What to Do with Children in Bali?
Part 2- Nature and Sports
By Ima Deville
The appeal of Bali lies in its natural beauty and variety of scenery. Most children appreciate being in close contact with nature and doing physical activities and it is important to give them opportunities to go out and be active. Here are some ideas that will make them appreciate the environment, interact with animals and take part in sports. All are guaranteed to be 100% fun.
Combining trekking and the discovery of nature can be done at Eco Trekking Adventure in Bayad, north of Ubud. This wonderful resort offers a 2hrs walk that will take you through a medicinal plant garden, the jungle and an 11th Century labyrinth with its Goa Maya cave. The place is unique and the staff will tell you lots of incredible stories. www.baliecoadventure.com.
The Nature Reserve of Mount Batukaru is the place to discover Bali’s flora and fauna and experience a tropical rainforest. Children love jungle trekking and they are amazed by the ancient strangler trees and hanging lianas. Make it a day and have a picnic by a clear mountain stream and continue to the archaic temple of Batukaru. It is easy enough to organize a trek on your own with good maps but it’s even easier to go through an organization. www.balimountainretreat.com.
Trekking in the Bali Barat National Park in the North West. Driving inside the park, you will meet very helpful park rangers who can take you walking and show you the animals and birds. They have a rehabilitation center for the endangered Bali Starling. Don’t miss the wooden tower with one of the best views of North Bali. Menjangan Resort offers several activities popular with children. www.menjanganresort.com.
Climbing Mount Batur is sporty and children with some endurance will enjoy the challenge. It takes roughly 4 to 5 hours in total and the views from the top are amazing. The outer crater is 14km in diameter and what better way to make children understand the strength and force of volcanoes. Several tourist organization offer tours with pick up or you can drive to Toya Bungkah but will need to hire a local guide from the office.
The Botanical Garden in Ubud hosts a spectacular collection of trees, plants and orchids. You can also lose yourself in their maze (labyrinth). Situated in the village of Kutuh Kaja, the garden faces the Bird Village of Petulu, home of the famous white egrets. Thousands of kokokan birds can be seen and heard if you visit the village at about 5:30pm. www.botanicgardenbali.com.
The Botanical Gardens of Bedugul or Kebun Raya Eka Karya are worth a visit. The temperature is cooler there and the gardens offers many walks and places for picnics. Another highlight is the Bali Tree Top Adventure Park. Swinging and flying high between trees is open to all with from 4 years old to over 70! They offer the following circuits: Squirrel Yellow, Squirrel Green, Discovery, Dancing with Trees, Emotion and Adrenalin. www.balitreetop.com Tel: 0361-852 06 80
The Mangrove Information Center, South of Sanur offers an hour-long walk through the mangrove on wooden walkways. They have a watchtower and an education center. The experience is a step towards understanding our environment, its richness and fragility. Pollution in the mangrove is an issue. It is possible to take a local guide. Jln Bypass Ngurah Rai Km, 21 Suwung Kauh. Tel: (0361) 726 969, 726 546, 728 966 www.mangrovecentre.or.id (Bahasa).
Hash House Harriers have two groups holding regular runs on every Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Running and discovering the Balinese countryside while looking for the small pieces of paper on the floor to find directions is great fun for children who love physical effort and a good challenge. They can help you judge the level of difficulty of their runs and recommend the ones appropriate for children. It is also possible to walk. For up-to-date information: www.bali-hash.com
Cycling along small roads or mountain biking along tracks and rice fields is excellent for children who are already experienced and can cycle for a few hours. This is a way to discover hidden parts of Bali, be in peaceful nature and meet friendly people. Many organizations offer tours for families. Highly recommended is Archipelago Adventure: www.archipelago-adventure.com; info@archipelago-adventure.com Tel: (361) 8444624.
Canggu Sports Club offers a wide range of activities for children. They run sports academies for kids such as soccer, gymnastic, tennis, swimming academy and frequently organize sport camps, birthday parties and tournaments. Pantai Berawa, Banjar Tegal Gundul - Canggu. www.cangguclub.com Tel: (361) 8446385 Email:mukti.ali@cangguclub.com
White Water Rafting and Canyoning are for kids seeking excitement and who are not scared of the water and rapids. Along Ayung River and Telagawaja River, many organisations provide rafting tours, amongst which is the highly recommended Sobek Jl.Tirta Ening 9, By Pass Ngurah Rai Sanur. Tel: (361) 287059. www.balisobek.co
Bali Canyon Tubing
is possible with children from 10 years old or younger in tandem with their parents. Discover the unspoiled nature of Bali. Drift, float, fly and have lots of fun! Jl. Wirasatya VI, No. 9X Suwung Kangin Denpasar. Tel: (361) 720 766 www.balicanyontubing.com
Bali has excellent places to go Pony and Horse Riding. One of the most established stables is in Umalas. They offer daily Lunge-, Dressage- and Show Jumping lessons for children from the age of 6 years. Riding camps are successfully held during school holidays. Daily pony rides are offered for the younger children. For more experienced children, they have wonderful rides in the countryside and on the beach. Also a resort and restaurant. The Umalas Equestrian Resort, Jl. Lestari No. 9x, Umalas Kauh Tel: (0361) 731402 www.balionhorse.com; contact@balionhorse.com. Although not totally authentic, Camel Riding is possible at the Nikko Hotel in Nusa Dua. For more info: http://www.bali-mirumiru.com/CamelSafaris.html or you can simply go there and ask.
For animal lovers, Bali has various options. Bali Bird Park is set in beautiful gardens and well maintained. The birds invariably amaze the children with their shape, colors and curious behaviors. They have gathered over 1000 birds from all over the archipelago but also from other continents and they have small information signs in English. Enquire about bird feeding sessions and the free flight bird shows. Jl. Serma Cok Ngurah Gambir, Batubulan – Gianyar. Tel: (361) 299352 www.bali-bird-park.com.
Does your child like monsters? Then visit The Reptile Park, right by the Bali Bird Park, Visitors not only view lizards, snakes and other scaly creatures, but hold them as well!
In Serangan island, South of Sanur, your children will love the Turtle Conservation Centre. This modest place has a hatchery, several ponds with baby turtles and pools with large older specimens of turtles. You can learn all about them and take part in the occasional turtle release days. In Pemuteran on the north-west coast of Bali, you can find a similar venue and also take part in coral rehabilitation events.
Bali Zoo has reptiles, mammals and birds and is very affordable. Small kids can experience touching and hand-feed some of their domestic animals (rabbit, baby deer, horse) and birthday party trips can be organized. Older kids can feed crocodiles, tigers and lions with the help of their keepers. On Wednesdays and Saturdays they have special nights at the zoo with night animal shows and fire dance. Try their treewalk adventure for lots of fun. Jl. Raya Singapadu, Sukawati, Gianyar Tel: (361) 294357 Email: info@bali-zoo.com; www.bali-zoo.com
If your child dreams about riding an elephant, like Mogli in the Jungle Book, visit the Bali Elephant Park in Klungkung. They offer various activities: elephant tours, white water rafting, jungle trekking, trips to villages, mountain cycling and Quad tours. www.balielephantpark.com Tel: (361) 256780. Staying at the Elephant Safari Park Lodge is a unique experience for children and it provides an elephant chauffeur service to your room. Jl Elephant Park Taro, Ubud. Tel: (361) 721480 www.elephantsafariparklodge.com
Monkey Forest in Ubud is a classic and spending an hour or two laughing at the monkeys’ behavior is always hilarious. Families need to be cautious with their belongings and monkeys can be wild when they see bananas. If your child is an amateur photographer, these monkeys are extremely photogenic!
The Bali Marine and Safari Park is a real highlight and should not be missed. Kids get very excited by all the animals and they can have lunch by the lions at the Lion restaurant. There is a safari ride, animal shows and rides. Highly recommended is a night’s stay at the Mara River Safari Lodge where you can wake up to the roar of the lions and spot zebras from your window. The fun zone with its several rides and the water park are both popular with children. Jl. Bypass Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra, km 19,8. Gianyar. Tel (361) 950000 www.balisafarimarinepark.com
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir
