Bali is a world of incredible sensations, woven from an abundance of bright colors, huge waves, from the tops of which surfers, volcanoes, temple pagodas, towering above the lush green of rice terraces, are swiftly rushing. These are unforgettable holidays and the general atmosphere of positive. This is a fairy tale in reality. One has only to decide where it is better to relax in Bali, so that the pastime corresponds to the personal preferences of lovers of active or passive recreation.
Balinese holidays with children
For parents planning to take their children with them, it is important to know that Bali is an island where kids get fresh fruits and healthy seafood, can enjoy the warmth of the sun, enjoy plenty of fun on the sandy beaches and swim in the gentle ocean. In Bali, an infrastructure focused on the needs of children has been developed: playgrounds are equipped, animators are offered, children's clubs work, 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 relaxing kids, so you need to carefully consider the issue of where it is better to relax with children in Bali.
To begin with, it is worth considering the general concept of relaxation on the "island of the Gods."
February holiday in Bali
February in Bali is a time of protracted tropical downpours that come to the island from the northeast along with the monsoons. High humidity, gusty wind and thunderstorms at a daytime temperature of +32 ° C and +23 ° C at night are the norm for this season. However, in recent years, the February weather has become increasingly unpredictable and is able to please vacationers with two “dry” weeks, which are impossible to predict in advance - it’s really lucky.
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 of heavy rains, the water becomes cloudy, sand loses its charm, on which the drift carries driftwood and algae. 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. Jatilyuvikh (rice fields), the crater of the volcano Batur, national parks (habitats of wild animals), craft villages, thermal springs - these are the places to spend time in February, enjoying a relaxing holiday on the unusually uninhabited “island of the Gods”.
New Year ... in March
In March, the wind slowly calms down, the waves are slightly pacified. And although diving enthusiasts still can not get real pleasure because of the reduced visibility under the rains under water, lovers of surfing, snorkeling and kite surfing 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 - this is where it is better to relax in Bali in March for those who want to get their portion of adrenaline.
A special wonder for tourists who arrived in Bali in March is the celebration of the New Year according to the Balinese calendar. This holiday falls on March or April - here it is how lucky. The festival takes five days. For two days, carnival processions take place in the streets, at this time you can plunge into masquerade processions, funny dances, and 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 vacationers, and this gives an additional pleasure to stay here.
Those 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 the bulk of their time on the beach, several resorts will be most attractive: the fashionable Nusa Dua, for family holidays - Jimbaran, Sanur - for relaxing with children. The strength of the ebb and flow is insignificant, the waves are low, there are all conditions for diving. Tulamben, an island in the north-east of Bali, is also good for this type of outdoor activity.
For beginner surfers, the ideal conditions are created by nature in Jimbaran, Seminyak and Legian. For professional wave tamers, Kut and Uluwat will be more attractive.
Climbing Batur volcano or Mount Agung loses the charm inherent in a winter visit to the island. In April, dense fog hangs over the mountain peaks, so forest routes become more interesting: monkey forest or mangrove forest, coffee or rice plantations.
Rafting, water park, Balinese temples - in April in Bali you can find classes for every taste.
The summer charm of the Indonesian pearl
Winter comes to Bali in June. For residents of the Northern Hemisphere, it appears in an unexpected light: in winter it is hot and sunny in Bali - it makes itself felt close to the equator. Monsoon winds coming from the southeast bring dry and clear weather. Rare rainfall usually occurs at night.
The question of where it is better to relax in Bali in June is losing its relevance, since 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 the thermal springs - any kind of leisure becomes affordable: prices are just starting to rise, and the influx of vacationers is not so acute, as it happens in July or August.
Bali Island: where to relax with children
Given the seasonal features, the best time to relax with children is the period from April to June. Rest 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 districts, choosing among them those that have positively proven themselves among tourists who come to rest with their families.
On the west coast are Kut, Seminyak, Legin - resorts are crowded, noisy, bustling, with dense buildings. There are always waves on the beach. These areas are favorite places for surfers, but unsuitable for families with children.
Bukit and Jimbaran located in the south are characterized in a completely different way.
Bukit is a quiet place with some kind of “non-tourism” atmosphere: there are few people, there are almost no traffic jams, lush fresh greenery and a variety of beaches with or without waves. On the Dreamland beach - charming monkeys, on the spacious Balangan at low tide the kids love to splash around in the formed “bathtubs”, Uluwatu is mysteriously located under stone arches.
Jimbaran has a calm coastline. There are no waves, housing is relatively cheap, the infrastructure is developed, the abundance of small restaurants with seafood pleases.
East coast and center of Bali
The eastern and central part of the island can also be considered as an opportunity to organize a children's vacation 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, gentle and safe descent into the water, the sea is calm, and the coastal water zone is shallow.
Ubud is a cool place where a forest abounding with monkeys freely stretches, rice fields and craft villages stretch for miles, houses have spacious terraces. In Ubud, there is an internationally known camp for school children Green Camp Bali, where they study the flora and fauna of the island, learn to collect cocoa beans, and show how chocolate is produced.
Ubud is a quiet comfortable place. However, its location in the heart of the island leads to the fact that you need to get to the sea for about an hour along winding roads.
Water activities for young tourists
Southern heat and water activities are complementary concepts for children of primary and school age. The choice of vacationers offers many options where it is better to relax in Bali for lovers of water activities.
In expensive hotels there are 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).
Vacationers can get real pleasure in one of the two huge water parks that are located in Kut: Waterbom (a real water city in a huge area) and New Kuta GREENPARK, which opened a couple of years ago and has not yet revealed its full potential.
Where to go with children
Bali is not a place where you can spend all days from morning to evening on the beach. The hot sun and endless waves quickly tire young tourists. Therefore, it is quite reasonable for parents to ask themselves a question of where it is better to relax in Bali for the benefit of children. The island is fraught with a huge number of surprises. Among them:
- Farm where sea turtles are bred (Syringan Island).
- Lovina, where at dawn you can ride a boat, admiring the dolphins frolic in the morning sun, and then take part in a dolphin show.
- The zoo near Ubud, open to visitors not only in the daytime, but also at night.
- Taman Nasional Bali Barat National Park, where wildlife is preserved for its natural conditions.
- Butterfly Park, in which the variety of butterflies is more than 2000 species.
- Park of birds. Here, majestic flamingos are adjacent to birds of prey, all in all, the park contains about a thousand species of birds.
- Reptile park, where representatives of 300 species of crocodiles feel at ease.
Botanical Garden, Elephant Park, Monkey Forest ... The list of amazing places on the Balinese island seems limitless.
Where better to relax in Bali: reviews
According to the reviews of tourists who chose Bali for families with children, Kut is not the best place: narrow streets that make it difficult to get to the water park, kids club, shops, a large slope of the bottom, which makes it possible for children to swim only during low tides.
Seminyak is a quieter place, without heavy traffic, with a shallow ocean floor in the coastal zone.
Canggu is a beautiful beach with black sand, a clear ocean, privacy, but it is very far to get to the water park, shops, children's attractions.
Nusa Dua is an ideal place for families with children: well-groomed lawns, an abundance of shops, beaches are protected by reefs that hold back waves, at low tide it is very shallow, which is good for kids, but not attractive to adults.
Long excursions for young children are tiring, as they do not tolerate heat, overheat, and act up.
The general impression is this: Bali is not a place that is worth choosing if you plan a vacation designed exclusively for children. But if adults want to spend time precisely in Bali, then children should definitely be taken with them, taking care of sunscreen, headgear, a special regime of the day and means of prevention from insect bites.
Thailand and Bali: road, housing, climate
Thailand or Bali: where is the best place to relax? This question appears at a time when it comes to holidays in exotic countries and on wonderful islands in the middle of the ocean. Where is better to go? What criteria should be followed to make the right decision?
The road and travel time. From Moscow to Bali, the approximate time of a direct flight is 12 hours, with transfers - 19. From the Far East (Vladivostok, Khabarovsk) you can get in 8 hours of a direct flight. Thailand has a minimum direct flight time of 6 hours, a maximum of 10. Thus, Thailand can be reached almost twice as fast as Bali. If the flight time is a significant factor for those planning to travel, then Thailand is preferable.
Housing. Travel agencies can offer accommodation of any class of service in Thailand and Bali, depending on the personal preferences of tourists.
Climate. Equatorial monsoon in both resorts. In Bali, the weather is fairly predictable: the rainy season in January-February, a steady dry period
in June-October. In Thailand, the weather is more moody. Therefore, if you want to be sure that your vacation will be accompanied by perfect 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 coloring of animals and marine life, plants of all colors of the rainbow; coral reefs and sandy beaches; rainforests, cliffs over the ocean, volcanoes. This is a realm of positive emotions and a breathtaking variety of experiences. Thailand is a mountain peaks with falling waterfalls, pristine fresh greenery of tropical thickets; elephants, rhinos 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 is always fun and crowded here. Big waves are an added bonus for surfing. Thailand is a sandy beach, comfortably located 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 relaxing with children, the calm beaches of Thailand are preferable.
Where 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 number of impressions, deliver an unforgettable pleasure from the rest.