Munch Munch
Be seen with the beautiful crowd at the "swept up" Ku De Ta. It’s glam, it’s chichi and it’s super sassy. Sunset drinks here are buzzing, and Sundays are kids’ day, with heaps of fun activities to keep the littlies entertained. Our kids love the beachside pool and we love the views and cocktails! The famous La Lucciola on the beach is a Seminyak institution (and rightly so). Most kids like Italian right? There is a great lawn for kids to play on and they do kiddie portions if you ask.
When you think of Bali and cuisine, Mexican probably isn’t on your radar. But there is some extra tasty and authentic Mexican nosh to be had in Bali. Motel Mexicola for snacks and drinks is totally quirky and colourful and definitely worth checking out. I LOVE the design of this place. If you take the kids, go for lunch or early dinner with kids as it can get pretty rowdy at night.
Photo Credit: Motel Mexicola
Lacalaca is a playful and vibrant Mexican cantina where kids eat free on Wednesday nights. Petitenget is a pleasant place for lunch or dinner. They have a kiddy menu and some outdoor seating.
Photo Credit: Lacalaca
For parents who like really good coffee head to Revolver Cafe like many places in Seminyak its uber cool. You can take kids, but it's there isn't heaps of space inside. Sea Circus is a stand-out family favourite with our kids who love the vegemite toast, and we love the flat whites. It is a delightfully playful café with gorgeous and bold splashes of colour. Grocer and Grind is very swanky and has excellent breakfasts, good coffee, kids’ menus, high chairs, stuff for drawing and more.
Photo credit: Ku De Ta
Watercress in Kerobokan has a lovely atmosphere, nice nosh, space for families, free baby chinos and they welcome kids. Also, in Kerobokan is Naughty Nuris (yes like the Ubud one) which is a convivial kind of joint, although there isn’t oodles of space for kids to run. Go early evening with the family as it can be raucous later on. Although tiny, so perhaps not the best if your kidlets have energy to burn, Zucchini Cafe has mouth watering salads.
Photo Credit: Sea Circus
For treats for the littlies, try mouth-watering Gusto Gelato in Kerobokan which has a loyal expat clientele, or the jovial and equally delectable Lello Lello Gelato.
Head to Bintang Supermarket to stock up on supplies. They have a good range of food, snacks for the kids, meat, bread, milk, deli items, fresh fruit and veggies, toys, toiletries, nappies, beer and overpriced Jacob’s Creek wine.
La Plancha, which is literally right on the beach, may not have the best tucker in Seminyak but there is lots to love about it. If you are seeking a top-notch place for sunset drinks, with a buzzing but relaxed vibe and a relaxed early family dinner, where you can lounge on colourful beanbags, sink your toes in the sand, do a bit of people watching and soak it all up while the kids run and play, this is the place. The last time I went to La Plancha it seemed to be more crammed in than I remember. There are other similar, not as well known places along the beach next to La Plancha which may be less crowded perhaps? Their love music can be questionable in my experience though.
La Plancha
Lots of expats (mainly French) reside in Umalas and perhaps this is why some great eateries have popped up. Monseuir Spoon (a bakery with great croissants) + a few yummy cafes & warungs. Nook is my choice in Umalas, with its welcoming vibe, nice scenery and reasonably-priced Indo food. I have heard that Habitual has awesome breakies and lunches. An expat friend of mine loves Warung Hotel in Umalas which does crunchy fresh Vietnamese/Thai and other delights (and has a garden out back). Cafe Cous Cous “Moorish in design + flavour” has vegetarian and Middle Eastern food.
Play
Surf’s Up! For kids five and over there are a quite a few outfits where your family can try surfing. Bali Green Surf, Bali Learn to Surf & Double D Surf School are just a few suggestions to start with. Bali Green Surf runs a school project to support disadvantaged kids and organises a variety of activities with the children every Sunday, such as study help, beach clean ups or surf lessons.
Waterbom Park
Waterbom Park is very well-known, and rightly so. Its fun fun fun. But better for kids – teens (+ parents who are kids at heart) than toddlers & bubs. If you do head there, get there early and book a Gazebo.
Slides, water play, climbing, bouncing (& even a toddler play area) can be found at Lollipops Play Centre in Seminyak, which looks bright and spongy, and on my list. A day at Potato Head, a beachfront venue with a pool is quite the scene. We like it because there is a pool, lawn and the beach and you can order food, so it makes for an easy family outing. It’s not a family gig so expect lots of the Gen Y crowd living it up. The pool has no fence just so you know.
Photo credit: Coco and Ginger
My kids don't need new clothes, but there are quite a few groovy little boutique kids clothing stores. Little Fox has baby stuff, food, etc. My favourite kids clothing store is Kidsagogo. Also check out Indigo Kids Coco and Ginger and Zuitton which has some cool little boy’s clothes. I wish some of these stores made their clothes for mamas!
Just for parents
There are simply so many superb dining options (an date night options) in Seminyak, and new places popping up all the time. Sardine, Sarong, and La Favela as well as the the hip Mama San. Another place that critics are raving about is Barbacoa. The dining scene is pumping in Seminyak, so please let me know if there are others popping up on the scene to I can update this post!
Saigon Street is one of Bali’s new dining hotspots in Seminyak. It specialises in Vietnamese food with a modern twist. Another one to watch is Bambu which serves up amazing Indo food and seems to be rising in the popularity ranks of the Seminyak eating scene.
Photo Credit: Mamasan
The sheer array of places to indulge in pampering is bewildering in this part of the world from a beachside foot massage to a 5-star spa, take your pick. Prana Spa is out of this world, and perhaps something that you would see in a film set of Arabian Nights. I went with a group of 11 women and the overwhelming feedback was really good, although honestly I was a little disappointed with my massage.
August 2016
There are constantly new places popping up in Seminyak. If you have any other suggestions on great places to play and eat with kids around Seminyak I'd love to hear from you. I want all the info on Growing up Troppo to be as accurate as possible and helpful for parents, so please let me know if things change, or if I have made any errors. Some of the photos in this post aren't mine, but I have done my best to credit them properly. If there are any issues, just let me know.
