Bali is a world of incredible sensations, woven from an abundance of bright colors, huge waves from the tops of which surfers are rapidly rushing, volcanoes, pagodas of temples towering over the lush greenery of rice terraces. These are unforgettable holidays and a general positive atmosphere. This is a real fairy tale. One has only to decide where it is better to relax in Bali so that the pastime meets the personal preferences of lovers of active or passive recreation.
Balinese holidays with kids
For parents planning to take their children with them, it is important to know that Bali is an island where kids can get fresh fruits and he althy seafood, enjoy the warmth of the sun, bask in plenty on sandy beaches and swim in the gentle ocean. Bali has a developed infrastructure focused on the needs of children: playgrounds are equipped, animation 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 resorts of the "island paradise" are equally good for kids, so you need to carefully consider the issuewhere it is better to relax with children in Bali.
First of all, it is worth considering the general concept of rest on the "island of the Gods".
February holidays in Bali
February in Bali is the time of prolonged tropical downpours that come to the island from the northeast along with the monsoons. High humidity, gusty winds and thunderstorms with daytime temperatures of +32 oC and +23 oC at night are the norm for this season. However, in recent years, the February weather has increasingly become unpredictable and is able to please vacationers with two "dry" weeks, which cannot be predicted in advance - it's up to luck.
The weather leaves a certain imprint on the choice of places where it is better to relax in Bali in February. Rest on the beach fades into the background, because due to heavy rains the water becomes cloudy, the sand loses its charm, on which snags and algae are carried by the surf. But the rains have a beneficial effect on rice plantations in the central part of Bali: they become lush, acquire a rich color of bright greenery. Jatiluwih (rice fields), Batur volcano crater, national parks (wildlife habitats), craft villages, hot springs - these are the places to spend time in February, enjoying a relaxing holiday on an unusually sparsely populated "Isle of the Gods".
New Year… in March
In March, the wind slowly calms down, the waves calm down a little. And although diving enthusiasts cannot yet get true pleasure due to visibility reduced by rains under water, surfers,snorkelers and kite surfers can already find suitable bays for their activities.
But still not diving and riding the waves is the main form of entertainment during this period. Rafting on the steep rapids of the Ayung River, climbing Mount Agung - these are the best places to relax in Bali in March for those who want to get their portion of adrenaline.
A special curiosity for tourists who came to Bali in March is the celebration of the New Year according to the Balinese calendar. This holiday falls in March or April - it's up to you how lucky you are. The festival takes five days. For two days, carnival processions pass through the streets, at this time you can plunge headlong into masquerade processions, funny dances, see an impressive parade of monsters.
April - the 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 tourists, and this gives an additional pleasure to stay here.
Those who gathered on 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 most of their time on the beach, several resorts will be the most attractive: fashionable Nusa Dua, for family holidays - Jimbaran, Sanur - for families with children. The strength of the tides here is insignificant, the waves are low, 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, Jimbaran, Seminyak and Legian are ideal conditions created by nature. Forprofessional wave tamers will be more attractive to Kut and Uluwat.
Climbing Mount Batur or Mount Agung loses the charm of a winter visit to the island. In April, dense fog hangs over the mountain peaks, so the forest trails 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 Indonesian Pearl
In June winter comes to Bali. For the inhabitants of the Northern Hemisphere, it appears in an unexpected light: it is hot and sunny in Bali in winter - the proximity to the equator makes itself felt. Monsoon winds coming from the southeast bring dry and clear weather. Rare precipitation usually falls at night.
The question of where it is better to relax in Bali in June is losing its relevance, as it is time for a full 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 ceremonies and holidays filled with a special atmosphere of mysticism, festivals, sightseeing trips to sacred places, a fascinating journey deep into the jungle, relaxing tours to thermal springs - any kind of leisure becomes available: prices are just starting to rise, and the influx of tourists feels less intense than it does in July or August.
Bali Island: where is the best place to relax with children
Due to the seasonal peculiarities, the best time for families with children is from April to June. Holidays in July and August should be treated with caution due to the high air temperature at this time.
Considering the question of where it is better to relax with children in Bali, you should carefully consider the characteristics of the areas, choosing among them those that have positively proven themselves among tourists who come on vacation with whole families.
Kut, Seminyak, Legin are located on the west coast - resorts are crowded, noisy, hectic, with dense buildings. There are always waves on the beach. These areas are favorite places for surfers, but not very suitable for families with children.
Bukit and Jimbaran, located in the south, are characterized in a completely different way.
Bukit is a quiet place with a kind of "non-touristic" atmosphere: few people, almost no traffic jams, lush fresh greenery and a variety of beaches with or without waves. There are charming monkeys on the Dreamland beach, on the spacious Balangan, at low tide, the kids love to splash in the resulting "baths", Uluwatu is mysteriously located under the stone arches.
Jimbaran has a calm coastline. There are no waves here, housing is relatively cheap, the infrastructure is developed, and the abundance of small seafood restaurants pleases.
East Coast & Downtown Bali
The eastern and central part of the island can also be seen as an opportunity to organize children's holidays 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 families. Spacious sandy beaches, the descent into the water is gentle and safe, the sea is calm, and the coastal water zone is shallow.
Ubud is a cool place where a forest teeming with monkeys spreads freely, rice fields and handicraft villages stretch for many kilometers, houses are distinguished by spacious terraces. Ubud hosts the internationally acclaimed Green Camp Bali school-age children's camp, where they study the flora and fauna of the island, learn how to collect cocoa beans, and show how chocolate is made.
Ubud is a calm and comfortable place. However, its location in the heart of the island means that it takes about an hour to get to the sea along winding roads.
Water activities for young tourists
Southern warmth and water activities are complementary concepts for toddlers and school-aged children. There are many options for vacationers to choose from, where it is better 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).
Travelers can get real pleasure in one of two huge water parks 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 revealed its full potentialleast.
Where to go with children
Bali is not the place where you can spend all day from morning to evening on the beach. The sultry sun and endless waves quickly tire young tourists. Therefore, it is quite reasonable for parents to ask where it is better to relax in Bali with the benefit of the kids. The island is fraught with a huge number of surprises. Among them:
- Sea Turtle Farm (Siringan Island).
- Lovina, where you can ride a boat at dawn, watching the dolphins frolic in the morning sun, and then take part in the 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 with over 2,000 species of butterflies.
- 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 300 crocodile species thrive.
Botanical Garden, Elephant Park, Monkey Forest… The list of amazing places on the Bali Island seems endless.
Where is it better to relax in Bali: reviews
According to the reviews of tourists who have chosen Bali for families 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 quieter place, without heavy traffic, with a gently sloping ocean floor in the coastal zone.
Canggu - the most beautiful black sand beach, clear ocean, privacy, but very far to get to the water park, shops, children's attractions. Nusa Dua - an ideal place to relax 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 little appeal to adults.
Long excursions for young children are tiring, as they do not tolerate heat, overheat, and act up.
The overall impression is this: Bali is not the place to choose if you plan a holiday designed exclusively for children. But if adults want to spend time in Bali, then it is definitely worth taking children with you, 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 the best place to relax? This question appears at the moment when it comes to vacations in exotic countries and wonderful islands in the middle of the ocean. Where is the best place to go? What criteria should be followed to make the right decision?
Road and travel time. From Moscow to Bali, the approximate time of a direct flight is 12 hours, with transfers - 19 hours. From the Far East (Vladivostok, Khabarovsk) you can get there in 8 hours of a direct flight. To Thailand minimumthe direct flight time 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 going on a trip, then Thailand is preferable.
Housing. Travel companies can offer accommodation 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: the rainy season in January-February, a steady dry period in June-October. In Thailand, the weather is more capricious. Therefore, if you want to be sure that the rest 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 the realm of positive emotions and a breathtaking variety of experiences. Thailand is mountain peaks with falling waterfalls, pristine fresh greenery of tropical thickets; elephants, rhinoceroses and monkeys - an amazing world of peace and tranquility.
Beaches. Bali is a multi-colored 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 is sandy beaches, cozylocated 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: in Bali or in Thailand? Holidays in Bali are more active, in Thailand - calm and measured. But both Thailand and Bali are able to give a huge amount of impressions, deliver an unforgettable vacation experience.
