Bali & The Nusa Islands: A Family Guide to Where We Stayed, Ate, and Explored

After an eighteen-hour journey, we landed in Bali ready to slow down and properly explore — from cliffside temples and volcano hikes to island-hopping around the Nusa Islands. Here's everything we loved along the way.

Uluwatu

We stayed at Casa Asia, a beautiful small boutique hotel with a lovely pool and an on-site Italian restaurant — a gentle, relaxing base for settling in after a long flight and some serious jet lag.

Beaches: Balangan Beach is lovely but quite rocky underfoot, while Padang Padang Beach and Dreamland Beach are both great family spots for an afternoon in the water.

Culture: Uluwatu Temple is a must-see, though be prepared for resident monkeys, big crowds, and a long queue if you're hoping to catch the traditional Kecak fire dance — it's hot, packed, and can be a lot for little ones.

Family-friendly eats: Ohanas and Cashew Tree both have fantastic outdoor playgrounds, making them easy wins with kids in tow. Humans has a park and trampoline alongside lovely food, and Orange Resto Warung is a cheap, cheerful local warung with great service, just a five-minute walk from Casa Asia. Satu is a lovely buffet-style restaurant worth booking for dinner.

Wellness: Spot Massage is a great spot for a first Balinese massage.

Practical tip: Gymbeam is a good local gym nearby, easily reached by Grab or Go-jek bike.

Kintamani & Mount Batur

For volcano views, we stayed at Dewanga Mountain View, a homestay-style guesthouse near Mount Batur booked through Airbnb, with a warm, welcoming host family — just be aware the surrounding farmland (rich in the volcanic soil locals use to grow onions, chillies, and tomatoes) brings a lot of flies.

The hike: Climbing Mount Batur starts with an early jeep ride up before sunrise. It's a genuinely tough hike for younger kids — ours needed carrying part of the way — but the summit is spectacular: steam rising from the crater, monkeys nearby, and incredible views as the sun comes up.

Our guide, kadek was wonderful and endlessly patient with the kids — you can follow him on Instagram at guide.mountbatur.bali

Beyond the hike: Mount Batur Hot Springs is a relaxing way to unwind afterwards, and a jeep ride through the local villages gives a lovely glimpse of daily farming life in the area.

Lovina

We stayed at Villa Kelapa, booked through Booking.com — a stunning private villa tucked down a quiet alleyway behind locked gates, with gorgeous gardens, indoor-outdoor bathrooms, and plenty of space for the whole family.

Wildlife & nature: A dolphin cruise here is a highlight — we saw dolphins swimming right alongside the boat and stopped to snorkel over some beautiful coral. Gitgit Waterfall and Sekumpul Waterfall are both worth the bike ride north, riding through rice fields and local villages along the way.

Wellness: A one-hour Balinese massage, facial, and reflexology here comes to just £12 each — excellent value.

Where to eat: Buda Bakery for a relaxed lunch. Semina Restaurant and Apple Warung are both near the beach, while Jaring Resto is a very short walk from Villa Kelapa. Central Bar Lovina has live music and good food, and Mixue is a hit with kids for ice cream.

Also worth it: If you're staying in the Villa Kelapa area, keep an eye out for a very kind local man called Jimi Hendrix who runs a local kids' dance and art school — he invited us to see one of their shows on our first night there, which featured traditional Balinese dancing and singing, the kids were adorable.

Treat afternoon at Highlights Beauty for nails.

Ubud

Where to eat: Clear Café is a beautiful, shoes-off, open-air spot with carp ponds and healthy food — a real standout. Secret Garden Restaurant, Compound Warung, and Jiwa warung(a lovely small boutique warung) are all worth seeking out, and Chatime is the spot for boba tea in town.

Wellness: Hesa Spa is an incredible-value spa experience — a hot and cold plunge, steam room, and a three-hour treatment including a body scrub, avocado body mask, massage, and facial, finished with tea and snacks, all for around £54 including tip.

Views & nature: Tis Café overlooks the stunning Tegallalang Rice Terraces and has a pool, sun beds, and a swing looking out over the fields. Walking up through the terraces, we found a local stall selling fresh coconuts run by a lovely lady — and some very cute kittens.

Things to do: Ubud Palace and the local markets are worth exploring, quad biking is a fun family adventure- we booked this through getyourguide, below is the booking link and discount code- https://www.getyourguide.com/en-gb/ubud-l32246/ubud-atv-quad-bike-adventure-with-lunch-transfer-t392681/?ranking_uuid=ee2d38f0-8eef-4fe3-95c6-a79bf4601234&utm_medium=sharing&utm_campaign=activity_details_mweb&sharing_exp=hem-adp-share-modal-shortlinks-mweb_a

Bali Family Hangout is a shaded playground with a small pool and slides and The Ridge Trail is a lovely spot for a family walk. Fit Circle is a solid air-conditioned gym option, and there's a good local barber for kids' haircuts too.

Sanur

Family fun: There's a seafront water park, which is part of Bamboo beach bar and lounge, we had dinner in the restaurant which allowed free access to the slides and pools, great for burning off energy.

Joining a baby turtle release back into the ocean — a genuinely special experience for kids. The local mall is clean and worth a wander, and hiring bicycles to ride the beachfront is an easy, relaxed way to spend an afternoon.

Where to eat: Soul on the Beach, Shotgun Social, Bellisimo Warung, and Lillas Warung (lovely food and service) all come recommended.

Wellness: Sumi Spa is a great choice for a relaxing massage.

Practical tip: There's an old-school, no-AC gym here if you want a proper workout without the frills.

Nusa Lembongan

We stayed at Palm Grove Villas near Mushroom Bay — a beautiful, friendly hotel that set the tone for a much more relaxed pace as soon as we arrived (though getting luggage over by boat takes a bit of patience).

Beaches: Mushroom Bay has white sand and beautifully clear water, perfect for kids to play in. Watching the surfers by the crane shipwreck on Jungubatu beach is a lovely way to spend an afternoon while enjoying a delicious lunch and fresh coconut at Ginger & Jamu. The outdoor beach cinema at the beach shack is a fun family treat.

Island exploring: Hiring scooters is the best way to explore the island and see the famous Devil's Tears and Dream Beach. Crossing the yellow bridge takes you to Ceningan Island — a tiny, chilled island lined with seaweed farms and home to a stunning blue lagoon where we spotted turtles swimming below the cliffs. The remote, mangrove-lined north of Lembongan is worth the ride for its quiet green roads and village scenery.

Where to eat: Indi Warung has nice food and live music. Mola Mola- Mushroom bay is a nice chilled spot for lunch right on the beach. Ginger & Jamu- Jungubatu beach.

Nusa Penida

A quick boat ride from Lembongan brings you to Nusa Penida, an island with its own distinct, laid-back feel.

Beaches & nature: Crystal Bay is a brilliant spot for rock-pooling — crabs, fish, and calm water make it very kid-friendly. Angel's Billabong and Broken Beach are dramatic must-sees, along with a striking Medusa-style statue, and Kelingking Beach's viewpoint comes with plenty of resident monkeys.

A word of caution: Boat trips to snorkel with manta rays can be rough, with some operators dropping swimmers in dangerously close to the cliffs — worth checking conditions carefully and trusting your instincts if it doesn't feel safe.

Where to eat: Amok Sunset for a beautiful sunset dinner, Kima bay Restaurant for something special, and Mambo Beach Bar for an easy sunset with dinner on the sand.

Getting around: Scooters and bikes are the best way to cover the island's spread-out sights.

More soon as the adventure continues!