Give your next vacation an exotic spin with a trip to Bali, Indonesia for your clan. Stay at the Ayana Resort & Spa, a quintessential Bali enclave with sleek yet traditional rooms and villas surrounded by botanical gardens and gentle Balinese melodies. This Bali resort recently revamped its kids’ program, which is open to little ones up to 10 years old. (Those under four will need to be accompanied by a parent or babysitter—a service conveniently offered by the resort!).
At the Kids Club, your little ones can spend their days jumping on the trampoline, squealing and sliding into the children’s pool, or challenging each other to the latest Nintendo Wii or Xbox games. The resort also offers fun rotating activities every day, from an outdoor petting zoo to Balinese dress-up games to tree planting in a Bali garden.
All this running around is guaranteed to work up an appetite, and Ayana will please even the pickiest eaters with at least one of its seven restaurants or two cafés. Your family can choose from Asian heritage-style fare at the outdoor pavilions of Padi restaurant amid lotus ponds and rice fields, traditional Italian dishes at Sami Sami with sweeping views of the Indian Ocean, or anything in between.
After a long day, relax in the verdant grounds above the aquamarine Jimbaran Bay. Or, top off your Bali vacation by kicking back on the private beach, letting the whispering waves lull you to sleep. —Yelena Moroz Alpert
HOW TO GET THERE
Ayana Resort & Spa
Jl. Karang Mas Sejahtera
Jimbaran, Bali 80364, Indonesia
This Bali resort is located in the southern village of Jimbaran in Bali on the shore of Jimbaran Bay. It’s conveniently located less than eight miles south of the Ngurah Rai International Airport—and you can request for a resort shuttle to transport you and your family between the two locations. How easy is that?
WHAT TO DO
While your kiddies are busy soaking up the sun and playing at Ayana’s Kids Club, plan a relaxing day just for you and your husband. Or get the whole family together and explore Bali’s luscious landscape! Check out our recommendations below for a foolproof experience.
Ayana Resort Spa Complex
With cold plunge pools, steamy saunas, and an expansive menu of luxurious spa treatments, what better way to unwind than to the soft Indian Ocean breezes that sweep over the premier spa villas at the Ayana?
Bicycle Tours
Let Ayana help you and your family coordinate an eye-opening bike tour of Bali’s southern peninsula. An English-speaking tour guide will lead your group throughout the gorgeous hilly terrain, pointing out main attractions along the way. Want to explore at your own pace? The resort also offers hourly bike rentals—in case you want to avoid the big hills. And if you want to head out beyond the resort, there are some attractions you may want to visit, such as the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary or the Elephant Safari Park.
WHAT TO BUY
If you want to return with the best souvenirs—whether it’s an authentic Balinese scarf or a once-in-a-lifetime memory—try out these fun ways to get the most bang for your buck.
Shopping at Bali Collection
Ayana provides a free shuttle service to this shopping destination, which offers up everything from local art, ready-to-wear, native jewelry, with some specialty stores included in the mix.
Jimbaran Fish Market Tour and Cooking Classes
Thai chefs teach you how to cook authentic Thai and Balinese food—and if you’re interested, even lead you through the fish market. (You have to be a morning person though—the market tours start at 7:30 a.m.)