Why Bali's beaches are so different
Bali's west coast, from Kuta up through Seminyak and Canggu, faces the open Indian Ocean and gets the swell that makes it a surfing destination. Those beaches have powerful waves and rips, and most stretches have no lifeguards. The east and south-east coasts, around Sanur and Nusa Dua, are sheltered by offshore reefs, so the water inside the reef is calm and shallow. The Bukit peninsula has small coves that are calm at some tides and dangerous at others.
The rule we use with children: swim on the reef-protected east and south-east beaches, enjoy the west-coast surf beaches for sand, sunsets and supervised surf lessons for older kids.
Sanur Beach
The best all-round beach for small children in Bali. A reef keeps the lagoon calm, the sand shelves gently, there is shade under the trees, and the long paved beachfront path has cafes and playgrounds along it. Depth varies a lot with the tide: at low tide it can be ankle-deep a long way out, at high tide it is good for swimming. Mornings are the prettiest, with the sunrise and the fishing boats.
Nusa Dua and Geger Beach
The resort beaches of Nusa Dua are wide, clean and raked daily, with calm water behind the reef. Geger Beach at the southern end is a favourite with local families and has a few beach cafes. Like Sanur, the water is shallowest at low tide; at high tide the swimming is lovely. Tanjung Benoa, to the north, is the water-sports beach, with banana boats and parasailing for older children.
Jimbaran Bay
A long crescent of sand facing west over a sheltered bay, with small waves and a gentle slope. It is calmer than Kuta but not lagoon-calm like Sanur, so toddlers still need a hand to hold. The sunsets and the seafood cafes on the sand make it the best beach for an early family dinner.
Pandawa and Melasti
Two beaches on the south coast of the Bukit, reached by roads cut dramatically through the limestone cliffs. Pandawa has a wide stretch of white sand with calm patches inside the reef at mid to low tide and sun loungers for hire. Melasti, further west, is newer, wide and sheltered, with a few beach clubs. Both have car access right to the sand, which is rare on the Bukit.
Padang Padang and Balangan
Padang Padang is a small, pretty cove reached down a stairway through the rock, calm and shallow at low tide and crowded by late morning. Balangan is a long beach below cliff-top cafes, with a reef that creates calm rock pools at low tide and surf at high tide. Both are worth a visit with older children; with toddlers, go at low tide and keep close.
Amed and the east coast
Amed, two to three hours from the airport, is a string of fishing villages with black-sand beaches and calm, clear water, and some of the easiest snorkelling in Bali straight off the beach, with coral and fish a few metres out. Older children who can snorkel love it. There is a shipwreck to snorkel at nearby Tulamben. It is a long drive, so most families do it as a two- or three-night stay.
Beaches to enjoy from the sand
Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Petitenget, Berawa, Batu Bolong and Echo Beach are surf beaches with strong waves and rip currents, and most of their length is unpatrolled. They are wonderful for walks, sandcastles, sunsets and watching the surfers, and beginner surf lessons at Kuta and Batu Bolong with an instructor are great for children of around eight and up. We do not swim there with young children, and we keep them well back from the water line when the swell is up.
Beach safety with kids in Bali
- Look for the red-and-yellow flags and lifeguard towers at Kuta and Legian and swim between them if you do swim there.
- Check tides: the calm reef beaches are shallowest at low tide and best for swimming an hour or two either side of high tide.
- Sun is strong all year: hats, rash vests, reef-safe sunscreen and shade between 11am and 3pm.
- Bring water shoes for rocky and coral beaches on the Bukit and in Amed.
- Young children stay within arm's reach in the water. There is no substitute for an adult in the water with them.
Entry rules, prices and opening hours change. We check these guides regularly, but confirm the details that matter for your trip with the official source before you travel.
