[email protected] replied 04/26/11 at 20:52
"Wonderful" tips for holidays with children. With all due respect, but why try on everyone the lifestyle of parents who, from the cradle, carry toddlers in shoulder and chest bags, like a kangaroo.
The article is worth 10 percent.
1. The water park in Greenpark, like the entire Dreamland complex, is initially positioned for the local market - well, there’s nothing for a normal tourist to do there. They have not assimilated to such an extent that they can swim in the same pool with young people in black family shorts, or a Muslim woman in a headscarf.
2. About the beaches - if Padang-Padang can still be recommended back and forth, then it’s hard for me to imagine a parent who, with one or two children, will climb all 150 or 200 steps down to Uluwatu. As for criticism of Jimbaran, this is where it’s really worth going at low tide - one thing is absolutely flat, the absence of waves gives enough space to swim and crawl through the shallow water. As for the relative cleanliness of the beaches, then, alas, there is not a single beach in Bali that is always clean. On Padang, the same can attract a mixture of jellyfish with a suspension of sand, and Jimbaran will be perfectly clean from about May to October, if there is no rain. Guys, surfers, don’t make everything equal.
3. The absence of waves in Amed is a myth. And the main thing is that here, for the most part, there is a pebble beach, which is inconvenient for an adult to walk on, not to mention children. If you want to give your child the opportunity to snorkel, head to the Bali Hai or Quicksilver platform near Lembongan Island.
4. About Lovina - a dubious pleasure, considering 3 hours of sawing in one direction. Suitable for those who come to Bali for a long time and do not have specific plans. Not suitable for those arriving on a pre-planned route. 0.5% of tourists change plans at the place of stay and leave somewhere else for an overnight stay.
5. It’s not at all clear about the Monkey forest advice - about monkeys that can simply maim your child?! Be careful, it's better to write. And it is not recommended to visit with small children.
But where are the rave reviews about the magnificent Bird Park with three aviaries for free flight??? There is also a reptile park here.
Why is there little attention to Safari Park, which shows the excellent modern musical "Bali Agung", which hosts about 170 actors imitating village life on the wall, as well as a dozen elephants, tigers, a flock of ducks, hornbills and many, many others . This is where the carnival of life and the celebration of color are.
The Antonio Blanco Museum is interesting for children only for its garden, if you do not want to shock them with answers to questions about the details depicted in many of the author’s very intimate works. Besides the Antonio Blanco Museum, there are other museums in Ubud.
More about holidays with children. At the villas, Pocket Kandara is a magnificent beach at the foot of the complex, perfect for families with children about an hour after the low tide + there is an opportunity to treat your child to something other than fried rice.
The Shore Beach Restaurant at the Nikko Bali Hotel is open to the public - multi-level swimming pools, jacuzzi, wide sandy beach, camel rides, fungi in the pool and other pleasures - at your disposal for Rp 180,000 per person.
In general, the choice of entertainment for holidays with children in Bali is really great, but be careful when following anyone’s advice, if you do not have much experience traveling independently with a child behind you; Russian guides work in many hotels either constantly or stop by at least once per day, ask their advice, read the guidebooks and have a good rest!
Something like this :-) Once again I apologize if I’m in the wrong address, because there are site specifics and all that, but it seems to me that just as it’s wrong to write about Bali only about Nusa Dua, it’s also wrong to talk only about holidays with children of "independent" travelers... Hide.
Amazing! Thanks for the criticism and additions. By the way, you can also publish your article about what is and is not worth visiting in Bali! The site is open to publications by all users, and what is valuable is that here you can read different views and opinions, compare and choose for yourself exactly what suits you. I really liked your comment, the only thing I don’t understand is chauvinism. You seem to have been living in Bali for a long time - what do you have against Balinese youth or Javanese Muslim women?
Hide.
[email protected] replied 04/28/11 at 09:08
I have nothing against it except my own chauvinism, which is absolutely the same as that of most of my compatriots. And yet, it is not very clear why it is necessary to show some kind of tolerance towards lack of culture, even if you call it “another culture”. Indonesia is a secular country, let's start with that. There is a Muslim majority, but the Chinese have all the money. Alas, Muslims are dirty - that's a fact. It is enough to go to the north of Bali to see the difference, where Balinese settlements end and Muslim ones begin. I don't really understand why I should like this? I also don’t really understand why on an island where a completely different religion, Hindu, is dominant, Muslims should demonstrate their faith to the entire public. Just as I am categorically against hijabs on the streets of European cities, it is also not very clear why I should be for them in Bali. I'm sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings, but Indonesian Muslims are dirty, very dirty. Even compared to the Malay Muslims, they are much dirtier and uncivilized. I'm not talking about everyone, I'm talking about the majority. They also take out the villas of both Balinese and foreigners, snatch bags and commit most crimes. What kind of tolerance can we talk about? Last New Year we went with friends to a small hotel in Candidasa. When we drink, we behave civilly. The next day, a crowd of Indonesians arrived from Java, who, wearing black family clothes, sat in the pool, drank beer that flowed from bottles into the small pool, shit everything that could be shit, and neighed like horses. Why should I be tolerant of this? This is not a peculiarity of the country. This is lack of culture, due to backwardness, lack of education and other problems of a third country. This can and must be fought, and I hope that someday Indonesia will at least catch up with Malaysia in terms of its cleanliness. At the same time, I have nothing against the Javanese race or against Muslims in general (I absolutely love the museum complex dedicated to Islam in KL). I hope this explains all my “chauvinism”. I am also against cultureless Javanese-Lombok and other Muslims, as against cultureless surfers, Australians, Germans, Poles and other not the best representatives of the human race :-)
Cheers! And Peace and Love! :-)
P.S. Thank you for the offer to write - we will definitely start soon and write about Bali, about everything connected with it, and we will do it regularly :-) Hide.
It’s clear, I agree that Muslims are not a very clean nation, but, however, Hindus in India live in completely unsanitary conditions! The Javanese, I think, are different, just like the Balinese and all the other nations of the world. For example, we were in Lombok recently and, despite my same prejudice towards Muslims, we interacted with several very clean and hospitable islanders. I think the fault here is not in Islam, but in the fact that Indonesia is a very poor country with low levels of literacy and medicine. If this country had free medicine and education, the situation would be better. And also regarding your comment about the Bird Park “It’s not at all clear about the Monkey forest advice - about monkeys that can simply injure your child?! Be careful, it’s better to write. And it’s not recommended for visiting with small children. But where are the rave reviews about the most magnificent Bird Park with three aviaries for free flight??? There is also a reptile park here.", So about the Bird Park,
there, during a bird show, an eagle attacked our friend’s three-year-old daughter and grabbed the child, there was a moment of panic, the child then began to stutter. So in any case, there are no completely objective and only correct judgments and impressions.
Hide.
[email protected] replied 04/28/11 at 13:09
Here you are absolutely right, as stated at the end of the very first comment :-)
P.S. If we talk about me, I haven’t been to India precisely for this reason, and I don’t want to, and let them...
P.P.S. And yet, Indonesia is not and has never been a poor country. Country and people are two different things. The people - yes, beggars. The country is rich and even very rich. We have a lot in common with Russia :-) Hide.
Bali is, of course, the island of the gods. Crowds of tourists flock to it every year. Including domestic ones, including those with children. And yet Bali is not the case when you can rely on chance. There is something to think about in advance. For those who are ready to travel with the whole family to the southern hemisphere, here are some tips from Ksenia Chesnokova, an experienced traveler and mother of Alisa and Grisha, four and two years old.
I spent about two months in Bali, rented a house, cooked food, went to cafes, entertained the children, and enjoyed the beauty of the island. First and foremost for parents with children: they don’t come here to swim. Maybe just lie on the beach, but also look for shady beaches. If you buy a tour and go "all ready", you should choose the Nusa Dua area. Here is the kingdom of multi-star hotels, clean sand, trees with spreading crowns and a sea relatively suitable for swimming (although a certain amount of algae and waves seem to whisper “why aren’t you lying on Thai sand?”). And it's expensive.
In general, Bali is huge waves cut by surfers, these are volcanoes, these are bright boats on black sand, poisonous green rice terraces, “multi-story” pagodas of temples, these are incredible trays and handmade furniture, these are scooters flying in all directions, like flies. These are bright holidays and people who know how and are ready to find a common language with any child they come across.
What you shouldn’t be surprised by: the presence of decent traffic jams, the density of development in the southern part of the island and the number of Russian people (as if in Sochi, honestly).
Why then go to Bali with a child? I wouldn't go there for the sake of the child. But I easily took my children with me when I wanted to go to Bali myself. It's warm, sandy, fresh fruit and seafood. There are many tourists and expats on the island, so international schools and enrichment activities are plentiful. As well as Parmesan, bacon, French loaves and other products that are not typical for Asia, but sometimes so passionately desired. A large selection of private housing for reasonable money - here Bali will give odds to any other Asian country.
Seasonality, however, is not very convenient for us: in winter you can’t escape for warmth - it’s rainy season here until March. And it really rains - not all the time, but often and a lot. In addition, they provoke the appearance of mold on the walls, which can be combated with the help of chemicals and a housekeeper, but which still does not make life more fun and, penetrating into drawers, spoils things (upon arrival it is better to immediately remove the doors from the cabinets so that everything was ventilated). But in the spring it’s beautiful in Bali - it’s time to eat Russian vitamin deficiency with durian. It's not bad here in summer either.
Best places
If you arrive for a couple of weeks, you can stay in a hotel room. But for a period of more than three weeks, it makes sense to rent a house - the price will be almost the same. The good thing about your own home is its impressive size, the presence of a kitchen, and the ability to find inexpensive housekeepers.
If the main thing is swimming in the sea, then you can stop:
- in the north in Lovina (far from “life”, but there are shops and some necessary infrastructure, hotels right on the beach);
- in the east in Amed or Tulamben (pebble beach, the infrastructure is tight, but you can snorkel with fish),
- in Padang Bai or Sanur. These areas are located in the port area, here you can rent a house or stay in a hotel. It’s a bit far from the noisy nightlife of Kuta and the surfing beaches of Bukit, but many tourists with children stay here.
- north of Kuta are the more expensive and quiet areas of Legian and Seminyak. True, it is quite crowded here. If you dream of a deserted island paradise, the density of buildings will be unpleasantly surprising.
- South of Kuta is the small Bukit Peninsula. There is a slightly rustic atmosphere here: it’s quiet, there are almost no traffic jams, the amount of greenery and other nature after Kuta is very pleasing. The beaches here are different - five-star Nusa Dua, Padang Padang with its monkeys, Jimbaran with fish restaurants, wide Balangan, which at low tide forms “baths” convenient for children to play with, and is located almost in the Uluwatu cave.
- Ubud is cool, there is a monkey forest, houses with huge terraces and views of rice fields, villages with artisans. Everything is fine, but Ubud is located in the center of the island - far from the sea.
Searching for a home
Housing can be found in advance via the Internet, which means an overpayment of $200-300 per month to the agent. Or already on site - take a taxi driver or a scooter and go look for signs for rent, interview locals, find out in shops. In 2-3 days it is quite possible to find a good house with two bedrooms, air conditioning and hot water for $400-600 per month.
When concluding a lease agreement, you need to clarify and note several points:
- are “utilities” included in the total price (water and electricity separately will cost about $30 per month),
- what's wrong with the Internet (most likely nothing, but suddenly),
- availability of the necessary furniture, plumbing fixtures and utensils - and what of these you can ask from the owner (they brought me knives, bought a water cooler),
- Do all bedrooms have air conditioning, do all bathrooms have hot water,
- is there a spare set of bed linen,
- the size of the living room and surrounding area (children need somewhere to play),
- if you have a pool, the frequency of cleaning and maintenance (if you do nothing, they bloom terribly),
- the presence of cabinets and shelves around the house (things need to be laid out).
Having acquired a house, you can immediately ask the landlord or one of the neighbors to find you a housekeeper. In conditions of humidity and an abundance of ants, its presence will endlessly make life easier. Cleaning once a day will cost about $60 per month, constant presence and child care with one day off per week - approximately $110-150 per month.
Transport
Of course, you can survive in Bali without personal transport: live near the beach and hire a taxi for long trips. But if you know how to drive at least something, your own wheels will improve your life significantly.
Firstly, this means that you can find housing not by the sea - that is, much more comfortable, spacious and cheaper, without overpaying for the “first line”.
Secondly, you will be completely free to move around without having to pay extra for them every time - whether it’s to go to a water park or look for a new cafe for dinner.
Thirdly, renting transport in Bali is very cheap. A scooter for a month will cost from $55, a car - from $200. With a child, it is more logical to take a car: it is comfortable to sleep in, you can hide from the rain, and it is safer.
However, traffic on the island is heavy and quite chaotic. If you have already had driving experience in Vietnam, you can imagine what it's like. If you often drive a car in Moscow, in general, too. In other cases, mastering the features of driving in Bali is quite possible, but do it gradually and carefully.
If you want to drive around the island (and there is a lot to see in Bali), you can hire a driver with a car or rent a car for a couple of days. It will, of course, be calmer with a driver. But there are many advantages to being independent. When you hire a driver, you won't be able to avoid visiting his friend's shop or eating with a crowd of tourists where your "guide" will receive a commission. And how can you refuse if they tell you that it’s not tasty here, it’s not interesting, and to the right begins a godforsaken village. But just wandering through the village streets, you can see the funniest scenes and the most sincere smiles.
Internet
A hotel may have Wi-Fi, but a house will most likely have nothing. But no matter what Internet you get, it will be very, very slow - just like in your “modem” youth. If you suddenly plan to work in Bali, remember this.
The two most popular options: activate an unlimited package of −11$ per month on your own SIM card, or buy a modem from the Indonesian operator Smartfren ($22 with SIM card) and activate an unlimited package for $10 per month.
Wash
There are laundries all over the island, just look for the Laundry signs. Some are ready to pick up things from your home and bring them washed. A good price is half a dollar (Rs. 5,000) per kilo. It’s better to try a specific laundry service on clothes that you don’t mind: unfortunately, things can get damaged and lost here.
Food
The cuisine in Indonesia is not very varied and not very tasty, after Thailand and Vietnam can be quite depressing. But there are plenty of pizzerias, steak houses and McDonald's for the nostalgic. Among the local cuisine, children usually like soto ayam - chicken noodle soup. In a simple cafe you can always get nasi goreng (fried rice with vegetables and sometimes meat) for one and a half to two dollars. From these 15,000 rupees the countdown begins - then there will be crabs for $5.5 in a Chinese cafe, and lobsters for $50 where Russians are expected. Without my husband, my two children and I spent $5-10 per trip to a cafe. With my husband, the figure increased sharply and approached $20 (yes, men sometimes love grandeur and are not ready to save on themselves).
With the ability to cook at home, you'll probably take advantage of it at some point. In Bali there are large supermarkets (Carrefour in Kuta, for example), there are smaller ones - the Nirmala or Pepito chains (the latter has a particularly large selection of European goods), there are very “mini” markets (which are still similar to a supermarket, such as Circle K, Minimarket , Indomaret, but they are a little expensive). And there are local stores - and to find them, you need to look carefully. But the products there are the same, and cheaper. And there is more choice. Eggs - $1.5, milk - the same, a bag of coffee - $1, bacon - about three. Already a good breakfast for a couple of days. Add fruit, fresh rolls for 30 cents, and the morning will seem joyful even in the rain. Fruits and vegetables are often sold in separate stalls. A bag with watermelon, large papaya, bananas and pineapple will cost about $5.
If it is more convenient to buy food in local stores, then with clothes everything is more complicated. You can still find baby clothes - they will be cute and very cheap. But for adults it’s worth going to Kuta. In general, in Bali you can easily buy almost anything. There are a lot of children's toys here: both cheap, ugly ones, and expensive, high-quality ones. And at the same time, they are cheap and not bad. There are cars, bicycles, swings and slides in the yard. There are any accessories for swimming, there is everything for drawing and various puzzles, but there are no watercolors - paints are only in tubes.
Medicine
There are large clinics in Bali, including in Kuta (BIMC, International SOS) and Jimbaran (Kasih Ibu). Be sure to take out insurance before your trip; it won’t cost much, but in the future you won’t have to wonder whether it’s worth paying for a doctor’s visit or whether it will “go away on its own.”
In general, children in Bali get sick, this must be admitted. During our stay on the island, both the children of the people living there permanently and mine were sick. The temperature was rising, there was diarrhea, and my friend’s child was vomiting. But these ailments did not last longer than two days and went away on their own. In general, at home my children get sick a little less often, but for a longer period of time.
What creates discomfort is high humidity, at which wounds heal poorly and all sorts of nasty things multiply well. A scratched mosquito bite can turn into something scary looking. At some point, I learned to spray everything with antiseptic solutions.
Entertainment
Having provided yourself with a decent life, you will probably find that sitting at home is boring, children are eager to be with people, and your soul asks for a holiday.
For swimming purposes, of course, it is worth exploring all the surrounding beaches and beaches. Moreover, they need to be inspected both at high tide and at low tide - the situation can vary critically.
In Bali there are small water parks for $5 (near the Nirmala supermarket in the Ungasan area of Bukit, for example). There are more - for $10 (New Kuta Green Park in Dreamland, in the same Bukit). There is also a huge water park at Waterbom in Kuta - just go in the morning, otherwise you won’t have enough time to do everything. It happens that expensive hotels allow you to use their pools for a fee (for example, Discovery Hotel in Kuta).
If you come for a couple of months, it will be interesting to take your child to developmental classes. They, of course, will be in English, but this is often not so important for children, and at the same time they will be immersed in the language environment. You can also send your child to school - every day for half a day - for about $200 a month.
When the entire island has been explored, you can quickly fly somewhere else. There are generally many airlines in Indonesia, but the cheapest tickets are usually from Airasia and Lionair, and the most comfortable ones are on Garuda planes. If you look through the promotions and think about everything in advance, you can fly to Kuala Lumpur for $20, to Java for $15-20, and fly to Lombok for $40 in business class, for example.
What did we do in Bali?
They just lived. We had breakfast, went to dig sand at the beach, and sometimes went swimming. We visited friends, had dinner in a cafe, and watched sunsets. We went to the pool - children very quickly learn not to be afraid of water, to swim, to dive. They bought fish at the market, asked them to cook it in a cafe and ate it at home. We went out to travel around the island by car several times. We took a boat to the neighboring Gili Islands - there the sea is quieter and you can see fish.
Two-year-old Grishka loved the waves and learned the words “crab”, “mosquito” and “ant” well. Four-year-old Alice demanded a pool every day, easily swimming 25 meters without any floating devices. The kids went crazy for the local roasted corn (half a dollar), drank endless amounts of fresh watermelon juice, and learned to play together and with Indonesian children (lack of language was no obstacle). My husband, who arrived for three weeks, tried to go surfing. At the same time, children also rode the same surf - closer to the shore, sitting on horseback.
Bottom line: if you want heavenly beaches and swimming, you don’t need to go to Bali. But if you want to live comfortably in a warm climate, the island is very suitable: there are large inexpensive houses, cheap housekeepers and nannies. Bali is small, and this compact territory has everything you need for a quality and interesting holiday - infrastructure, nature, and exotic things.
WITH A CHILD IN BALI.
After spending many hours on the Internet looking for useful information about traveling to Bali with a child, I promised myself that upon arrival I would definitely write a post about all sorts of nuances with useful notes. Maybe some other parents will find it useful. Still, there is more information on the Internet just for travelers, even if useful. But through the eyes of parents, not very much.
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From the very beginning, we were not entirely sure whether it was worth going so far. And we had little idea what kind of island it was, despite the fact that many of our friends had been there more than once and some live there.
Flight.
And so, the ticket was booked a month before departure, and the discounts did not apply to children (I don’t know, maybe this is specifically in our case, it’s better to clarify) it seems that children under two years old can travel for free on their laps.. In general, we paid for Nikita (2 years and 7 months at that time) as much as for yourself. 26,000 rubles round trip. The journey itself from door to door took (please don’t be scared) 28 hours, but it’s not as scary as it might seem. Nikita really liked it to fly, of course, in the end everyone was tired, but not so tired that they wouldn’t go there again)) The route was like this: Moscow-Doha (5 hours travel), night in Doha, Doha-Jakarta (9 hours flight), night in Jakarta, and in the morning a flight from Jakarta to Bali (1.5 hours). The return trip was only one night.
We spent the night quite well, at the airport in Doha you can use quiet rooms, the so-called rest rooms, and rent a stroller for free, it’s very convenient. There are also similar rooms with showers, food, drinks, etc. ($40 per person, 6 hours). Free wifi throughout the airport. In Jakarta there is Jakarta Airport Hotel (http://www.jakartaairporthotel.com/), 6 hours seems to cost $70, but it’s worth it if you’re flying with a child. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any free seats, but Nikita slept wonderfully in the stroller without experiencing any inconvenience.
I almost forgot! For some reason, it was quite cool at the Doha airport and you could easily freeze in shorts and T-shirts. Be sure to take sweatshirts and a blanket for your child in your hand luggage. It came in very handy for us. We took another blanket from the Qatar plane, about which later We didn’t regret it at all. It was also very cold on the Jakarta-Bali plane.
If such a long method of traveling by three planes seems difficult, you can buy tickets for a direct flight for much more.
Insurance.
Knowledgeable people advised us to choose an insurance company that would cooperate with International SOS. It is considered one of the best companies in the insurance industry and is located in Bali (http://www.internationalsos.ru/ru).
In Russia, SK Soglasie (http://www.soglasie.ru/) cooperates with International SOS.
Maybe someone else, but I didn’t look. Insurance for a child under 3 years old costs 2 times more than for an adult. We were insured for $30,000 and paid 4,000 rubles for three (for Nikita 2 thousand rubles)
Oclimatization.
The three of us simply didn’t have it. Moreover, we continued to wake up and fall asleep at the same time as in Moscow, despite the fact that the time difference was 4 hours.
Accommodation.
We lived in Bali for almost three weeks. As a family, we rented a villa from our friends (they do this http://innabali.ru/).
In the Legian area. It's about 7 minutes by taxi to the beach. By motorbike it's even faster.
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And the guys with whom we went on a trip booked a chip hotel in Kuta, across the road from the ocean (Anggrek hotel). It’s a completely normal meal if you’re young, cheerful, childless and going to surf and hang out))). A month's stay in this hotel is about 5 thousand rubles per person, if not less. Most of the neighbors are Russian youth, some came on vacation, others live there permanently.
The day started like this: we woke up in our wonderful villa... got on a scooter and went to Kuta to visit the guys) We had breakfast with the whole party in a cafe, surfed and sunbathed on the beach. Then we went to lunch and went back to the villa to put Nikita to bed for an afternoon nap. he woke up and we returned to Kuta. When Nikita didn’t want to sleep during the day, we stayed with the guys and at the same time washed him there after the beach. On the second day of arrival we found out that eating in Kuta was twice as cheap as in Legian. Apparently because because of a lot of competition, or maybe because the place itself is more casual and simpler.
And one more thing: when choosing housing, check whether there are noisy roads or construction sites nearby.
What worried us before the trip:
I thought that we wouldn’t even bother going to Kuta. I read that it’s dirty, noisy and has a bad shore for swimming with a child. People are all different, of course, but we had fun and positive there. Kuta is like Kuta. The beach is quite good, clean (they say three years ago it was dirtier). Nikita was fiddling around on the shore in the wet sand, running through the water and we dipped him a little deeper. But still, Kuta Beach is a place for surfers and if you want a family beach, it’s probably better to live in another area, In Nusa Dua, it is more civilized. Although nothing bothered us at all)) We liked everything.
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Nutrition.
All three weeks we always went to our favorite place - Totemo Varung on Benesari Street. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner. We liked that everything there was tasty, of high quality and good prices. The first two days we even tried to cook at home ourselves, but this idea was a failure. It makes no sense. It turns out to be more expensive and not so varied, of course.
In Bali, our child ate rice and vegetable dishes. Chicken, meat, salads, soup, pancakes. Fruits (bananas, mangoes mainly), fresh juices. There were no problems with food. Although I was worried before leaving what he would do there eat. I shouldn’t have worried, it’s even funny to remember)) The main thing is to clarify to the waiter no spicy, so that the dish is not spicy. We sometimes crawled out from behind the table, leaving 90 thousand rupees (300 rubles) for the three of us. This includes freshly squeezed juices twice and delicious local food and coffee and pancakes)))
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For younger children, supermarkets have everything that is available in their homeland. And baby food and juices and diapers. Whatever your heart desires.
I carried antiseptic hand gel with me and Enterosgel just in case. They gave it to Nikita a couple of times as a preventive measure when he drank water from the ocean and pool.
I advise you to definitely take sunscreen and Panthenol anti-burn spray with you. Our entire group came in handy with it. In three weeks, everyone managed to get burned, despite the fact that we rented an umbrella and protected ourselves from the sun. Panthenol works magically.
Since we're talking about medications, I'll write what we found useful. Hydrogen peroxide + brilliant green. For boys, broken knees are inevitable)) Although for girls too, of course))
Protargol drops. Nikita sniffled for about three days at the beginning, then he adapted. They also gave him aflubin when he sniffled, but maybe that was unnecessary, we just really wanted our vacation to go without problems)) We didn’t need almost any of the medications, thank God .But you definitely need to take a first aid kit. I carried the most necessary things in my hand luggage (thermometer, bandage, brilliant green, peroxide, anti-inflammatory - Panadol, plaster), the rest I checked in my luggage.
Climate.
We vacationed in October and found it rained only a couple of times, it seems. Mostly there was always sun and sometimes clouds. Very warm and nice)) For clothes, we needed T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. All other things (Nikita’s tights, sweatshirts, long sleeves, jeans ) and lay at the bottom of the suitcase.
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And I’ll write about one more nuance. It seems to me that if you go on vacation not to the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory)) and not to Europe, but choose islands in the open ocean, you are exposed to some kind of risk. During our trip to Bali there was an earthquake .100 km from the island in the ocean. Our media managed to inflate this to incredible proportions, to the point that everything was destroyed, tourists were leaving the island. In fact, it just shook the earth a little for about 5 seconds, maybe that’s all. We were sitting in a cafe, even the cups didn’t fall .Although, I must admit, everyone was scared. Local residents say that this is normal and sometimes, it doesn’t happen often. We were even asked: Well, doesn’t this happen in Moscow?))
Wash.
Several times we handed over our laundry to the laundromat, mostly things that don’t wash very well by hand. Besides, it’s very humid in Bali and things take a long time to dry.
A package of things cost us 20 thousand rupees, which is approximately 70 rubles. They dropped it off in the morning and picked it up in the evening.
I seem to have finished writing a post, my husband advised me to tell you about the best place to buy souvenirs and advise on prices))
In general, for three of us in 20 days, we spent about 60 thousand rubles, we didn’t deny ourselves anything, we went on excursions three times for the whole day, only we decided not to go to Gili just after the earthquake, we left it until next time.
We bought souvenirs at the Geneva store. If you tell the taxi driver Geneva shop Kerobokan Street, he will understand you)) Souvenirs there are three times cheaper than in souvenir shops on the street and in supermarkets.
What touched us:
The Balinese are very nice, friendly and kind people. And they have reverent feelings for small children)) Nikita was always the center of attention, everyone knew him and shouted Hello, Nikitaaa)) They sent air kisses and constantly, constantly took pictures with him)) The child became even more talkative, sociable and open to the world))
Have you decided to go to Bali with your child? Confused by the variety of resorts and villages with exotic names and don’t know where to relax? We will shed light on this question that seems confusing at first glance.
Features of children's holidays in Bali
Almost every traveler and non-traveler has a strong association of Bali with the delightful island of snow-white beaches, straight from the advertising brochures of travel companies. Yes, a lot of heaven can be found in Bali, but it is inseparable from sloppiness and sometimes squalor.
All the beauty of the island lies in its untouched exotic nature, which can only be found by going deep into the island. And the further you go, the better the landscapes. However, children cannot go without swimming in the sea or ocean. 
There are few really good beaches on the island. And swimming on them does not at all coincide with our usual understanding of this process. Here it is most likely like jumping on waves as the Indian Ocean experiences tides most of the time. So it turns out that whether it is possible to enter the water at all or not depends on the tide schedule. You will have to wait for the moment of the “golden mean”, since at low tide the water completely exposes the shore and there is simply nowhere to swim. But going deeper is dangerous, coral reefs await there. 
The best beaches in Bali for swimming with children
But it is not all that bad. There are a couple of excellent places that can meet all the requirements of restless parents.
Despite the fact that the closest city to Bali airport is Kuta, you should immediately dismiss the idea of relaxing in this place. It's loud, dirty and clean with a party profile. 
The Kuta beach is almost always dirty
Huge waves are always crashing near the shore, and annoying merchants tire you out with their pestering. In addition, Kuta is a favorite habitat for surfers. And if it’s worth coming here, it’s only for the incredibly fabulous crimson sunsets. 
Absolutely all resorts more or less adapted for children are worth looking for on the southern Bukit Peninsula. The southern resort of Nusa Dua can offer the most impeccable conditions. This is a classic beach holiday with the unspoken mark of “elite”. 
Huge tourist complexes are built along the coast. Perhaps the most Russified place in all of Bali.
The resort is one of the few that can boast a quiet coastline, golden sand, clear water and a calm environment. The waves near the shore here are unprecedented. Everything is neat and exquisitely beautiful: from trimmed green lawns to goldfish in artificial ponds. Overall, an ideal place for kids.
If we are talking about holidays with a school-age child, we can highly recommend the fishing village of Jimbaran, also in the south of Bali. Jimbaran promotes a chic holiday with just a hint of waves, combined with bodyboarding lessons for teenagers. 
"Jimbaran" is famous for its children's surf school
It’s a fascinating activity to walk along the beach during low tide, collect intricate shells and watch the sea life scurrying back and forth. Moreover, Jimbaran is very close to the tourist mecca of Kuta. 
Uluwatu is a picturesque paradise, of great interest with its grotto. It is “swimming” only during the short hours of low tide, turning into one continuous pool with a maximum depth - slightly less than human height. 
Mysterious grotto on Uluwata beach
A fascinating sight for children - agile crabs running along the slopes of rocks.
“Dreamland” not far from Ubud is considered one of the most beautiful beaches not only in Bali, but throughout Indonesia. It fully lives up to its name: a snow-white strip of fine sand and clear azure waters.
An incredibly fabulous lagoon surrounded by majestic rocks. It is better to swim here with children between high and low tides.
"Dreamland" looks like it came straight out of an advertising brochure - azure ocean waters and snow-white sand
If you can rent a car in Bali, be sure to go to Virgin Beach, which is located on the eastern coast of the island near the resort of Candidasa.
"Virgin" beach in Bali is little known among tourists, which is a pity
This is a place unknown to tourists, but especially revered by the Balinese themselves and sophisticated connoisseurs of beach holidays. Unity with nature, sugar sand, clear water and delicious seafood in coastal restaurants.
Hotels or apartments?
There are very few hotels on the very edge of the ocean in Bali. There is a special transfer from some hotels to the beaches.
But the true vacation format for Bali (and quite affordable) is a cozy villa overlooking the ocean.
In addition, it is very convenient: you can cook your own food and create a familiar home atmosphere for your child.
What to see?
Bali is a paradise for a child in terms of interesting excursion programs and entertainment. Two water parks "Waterbom" in Kuta
Waterpark "Waterboom" on the island
And "New Kuta GREENPARK" not far from Dreamland beach. Must visit "Forest of the Monkeys" in Ubud, go to dolphin show in Lovina,
and if there is a desire, then go on a boat to the ocean, where they swim in freedom. The safari park is also interesting "Bali safari marine park",
"Bird Park" in Tamang Burung,
« Elephant Park» in Tarot. A popular excursion to the island. Serangan, where the turtle farm is located.
Both children and adults on the island. Bali will receive a lot of bright and unforgettable emotions
Bali is a world of incredible sensations, woven from an abundance of bright colors, huge waves from the tops of which surfers rush rapidly, volcanoes, temple pagodas towering above the lush green rice terraces. These are unforgettable holidays and a general positive atmosphere. This is a fairy tale in reality. You just have to decide where it’s best to relax in Bali, so that your time spent corresponds to the personal preferences of lovers of active or passive recreation.
Bali holidays with children
For parents planning to take their children with them, it is important to know that Bali is an island where kids will receive fresh fruits and healthy seafood, will be able to enjoy the warmth of the sun's rays, enjoy the sandy beaches and swim in the gentle ocean. Bali has a developed infrastructure focused on the needs of children: children's playgrounds are equipped, animator services are offered, children's clubs operate, in most hotels the menu is focused not only on the gastronomic needs of adults, but also on the needs of children of different ages.
It should be borne in mind that not all “island paradise” resorts are equally good for children, so you need to take a balanced approach to the issue in Bali.
To begin with, it’s worth considering the general concept of relaxation on the “Island of the Gods.”
February holiday in Bali
February in Bali is a time of prolonged tropical showers that come to the island from the northeast along with the monsoons. High humidity, gusty winds and thunderstorms at daytime temperatures of +32 o C and +23 o C at night are the norm for this season. However, in recent years, the February weather has become increasingly unpredictable and can please vacationers with two “dry” weeks, which are impossible to predict in advance - it depends on your luck.
The weather leaves a certain imprint on the choice of places where it is better to relax in Bali in February. Relaxing on the beach fades into the background, as heavy rains cause the water to become cloudy, the sand loses its charm, and the surf carries driftwood and algae onto it. But the rains have a beneficial effect on the rice plantations in the central part of Bali: they become lush and acquire a rich, bright green color. Jatiluvikh crater of the Batur volcano, national parks (habitats of wild animals), craft villages, thermal springs - this is where you should spend time in February, enjoying a relaxing holiday on the unusually sparsely populated “Island of the Gods”.
New Year... in March
In March, the wind gradually calms down and the waves calm down slightly. And although diving enthusiasts cannot yet get real pleasure due to reduced visibility under water due to rain, connoisseurs of surfing, snorkeling and kite surfing can already find suitable bays for their activities.
But still, diving and wave riding are not the main form of entertainment during this period. Rafting on the steep rapids of the Ayung River, climbing Mount Agung - this is where it is best to relax in Bali in March for those who want to get their dose of adrenaline.
A special surprise for tourists who come to Bali in March is the New Year celebration according to the Balinese calendar. This holiday falls in March or April - depending on your luck. The celebration lasts five days. For two days, carnival processions pass through the streets, during which time you can plunge headlong into masquerade processions, funny dances, and see an impressive parade of monsters.
April - end of the rainy season
In April, the rainy season ends, the cost of traveling to Bali increases to 20%, but there are still few vacationers, and this gives additional pleasure to staying here.
Those who are going to the island immediately after the end of the rainy season should think about where it is better to relax in Bali in April. For those who want to spend the bulk of their time on the beach, several resorts will be the most attractive: fashionable Nusa Dua, for a family holiday - Jimbaran, Sanur - for a holiday with children. The force here is insignificant, the waves are low, and there are all conditions for diving. Tulamben, an island in the northeast of Bali, is also good for this type of outdoor activity.
For beginner surfers, ideal conditions are created by nature in Jimbaran, Seminyak and Legian. For professional wave tamers, Kut and Uluwat will be more attractive.
Climbing Volcano Batur or Mount Agung loses the charm inherent in visiting the island in winter. In April, dense fog hangs over the mountain peaks, so forest routes become more interesting: monkey forest or mangrove forest, coffee or rice plantations.
Rafting, water park, Balinese temples - in April in Bali you can find activities for every taste.
Summer charm of the Indonesian pearl
Winter comes to Bali in June. For residents of the Northern Hemisphere, it appears in an unexpected light: in winter it is hot and sunny in Bali - the proximity to the equator makes itself felt. Monsoon winds coming from the southeast bring dry and clear weather. Rare precipitation usually occurs at night.
The question of where is the best place to vacation in Bali in June loses its relevance, as the time comes for a full-fledged beach holiday (Jimbaran, Sanur, Nusa Dua, Padang Bay), wave riding (Legian and Semnyak - for beginners, Kut - for professionals) and diving (Sanur, Amed, Selang).
National and religious rituals and holidays filled with a special atmosphere of mysticism, festivals, excursion trips to sacred places, a fascinating journey deep into the jungle, relaxing tours to thermal springs - any type of leisure becomes available: prices are just beginning to rise, and the influx of vacationers is not felt so acutely, as it happens in July or August.
Bali Island: where is the best place to relax with children?
Taking into account seasonal characteristics, the best time for a holiday with children is from April to June. Holidays in July and August should be taken with caution due to the high temperatures at this time.
When considering the question of where is the best place to vacation with children in Bali, you should carefully consider the characteristics of the areas, choosing among them those that have proven positive among tourists who come on vacation with entire families.
On the west coast there are Kut, Seminyak, Legin - the resorts are crowded, noisy, hectic, with dense buildings. There are always waves on the beach. These areas are favorite places for surfers, but are not suitable for families with children.
Bukit and Jimbaran, located in the south, are characterized completely differently.
Bukit is a quiet place with a kind of “non-tourist” atmosphere: few people, almost no traffic jams, lush fresh greenery and a variety of beaches with or without waves. On the Dreamland beach there are charming monkeys, on the spacious Balangan at low tide, children love to splash in the resulting “baths”, Uluwatu is mysteriously located under stone arches.
Jimbaran has a calm coastline. There are no waves here, housing is relatively cheap, the infrastructure is developed, and there is an abundance of small seafood restaurants.
East coast and central Bali
The eastern and central part of the island can also be considered as an opportunity to organize a children's holiday in Bali, where it is better to relax in Sanur (in the east) and Ubud(in the center of the island).
Sanur has a well-developed infrastructure, which is convenient for a family holiday. Spacious sandy beaches, the descent into the water is gentle and safe, the sea is calm, and the coastal water area is shallow.
Ubud is a cool place where a forest teeming with monkeys sprawls freely, rice fields and craft villages stretch for many kilometers, the houses have spacious terraces. In Ubud, there is an internationally famous camp for school-aged children, Green Camp Bali, where they study the flora and fauna of the island, teach how to collect cocoa beans, and show how chocolate is made.
Ubud is a calm, comfortable place. However, its location in the very heart of the island means that getting to the sea takes about an hour along winding roads.
Water activities for young tourists
Southern warmth and water activities are complementary concepts for children of primary and school age. Vacationers are offered many options where it is best to relax in Bali for lovers of water activities.
Expensive hotels have swimming pools that can be used not only by their guests, but also by other vacationers (for a fee). Along with many small water parks (for example, Ungasyan in Bukit), there are also large ones (for example, Dreamland in Bukit).
Vacationers can get real pleasure in one of two huge water parks that are located in Kuta: Waterbom (a real water city on a huge area) and New Kuta GREENPARK, which opened a couple of years ago and has not yet reached its full potential.
Where to go with children
Bali is not a place where you can spend all your days from morning to evening on the beach. The hot sun and endless waves quickly tire young tourists. Therefore, it is quite reasonable for parents to be faced with the question of where is the best place to relax in Bali for the benefit of their children.The island is fraught with a huge number of surprises. Among them:
- Farm where sea turtles are bred (Siringan Island).
- Lovina, where you can take a boat ride at dawn, admire the dolphins frolicking in the morning sun, and then take part in a dolphin show.
- A zoo near Ubud, open to the public not only during the day, but also at night.
- Taman Nasional Bali Barat National Park, where the necessary natural conditions are preserved for wild animals.
- Butterfly Park, where the variety of butterflies is more than 2000 species.
- Bird park. Here, majestic flamingos coexist with birds of prey; in total, the park contains about a thousand species of birds.
- A reptile park where representatives of 300 species of crocodiles feel at ease.
Botanical Garden, Elephant Park, Monkey Forest... The list of amazing places on the Balinese island seems endless.
Where is the best place to relax in Bali: reviews
According to reviews of tourists who have chosen Bali for a holiday with children, Kut is not the best place: narrow streets along which it is difficult to get to the water park, children's club, shops, a large slope of the bottom, making it possible for children to swim only during low tides.
Seminyak is a calmer place, without busy traffic, with a flat ocean bottom in the coastal area.
Changu is a beautiful beach with black sand, clean ocean, privacy, but it is very far to get to the water park, shops, and children's attractions.
Nusa Dua is an ideal place for a holiday with children: well-groomed lawns, an abundance of shops, the beaches are protected by reefs that hold back the waves; at low tide it is very shallow, which is good for kids, but has little appeal for adults.
Long excursions for small children are tiring, as they do not tolerate heat well, overheat, and are capricious.
The general impression is this: Bali is not the place to choose if you are planning a vacation designed exclusively for children. But if adults want to spend time in Bali, then they should definitely take their children with them, taking care of sunscreen, a hat, a special daily routine and means of preventing insect bites.
Thailand and Bali: road, housing, climate
Thailand or Bali: where is it better to relax? This question appears at the moment when it comes to vacationing in exotic countries and on wonderful islands in the middle of the ocean. Where is the best place to go? What criteria should you use to make the right decision?
Road and travel time. From Moscow to Bali the estimated time of a direct flight is 12 hours, with transfers - 19. From the Far East you can get there in 8 hours of a direct flight. The minimum direct flight time to Thailand is 6 hours, the maximum is 10. Thus, you can get to Thailand almost twice as fast as to the island of Bali. If air travel time is a significant factor for those planning a trip, then Thailand is preferable.
Housing. Travel companies can offer accommodation options of any class of service in Thailand and Bali, depending on the personal preferences of tourists.
Climate. Equatorial monsoon at both resorts. In Bali, the weather is quite predictable: rainy season in January-February, stable dry period
in June-October. In Thailand the weather is more capricious. Therefore, if you want to be sure that your vacation will be accompanied by ideal weather, then Bali is more reliable in this regard.
Thailand and Bali: nature and beaches
Nature. Bali is a riot of colors: bright plumage of birds, exotic colors of animals and marine life, plants of all colors of the rainbow; coral reefs and sandy beaches; tropical forests, cliffs over the ocean, volcanoes. This is a kingdom of positive emotions and a breathtaking variety of impressions. Thailand is mountain peaks with cascading waterfalls, pristine fresh greenery of tropical thickets; elephants, rhinoceroses and monkeys - an amazing world of peace and tranquility.
Beaches. Bali has colorful, beautiful, clean sandy beaches washed by both sea waters and the Pacific Ocean. It's always fun and crowded here. Big waves are an added bonus for surfing. Thailand has sandy beaches, comfortably located on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Secluded, quiet places are easier to find here than in Bali. And big waves are less common here. For families with children, the calm beaches of Thailand are preferable.
Where is it better to relax: Bali or Thailand? Holidays in Bali are more active, in Thailand they are calm and measured. But both Thailand and Bali are capable of giving a huge amount of impressions and delivering unforgettable pleasure from your vacation.
