Perfect Escapade to Pemuteran in the North of Bali

Pemuteran has always been one of the favorite spots for our family. We love its unique scenery, its underwater world and calm waters. In the fishing village of Pemuteran, it is possible to snorkel and even take part in activities at the coral rehabilitation and sea turtle conservation centre. Trips to Menjangan Island, where lie some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling sites in Bali, are easily arranged from many dive and boat operations along the coast.

If you don’t already know it, a visit to the Atlas pearl farm is a must. From Pemuteran drive about 10km east towards Lovina and you will see the farm signposted. In its pristine setting the secrets of south sea pearls are revealed. Visitors can do a tour and learn about the oyster-breeding program, the cultivation cycle and see a demonstration of pearl seeding and harvesting. Pearls are the only precious gems created by living creatures and they are often referred to as “nature’s most precious gift”. The café at the farm has a gorgeous panoramic view. Parents can have a coffee and they will make sandwiches for hungry children.

Not far from Pemuteran, heading west, is the large Barat National Park, home to many protected animals that can be seen roaming free. Dedicated park rangers can take visitors on treks, showing them the gracious Menjangan deers and explaining their rehabilitation program for the Bali starling.

An encounter with them is truly instructive and gives a sense and understanding of the threats and also the richness of the Balinese ecosystem. In the park you’ll find a tall wooden tower to enjoy great views of the park and of the eastern tip of Java and its volcanoes. If the weather is clear, the climb is definitely worth it and you can have a drink there. The Bali Tower is part of The Menjangan Resort, a recently renovated hotel offering many options for families.

For the visitors in quest of peace and spirituality, the Melanting temple is worth a trip and feels far from the tourist crowds. The area is also home to the Banjar natural hot springs, believed to have medicinal virtues, and the sunset over East Java’s towering volcanoes is magical.

Villa Bali Il Mare : the best family friendly accommodation around

The Villa Bali Il Mare is a 4 bedroom beachfront villa beautifully set on spacious green grounds (1.3 hectares). A group of us stayed there for a long weekend and we would totally recommend it for families travelling together or groups of friends with children. They can accommodate small to large groups of 4 to 12 people. As soon as we arrived, the kids explored the grounds and came back excited about the tennis courts, the 25-meter infinity-edge pool and the private 200 meters black sand beach in front of the property.

The villa is extremely spacious and it offers 4 suites, a large living room and a gorgeous terrace with sea views. It has been conceived to mix the comfort of modern western living with the beauty and authenticity of Balinese aesthetics. The owner explained to us that the villa was made with the idea that it should adapt to you and not the other way around. To that extent they have made it as close to a luxury hotel as possible, but with the possibility to live in it as if it were your own house.

The five kid – friendly staff catered to our needs in a professional manner. The team includes a manager, two maids, a gardener and a security guard. They were excellent at preparing dishes our children wanted to eat at odd times in the day. The adults prefered to cook for ourselves and we found the kitchen and all of the equipment of a high standard.

The villa has a partnership with North Bali Dive Center, situated only 20 meters on the right of their beach. On top of being an exceptional diving center, the center has a great restaurant with an extensive menu of Western and Indonesian food. They can offer room service and deliver to the villa too.

North Bali Dive Center organises dolphin watch tours where you get the opportunity to see dolphins swimming in the wild. In our experience, it was much better to leave from the villa rather than Lovina which has become increasingly crowded in the morning for dolphin watching. The dive center also has a spa facility and they can organise massages at the villa. The moms of our group loved their scrub and massage in the villa’s garden, overlooking the sea whilst listening to soothing music!

This villa has several facilities that make a family stay enjoyable. The big TV corner suited with a 52″ TV attached to the living room was popular with our kids. There is also a TV lounge / reading area and a pool (American Billiard) area to enjoy a relaxing or exciting game. The villa has a pleasant yoga/meditation pavilion. We found the villa very enjoyable and relaxing. It just has everything you might want and kids will always have plenty to do there.

The situation of the villa is peaceful and ideal if you are looking for relaxation. Pemuteran itself is a 5 minute drive away and the area has a wealth of activities for a family. The villa is only 5 minutes away from Pulaki temple, a sacred temple better known as the Monkey temple and revered by Hindus all over Bali. The monkeys are free and taken care of by monks, but tourists can come in the temple and see them as well as offer them peanuts or bananas. They are very friendly but still wild so be careful to respect them. Our family also enjoyed our half-day trip to Gitgit natural waterfall in the middle of the forest. A local guide showed us the marvels of the local fauna and our kids learnt about cloves, vanilla, coffee and cocoa before reaching the 40 meters majestic waterfall and its natural swimming pools where we spent an hour relaxing and swimming further down the river.

Do I need to tell you that nobody in our group wanted to go home ?
For more information and special offers,
visit : www.baliilmare.com

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