Uluwatu sits on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, and it’s all about dramatic limestone cliffs, world-class surfing beaches, the iconic Uluwatu Temple and its famous monkeys and Kecak Dance, and hosting some of the island’s most striking resorts.
The area is much more spread out and scenic than some of the other beach towns and has a nice mix of cliff-edge luxury, expensive beach clubs, and quieter villa compounds.
Families will find that Uluwatu can be great when they choose a property that has prioritised the amount of space they need, provides private or multiple pools for family swimming, offers supervised kids’ facilities and practical support such as cots, high chairs, kitchenettes, etc.
Unlike in walkable areas like Canggu, Kuta and Seminyak, families visiting Uluwatu would be well advised to plan for retaining the services of a private car and driver (the Bukit Peninsula does not lend itself to walking between beaches and/or villages).
However, the best hotels in this region deliver self-contained luxury with ocean views, swimming options and enough going on on-site to enable kids to stay constantly engaged while their parents unwind and enjoy the scenery or a spa session.
Here are, in our opinion, the 10 best family-friendly hotels and resorts in Uluwatu. They’ve been selected based on our team’s experiences, great parental feedback, high-quality kids’ amenities, their locations relative to beaches and attractions and all-round family suitability.
The Best 10 Family-Friendly Resorts In Uluwatu
Family Nest Resort & Villas
This resort was entirely built for families travelling with young children. Multi-bedroom villas here feature private pools, full kitchens, spacious living areas and layouts that are meant to offer both parents and children their breathing space.
The Pangolin Kids Club is excellent, with a large, multi-level play space including climbing structures, slides, ball pits, creative workshops, outdoor playgrounds, trampolines and age-appropriate zones.
Regular guests say that the way this resort operates as a complete family ecosystem rather than just a scattering of villas makes it perfect for parents with toddlers or primary school children who want excellent on-site play opportunities without the need for any planning.
Address: Family Nest Resort & Villas, Jl. Labuansait Jl. Pantai Cemongkak, Pecatu, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80361
Website: Family Nest
Our Rating: TBC
Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa
Renaissance Bali Uluwatu, as you’d expect from this brand, offers spacious rooms and suites and private balconies. In some configurations, they also have floating baths.
Most of all, this resort has a clear focus on families. The Tree House Kids’ Club offers non-stop daily activities including kite painting, Balinese dance lessons, movie time, its own clay studio and some kite painting.
There’s also a dedicated children’s pool that sits by the main pools, and you also get access to Roosterfish Beach Club, the most family-friendly beach club on the island, as it’s managed by the resort.
If your family wants both structure and variety in Uluwatu, this place is a good fit.
Address: Jl. Pantai Balangan I No.1, Ungasan, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Website: Marriott
Our Rating: TBC
Six Senses Uluwatu
Six Senses Uluwatu offers incredible cliff-edge villas with private pools. It also has a strong family program on offer.
The big cliff pool villas are ideal for larger families. The Peafowl Kids Club offers batik painting, Balinese Canang Sari making classes, and other cultural activities.
There’s a big focus on wellness at this hotel, and they offer wellness sessions and cooking classes for all ages set against a backdrop of stunning ocean views.
Families that want safe swimming spaces, excellent facilities, luxury, meaningful cultural experiences and the opportunity to enjoy a little quiet time will love this place.
Address: Jl. Penaga, Pecatu, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Website: Six Senses
Our Rating: 40/50
Our Review: A Serene Escape With A Wellness Heart
Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort
The Anantara is perched on a clifftop high above the Indian Ocean, and it has a collection of multi-layered infinity pools that include shallow areas suitable for little ones.
There are pool villas and suites with their own private pools, and a professionally managed kids’ club that delivers arts and crafts alongside Balinese games.
The rooftop dining is excellent, and the resort emphasises cultural experiences, all while you can enjoy amazing views throughout the resort.
Address: Jl. Pemutih, Pecatu, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Website: Anantara Uluwatu
Our Rating: 44/50
Our Review: An Exceptional Experience
Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu
This hotel is often a big pick for lists of family-friendly options in Uluwatu. It has excellent swimming pools, family-friendly rooms, al fresco dining and all the amenities you’d expect for a family holiday.
The resort is consistent with the brand’s standards, and its location is great too. It’s ideal for families seeking a mid-to-upper range spot for reliability and comfort.
The parents we spoke to say they love the clean facilities, helpful staff and ease of using this place as a base to explore Uluwatu.
Address: Jl. Pemutih Jl. Labuansait, Pecatu, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Website: Radisson
Our Rating: TBC
Alila Villas Uluwatu
Alila is a big name in Bali, and it’s associated with serious luxury. They offer iconic cliff-edge villas with private pools, often with kitchenettes and always with free cribs, access to toys and garden space.
The design is both contemporary and luxurious, but is still perfect for families seeking spacious layouts, and childcare services.
It’s for families that want villa living but with hotel levels of support and who are comfortable with the setting (younger children will need to be supervised near the cliff edges at all times).
Address: Jl. Belimbing Sari Jl. Alila Villas, Pecatu, Uluwatu, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Website: Hyatt
Our Rating: 37/50
Our Review: Stunning Clifftop Luxury
S Resorts Hidden Valley Bali
S Resorts Hidden Valley has multiple outdoor pools as well as babysitting services, childcare services, a kids’ menu, board games and toys.
It’s also one of the more accessibly priced options on this list, so it’s good for families seeking excellent child-friendly amenities without breaking the bank.
The valley setting is peaceful, and it’s a good place for kids to stay busy, while their parents chill out by the pool.
Address: Jl. Nabor No.29, Pecatu, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Website: S Resorts
Our Rating: TBC
Jumeirah Bali
Jumeirah is an Emirati brand which has made its first overseas foray into Bali, and the level of luxury you’d expect from the Emirates is found here in abundance.
It offers a dedicated kids’ club, children’s play area, children’s buffet and more. The accommodation is big enough for everyone to find their own space and the service standard is highly polished.
It’s great for families who want outstanding luxury service combined with solid children’s programs.
Address: Kawasan Pecatu Indah Resort, Jl. New Kuta Beach, Pecatu, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Website: Jumeirah
Our Rating: 44/50
Our Review: The UAE Comes To Bali
Karma Kandara
With spacious multi-bedroom villas (including private pools, patios and fully equipped kitchens), a great kids club (Three Little Monkeys Kids Club) and an elevator down to the beach (and the beach club), you can’t really go wrong with this resort for families.
Address: Jl. Villa Kandara Banjar Wijaya Kusuma, Ungasan, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80362, Indonesia
Website: Karma Kandara
Our Rating: 38/50
Our Review: Clifftops And Private Beaches
Suarga Padang Padang
This pleasant offering has ocean views, free breakfast options, family-friendly layouts, babysitting and more on hand.
It’s also very near some of the beaches, which makes it a great base to explore the local area from.
Address: JL. Pantai Labuan Sait, Br Dinas Labuan Sait, Pecatu, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Website: SuargaPadangPadang
Our Rating: TBC
Practical Tips For Families That Visit Uluwatu
As with every area of Bali, we have some practical tips that can help you get even more out of your trip to Uluwatu.
Firstly, we can’t stress this enough. Uluwatu is very spread out. If you don’t intend to spend all day, every day in your resort, it’s a very good idea to engage the services of a private car and driver (8 hours costs around 500,000 IDR, about $30 USD or $50 AUD, and this includes car, driver and gas costs – it’s very cheap).
This will mean you can enjoy the beaches, temples, and restaurants easily and without any logistical stress. Ride-sharing is possible and also very cheap, but you may have to wait a while for anyone to arrive given the layout of this area.
Melasti and Pandawa Beaches are the more family-friendly beaches as they both have sections where the shoreline is protected by reefs, which makes for calmer waters and thus, safer swimming.
If you like the idea of beach clubs, but don’t like the idea of travelling with kids to get to one, you can always find a resort with its own internal beach club.
Some cliff-edge properties will require you to be especially careful with toddlers around the drops and infinity edges. We strongly recommend that you ask the property to furnish you with some photos of their pool and terrace safety features before you book.
We’d also recommend that you confirm their kids’ club age range, hours, and whether or not there are any fees associated with this service. It’s also worth finding out if you have to book a spot in the kids’ club and if so, get those bookings in early, particularly if you’re travelling during peak periods (June-August or the Christmas/New Year period), as spaces will fill up fast.
You should also check if they offer cribs, high chairs, etc. prior to booking and whether there are any fees for these services.
Then, it’s a question of packing some sturdy footwear to enable getting around, hats, cover-ups and reef-safe sunscreen to avoid sunburn.
You could also consider a villa with its own kitchen if you want to make your own meals or snacks for potentially fussy eaters. And as always, we’d recommend booking an airport transfer service as this will save a lot of pain at the airport.
FAQs
Is Uluwatu A Good Destination For A Family Holiday?
Yes, we think Uluwatu is a great destination for a family holiday if you want a slow pace of life, dramatic views and a relaxed villa stay. It doesn’t have the energy of Seminyak or Canggu, but it has its own advantages.
The scenery is amazing in this area, and the limestone cliffs, sunset views and infinity pools are all great, though they do come at a price premium nowadays compared to some of the other beach towns.
Not all beaches are good for swimming, but Melasti and Padang Padang can be great at low tide, and the sand is beautiful.
It’s also home to some exciting cultural highlights such as the Uluwatu Temple and its world-famous sunset Kecak Dance.
Is Uluwatu Safe?
We cannot stress enough that Bali is a very safe place, and the majority of visitors say that their experiences of Bali lead them to believe that it is a safer place than where they come from.
Uluwatu is exceptionally safe, not least because it’s so spread out; it’s an unattractive place for petty crime except around the big tourist spots, where you would be well-advised to watch out for both human and simian thieves (Uluwatu Temple has the world’s most larcenous monkeys) by keeping a close eye on your possessions.
Violent crime is fleetingly rare on the island and only really tends to occur in nightlife spots after too much alcohol has been consumed. This is something that you’re not likely to run into with young children.
However, there are healthcare issues that you may have to face in Bali that you wouldn’t face at home, and it’s a good idea for the whole family to visit their GP several months before they travel and to discuss vaccinations and any other potential problems.
We’d also strongly recommend that you bring high sun factor reef-safe sunscreen, hats, and cover-up clothing to help ensure that you kids don’t burn in the Bali sun.
Families would be well-advised to use a private car and driver service (which can be accessed very cheaply indeed) rather than opting for scooters. Bali’s road conditions are pretty poor and local driving standards are abysmal. Scooter accidents are very common. Don’t risk your family’s health; it’s better to get a ride-share car for short trips rather than come off a bike.
And finally, it’s a good idea to ensure that you have invested in some travel insurance, as if you should fall ill or have an accident, it will ensure that you don’t have to spend a fortune in a local hospital.
Which Family-Friendly Hotels Are Closest To The Beach In Uluwatu?
Uluwatu Surf Villas and Blue Point Resort and Spa are family-friendly options that are both directly near clifftops and have stairs leading down to Uluwatu and Suluban beaches. (It’s important to note that most hotels in Uluwatu are not directly on the beach and are on the clifftops – this can make this area unappealing for people with very young children; you can’t take a stroller down the stairs, and getting a toddler down won’t be easy either).
Which Hotels Have The Best Kids’ Clubs And Dedicated Children’s Facilities In Uluwatu?
Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort and Spa has a fully supervised set of daily programs at its The Tree House Kids Club and offers kite painting and Balinese dance lessons among more common activities. They also have an interactive clay studio and a dedicated kids’ pool.
Karma Kandara’s 3 Monkeys Kids Club (for ages 4-11) is very well regarded, and it organises beach combing, kite making, family cooking classes and open-air beach movie nights for the little ones.
Is Uluwatu Easy To Navigate With Young Children Or Strollers?
It’s fair to say that getting around with young kids or with strollers in Uluwatu can be something of a challenge.
Most of the beaches (like Suluban or Bingin) are completely inaccessible to strollers and require you to navigate steep, uneven stone stairs to get down the cliff. Toddlers are likely to be exhausted and miserable by the time they reach the bottom.
Sidewalks are rare on the roads, and worse, when they do exist, they are frequently broken and used as extra road space by scooter traffic. It’s often completely impractical to travel even short distances on foot with kids.
The solution to this problem is to find a resort on relatively flat terrain that provides complimentary shuttle services to nearby spots that help you avoid traffic and tricky walking routes. Alternatively, you could hire a private car and driver (which is extremely inexpensive) to get around.
Are The Beaches In Uluwatu Safe For Kids To Swim In?
In general, no. Uluwatu is not a place that’s safe for most people to swim, let alone children. It’s a globally famous surfing destination, and that means the shores experience strong currents, have sharp coral reefs (and bits of coral in the sand along the shore) and heavy breaks.
Riptides can easily drag even the strongest of swimmers out to sea. It’s highly recommended that families stick to swimming in the hotel pool or visit places such as Melasti Beach (which is in Uluwatu) or nearby Jimbaran Bay with calmer, shallower waters.
How Far Is Uluwatu From The Airport When Travelling With Tired Kids?
In geographical terms, Uluwatu is very close to the airport. However, don’t let that fool you. Traffic on to and off of the Bukit Peninsula is regularly bottlenecked, and a drive from Ngurah Rai Airport to a hotel in Uluwatu can take an hour or more in traffic.
It’s why we always advise parents to book an airport transfer through their hotel. It won’t cut down on the length of the drive, but it will avoid hanging around at the airport waiting for a rideshare or a taxi, and it will ensure that you get moving with your luggage and children as fast as possible.
Final Thoughts On Family-Friendly Fun In Uluwatu
Uluwatu has become increasingly popular with visitors to Bali in recent years and that’s got much to do with both the dramatic scenery and the excellent practical amenities provided by resorts in this area.
It’s easy to find a place with private or multiple pools for safe swimming, a supervised kids’ club or somewhere with a first-rate play space (such as Family Nest’s Pangolin or Renaissance’s Tree House), spacious villas or suites, and world-class service that will take all the stress out of your travel experience.
Whether you opt for the purpose-built, completely family-focused Family Nest, the Tree House and beach club at the Renaissance, the cliff-top-pool luxury of Six Senses or Anantara, or a solid mid-range option like S Resorts Hidden Valley, there are plenty of incredible properties in this area for families that are designed around the realities of travelling with kids.
Uluwatu is ideal for families that want space, views and a slightly more exclusive vibe than the busier southern beach towns.
As always, you’ll get the best out of Uluwatu when you match your hotel or villa to your kids’ ages and preferred pace of life. Then, it’s time to ensure you prioritise the right layout, such as multi-bedroom or private pool villas, to give everyone some breathing room.
After that, you can get ready for some easy days of playing by the pool, visiting the dramatic local beaches, and kicking back for some memorable clifftop sunsets.
Your kids are going to remember the pools, play spaces and fun exploring with new friends in the resort, and you’re going to remember the spectacular scenery and first-rate family comfort.
