Family adventures – Bali style

Expedia’s Kiwi family travellers love Bali – often staying for 6 to 7 nights. And why not? It has a wonderful tropical climate, with lots to do and see, great food and shopping, and some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met.

Bali is also a great value destination, so you can enjoy treats like massages on the beach, a nanny for nights out without the kids, or even a driver to take the stress out of getting around. The most popular times for Expedia’s Kiwi travellers to visit are around Dec/Jan and during the June school holidays, but there’s plenty to do year round.

If you’ve got kids or teens with an adventurous attitude to life, Bali will get them outside and off their video games. Here are a few activities you can do as a whole family that will get everyone’s hearts racing.

Climb an active volcano

Mount Batur (Ganung Batur) is an active volcano standing at 1,717m. If you don’t mind an early start, arrange a guided trip to the top for sunrise. If the kids aren’t keen to get out of bed, remind them it’s not every day they’ll get to climb an active volcano!

White Water Rafting

I have great memories of dong this as a teen on my first visit to Bali. The Ayung River, a one hour drive from most tourist centres, is a popular place to raft. You can raft down class II and III rapids, enjoying views of lush rainforest, rice paddy terraces and stunning gorges at the same time. Children will need to be at least seven years old and comfortable in the water to raft with most companies.

Learn to Surf

Bali has great surf beaches, with plenty of surf schools offering family lessons. Why should the kids have all the fun? If you’d rather shop than “hang ten”, book the 7-12 year olds into a ‘kids only’ lesson for the morning.

Elephant Safari

At the Elephant Safari Park north of Denpasar, you can ride on a magnificent Sumatran elephant or stay overnight at the Elephant Safari Park Lodge to really soak up the experience of being with these beautiful and endangered animals.