My family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children ages 9 and 13) are traveling to Bali for the first time. We are staying for a month, from mid-June to mid-July 2008.

We are in the midst of making hotel reservations. We plan to stay in Nusa Dua to have a resort experience for the first 8 nights / 9 days. Because we are traveling from California, we figure we'll need the first couple of days to adjust to the time zone. Plus, we arrive late at night when we first reach Bali. After Nusa Dua, we are heading up to Ubud for the 2nd week. After that, we have not yet formed plans.

If this were your first time traveling to Bali, what would you recommend as the most important places to visit and best towns to stay in while touring around? For example, we hope to visit Kuta and Seminyak while staying in Nusa Dua. Is this a good idea? And, what towns are must stay / must visit destinations other that Ubud and Nusa Dua? Would you visit Munduk or Lovina? How long would you stay there?

Bear in mind that we'll be traveling with our two children. We don't plan to rent a car, but plan to hire a driver to get from town to town.

Suggestions and guidance are welcome. It's our first time, and we're thrilled to go.

Kelia

My recommendation would be to spend the time after Nusa Dua in Ubud, Kintamani, Lovina, Candidasa, and then finish off in Kuta/Legian. You can use each of these places as a hub to visit outlying areas. Kintamani is a great 2-night visit so that you can climb the volcano at sunrise and have a breakfast of volcano-boiled eggs. Lovina will allow for visits to Banjar hot springs, Menjangan Island, sailing (or chasing) dolphins, and swimming with dolphins. The n orth coast allows access to the shipwrech snorkel right off the coast at Tulamben as well as a dip in the sacred Tirta Gangga spings. Candidasa is a great place to find hotels right on the water (but no real beach), Bali Aga villages, access to good rafting on the telaga Waja river, and small villages to explore. Ubud offers days-upon -days of cultural attractions, art galleries, the monkey forest, and shopping. We took our 2 small kids in July-August 07 and they loved it all. I have contacts for a great driver if you need a recommendation.
Best of luck.
Darren

I think you may not get many replies to your request for info because Darren has given you good information. It is great to be able to move around a bit it is very time consuming driving from place to place and back to your hotel..so moving your homebase after Nusa Dua and Ubud gets my vote!! Have a wonderful holiday

Hmmmm.... you seem fairly well down the track of knowing what to do already. My only suggestion at the moment would be to head to the North of the island but instead of staying at Lovina head to Pemuteran for 2 or 3 nights. Stay at the Taman Sari (1 of 3 "hotels" side by side) as it is the mid-priced one. Another recommendation I have for you is that you make your reservation at the Taman Sari through this forum's booking page - best rates and no payment until you leave the accommodation! More later!

I will be in Ubud again in early/mid July and can't wait!!!!

Cheers,

David

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