Bali Beach, Volcano & Temple Escape

Four nights is a short time on an island as rich as Bali, but it is enough to see its three great faces: the beaches of the south, the volcano and villages of the highlands, and the sea temples on the coast. This trip is planned so that you spend as little time as possible in the car and as much as possible enjoying the island, starting with two nights in Kuta, close to the airport, and finishing with two nights in Seminyak.

Bali is two and a half hours ahead of India, and flights arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport, on the southern edge of the island, just a few minutes from Kuta. Indian passport holders receive a visa on arrival, and you can apply for it online in advance as an e-VOA, which makes the airport much quicker. You also need to complete the arrival card online and pay the Bali tourist levy, a small fee charged to every international visitor to help protect the island's culture and environment. Keep a copy of the receipts on your phone.

Once you have collected your bags and cleared customs, walk out into the arrivals hall, where our representative will be waiting with a name board. Your transfer to the hotel is private, so there is no waiting for other passengers, and the drive to Kuta usually takes 15 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic. If you are travelling with children or older family members, it is a relief to be so close to the airport after a long journey.

Kuta was the first part of Bali to welcome tourists. In the 1930s, a few foreigners opened small hotels on the beach, and in the 1960s and 1970s, surfers and travellers on the overland trail from Europe discovered its golden sand and perfect waves. Today, it is the busiest and most affordable beach area on the island, full of hotels, shops, restaurants, surf schools and markets, and it is a fun and easy base for families and first-time visitors.

After check-in, rest for a while. Standard check-in is from about 2 PM, and if your room is not ready, the hotel will keep your bags while you have lunch. Most hotels in Kuta have a swimming pool, and children are usually happy to jump straight in after the flight. Many hotels also have family rooms or connecting rooms, which we can request when you book.

In the late afternoon, walk down to Kuta Beach for your first Bali sunset. The beach stretches for several kilometres, from the airport in the south to Legian and Seminyak in the north, and it faces west, so the sun goes down right over the sea. Surfers ride the last waves, children build sandcastles, local families gather on the sand, and vendors sell grilled corn, fresh coconuts and cold drinks. It is a lively, happy scene, and a lovely way to begin your holiday.

The waves on Kuta Beach can be strong, and there are currents, so swim only between the red and yellow flags, where lifeguards are on duty, and keep a close eye on children. If you would like to try surfing during your stay, Kuta has many surf schools offering lessons for beginners, including children, at extra cost.

In the evening, Beachwalk Shopping Centre, an open-air mall across the road from the beach, is a pleasant place for a stroll and dinner, with restaurants, cafés and international shops. The streets around Poppies Lane and Jalan Legian are full of small shops selling T-shirts, sarongs, beachwear and souvenirs, and the restaurants serve everything from Indonesian nasi goreng and satay to pizza, burgers and Indian food. Kuta has several Indian restaurants, and vegetarian food is easy to find.

A few practical tips help on the first evening. Buy a local SIM card or eSIM at the airport, so you can use maps and order taxis through apps such as Grab and Gojek. Use ATMs inside banks or shopping centres, and change money only at authorised counters. Drink bottled or filtered water, and carry mosquito repellent for the evenings.

If you are arriving late at night, do not worry: our representative tracks your flight and will be there even if it is delayed, and most hotels in Kuta have a 24-hour reception.

Get a good night's sleep: tomorrow brings a morning of water sports at Tanjung Benoa.

Included today: meet and greet at Bali airport, private arrival transfer to your hotel in Kuta, hotel stay.

Good to know: apply for the e-VOA, complete the arrival card and pay the tourist levy before you fly. Children need their own visa and arrival card. The beach in Kuta can have strong currents, so swim between the flags. Read our guide to the arrival card and tourist levy.

After breakfast, you set off for Tanjung Benoa, Bali's water sports centre, about 30 to 40 minutes from Kuta. The road takes you past the airport and onto the Bukit peninsula, through the resort area of Nusa Dua, to a long, narrow strip of land between the open ocean and a sheltered bay. A reef protects the beach from the big waves of the Indian Ocean, so the water here is calm and shallow, which is why almost every water sport in Bali is based here.

Your package includes a banana boat ride, which is perfect for families and groups of friends. Everyone puts on a life jacket and climbs onto a long, bright yellow inflatable tube, and a speedboat tows you around the bay, bouncing over the waves. The ride lasts about ten minutes, and it usually ends with the driver turning sharply and tipping everyone into the warm, shallow water, to shrieks of laughter. Children of most ages can join with an adult, and no swimming is needed, as you float in your life jacket.

There is plenty more to try if you wish, paid locally at the beach. Parasailing is the most popular: you are clipped into a harness under a parachute, and the boat lifts you high above the bay for a few minutes, with views over the reef, the beach and the hotels of Nusa Dua. The jet ski lets you race across the water with an instructor, and the flying fish, a large inflatable raft pulled at speed, rises into the air like a kite. For something calmer, the sea walker lets you walk on the sea floor wearing a helmet supplied with air, among coral and fish, without needing to dive.

If your children love animals, take a glass-bottom boat to Pulau Penyu, or Turtle Island, a short ride across the bay. Here, a small conservation centre cares for sea turtles, and children can see baby turtles and hold the older ones under the guidance of the staff. On the way, the glass floor of the boat lets you watch fish swimming over the reef below.

Prices for water sports are per person and per activity, and many centres offer combination packages that work out cheaper. Our team will give you an idea of current prices before you go, so you know what to expect. All activities depend on the weather, the tide and the sea conditions, and the staff have the final say on safety. Some rides have age and weight limits, so tell us the ages of your children in advance.

Take swimwear, a towel, high-factor sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a change of clothes. The water sports centres have changing rooms, showers and lockers, and most have a restaurant or café where you can rest between activities. Keep phones in a waterproof pouch, and drink plenty of water, as the sun is very strong close to the equator, even when it is cloudy.

Wear a rash vest or a T-shirt over your swimwear if you burn easily.

Nusa Dua, next to Tanjung Benoa, is worth a quick look on the way back. It is Bali's most exclusive resort area, with large hotels set in landscaped gardens along a calm white beach, and a long paved promenade by the sea. Near the southern end, at Waterblow, waves crash through a gap in the rocks and shoot high into the air, a dramatic sight when the sea is rough.

After the water sports, you return to your hotel in Kuta for a relaxing afternoon. If the children still have energy, Waterbom Bali, a large water park in the middle of Kuta, set in tropical gardens, is one of the best in Asia, with slides for all ages and a lazy river, at extra cost. Otherwise, spend the rest of the day by the pool or on the beach.

For older children and teenagers, a surf lesson back in Kuta is a great afternoon activity. Instructors stay in the water with each student, the boards are soft and wide, and most beginners manage to stand up on a wave within the first hour.

In the evening, try some Indonesian food. Mie goreng, fried noodles, nasi goreng, fried rice topped with a fried egg, chicken satay with peanut sauce and gado-gado, a salad of vegetables, tofu and egg with peanut dressing, are all popular with Indian visitors, and most dishes can be made vegetarian or less spicy.

Included today: half-day Tanjung Benoa beach tour with banana boat ride, private transfers, breakfast.

Good to know: other water sports, Turtle Island and Waterbom are optional and paid locally. Water sports are not recommended during pregnancy or for anyone with back, neck or heart problems. Read our guide to Bali water sports and activities for prices.

Today you leave the beach for the cool green highlands of central Bali, and end the day at your new hotel in Seminyak. After breakfast, check out from your Kuta hotel and load your bags into the car: your driver carries your luggage with you all day, so you can enjoy the sightseeing and check in to your next hotel in the evening.

The first part of the tour passes through the villages between Denpasar and Ubud, where Bali's traditional crafts are still practised in family workshops. Look out for the stone carvers of Batubulan, whose statues of gods and guardians line the roads. In a batik workshop, you can watch artisans drawing patterns on cloth with hot wax, then dyeing it in rich colours. In Celuk, the silversmiths' village, craftsmen create delicate jewellery from fine silver wire and tiny beads, and in Mas, the woodcarvers turn blocks of wood into graceful figures, masks and animals. Each workshop has a showroom, and you are welcome to browse without buying.

The road then climbs north through Ubud's countryside, past rice terraces, coconut groves and villages where every house has its own small temple. The higher you go, the cooler and greener it becomes, and the vegetation changes to coffee, cabbages, tangerines and pine trees. Kintamani lies at about 1,500 metres above sea level, on the rim of a giant caldera formed by a huge eruption tens of thousands of years ago.

Ubud, which you pass on the way, is worth a longer visit on another trip. It is the island's centre of dance, painting and music, with the Sacred Monkey Forest, the royal palace, the art market and some of the most beautiful rice terraces in Bali, all within easy reach.

From the viewpoint at Penelokan, whose name means "place to look", the landscape below is breathtaking. In the middle of the vast caldera rises Mount Batur, an active volcano, its slopes streaked with black lava from eruptions in the 20th century. Next to it lies the blue crescent of Lake Batur, the largest lake in Bali. The whole area is part of the Batur UNESCO Global Geopark, recognised for its remarkable volcanic landscape and the way local communities have lived alongside the volcano for centuries.

Lake Batur is sacred to the Balinese, who believe it is the home of Dewi Danu, the goddess of water. Its water feeds the springs and rivers that irrigate the island's rice fields through the subak, Bali's ancient system of water channels and temples, which is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage cultural landscape. Close to the viewpoint stands Pura Ulun Danu Batur, one of the most important temples on the island, dedicated to the goddess of the lake, with tall, many-tiered shrines called meru.

The volcano is still active, and the Indonesian authorities monitor it closely. Eruptions in recent decades have been small, and the viewpoints on the caldera rim are a safe distance away, but if there is ever a warning, the tour route is adjusted.

Restaurants along the rim offer Indonesian and international buffet lunches with views over the volcano, at your own cost. The mornings are usually clearest, and clouds often roll in after midday, which is why the tour aims to reach Kintamani before lunch. The air is cool at this height, so bring a light jacket or sweater for everyone, especially children.

For families, the long drive is easier with a few breaks. Your driver can stop at a café or a fruit stall along the way, and many roadside stalls in the highlands sell sweet local oranges, salak and passion fruit, which children enjoy.

On the way down, you visit a coffee plantation, where you can see coffee, cocoa, vanilla, cloves, cinnamon and lemongrass growing, and taste a selection of local coffees and herbal teas. You will also be offered kopi luwak, coffee made from beans eaten by civets, but much of it comes from caged animals, so many visitors prefer to try the other drinks instead.

In the afternoon, your driver continues to Seminyak, where you check in to your hotel for the last two nights of your trip. Seminyak is more relaxed and stylish than Kuta, with boutique hotels, designer shops, cafés and beach clubs, and it is a lovely place to spend a peaceful evening after a long day of sightseeing. Have dinner near your hotel and get some rest.

Included today: full-day Kintamani volcano tour with Ubud village visits, private transfer from Kuta to your hotel in Seminyak, breakfast.

Good to know: it is a long day, about 8 to 10 hours, with plenty of time in the car, so bring snacks and water for children. Lunch and entry to optional sights are not included. Read our Mount Batur and Kintamani guide.

Your last full day in Bali is spent on the island's spectacular coast, visiting two of its most famous temples, one on a rock in the sea and the other on a clifftop high above the waves. After a relaxed breakfast, set off in your private car with your driver. Wear light clothing that covers your shoulders and knees, as you will be entering holy places, and bring hats, sunglasses, water and sunscreen.

The first stop is Tanah Lot, about 45 minutes to an hour north of Seminyak. The temple is perched on a large rock just offshore, and at high tide, the waves surround it completely, so it seems to float on the sea. Balinese Hindus believe that the temple protects the island from the forces of the sea, and it is one of the most sacred sites on the island. At low tide, you can walk across the sand to the foot of the rock, where a spring of fresh water bubbles up from beneath the temple, even though it is surrounded by the salt sea.

Priests at the spring offer blessings to visitors. You cup your hands to receive the holy water, sip it and splash it on your face, then a few grains of rice are pressed to your forehead and a flower is tucked behind your ear. Children usually love this little ceremony, and it is a meaningful moment for the whole family. A small donation is customary. The temple itself is open only to worshippers, but you can admire it from the shore and the clifftops on either side.

Look out, too, for the small cave in the cliffs opposite the temple, where sea snakes are said to guard the holy site from evil spirits and intruders. A short walk along the cliff brings you to Pura Batu Bolong, a smaller temple built on a rock arch above the waves, which is often quieter and makes a wonderful photograph.

From Tanah Lot, the tour heads south across the island to the Bukit peninsula, a dry limestone plateau at the southern tip of Bali, with dramatic cliffs and hidden beaches. On the way, you may stop for lunch, at your own cost. If you have time, Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, on the Bukit, is home to a gigantic statue of the god Vishnu riding the eagle Garuda, one of the tallest statues in the world, completed in 2018 and visible from much of southern Bali. It can be added on request.

The Bukit peninsula is also home to some of Bali's most beautiful beaches, tucked away at the foot of the cliffs. Padang Padang, Bingin, Dreamland and Melasti are popular with surfers and swimmers, and some are reached by long flights of steps. They can be added to the day if you have time and energy, at no extra cost for the car, though parking and entry fees may apply.

Uluwatu Temple stands at the very edge of a sheer cliff, about 70 metres above the Indian Ocean. It is one of the six great temples that protect Bali, and it is believed to date back to the 11th century; the priest Dang Hyang Nirartha, who founded Tanah Lot, is said to have attained spiritual liberation here. The setting is magnificent, with paths running along the clifftops on both sides of the temple, and views over the endless blue ocean and the white surf crashing far below.

The temple's monkeys are famous for their mischief. They are expert at snatching sunglasses, hats, phones, cameras and even flip-flops, and they often trade them back for food. Put loose items away before you enter, hold children's hands, and do not feed or tease the monkeys.

As sunset approaches, many visitors take their seats in the open-air amphitheatre on the cliff for the Kecak dance, at extra cost. Dozens of men sit in circles, chanting "cak-cak-cak" in shifting, hypnotic rhythms, while dancers in rich costumes act out the story of Rama, Sita and Hanuman from the Ramayana, a story that Indian visitors will instantly recognise. The sun sets over the ocean behind the stage, and the performance ends with Hanuman dancing through a ring of fire.

The Kecak dance was developed in the 1930s, based on an old Balinese trance ritual called sanghyang, and it has been performed at Uluwatu for decades. It lasts about an hour, and the seats with the best view of the sunset are on the western side of the amphitheatre.

After the show, your driver takes you back to Seminyak for your last evening in Bali.

Included today: full-day Tanah Lot temple and Uluwatu temple tour with private transfers, breakfast.

Good to know: cover shoulders and knees at both temples; sarongs are usually provided at Uluwatu. Entry tickets, the Kecak dance, lunch and dinner are not included. Read our Bali temples guide.

Your short Bali holiday comes to an end today, but if your flight is in the afternoon or evening, there is still time to enjoy the morning. Take a final swim in the pool, or walk to Seminyak Beach, which is quiet and peaceful early in the day, with just a few surfers and dog-walkers on the sand. Enjoy a long breakfast together, with tropical fruits such as papaya, pineapple, watermelon and snake fruit, and fresh juices.

If you have an early-morning flight, ask the hotel the evening before for a breakfast box, which most are happy to prepare, and settle your bill the night before to save time.

Checkout is usually at 11 AM or noon. If your flight is later, the hotel will store your luggage, and you can spend a few hours shopping in Seminyak, whose boutiques sell linen clothes, swimwear, jewellery, homeware and Balinese crafts. For more affordable souvenirs, the Seminyak Village mall and the shops of Kuta and Legian are close by. Late checkout is sometimes possible, subject to availability and usually at extra cost.

Good gifts to take home include Balinese coffee and spices, vanilla pods, handmade soaps and essential oils, batik sarongs, wooden carvings, silver jewellery, rattan bags and kites, which are a much-loved Balinese pastime. Children love the colourful wooden toys and masks sold in the markets. Keep the bills for any expensive purchases, as Indian customs has limits on duty-free goods and jewellery.

Before checking out, go through the room carefully, including the safe, the bathroom and the wardrobe. Children's swimwear, toys and chargers are the things most often forgotten. Pack liquids such as oils and perfumes in your checked luggage, keep passports and tickets in your hand baggage, and make sure any wooden items are clean and free of bark.

At the agreed time, your private driver collects you from the hotel for the drive to Ngurah Rai International Airport. From Seminyak, the journey usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, but traffic in the south of Bali can be slow, especially in the afternoon and during the holiday season, so allow plenty of time. Check in at least three hours before your international flight.

Families travelling with young children will find the airport easy to manage, with family toilets, baby-changing rooms and a play area in the departure lounge, and staff who often wave families with small children through to shorter queues.

At the airport, the international terminal has restaurants, cafés, duty-free shops, play areas and lounges. Queues at security and immigration can be long in the peak months of July, August, December and January, so do not leave it until the last minute. If you have leftover Indonesian rupiah, you can change it at the airport or keep some for your next trip.

As the plane lifts off over the sea, look out of the window for one last view of the island: the long beach of Kuta, the cliffs of the Bukit and, on a clear day, the volcanoes in the distance. In just four nights, you have seen the beaches, the volcano, the villages and the temples of Bali, and there is still much more to discover on your next visit, from Ubud's rice terraces and the Gili Islands to the dramatic cliffs of Nusa Penida.

Bali is just as lovely in every season. The dry months, from April to October, bring sunny days and cooler evenings, while the green season, from November to March, brings short tropical showers, lush rice fields and fewer crowds outside the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Many families who start with a short trip like this come back for a longer one, often combining Bali with Singapore or Malaysia, which are just a short flight away. Whenever you are ready, our team would love to help you plan it.

Looking back, a short trip like this shows how much variety Bali packs into a small island: you can surf in the morning, stand on the rim of a volcano by lunchtime the next day and watch a fire dance on a clifftop at sunset, all within an hour or two of your hotel.

Once you are home, share your photos with friends and family; many of our travellers find that their pictures of Tanah Lot and Kintamani inspire others to visit too.

Thank you for travelling with Dreamland Vacations. Our team will stay in touch until you are home safely, and we would love to hear what you enjoyed most about Bali.

Included today: private departure transfer to Ngurah Rai International Airport, breakfast.

Good to know: choose a flight that leaves at least 3 hours after you reach the airport. Late checkout is subject to availability and may cost extra. See our Bali family tour packages and the Bali trip cost from India for your next trip.