Kuta was our soft landing into Bali — the kind that doesn’t demand sightseeing, matching outfits, or big decisions. Just sun, water, and permission to do nothing well.
With two little girls (2 and 7), Melbourne’s winter still stuck to our bones, and a multi-generational family trip ahead, we made a very intentional call: Kuta would be about rest. Pools. Easy food. Letting our nervous systems catch up with our bodies.
And honestly? It was the best possible beginning to our 10 days in Bali.
Read This Your Way
(Best enjoyed in order — but jump to what you need)
Day 1: From Melbourne
to Poolside Bliss
Our Bali adventure began the way all great family holidays do — at 2am, running on coffee, excitement, and very little sleep.
We headed to the airport for a 7am flight with Garuda Indonesia, booked through Trip.com, where I managed to score a great deal. The flight was smooth, comfortable, and most importantly… we all slept.
A small miracle. Bali was already off to a good start.
Sidvice – you’ll thank me for:
👉 Pre-order a child’s meal. Hungry kids at 30,000 feet are nobody’s spiritual journey.
We landed around 11am, bracing ourselves for airport chaos — and were pleasantly surprised. Because we had already:
- Applied for our e-Visa on Arrival
- Paid the Bali levy
- Filled out the arrival form
…we cleared immigration in 10 minutes flat.
Sidvice – Do this before you fly tip:
👉 Apply and pay for your e-visa on arrival in advance here
👉 Pay for tourist levy here
👉 Fill your arrival card here (this is the same link as the e-visa on arrival)
Luggage, however, decided to test our patience. By the time it arrived, the kids were hot, hungry, and emotionally done. Jumpers came off. Snacks came out.
Sidvice – for your sanity:
👉 Layer clothes or pack warm-weather outfits in your carry-on.
👉 Always carry snacks. Always. Hungry kids + hangry parents is not a vibe you want at the start of a trip.
If you’re heading to Bali for the first time, I’ve shared everything you need to know before you land — from visas and arrival forms to money, transfers, and packing tips — in my Bali Airport Arrival Tips & Before You Go Guide.
Hassle-Free Airport Transfer
Once we collected our bags, we walked straight out to find our pre-booked driver waiting — thank you, past me.
We had pre-booked our airport transfer through Klook, and paid $22 AUD for a large van, which comfortably fit our group of five (and all our bags, moods, and snacks). No negotiating. No confusion. No melting down children. Just air-conditioning and forward motion — exactly what you want after a long flight with kids.
Why I’ll always pre-book transfers with kids:
- Cheaper than on-the-spot taxis
- Zero searching with luggage and small humans
- Straight to the hotel
Klook also has a small airport lounge, where you can grab a quick drink or snack while waiting — bean bags included for travellers who have been awake since yesterday.
Sometimes, the best travel decision is the one that requires the least thinking — and this was one of them.
Our Bali Driver (If You Prefer Direct Booking)
If you’re staying longer in Bali or want a reliable local driver for airport transfers, day trips, or sightseeing, we had a great experience with our driver and would happily use him again.
📱 Bali Driver Contact:
Name: Ismail
WhatsApp: +62 857-9809-2077
He was:
- Punctual
- Reasonable
- Calm and patient with kids
- Helpful without being pushy
- Great for families who want an easy, flexible experience
(As always, message on WhatsApp and confirm prices beforehand.)
Our Stay: Truntum Kuta
Formerly Grand Inna Kuta
We stayed at Truntum Kuta, a beachfront resort sitting right across from Kuta Beach — easy, central, and perfectly suited to a family arriving jet-lagged and carrying the noise of Melbourne life with them.
I booked the hotel via Trip.com, and the experience felt effortless from the start. I found a great deal quickly, without endless comparing or second-guessing.
At the hotel, we were greeted by smiling staff, a smooth check-in, luggage handled without us asking — and at reception, cold infused mineral water that tasted like instant recovery after the flight.
Our Rooms (Quick Snapshot)
We booked two interconnected Grand Deluxe rooms, which worked beautifully for our family.
- Breakfast included
- Located in the Bali Wing (traditional Balinese style, recently renovated)
- Garden-facing balconies
- One king bed + twin beds that joined together into a sleep-sprawling paradise for kids
The bathroom had a double shower, toilet, and basin — compact but functional.
(And let’s be honest, we spent far more time in the pool than the bathroom.)
👉 Read the full Truntum Kuta hotel review here.
If you’re travelling with kids and want a stay that feels easy, welcoming, and genuinely family-friendly, Truntum Kuta was a great choice for us — and the perfect way to start our Bali trip.
Lunch, Beach Walks & Pool Time
the Holy Trinity
After freshening up, we headed to the hotel restaurant for a late lunch — and our welcome drinks (voucher provided at check-in).
On the table:
- Nasi Goreng
- Pad Thai
- Chicken quesadilla
- Mac & Cheese for the kids
- We finished with Black Forest cake, because holidays don’t count calories.
The food was genuinely good, but the view — pool and beach-facing — quietly stole the show.
After lunch, we walked across the road to the beach… briefly since the kids had already decided.
Pool it was.
And pool it stayed.
I ordered a Cosmic Colada from the swim-up bar (not life-changing, but deeply necessary), while the girls shared mango juice with two straws like tiny tropical queens.
By evening, swimming plus a 2am start caught up with them. We grabbed takeaway, tucked the kids into bed, and left them with grandma while AG and I stepped out.
Kuta After Dark
The Tired-But-Free Parent Edition
Kuta at night hums. Music spills onto the streets, lights glow, shops buzz, and there’s something strangely energising about walking with no pram, no snacks, and no one asking you for anything.
We wanted to stay out longer.
We thought we might.
But our energy levels were officially in the negatives, so we did the sensible thing and had dinner at Jamie Oliver Kitchen, right across from our hotel.
Good food. Relaxed vibe. Early night.
Honestly? Perfect.
Day 2: Rain, Rituals & Pool Time
yes, Again
The next morning started with a generous buffet breakfast… and then the rain arrived.
Not polite drizzle. Proper rain.
It also meant that our much-anticipated meet and swim with dolphins experience was cancelled. Because of the weather, all dolphin activities were called off — and despite trying, we couldn’t secure another booking during the three days we were in Kuta.
I had booked the experience through GetYourGuide, and to their credit, the refund was quick and completely hassle-free.
For now, I’ve parked that experience firmly in the next time in Bali folder.
The kids were disappointed — understandably so — but thankfully, our hotel didn’t leave much room for sulking.
Resort Activities We Loved
Instead of dolphins, the girls were introduced to something equally fascinating in their own way.
Making Canang Sari — traditional Balinese prayer baskets — came first.
Tiny hands carefully placing flowers, curious questions about colours and meaning, and that quiet focus kids slip into when something truly captures them. I watched them, and quietly, I was just as absorbed.
Then came fish feeding — the kind that turns disappointment into squeals in under thirty seconds.
The fish were big.
And very hungry.
The moment food hit the water, they appeared from everywhere — mouths opening, bodies swirling, water bubbling with movement. The girls laughed, jumped back, leaned in again, wide-eyed and completely mesmerised.
It was chaotic, joyful, and entirely absorbing — the kind of moment that reminds you how quickly kids can move on when something sparks their curiosity.
And just when the excitement settled and the day could have ended there, the rain invited us into something even softer.
The rain didn’t stop the kids from wanting to swim. And instead of fighting it — towels, dry clothes, sensible plans — we leaned in.
Swimming in the rain turned out to be unexpectedly magical — water falling from the sky, water all around us, laughter echoing.
It transported me straight back to my childhood summers, dancing in the Indian monsoon. One of those soft, grounding moments that stays with you long after the holiday ends.
After a long, rain-soaked swim, we warmed up with lunch at the resort. And when the clouds finally began to lift, we stepped back out into Kuta.
Shopping Stops
- Kuta Art Market
- Beachwalk Shopping Mall
A perfect mix of souvenirs, air-conditioning, and wandering without urgency — the kind of afternoon that doesn’t ask you to rush anywhere.
It wasn’t what we had planned for the day.
But it turned out to be one of those quiet, unexpected days that settles into your memory without asking permission — the kind where disappointment softens, laughter takes over, and the moment becomes enough.
Day two didn’t give us dolphins.
It gave us rain, rituals, hungry fish, and children laughing freely in the pool.
And somehow, that’s the day we’ll always treasure.
Day 3: Braids, Seminyak
and Me Time
Day three began slowly — the kind of pace you settle into once the holiday has truly found its rhythm.
The girls joined another resort activity, this time painting. Tiny hands, serious faces, quiet concentration. The kind of calm that only lasts as long as the paint stays on the paper.
And then came hair braiding.
Best. Decision. Ever.
Thirty minutes that saved:
- Daily hair negotiations
- Time, we didn’t have
- And very possibly, my sanity
The braids were neat, playful, and perfectly holiday-coded. They looked adorable — and more importantly, I didn’t have to think about hair again for the rest of the trip.
With everyone sorted, we headed out to Seminyak — a gentle wander rather than a mission. Browsing shops, people-watching, letting the day unfold without chasing anything in particular.
By afternoon, we were back where the kids were happiest.
The pool.
Again.
They splashed, laughed, and invented games only children understand. I claimed a sun lounger, book in hand, drink within reach, sunlight filtering through palm leaves above me.
For the first time since we arrived, I wasn’t watching the clock or planning the next move.
I was just… there.
That night, after the kids fell asleep, I quietly stepped into one of my favourite rituals of the trip — me time, uninterrupted.
I treated myself to a 1.5-hour Balinese massage followed by foot reflexology.
Warm hands. Gentle pressure. Soft music. The kind of quiet that settles into your bones.
It was grounding. Deeply relaxing. The sort of experience that makes you realise how rarely you let yourself fully switch off.
Day three didn’t ask much of us.
And in return, it gave me one of my favourite memories in Kuta — not loud or dramatic, just calm, restorative, and exactly what I needed.
Day 4: Beach Time, Family Reunion
and a Fairytale Goodby
Our final day in Kuta unfolded gently — no alarms, no rushing, nowhere we had to be.
Just the beach.
The kids claimed a patch of sand and got to work on sandcastles that were ambitious in design and short-lived in reality. I stayed back, feet dug into the sand, watching them with that full-heart feeling that only holidays seem to make space for — the kind where time stretches and nothing else feels urgent.
By afternoon, Kuta gave us one more gift.
AG’s sister and her family arrived from Brisbane, turning an already good day into something celebratory. We gathered for a long, laughter-filled family meal at Pronto, an Italian restaurant that felt instantly right for the moment.
Relaxed, welcoming, and perfectly family-friendly — generous pizzas, comforting Italian flavours, and the kind of place where conversations linger and no one checks the time.
The pizzas were incredible.
The laughter even better.
👉 You can read my full review of Pronto here. (coming soon)
The Horse Cart (And the Moment Kuta Became a Fairytale)
And then came the highlight of the day — the kind you don’t plan too tightly because you want it to surprise you.
Instead of walking or hopping into a car, we returned to the hotel on a horse cart.
Slow-moving. Clip-clopping. Completely unbothered by schedules.
The kids were mesmerised — eyes wide, voices hushed, pointing at everything as if we’d stepped into a storybook version of Kuta. Streets we’d walked all week suddenly looked different from this pace — softer, quieter, almost magical.
People smiled as we passed. The rhythm slowed. The world felt smaller and sweeter.
For those few minutes, nothing else existed but the sound of hooves on the road, warm evening air, and children soaking in a moment they didn’t yet know would become a memory.
Kuta, in true form, sent us off the same way it welcomed us — gently.
Unhurried.
Joyful.
And with just enough magic to make leaving feel bittersweet.
Why Kuta Was Exactly
What We Needed
Kuta gave us exactly what we didn’t know we needed at the start of this trip — time to land, to rest, and to be together without rushing anywhere. Between pool days, rain-soaked swims, shared meals, and slow evenings, it helped us shake off the noise we carried with us and settle into island life. It wasn’t about ticking off sights. It was about arriving — fully, gently, and together.
Sun-washed days, unhurried nights.
Kuta was the pause before the story unfolded.
If Kuta felt like the beginning we needed,
the adventure continues next in Ubud.
Come with us — into green mornings, muddy adventures, and a very different rhythm of Bali.
Tell me — What does the perfect beginning to a holiday look like for you?
Share your thoughts and story in the comments or tag me on Instagram @eatplaytravelwithsid.
