T
My big fat family holiday in Bali
HE dynamics were always going to be interesting, travelling with my large family group, but being very familiar with Bali, I was confident I had it covered.
THE FAMILY ENCLAVE I had chosen Griya Santrian Hotel, right on the beach in Sanur, a fishing village on the east coast, a comfortable 40-minute drive from the airport (I had organised a 15-seater bus to meet us). Settled in our adjacent ground floor garden wing rooms, with porches overlooking the pool, we were easily able to keep an eye on the kids in the pool and get together in our private enclave in the evenings when the little ones had gone to bed. Early risers were treated to spectacular sunrises as they watched local fishermen cast their nets, searched for starfish and chatted to early morning walkers. While the boys went jet skiing or windsurfing, the girls indulged in massages, manicures and pedicures ... and hair braiding for the little ones - essential evidence of a Bali holiday! There was also a turtle hatchery just a short walk from our resort, which the kids loved. The family with older children hired bikes and went riding on the boardwalk alongside the beach and an unexpected invitation to a local palace provided a lesson in making offerings and an opportunity to be blessed by a high priest. An evening Kecak (Monkey) dance performance added a dose of local culture.
A true Bali fan, Jane Milojevic eagerly rose to the challenge of organising a Bali holiday for her large family group of 18, including seven grandchildren aged from 11 years to 16 months. With a little planning, the varied needs, wants and interests of this blended family - which included two of her own children, two of her husband’s children and a number of first-time travellers – were easily fulfilled in Bali!
BALI SAFARI & MARINE PARK
Š Shutterstock.com
A group outing required group transport, so in the 15-seater bus once more, we headed to Bali Safari
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WINTER 2014 outandaboutwithkids.com.au
off a Eve and Sienna, coming rk Pa at Waterbom
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