan, Islands · All ages
A quiet half-hour trip in a boat poled through the mangroves, where children can spot fish, crabs and roots growing out of the water.
Good to know: Go around high tide.
Gili Meno Underwater Statues
Outdoors · Gili Islands, Islands · For ages 6+
For confident young snorkellers: a ring of statues four metres down, about a hundred metres off the beach.
Good to know: The current can be strong, so a boat trip with a guide and life jackets is safer.
Ayung River
Outdoors · Sayan, Central Bali · For ages 5+
Rafting trips through the gorge take children from five to seven years old, depending on the company, with helmets and life jackets.
Good to know: The water is gentler in the dry season.
Campuhan Ridge Walk
Outdoors · Ubud, Central Bali · All ages
A paved walk of about two kilometres along a grassy ridge, fine for children who like to walk.
Good to know: There is little shade, so go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
Outdoors · Tabanan, Central Bali · All ages
Signposted loop trails through the terraces start at about a kilometre and a half.
Good to know: The paths are dirt and stone, muddy after rain, so bring a carrier rather than a stroller.
Tegenungan Waterfall
Outdoors · Gianyar, Central Bali · All ages
A big waterfall close to Ubud, with viewing terraces at the top.
Good to know: The 170 to 200 steps down and back make it a trip for children who can climb; check the signs on the day before anyone swims.
Mount Batur
Outdoors · Kintamani, Central Bali · For ages 8+
For teenagers who like a challenge, the sunrise climb is a highlight of the trip.
Good to know: It starts in the dark and takes about two hours up, and most guides set a minimum age of eight to twelve.
Easy days out
Two or three places that go well together, close to each other, so the day plans itself.
Birds, then reptiles
Gianyar · all ages
- Bali Bird Park: Walk-through aviaries, bird shows and feeding sessions
- Bali Reptile Park: Right next door: tortoises roaming free and a king cobra show
Butterflies and a waterfall
Near Ubud · a morning
- Kemenuh Butterfly Park: Early, when the butterflies fly most
- Tegenungan Waterfall: Viewing terraces at the top; 170 to 200 steps for climbers
Turtles and the beach path
Sanur · stroller friendly
- Turtle Conservation and Education Center: A shaded hour with eggs and hatchlings
- Sanur Beach: The paved beach path; swim at mid to high tide
- Mertasari Beach: The shaded playground at the quiet south end
A rainy afternoon
Kuta · rain or heat
- Upside Down World Bali: Half an hour of photos walking on the ceiling, from about four
- Trans Studio Bali: Rides and a playground under one air-conditioned roof
Plan the rest of the trip
Where to stay with kids
The 9 areas we rate best for families, side by side: calm water, the drive from the airport and what there is for children nearby.
- Nusa Dua: 13 km · 20–30 min from the airport
- Jimbaran: 7 km · 15–25 min from the airport
- Sanur: 16 km · 20–35 min from the airport
- Tanjung Benoa: 15 km · 20–30 min from the airport
- Pemuteran: 135 km · 3½–4½ h from the airport
- Lovina: 90 km · 2½–3 h from the airport
- Legian: 7 km · 20–45 min from the airport
- Kerobokan: 14 km · 30–50 min from the airport
- Ubud: 37 km · 60–90 min from the airport
Tips and a packing list
What parents ask before they fly, in 10 short answers, with a checklist to tick off while you pack.