Traveling to Bali with Kids-Part 4: Jimbaran Bay
DAY 4- Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay, Sundara
To bypass any potential traffic we decided to go to our next destination early. As we were checking out, the morning staff saw me getting some pastries and coffees at the bar and assisted me to the restaurant downstairs and prepared some more pastries, fresh cut fruits and milk for the kids for our ride to the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay. They really were so friendly and so helpful the whole stay.
We had our driver take us straight to Jimbaran Bay which was about an hour and a half away. We decided on Jimbaran Bay because we wanted to be by the water for a portion of our family Bali trip but we also wanted something that wasn’t too far from the airport. Since we didn’t know how bad traffic would be for this trip, we didn’t want to steer too far away. We also knew that the beaches wouldn’t be as nice (in terms of sunbathing, minimal tides, crystal clear waters, white sand) as some of the beaches that we have been to in the past. We wanted a change of scenery from the jungle and Jimbaran Bay was perfect for us.
Since we got to the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay pretty early in the morning, our room was still not ready. Check-in was easy and relaxing, they gave the girls some gift bags and non-alcoholic welcome drinks for us all. Erin was napping in her Doona, so I took Whitney to their kids club so she wouldn’t be bored waiting around. The kids and staff were fishing in a pond next to the Sundara restaurant. It was so cute and such a fun activity for the kids. Whitney didn’t catch any fish but she really enjoyed trying. The actual kids club space was very spacious (a lot bigger than the one at Sayan). The Jimba club is designed for children under 11. Those 4-11 years of age are allowed to be there alone, while those under 4 years of age are welcome with a guardian or babysitter.
Tip: The Jimba Club offers babysitting services for those under 4 years old at an extra fee.
Since our room was going to take a little longer than usual, the hotel put us into another room so we could rest and be comfortable in the meantime. We had them place our luggage there and we had the buggy (golf cart) pick us up to have brunch at Sundara. The resort is a lot more spread out because of all the rooms/villas, so we never really walked much and instead, had the buggy take us around. Since it was Sunday, we got the chance to enjoy Bali’s longest brunch 11AM-4:30PM at Sundara (Price: 800,000 IDR per adult, children were free). We could order endless plates from the menu provided and hang out in the pool right outside and go back to eat some more. The menu had a nice selection of fancy small plates from seafood to meats to veggies and beautiful desserts.
Sundara’s endless brunch also offered an “endless” alcoholic package which we opted into. My husband got the less expensive one—the Bali Free Flow (price: 450,000 IDR), which included the beers and local spirit cocktails but I got the more expensive package—the Sundara Free Flow (price: 650,000 IDR), which had those beverage choices but also wines and sparkling wine which is what I stuck to. These packages also included fancy non-alcoholic drinks as well.
Me and my husband would go back and forth into the pool with our drinks and back to our table inside to eat more. It really was nice to just relax by Bali’s longest beachfront pool and go with the kids and the Jimba club staff to the beach. They made kites that they flew on the beach and afterwards, learned how to catch baby crabs. I also took part in the activities, catching the baby crabs from the sand. Everyone would run back and forth filling the bucket with all their catches. Feels like wet spiders, a creepy crawly feeling, such a fun family activity. Typically Whitney would be scared to grab stuff like that but I was really surprised at how good she was at catching them.
We requested a buggy to take us back to our villa since we hadn’t been in our permanent room yet. Our villa had such spacious outdoor space for the kids to run around and play, separate seating area with lounge chairs and a small pool. We had a King bed and requested for a rollaway bed to be placed next to it since there were the four of us and placed the mosquito net around it as well.
Note: Typically, the mosquitos are an issue in Bali, but anytime we were near stagnant water, we used mosquito spray and luckily never got bit!
Since the girls were so tired from the day, we knew there was no way we could last in a restaurant, so I ended up ordering some kids dishes and appetizers from Jala, a quaint Balinese restaurant just feet away from our villa. It was easier to get the kids ready for bed while they waited for their dinner in the room. They loved the noodles and soup. Although I wish we were able to eat at the actual restaurant, we weren’t able to find any availability during the two nights we were there. I do suggest trying to make reservations as soon as you know your schedule, it was hard since we had to be flexible with the kids.
DAY 5- Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay, Massages, Bali Collection
At this point, the kids were getting a little more adjusted to the time difference and were waking up when they are typically at home. We decided to check out the breakfast at Taman Wantilan at the resort which serves a buffet of Asian and Western cuisine. The buffet was outdoors with views of the bay, everything was covered and attended by so you wouldn’t have to worry too much about flies and cold food. Adults were 450000 IDR and children of course were complimentary.
The girls loved the pond at the entrance of Taman Wantilan. There was a small station of fish food for them, this was a fun free activity. They also got a surprise encounter with one of the large lizards that were hiding under the floorboards in the water. Quite startling since they look like mini Godzillas.
The buffet had such a delicious array of choices for everyone. From having freshly made bowls of noodle soups, Western breakfast items to my favorite, the enclosed room with açaí and gelato, breads and pastries, fresh local fruits and crepes made to order. I was in buffet heaven. I really could spend hours here.
After the buffet we took the kids to the Jimba club to hang out for a bit. We didn’t have much planned for this portion of the trip since we just wanted time to relax. The staff at the kids club dressed Whitney up in traditional Balinese dress. She LOVED this—she’s in her princess phase and loves playing dress up so this was right up her alley. It was so beautiful and so fun for Whitney to do and immerse herself into the culture. They took us to a temple steps away from the kids club so we could take photos of Whitney in traditional Balinese dress.
After the kids club we decided to go to Bali Collection to look for some souvenirs. We had the resort call for a cab for us and also let us know roughly how much the taxi fare would be to get there. On the way there, Erin fell asleep so we decided to take a detour and find a place to get a massage. The taxi driver suggested a few places. We were able to all get foot massages together in the same room and had Erin in the Doona next to us. We had a 90 min foot massage which included some back and shoulders. This was Whitney’s first ever massage and was one of the highlights of the trip for her. We were lucky with the timing because the minute it was over, Erin woke up!
Our taxi waited for us in the parking lot while we were getting our massage and next, took us to Bali Collection, an outdoor shopping and dining complex in Nusa Dua. A lot of the shops here had closed down due to the pandemic and it did seem pretty deserted there. There are lots of restaurants here as well with patrons coming from the nearby resorts. The Sogo department store was nice to find jewelry, clothing, accessories and other kids items (right next to the Coldstone Creamery and Starbucks). In my opinion, the outdoor vendors in Ubud had better souvenirs than Bali Collection.
Again, our taxi driver was waiting for us in the drop off area, and we headed back to the resort. Our fare ended up being maybe three times what was initially quoted from our resort. We didn’t ask the driver ahead of time how much it would be since we made the extra stops but I would suggest to ask them again just so you don’t get surprised with the cost.
Final Thoughts on Bali
Overall, I was pretty impressed with Bali. The kids had so much fun, and there was so much to do. If we could have changed anything, we probably would have extended our Bali trip and stayed in Ubud longer, an extra night or possibly added another destination, maybe the Gili islands or something we could take a boat to.
The people we encountered along the way were so kind-hearted and polite. There’s so much variety in Bali when it comes to specialty or family friendly accommodations that you can really get a lot of luxury for a reasonable to low price. Most resorts also have a variety of food options for the whole family. Food is so delicious and inexpensive in Bali too. If you’re thinking about Bali, definitely do it! With kids, without kids, it’s a great place to unwind, slow down and experience the beauty and culture. I would return again. Don’t pass up Ubud, it was our favorite.
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