A 7-day Bali itinerary for a Gulf family
Split the week into two bases, three nights near the beach and three in or near Ubud, or stay in one hotel in Kuta and do everything as day trips. Either way, every long day out is followed by a gentle one.
A week is the right length for Bali with children. It is long enough for the three days that make the trip, Ubud, Nusa Penida and the sea temples, with a rest day between them, and short enough that nobody is tired of the car.
How should we split a week in Bali?
Split it into two bases, or keep one.
Two bases. Three nights near the beach in the south, then three in or near Ubud. The south has the airport, the sand and the mosques. Ubud has the terraces, the waterfalls and cooler evenings.
One base. Stay in Kuta for the whole week and do everything as day trips. Ubud is roughly an hour and a half away, the boat to Nusa Penida leaves from Sanur, and Tanah Lot is on the west coast. The children unpack once.
Families with children under six usually prefer one base. Families with teenagers usually prefer two.
What does the week look like day by day?
| Day | Where | What | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airport to the south coast | We meet you in the arrivals hall; check in, then rest | Gentle |
| 2 | Ubud | Rice terraces, a waterfall, lunch in town, the monkey forest | Full |
| 3 | Your hotel | Pool or beach, no car booked | Gentle |
| 4 | Nusa Penida | Speedboat crossing, the west-coast cliff viewpoints, back by sunset | Long |
| 5 | The west coast | The sea temples, ending at Tanah Lot for the sunset | Full |
| 6 | Kuta or the south | A water park in Kuta, or the safari park | Full |
| 7 | Hotel to airport | Late checkout where allowed, then the transfer to your flight | Gentle |
The shape matters more than the order. Every long day is followed by a gentle one. The Mount Batur sunrise climb can replace day 6 for older children, but it starts in the middle of the night and we do not suggest it for the whole family.
Ubud or Nusa Penida, which one if we only have one day?
Ubud, unless the children are eight or older.
Ubud is the gentler day. An hour from the beach hotels, eight hours door to door, and every stop optional. Our Ubud day by classic VW is the one we suggest for families with small children.
Nusa Penida is the photograph everyone wants. It is also a boat crossing each way, twelve hours door to door, and rough island roads between the viewpoints. Children over about six manage it; it is at its best from eight up. Our Nusa Penida day trip includes the crossing, a private car on the island and a halal lunch.
With a week, do both. With one day, the age of your youngest decides.
Where should we sleep?
Kuta. Where the hotels in our packages are: closest to the airport, the widest choice of family rooms, and Indonesian and Padang restaurants and several mosques in the town itself. The beach road is busy at night; a few streets inland it is quiet.
Seminyak. Restaurants, beach clubs and shopping within walking distance. Quiet streets inland, noisy ones by the beach.
Ubud. Green, cool in the evening, early nights. The right base for the middle of the week if you split it, and a long drive from the beach and the airport if you do not.
How much does a week in Bali cost?
It depends on the hotel you choose and the month you fly, so the honest answer is a quote rather than a figure on a page. International flights, the Indonesian visa on arrival and any hotel nights beyond the package are separate; everything else — the car, the driver, the guide, the entrance tickets and the halal lunches — is quoted in one figure that does not move afterwards.
Children’s prices depend on their age and whether a bed is needed. Send us your dates and the children’s ages, and the figure that comes back is final. The visa, the season and money are covered in our common questions.
Send us your dates on WhatsApp and the written plan comes back in Arabic, with one price.