Fun and educational cultural activities in Bali for kids

Ubud Bali with kids

An insider guide to the best things to do Bali with kids for culturally curious families by a Bali loving mom. Find out all the things you can do in Bali with children to have an authentic family travel Bali experience. Updated 2021.

Are you dreaming of a family vacation in Bali with the kids? Me too!

Bali is a wonderful island famous for beaches, culture and a super family-friendly atmosphere and it is easy to visit with kids as well as a rewarding family holiday destination for all ages.

It is often mentioned as one of the best beach destinations for families and a good choice if you are looking for winter sun family holiday spots (check below the best months for going).

It is also a great spot for a first vacation with baby – if you are thinking of going with your new little bundle of joy, check these tips for visiting Bali with a baby.

Because of all this, today we sought out Bali tips from the experts and asked Kate Comer, Bali expert mama, to share all her best advice!

Kate writes Rolling along with kids, a family travel blog about Bali and these are her recommendations on the best cultural things to do in Bali with kids for a perfect fun and educational family vacation!

Important: Before planning a trip, find info on entry requirements to Bali here

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and if you make a purchase through them, we might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The best things to do in Bali With Kids

Bali is a very popular destination for families from around the world due to the wide range of activities and how welcoming the Balinese are of kids.

The majority of Balinese adhere to Balinese Hindu, making it an amazing, colorful place to visit with kids due to the ceremonies and daily offerings the locals are involved in.

If you are after things to do in Bali with kids and would love to explore the cultural side of Bali, here is a list of kids’ activities in Bali that are not only a fun experience but educational as well.

Looking for more Bali ideas? Have a look at the many reason why Bali with kids is one of our dream holiday plans! 

Visit one of the many Bali temples: Best Temples to visit in Bali with kids

A great way to teach the kids about Bali culture is to visit one of the many temples on the Island of Gods.

The kids will love wearing a sarong with learning to respect and learn about another culture a great educational experience. I recommend hiring a driver to take you around to the different temples.

Here is our list of recommended drivers that also have car seats for younger kids.

They can often provide information about different cultural aspects of Bali and help you to avoid any scams that may be present at different ‘tourist’ areas.

If you prefer, you can book an organized group tour to visit some of Bali’s best known temples such as this full-day private tour, this temples and sunset tour

Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot is set on the beach in Canggu making it an accessible temple to visit and with gorgeous sunset views. It’s one of the most popular temples to visit in Bali so if you are after a quiet, tourist-free experience, Tanah Lot is not for your family.

Tanah Lot is included in many local itineraries and organized day trips. Click here to see available options and book securely. 

Cultural activities you can enjoy in Bali with kids:visiting temples

 Besakih Temple

Located about 2 hours from Seminyak, it is Bali’s largest and holiest Hindu temple.

The entire complex features at least 86 temples that are surrounded by scenic rice fields and mountain views as it’s built on the slopes of Mt Agung.

The whole complex is huge and most of the shrines and statues can only be accessed by steep stairs, so not the best with young kids.

Pura Penataran Agung, the main temple, is a great temple to check out if you don’t have much time to explore.

Tirta Empul

Worshippers head to Tirta Empul to be cleansed and purify their souls from negative energy. Located close to the town of Tampaksiring, it’s a 30-minute drive north of Ubud.

Fascinating to watch as the Balinese immerse themselves in the water performing their rituals. Next head to the large koi pools full of fish that are fun for the kids to feed the fish.

Visit a Balinese village with a local

One of our most memorable experiences of all our Bali trips, was our visit with our nanny to a local village in Sideman.

The village was 1.5 hr drive from Sanur and we had the most wonderful time and watching the kids’ smiles when they were playing with the village kids was fantastic.

Our nanny Berta had become involved with the village after she visited the area on a day trip and became touched by a family that had lost their Dad and the kids had to be sent away to another family so that the Mum could work.

Being invited into a villager’s house to enjoy tea was such a beautiful experience and the generosity of the locals something I will never forget.

Visit Pondok Pekak Library and Learning Center Ubud

Pondok Pekak is a fantastic place that promotes cultural awareness and is located on Jalan Monkey Forest Ubud.

There are a variety of activity classes for kids including dance, traditional music, children’s gamelan, fruit carving, reading at the quiet library, playing educational games or puzzles and many other things. Comes highly recommended.

 Visit Bali Cultural Creation

‘Bali Cultural Creation’ is located in Denpasar and has interesting activities like Balinese Dance, Balinese Gamelan Music, Balinese Painting, Balinese Woodcarving, Balinese Cooking, Batik Making, Offering Making, Photo Sessions, Silver Jewellery Making and many other programs for both kids and adults.

A great hands-on experience for your kids that is located close to the tourist areas of Seminyak and Kuta.

Visit the Ubud Royal Palace

Ubud is well known as the cultural center of Bali.

The Ubud Royal Palace was built in the early 19th century and is the main cultural attraction in Ubud.

The palace, named by the locals as Puri Saren, is known for its architecture, lovely gardens and traditional local art market making it a great spot in Ubud with kids.

Ubud Bali with kids

If you would like to visit the palace the front section is open daily to the public and the night time dance performances with gamelan orchestras, perform each night and highlight different aspects of Balinese dance.

Visit Devdan Show in Nusa Dua

For families that don’t want to travel long distances to visit cultural sites of Bali but still want their kids to have a glimpse into Bali culture, the Devdan Show in Nusa Dua comes highly recommended.

It’s a high energy, visual tour of Indonesian culture and diversity that features a fusion of traditional Indonesian dance activities with modern contemporary dance and aerial acrobatic displays.

The 90-minute performance is very dynamic and spectacular, keeping the kids thoroughly entertained.

Take a bike ride through the rice paddies of Bali

There are companies like Bali Bike Baik or Bali Eco Cycling that run cycling tours that show of the ‘Real Bali’.

They expose the family to a Bali other visitors may never see and their experienced guides explain Bali culture and the relationship the Balinese have with their beautiful island.

They are a great way to see the countryside and are perfect with younger kids as the tour companies have bikes with toddler seats and often tandem bikes.

Bali is a great place to travel to with kids and getting out of your hotel or villa to explore will leave you and your kids with so many great memories that will last forever

Thank you Kate for this great post! I hope can meet in Bali very soon. Don’t forget to check out Kate’s site here

Bali with kids travel tips

Best time to go to Bali

Bali knows a wet and dry season but it is a destination suitable for almost all times of the year.

High season is July and August, Easter Holidays, Christmas / New Year and it is the busiest time in Bali.

April, May, June and September are lovely times to visit the island and they are, usually, less busy too.

Best hotels for families in Bali

This is a short-list of the best family hotels in Bali, selected for the quality of their family offering and facilities.

  • The Laguna Resort and Spa, Nusa Dua, one minute from the beach and featuring 7 pools and stunning, landscaped tropical gardens.
  • The Holiday Inn Resort Bali Benoa, Nusa Dua, beachfront property with outdoor pools including kids facilities such as slides, water bucket etc.
  • Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay, wonderful beachfront property with amazing views, pools and vast accommodation options for families of all sizes.
  • Conrad Bali at Nusa Dua, great hotel for families offering, among other things, a kids club with plenty of activities for most ages
  • Novotel Bali, Nusa Dua, smaller, family-friendly hotel without immediate access to the beach but offering a nice garden, pool and welcoming atmosphere.

3 thoughts on “Fun and educational cultural activities in Bali for kids

  1. Keri says:

    Thanks for this great round up. We will be there in 6 weeks and just putting together our itinerary – Ubud fascinates me so good to know there are family-friendly places there too.

    • Marta - Learningescapes says:

      I am very jealous of your trip, I can’t wait to go myself. The nice beaches tempt me of course but I am not sure I would cross the globe just for those. The culture in Bali and the chance for the kids to learn about it: that is really what attracts me to it. Can’t wait to hear how you get on

  2. Eric says:

    This is great advise and I’ll be sharing with a friend who’s interested in visiting Bali with her children but wasn’t sure what there was to see and do.

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