Sibella Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 So we are thinking of meeting my inlaws in Bali later in this year but I'm finding it quite difficult as I don't know where to begin.We will have our three kids and the youngest will be nearly two then which is a big consideration.So my question is firstly where to stay - Seminyak / Ubud / Nua Dusa - or a few days in two places?What are these places like? I'm actually leaning towards going to a kid friendly resort with lots for the kids to do but then some of the adults can go out and explore as it seems quite tricky with kids i.e. no car seats available, difficulty getting around with strollers, etc?And if not Bali where can we can that is six or less hours flight time from Melbourne? Wanted to do Fiji but you can't fly there from South Africa so would defy the purpose for my in laws.Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyskies Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 We went to Bali with our children in 2011. A few things to note:1. Bali is nothing like Maritius, so if you have been to a Mauritius resort with the fantastic kids clubs, forget about it. We searched hard to find a facility with a decent kids club. Most of the time they want you to hire a nanny for the children that you have to pay an hourly rate to. We eventually booked into a place with a kids club (all indoors) that we got 90 minutes free a day. It may be better to book into a Villa with a nanny service that you don't have to pay hotel rates for.2. Semanyak - very busy. You definitely can't use a stroller, there are open drains and broken pavements all over the show. It has a lot of restaurants and there is lots to do for adults or older children. Beach is not great. It is very dirty and we were warned about theft on the beach. My husband surfed quite a bit, but commented that there was a lot of stuff in the water.3. Nusa Dua - I haven't been there but people (who don't have children) have said it is very nice.4. Ubud - very nice and tranquil, it is in the mountains. Well known for meditation and yoga. Not many restaurants. Great for long walks, vising the elephant reserve, getting back to the country, but far from the beaches.We went to an island south of Bali itself, very nice and relaxed, beaches were clean and we felt much safer than in the main centres.Friends of ours have been to Balianne (I think that is how you spell it) and they said it was great, beaches are clean, locals are friendly but don't help themselves to your stuff, more reasonably priced.I would like to go to the far north side of Bali where the black volcanic beaches are, as apparently the water is fantastically clear and you can swim with dolphins. There is also diving up in the north. Not sure if there are kids clubs up there.Don't try and drive yourself in Bali, it is insane. You can hire a car (with a driver) for a day for about $40. Take your babyseat with and then you just put into your driver's car and he looks after all your stuff while you wonder around. Stay away from Kuta. There is a large waterpark that was a lot of fun, but it is full of bogans and your children should probably be a bit bigger. People we spoke to were still a bit nervous about Kuta because of the bombing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibella Posted May 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2013 Thanks Sunnyskies that's very helpful. Luckily we have never been to Mauritius, but we did have a great kids club experience in Singapore!!I think a few days in Ubud and then the rest of the time in Nusa Dua should work - I've had a look at the hotels in Nusa Dua and many of them have kids clubs and some have waterslides so I think the kids will enjoy it there the most. Also it's not so busy and the beaches seem nice.It is far away from any action though but the way you describe it I think that's a good thing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizM Posted May 10, 2013 Report Share Posted May 10, 2013 My BIL and SIL are there at the moment with their 14 month old. I've messaged to ask where they recommend. The last time they went was just the two of them (about 2yrs ago) so the comparison will be fresh and their experience very recent.Will let you know once they've replied.We're planning on meeting friends there in about a year or so for a reunion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enrica Posted May 10, 2013 Report Share Posted May 10, 2013 I don't know how old your kids are , but there are some lovely places with great kids clubs.The Westin inNusa Dua has a great kids clubThe Dynasty in Tuban has probably the best kids club I like Tunjung Benoa as an area . Nice beaches , not as expensive as Nusa Dua -theAston Bali is a hidden gem.No kids club though .Ubud is beautiful, it's in the mountains , and a nice change of pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanieR Posted May 10, 2013 Report Share Posted May 10, 2013 We loved the Westin in Nusa Dua. Kids club is great with lots of activities. Loved the lovely pools and slides. Great for lazy holiday in a resort. Never swam in the ocean - beach at hotel not great. Fantastic breakfasts!!! Bit pricey but we felt worth it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizM Posted May 13, 2013 Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 BIL says Sanur far more chilled side of the island. Kuta crazy busy but very cool.He said they went on trip adviser and decided from there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyskies Posted May 13, 2013 Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 Trip adviser was very good - found the best deal through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emille Posted May 13, 2013 Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 after reading this i am not sure why anybody goes to bali? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibella Posted May 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 Yes that is also what I wondered when I started researching it. And it's not cheap either. But many people love it so there must be something about the place? Maybe the people are nice? Well the ones that don't throw bombs or accost you in the street selling things you don't need?The beaches don't seem nice either and it's apparently quite dirty as well? One also needs to watch out for stray rabid dogs and monkeys biting you / your kids? And the hospitals don't have the proper medication so then you need to fly to Singapore to get it. And then there is Bali belly and stopping my one year old from drinking her bathwater... which is impossible because she even drinks water from puddles at the moment....My first preference would be to move Australia closer to South Africa. Bali is plan B. Or maybe C.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyskies Posted May 13, 2013 Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 Lol, we had similar thoughts after our trip. We decided next time we are going to Fiji. Chatting to my sister in SA we agreed we may meet up in Vietnam, which apparently has very nice resorts and is more pleasant than Bali with fewer bogans.I wouldn't write Bali off completely, but try very hard to get away from the madding crowd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizM Posted May 13, 2013 Report Share Posted May 13, 2013 I thought Bali was cheap from Oz - hence why so many Ozzies go - I have aunts/uncles and cousins that go at least once a year :/What about Thailand as an alternate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherylC Posted May 14, 2013 Report Share Posted May 14, 2013 We've been to Thailand and enjoyed every moment! We took one of those package deals where you stay at a 4 star hotel (Andaman Seaview in our case) bed and breakfast included for 7 nights. April and May are cheaper as it is moving into their monsoon season - and don't worry, we had plenty of sunshine to enjoy two boat trips to the islands and days on the beach and just merely walking around and exploring. I must add, that I'm not too sure about kid friendlyiness as we did not see many people with kids around and activities like boat trips, might not be comfortable or even safe if they are too young? We were mainly situated in the Karan and Patong regions. It would be interesting to hear from others about kid friendly regions/beaches.The trip cost us just under R10 000 each - flights, transfer to and from the airport, hotel accomodation (b&, one free dinner, one free day tpur around town and to see the big buddha as well as one Thai massage included. Definitely affordable and great value for money!It would be interesting to see what the costs would be from Australia's side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherylC Posted May 14, 2013 Report Share Posted May 14, 2013 ?..ooops! Meant one day trip. Cannot seem to edit my message from a tablet. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansaPlease Posted May 14, 2013 Report Share Posted May 14, 2013 Cheryl, we just got back from Thailand, Swissotel Resort, Kamala Beach which is about 20mins to Patong by taxi. We went early April, it was steaming hot without a drop of rain. We paid around $1500 per person (R14k) for a 2 bedroom apartment, flights and transfers, so a bit more expensive than the SA side, but lets face it, I think 14k is easier to raise on an Aus salary than 10k is on a SA salary.... I think... Anyway, we really enjoyed it. Food was amazing, resort was great, they were very good to our kids, however the kids club was disappointing from an activities point of view. Their facilities were great but their programs were a bit amateur. We'll definitely go back to Thailand, probably Kho-Samui next time before we set foot in Bali. From the research I've done on Bali, it doesn't seem as nice as Thailand. People keep going there because it's cheap. Cheap brings idiots. There are plenty of idiots in Thailand, but more in Bali. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enrica Posted May 14, 2013 Report Share Posted May 14, 2013 If you go cheap as chips you will get bogans, if you stay away from the areas such as Kuta , Tuban, legian and try the other parts of the island , you will be pleasantly surprized.Bali is not called the island of the gods for nothing, it is a beautiful island, the rie terraces are spectacular , the Northern part and Western part of the island are beautiful. The Gili islands and Lonbok are beautiful. Nusa/Sanur and benoa are frequente by a better class of person, both Australian and European, so please dont be so judgemental.Hansa in all fairness , if you had stay slap bang in Patong instead of kamala Bay , you would have encountered the same element that you encounter in places like Kuta.Please compare apples with apples.If you go cheap as chips in bali , you are going to encounter the bogan. You go stay in Patong, you will encounter bogansbali is a good alternative for West Australians, as its much cheaper than flying to Sydney/Brisbane or melbpurne , and much cheaper than staying there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansaPlease Posted May 14, 2013 Report Share Posted May 14, 2013 Hansa in all fairness , if you had stay slap bang in Patong instead of kamala Bay , you would have encountered the same element that you encounter in places like Kuta.Please compare apples with apples.Kuta is bigger than Patong with about 5 times the population. Therefore, probably attracts more Bogans. Of course you have to compare Apples with Apples when zooming in on an area, but I wasn't zooming in on an area, I was generalising - Thailand in total versus Bali in total. I'm realise that both have their good areas and both have their bad, like any country. I stand by what I said though - I know that Thailand also attracts idiots, I just think that Bali attracts more. More than happy to change my position if presented with evidence to the contrary - I only form an opinion based on the information I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enrica Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 The only evidence that will change your mind is if you visit the island.They are 2 very different destinations, Bali has its bogans and Thailand has this wonderful sex trade ...2 very different animals.I love both, for very different reasons, and I most certainly dont like Kuta and its bogans or Patong for its bogans and sleezy sex bars etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibella Posted May 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2013 Well at least I now know what to expect and which places to avoid. I will update if we do end up going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydeeb Posted July 7, 2013 Report Share Posted July 7, 2013 Cheryl, we just got back from Thailand, Swissotel Resort, Kamala Beach which is about 20mins to Patong by taxi. We went early April, it was steaming hot without a drop of rain. We paid around $1500 per person (R14k) for a 2 bedroom apartment, flights and transfers, so a bit more expensive than the SA side, but lets face it, I think 14k is easier to raise on an Aus salary than 10k is on a SA salary.... I think... Anyway, we really enjoyed it. Food was amazing, resort was great, they were very good to our kids, however the kids club was disappointing from an activities point of view. Their facilities were great but their programs were a bit amateur. We'll definitely go back to Thailand, probably Kho-Samui next time before we set foot in Bali. From the research I've done on Bali, it doesn't seem as nice as Thailand. People keep going there because it's cheap. Cheap brings idiots. There are plenty of idiots in Thailand, but more in Bali.Hi HansaPlease,Would it be ok to let me know which travel group/package you went with for your trip please ?Cheersjimmi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansaPlease Posted July 7, 2013 Report Share Posted July 7, 2013 Hi HansaPlease,Would it be ok to let me know which travel group/package you went with for your trip please ?CheersjimmiHi, no problem. The operator was Destination Asia and it was booked trough Corporate Traveller (Part of Flight Centre)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydeeb Posted July 7, 2013 Report Share Posted July 7, 2013 Hi, no problem. The operator was Destination Asia and it was booked trough Corporate Traveller (Part of Flight Centre)...Thanks mate, much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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