In Reply to: travel with kids posted by tania h on Sunday, 28. August 2005 at 09:30 Bali Time:
Hi tania, I am also travelling to Bali in a couple of weeks (we leave 9th Sept from Perth) with kids (2 sons - 4 and 7). We are staying at the NDBH which is not too far from the Aston. I have done heaps of research on this wonderful forum and put together a book of info as I have never been to Bali before. There is no shuttle to Kuta as far as I am aware although a taxi would cost you less than Rp. 50,000 and take around 20 minutes. It would be a good idea to hire a driver for any day trips where you will be travelling around abit. There are many recommendations on this forum if you do a search. A half day should cost you around Rp. 150,000 and a full day Rp. 300,000.
There are many restaurants in Tanjung Benoa/Nusa Dua which are cheap and suitable for kids. Here are a few that I have made a note of:
RESTAURANTS - BENOA/NUSA DUA
Bali Epeh Jl Pratama Ph 778-185 Excellent food + cocktails.
Bumbu Bali Jl Pratama Nusa Dua. Ph 774-502 Excellent food, Indonesian, Upmarket, pricey (hire a babysitter and go for a special night out with your husband!) - they also have a cooking school which is supposedly very good.
Kecak Bali (same owners as Bumbu Bali but cheaper) Jl. Pratama, Ops. Grand Mirage Hotel Tanjung Benoa - Nusa Dua 80363 Bali - Indonesia
Phone: 0361 - 775533 Fax: 0361 - 772963
Nyalan Restaurant Buala Village
Poco Loco Jl Pantai Mengiat Buala Village Ph 773-923
North of Nusa Dua. Mixed reports.
Surya Café- Jl Egars Lon 21. Benoa, Nusa Dua. 361.772016 50m before Chinese Temple. Seafood. Take you on boat. Eat on boat, drinks etc. Book and arrive 5pm.
Bali Bistro Café - cheap food - You can walk down the road to Bualu and a great restaurant is the Bali Bistro Cafe, just outside the main Nusa Dua gates. Any of the restaurants will pick you up from your hotel.
La Scala (villiage outside gate) Opposite Grand Mirage.
Lotus Garden, Jln Ngurah Rai, Nusa Dua (ph. 773.378) Free transport.
THINGS TO DO
As far as things to do with kids, there are lots of water sports along the beach that your older children would enjoy. You can also take a taxi to Waterbom Park and spend a day there - everyone seems to love it! We are going to take our boys there and also plan on doing a day trip up to Ubud and the Taro Elephant Park where you can ride the elephants.
Uluwatu Temple is not far from Nusa/Benoa and would make a good outing for the family. We plan on visiting it around sunset time and staying for the kecak dance (which starts at 6pm every night I think). There are monkeys at the temple too which the kids might find interesting/amusing, though I'm told you should take off all jewelery and sunglasses etc or the monkeys are likely to steal them!
Hope that gives you a few ideas. No doubt there will be plenty of people with lots of other helpful info for you. Enjoy your holiday!!!