Bali was our first holiday in Asia since moving from the US to Singapore. A new chapter—this time as a family of four, with our 4-year-old and 1-year-old—meant we sought a gentler, slower version of Bali, compared to lively beach clubs and vibrant nightlife which were all the rage when the husband and I were in our twenties and first travelled to Bali with our individual groups of friends.
Places like Jimbaran, with its family-friendly beaches and rich nature, really appealed to us this time. We also included Ubud in the second leg of our itinerary to reminisce old times.
Here’s a little snapshot of our five-day Bali adventure.
5 Days in Bali: Itinerary
Day 1 – Arriving in Jimbaran: Cliffside Views and Resort Life
We landed at Bali airport to the nostalgic sight of a “red carpet celebrity moment”—throngs of people screening the travelers at arrival, drivers with placards calling out names.
UE SQUARE’S COSMIC SPACE EXPEDITION: Have An Out-Of-This-World Adventure!
CARNIVAL OF CHRISTMAS CHEER: Celebrate and Win at Plantation Plaza and Northshore Plaza!
SNOW MUCH TO CELEBRATE: Christmas Fun at The Centrepoint
Our home base for the first few days was Ayana Bali, a sprawling clifftop resort in Jimbaran.
Getting around the expansive resort felt like an adventure for the kids thanks to the complimentary resort trams weaving between Ayana, Rimba, and The Villas.
Dinner was at the iconic Rock Bar, perched dramatically on the rocks.
A glass elevator took us down the cliffside, and it was fun to duck our heads under boulder arches to get to our sunset-view table. The sound of waves accompanied us as we dined.
Day 2 – Private Beach, Pool-Hopping, and Jimbaran Seafood Feast
Morning: We took the funicular down to Kubu Beach, Ayana’s private slice of sand, tucked below the cliffs. Think powdery white sand, crystal-clear waves, and beach loungers with food service (ideal when traveling with young ones who need frequent refueling).
Afternoon: We hopped between Ayana’s many swimming pools. Each pool had its own vibe—some with picturesque infinity view, others quieter and tucked away. We had a poolside lunch.
Then, the kids did crafts at the Kids Club. We helped to watch our friends’ child as the couple headed off for an in-resort massage. We went for a gelato run at the resort’s dessert shop to beat the afternoon heat.
Evening: We took a taxi to Jimbaran Bay for seafood dinner on the beach.
Freshly grilled fish, prawns, with kids running on the beach barefoot while waiting for dinner to be served—chaotic, sandy joy. The air was rich with the smell of smoke and grill though—so we didn’t stay excessively long.
Day 3 – Waterfall Hike, Rice Terraces & a Last-Minute Hotel Switch
We drove out of the resort to woo adventures.
Morning: We did a trek to Tegenungan waterfall, with my 1-year-old baby strapped to my back carrier. This trek gave me a chance to clock 10,000 steps (vertical, for many parts of the trek). M took a dip in the swimming hole beneath the waterfall.
This is a very popular waterfall destination with tourists, so note you’ll have many photobombers for your pictures here.
Midday: We stopped at a luwak coffee farm. Indonesian luwaks love eating coffee cherries and the beans pass through their digestive tracts, the digestive enzymes removing the acidity from the coffee beans. These coffee beans supposedly result in a smoother cuppa. Much as we love our coffee, seeing the civets in captivity made us bemoan their living conditions and restricted diets. If we were to do it again, we’d ask our driver for alternative stops.
Afternoon: At the Tegalalang Rice Terraces, we admired the layered paddies. The kids enjoyed spotting dragonflies and watching tourists cycle on tightropes across the rice terraces.
Evening: We had booked a luxury Airbnb villa with paddy rice field views. We had come equipped with bug repellant knowing we might run into bugs living in proximity to nature. When we arrived, we discovered the bug issue was bigger than we had expected.
Because the villa bedrooms’ sliding doors were misaligned and couldn’t be closed tight, we realised there were bugs even in the bedsheets. Concerned that bug bites would trigger allergic reactions, we made the last-minute call to pack our bags and seek out an alternative accommodation.
By night, we moved to Element by Westin Ubud, which thankfully had rooms available. This hiccup brought inconvenience but was a talking point for years and added a sense of ‘escapade’ to the trip!
Day 4 – Monkeys, Mimosa, and Ridge Walk Magic
Morning: We visited the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud. The monkeys were lively (and a little bold, climbing onto our friend’s arm and backpack), so we reminded our children to follow the rules of keeping a safe distance.
Afternoon: The husband and my firstborn booked a white water rafting session with friends, while my secondborn and I stayed in the hotel as he napped.
The white white rafting session involved having the participants board open-air seats on the back of a lorry (not exactly the safest transport mode) to an unknown location where the guide brought the participants on a trek to reach the river rapids. M was the youngest participant and cocooned in the middle of the raft. She told me the white water rafting was the highlight of the trip.
Evening: M had awoken, and as a family we began the Campuhan Ridge Walk, a scenic trail lined with tall grass and distant views of the valley. We passed by a busker at the start of the trail. The kids were enchanted by the mimosa plants along the trail—the way the leaves closed when touched. It wasn’t the easiest trek because of tropical heat, but I’m glad we pushed through.
Dinner: We dined at Bebek Tepi Sawah, known for its crispy duck (acquired taste) and tranquil rice field views.
Before food was served, we admired the pond of lotus flowers. We were fortunate to catch a glimpse of a farmer tending to the rice paddy fields, it felt like a farm to table experience.
Day 5 – A Quick Stop Before Flying Home
We started with a slow morning, walking across the street from Element and discovering a charming shop that sold hand-carved wooden utensils—one of those small, quiet travel moments you treasure. It was amazing seeing the craftswomen carve bowls out of solid wood, and they were friendly to show us the brand of natural oil used to maintain their wood tableware. I exercised great restraint but still bought 10+ pieces of wood cutlery.
It wasn’t the wild, carefree Bali experience of our twenties—but something different and, I daresay, better. Slower, messier, filled with sandy toes and sticky hands, naps, nature and unexpected reroutes.
This Bali trip is a reminder for our family that holidays shift with seasons of life—but they remain magical, just in different ways.
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