Before the icy dark days begin and the fog sweeps in, you’re already thinking about the Christmas holidays. Your children need to discover new horizons and you need to find yourself. A holiday will uplift the moods and delight the whole family. What is the most appropriate destination for a winter vacation? Take a two-week vacation to travel to Bali for Christmas!
Why choose Bali for your Christmas holidays?
It is no coincidence that Bali is one of the three most popular Asian destinations for a family trip, thanks to quality hotels, varied activities, beautiful nature and a smiling population. Here are six reasons to travel to Bali for your Christmas holiday:
1. THE BALINESE LOVE CHILDREN
The Balinese certainly do love children. There will be very few Balinese who will not break into a big smile at the sight of your little ones. In a restaurant, do not worry if a waitress picks up your child in her arms and sings a song, as children are almost sacred in Bali.
2. THE BEST RESTAURANTS ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND NEW YEAR’S
In Bali, especially Seminyak and Ubud, you will love the traditional turkey dish with chestnuts. You can choose from several highly rated gourmet restaurants in Bali. In Seminyak there are Sardine, Metis and Le Bistro while in Ubud you can dine at the Mosaic, Bali Bridges and Indus Restaurant, among many others.
Balinese / Indonesian food is excellent and easily palatable for travelers. There are numerous restaurants that have been opened in recent years by expatriates throughout the island.
Going out on December 31 in Seminyak? There will be a plethora of parties! The fashionable places in 2014 include Favela, Potato Head, Cocoon, the carnival at Kuta Beach, Puputan Badung Square, etc.
If you do not want to keep your kids a part of the evening, babysitting services can be organized directly by your agency or your hotel that you booked to travel to Bali.
3. PLEASANT WEATHER
Bali is located in the southern hemisphere. While the chill of winter is felt in Europe or the USA, it is summer in Bali. When you will travel to Bali during Christmas, the temperatures in Bali oscillate between 28, 32 °c at sea level, and 15-20 ° c at the top of volcanoes. This is also the rainy season, so you may experience some warm rainfall from time to time followed by partly cloudy skies.
4. QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE, APARTMENTS & NANNIES
Comfort and safety are the key words when you travel to Bali with children. Many hotels in Bali do not meet quality standards, so choose wisely. Trip Advisor, booking.com and Agoda offer many options in Bali. If you are well advised by a local agent you can get great hotels that are ideal for families. These hotels are particularly popular for families with children: The Kebun Villa Belimbing, Puri Lumbung, Munduk Moding Plantation and the Sanak the Munduk, Taman Sari in Pemuteran, Coral View Amed or the Puri Sunia in Ubud.
5. ACTIVITIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Whether for small or large groups, travel to Bali is full of cultural and educational sports, and fun activities for the whole family. It is virtually impossible to be bored while vacationing in Bali. Some examples are illustrated in the section “The Essentials of Bali with Children.”
To Moms and Dads, relaxation and massages after a long year are well deserved! A sun break in the middle of winter, what better way to recharge the batteries! You can run and play sports on a beach, in the rice fields or in various sports complexes. If you prefer reading a book or relaxing in a gazebo by the sea, that is doable too. There can be nothing better than the sea and the green rice fields to relax when you travel to Bali for Christmas.
6. CHEAPER THAN A SKIING HOLIDAY
A trip to Bali with flights included will be less expensive than a trip to the mountains. In addition, you will receive better services and personalized support.
Our practical advice for a family travel to Bali
1. TRAVELING WITH A BABY OF 1, 2 OR 3 YEARS.
Young children need structure. If you come from Europe or the USA for a holiday in the sun it is possible that the change of location, climate and the time difference can confuse them. That is why it is important not to get too adventurous too soon. Ideally you should stick to a beautiful hotel with services tailored to children (child care, games, children’s pool, children’s menu, etc.). That way there will be fewer luggages to unpack and repack. Then you can explore Bali and end your stay in a beautiful villa by the sea or in rice fields. Choose accommodation with air conditioning, a swimming pool and a garden for the comfort of your children.
Due to the time difference and temperature differences, opt for a stay of at least 10 days. Your children will have enough time to adapt to the new destination and will be able to enjoy themselves (and therefore so will you!). You can stick to 2 or 3 hours of traveling per day. Shanti Travel offers child seats on request.
It is best to prepare the baby’s bag at home. Shanti Travel provides a checklist when planning your family travel to Bali to better prepare you. You may not always find supplies on site for diapers, water bottles or other items.
In case of any illness, we will provide the contact numbers of pediatricians and doctors of our children in Bali!
2. TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN FROM 3 TO 10 YEARS.
It is important to prepare your children to travel to Bali. Before leaving, give them some exciting information about Bali to stir their curiosity. We recommend a very good picture book called “My Balinese Life” by Sandrine Soimaud. Your children will be enthusiastic about the trip and all the potential discoveries.
Regarding biology and geography, you will have the opportunity to talk about volcanoes, tropical climate and exotic species such as monkeys, elephants, birds and many others. You will also visit rice paddies, cocoa fields and coffee, clove and spice plantations.
You’ll also glean a lot of information about Hinduism, the Dutch and English colonies, or the spice route. You could also practice and learn a few words of Indonesian.
Bali offers myriad sports activities. Your kids can get an introduction to surfing, nature walks or bike rides. This is the right age and the right place for sand castles too! However, keep in mind that some beaches have waves too high for children.
Remember to keep games to occupy your kids in the car or at the hotel. At Shanti Travel we offer a coloring book for each child traveling with us. We recommend Uno, a few toy cars or dolls.
Bali is a destination for healthy young children. The risk of disease is low to the extent that you take the necessary precautions. And the social environment is extremely healthy. The caring Balinese will take care of your kids while you take the time to relax. There will always be someone to keep an eye out for them. This is a great opportunity for your child to interact with Balinese locals and children.
3. TRAVELLING WITH TEENS
If your teen is showing no interest in sightseeing, do not worry! He/she is not the only one! They may spend a lot of time on the phone taking selfies. If it bothers you, encourage your teen to wander around.
In Bali, the culture is lively. There is no gigantic temple, boring museum or incomprehensible archaeological site. Here everything is vibrant and alive. The Balinese, dressed in their traditional costumes and arms laden with offerings, regularly visit temples for various ceremonies. This can be a real opportunity for your teenager to take photographs and sharpen his/her curiosity about travel to Bali.
Conflicts between teenagers and parents on holidays are common. Teens need time to themselves, and so do you. We advise you to have days where everyone can go about doing different activities by themselves. For example, we can arrange surf lessons for your teens while you can bask on the beach!
The five essentials of Bali with children
Dad, Mom, what are we doing today? A family trip is often a nice holiday for children, but many parents get fatigued. How do you take care of your darlings while keeping some time for yourselves? What can you do in Bali with children?
1. SPORTS ACTIVITIES
For 7-10 year olds and teenagers, Bali offers many adventure sport activities: rafting, canoeing, paintball, surfing, kite surfing, snorkeling, diving, paragliding, volcano climbing, bike rides, biking in the jungle, kayaking, etc. Your teenagers will keep coming back for more.
2. WILDLIFE PARKS
When you travel to Bali with childrens, nothing is like animals to delight the young and old. The wildlife parks in Bali are not to be missed: the Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali bird park (Bird Park) in Gianyar, the Elephant Park north of Ubud and the Bali Safari & Marine Park. If these are not enough and you and your children want to see more animals, take them to see the seabed of Amed, Pemuteran or Lembongan where colorful fish and manta rays will be waiting for you! Go to Lovina to see the dolphins. Visit the Monkey Forest of Sangeh. Discover beautiful specimens in the Butterfly Park. Visit the nursery of turtles in Pemuteran. Or ride small horses in Pemuteran or Canggu.
3. CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
There are many temples in Bali and your children will visit the first few with delight. But make sure you do not visit them all otherwise boredom and sighs will be waiting for you. So which should you choose from? There are the legendary sites of Tanah Lot, Ulun Danu, Besakih, Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi and Uluwatu and the lesser-known temples of Bangli, Taman Ayun, Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu Pura Lempuyang, Brahma Vihara, Batukaru Ulun Danu Batur. All are beautiful and have their advantages and disadvantages. So choose based on your preferences! Shanti Travel will be happy to show you some temples according to Balinese ceremonies and other festivities.
4. INTRODUCTION TO BALINESE CULTURE – BALINESE DAY
We urge you to spend a day with a Balinese family. Discover their lifestyle overnight. They will take you to their village and you will discover the techniques of planting rice and introduce yourself to the secrets of Balinese cuisine. Ploughing a field with a cow with mud up to your knees should shake up the holiday a bit!
5. RENT A HOUSE IN BALI
To satisfy the whole family, renting a villa is ideal. You can use the services of a babysitter while you visit the beach, enjoy a massage or visit the unmissable cultural sites. In the meanwhile, your teens can indulge in some sports activities. Your children will find their bearings in a villa more easily. They will be less disturbed, will sleep better and you can have your own tree! We particularly recommend the villas near the sea in Seminyak and Canggu or activities around Ubud.
Moreover, Santa Claus, will he come to Bali to drop off the gifts?
Do not worry. Father Christmas will find his way to your children. As local travel experts, Shanti Travel knows Indonesia in general and Bali in particular. If there is no chimney in Bali, then leave the door open!
For more information on the pace of travel to Bali, activities for children, villas and hotels best suited for your family, contact the travel experts of Shanti Travel Bali: http://www.shantitravel.com/en/indonesia-travel/christmas-in-bali-with-family/
