A zoo at first mention may not seem like an out-of-the-box activity, but this one throws in some activities that will make it memorable for children. It’s actually a place for the family to have breakfast. Bali Zoo’s “Breakfast With Orangutans” programme is the first of its kind in Indonesia and the perfect way to start the day. You and your family can gorge on a spread of tropical fruits, fresh-baked bread plus eggs benedict, housemade granola or nasi goreng, while the majestic mammals frolic around with their own families. The zoo also has other fun family activities to indulge in, from feeding the animals, showcases and other intimate encounters that your children will be talking about long after you have left the place. 

Bali Zoo is open from 9am to 5pm. Tickets for general admission run from IDR 355,500 for adults and IDR 252,000 for children. Choose package options depending on the activity you want to experience.  There’s also a hotel transfer option available.  

A visit to a chocolate factory may not need too much coaxing on the parents’ part, and a visit to this single origin chocolate manufacturer in Tabanan will not disappoint in taste and experience. You and your family can get hands-on at Primo Chocolab’s Chocolate Workshop — from sorting the cacao beans to grinding, winnowing, tempering, and moulding the chocolate. It will bring a new appreciation for these irresistible indulgence. You can also book a tour of the facility.

Primo Chocolab is open from 10am to 6pm . Tickets for the Chocolate Workshop run at USD50 per person.

There are two butterfly parks in Bali, but this one’s worth a spot on your must-see list when in Tabanan Regency. It houses about 900 varieties of butterfly species in its 3,000 square metre area. Get upclose and personal with Borneo’s bugs such as giant stick bugs and Atlas moths — the world’s largest — which you get to hold on your hand, as well as leaf bugs and Goliath beetles. Add to that, you will get to spot some of Bali’s wildlife, including peacocks.  There’s a hatchery, which will give children an idea of the life cycle of these amazing insects, as well as a butterfly museum.

Bali Butterfly Park is open daily from 8am to 5pm. Entrance tickets run at IDR 50,000 per adult, children enter for free. Try to get there in the morning to catch the hatchlings. 

The B in Bali might as well stand for beach as the island has more than 35 beaches. Lovina Beach situated near Singaraja, capital city of the Buleleng Regency, is where you need to go if you want an experience of a different kind: Dolphin watching. It is a bit of a hike if you are staying near some of the popular beaches (it’s about three hours away from Seminyak), but the sight of the gorgeous bottle-nosed dolphins more than makes up for it. Your dolphin-watching itinerary will set you out on a traditional outrigger or jukung, and include breakfast and even snorkelling.

Dolphin watching tours on Lovina Beach run from IDR 300,000 for 2 to 3 persons on a private boat. Check out the itinerary that suits your schedule and fancy at Herman Lovina Tour

While in Bali, a visit to the famous rice terraces of Ubud is surely on your list. Why not extend that to a day of cultural immersion — we all know Ubud has tons to offer on that front. Ceramic studio Sari Api just outside Ubud offers that, as well as ambience and fun ceramic workshops for children. Kids aged 4 to 14 years will learn to knead, throw, and build shapes. The studio will then dry the pottery creations and fire it in the kiln at a later date, so this may be ideal if you are staying in Bali for a period of time.

Sari Api is open Tuesdays to Saturdays 9:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30pm to 4:30pm. Two-hour Family Class, for 2 adults and 2 children run at IDR 2,000,000. 

Luxury resorts and comfortable accommodations abound in Bali. Here are the Weekly’s top picks:

Melia Bali in Nusa Dua is the perfect place for a family on a beach vacation. It is located bang on the white sands of Nusa Dua beach, and offers the option of customised holidays — which is great for families travelling with children, as you can enjoy all that Bali has to offer sans the hassle. There are five restaurants within the resort offering a variety of cuisines and an open bar at the beachfront Sateria Restaurant. The active set can indulge in snorkelling, canoeing and paddle boarding, or enrol in the resort’s yoga classes.

The children will be well occupied in the large lagoon pool — parents can bask poolside with drinks and snacks — or can spend their time at the in-house Children’s Club that caters to children aged 4 to 12 years. A plethora of fun activities, including a day at the beach, water sports, Balinese dance class, kite flying and even visits to the organic garden and Melia farm to meet chickens, ducks and cows. Evenings are fun as well with an outdoor cinema, complete with popcorn and s’mores. Prices run from $360++ per night for a Family Suite with one double bed and two single beds.

Amandari, close to the artistic hub of Ubud is inspired by a Balinese village — think thatched-roof Suites, which open on three sides via sliding glass doors to lush garden courtyards. Considering the brands reputation, that’s luxury, class and culture ticked off. The resort offers a variety of suites, including two-bedroom, pool, valley view and village-like. Larger families can opt for its expansive villas. The resort is big on experiences as a whole, and arranges bespoke cycling and trekking, and cultural immersion tours. It also offers Balinese dance classes for children taught by an in-house dance instructor. There is no dearth for culinary and wellness offerings that are signature to the brand. Prices run from $980 per night. 

Bali Dynasty Resort in South Kuta, is a popular resort for families with four swimming pools including a separate kids pool with a free mini waterpark featuring a  fun zone and giant waterslide (there’s an adults-only pool and spa for the adults to enjoy as well). For parents looking for a break, the Kupu Kupu Kids Club has been newly renovated in 2023 and features games and cultural activities on the ground floor for younger kids and a “teen’s club” upstairs with board games, video games, even a foosball table to entertain the teens. The resort offers different types of accommodation from Family Studio to Kids’ Suite which features a bunk bed and can sleep up to five people. Prices for the Family Studio start at $262.

Ayana Segara Bali, Jimbaran newly opened in November 2022 and is part of the sprawling Ayana Estate. This means guests at this new hotel are able to access the kids’ clubs throughout the estate. The Kids Club at Ayana is newly-renovated and features child-sized billiards table, outdoor furniture, a playground, trampoline and a flat-screen TV for movie time, while the Rimba Kids Club is in a “secret” location and has a games room with a PlayStation4, online computer games as well as toys, puzzles and books in various languages. Kids can experience traditional Balinese culture including Balinese crown-making, ketupat-making and Balinese kite-making. They can also enjoy the Ayana Kids Pool near its kids club that features two water slides. An Ocean View room sleeps up to three adults and starts at $600. For something more expansive and family-sized, the 2-bedroom Ocean View Suites which includes a 6-person dining area starts at $984.

Hard Rock Hotel Bali in Kuta prides itself in being a great family hotel with lots of fun activities and amenities for their youngest guests to enjoy. In addition to rooms decked out for kids with bunk beds, bean bags and stuffed animals, their Roxity Kids Club includes activities such as arts and crafts, rock wall climbing and movie nights. The hotel boasts the largest free-form pool in Bali with a unique sand island for playing, as well as a kids pool with water slides and waterfall bucket. Float are also available for rental. A Luxury Kids Suite with a king bed and bunk bed starts at $517+++ and includes free entry to the kids’ club.

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