Bali’s best family beaches

We love a day at the beach and have spent the last 6 months seeking out the best seaside gems for families in Bali. To guarantee a fun filled day with little ones at the beach we look for safe, calm waters, a big stretch of sand, shade, good food and a family friendly vibe. We hope you enjoy our top five favourite waterside escapes in Bali.

A long, bay of golden, white sands Nusa Dua is home to a collection of elite, world-class five-star resorts. As soon as you arrive you'll relax into the upmarket holiday vibe and notice how well maintained, clean and safe this little idyllic piece of Bali is.

Blessed with an offshore reef the beautiful bay is calm and shallow, a perfect playground for the little ones to splash and play. The public parts of the beach are dotted between exclusive resorts and a peaceful, oceanfront boardwalk runs the length of the coastline. We love wandering past the idyllic, luxurious retreats and gawping at how the other half lives! Our favourite spot is just outside Pirates Bay restaurant - Jessica can embrace her inner castaway and we all enjoy a cooling dip afterwards and a long, leisurely stroll along the beachfront. Nusa Dua offers a dreamy seaside day out for the whole family.

Balangan Beach is a beautiful beach on the Bukit Peninsula in Southern Bali. Still a bit of a hidden gem this beach offers a quiet, laid back, family friendly vibe. After a bumpy ride down a dirt track, you'll catch a glimpse of the big blue waves and towering cliffs surrounding the bay. There is a wide stretch of powder white sand and plenty of parasols and cushioned day beds to relax in the shade. We enjoyed a delicious lunch from one of the traditional beachside warungs. Great value and surfer sized portions to satisfy even the biggest appetite! The stunning stretch of quiet coastline is perfect for an afternoon explore and Millie had her first sandy steps on this very beach. Depending on the tides the waves here can be pretty big but there are always plenty of kids playing and paddling at the shoreline in the shallows. A proper hidden jewel - visit this beach before everyone else does!

Located 5km north east of Candi Dasa your first challenge is to actually find this beach. Look out for the makeshift, misspelt wooden signs for Virgin Beach and White Sand beach. Be warned they are blink and you’ll miss it big! Take an adventurous ride down the bumpy dirt track road and park below the shady palm trees. You’ll soon be rewarded with your first glimpse of pure white sands and blue sea nestled between two cliffs.

One of our favourite beaches in Bali this one is still a bit of a secret. Its remote location accessible only by dirt track, or a short boat ride from Candi Dasa, means it has remained relatively undiscovered. Don’t get me wrong there are tourists and a few hawkers but compared to many of Bali’s busier beaches it’s blissfully quiet.

There’s a cluster of beachside warungs selling delicious fresh fish and young coconuts. And you’ll have no problem finding a shady spot with plenty of loungers available under colourful parasols. We’ve visited a few times and the roughness of the sea varies a lot with the weather and the tides. We’ve enjoyed calm days perfect for a family dip but also watched from the shores as big, dramatic waves come crashing in.

There is plenty of shade for sandcastle building and playing. A walk along the shore will take you down to the quieter part of the beach, past moored up traditional fishing boats. In a rare moment of quiet, we even managed a sneaky beachside massage, whilst the girls snoozed. This little slice of paradise is away from the crowds and one of the best hidden beaches in Bali.

A fine, white sandy beach and one of the safest swimming spots in Bali, Jimbaran is a really family friendly choice. The girls adore splashing about in the shallow, clear waves and we enjoy a refreshing family dip. Jessica has a blast playing aeroplanes and digging holes in the wide stretch of flat sands. Jimbaran is a favourite of ours for a late afternoon visit so we can stay on and enjoy the stunning Bali sunsets. Famous for it's evening beachside BBQ’s we bag a table right on the beach and tuck into a delicious seafood feast. Don't expect the best service, but the atmosphere and location more than makes up for it. Lit up by twinkling oil torches and cooled by sea breezes, Jimbaran is a very special place once the sun goes down.

With a laid back vibe, this white sandy beach is a family favourite of ours for a lazy seaside Sunday. Protected by an offshore reef there are almost no waves and the little ones love splashing about in the shallow, calm, water. There is a wide stretch beach for sandcastle building and the shoreline is scattered with small, colourful shells. The beachside boardwalk is a lovely spot for a shady stroll and it's lined with a huge variety of local warungs for a bite to eat. Our favourite spot is the loungers and parasols at the pristinely clean stretch of private beach outside the Sanur Hyatt. As the hotel is currently undergoing major refurbishment the beach is currently open to public guests. Once this stops (mid 2015) there are plenty of other warungs, beach clubs and spots offering loungers and access to a stretch of sand for around 50,000IDR per person. A great all-round beach spot only 30 minutes drive from us in Ubud.