Family Holidays to Indonesia

Break with the first instinct to stay by the beach in Bali and think about Ubud. The cultural heart of Bali dates back to the 8^th century and it’s wildly beautiful, exotic and fascinating. Kids love Ubud for the birds and animals, green river valley and lush forest landscape, outdoor activities, traditional theatre and performance, colourful festivals and warm, friendly people.

• Just over an hour’s drive from Kuta’s west coast beaches and the lovely, calm north east coast resorts at Kubu.
• Ubud’s a perfect location for Bratan Lake, Bali’s ethereal caldera. It’s also ideal for the historic rice terraces at Tegalalang and Jatiluwih.
• Good for eco-hotels, traditional guesthouses, family resorts and spa hotels.
• Historic sites in and around Ubud include: Puri Saren Agung royal palace, Goa Gajah and Tirta Empul, Bali’s most sacred temple
• Ubud’s also home to the Monkey Forest and where to see the spectacular White Herons of Petulu.
• Visitors can try ridge walking, canyoning, white water rafting, mountain biking and forest cycling round Ubud and it’s also a centre for art workshops, cookery lessons, language and traditional culture classes.
• Anyone entering a Hindu temple must cover their legs completely. Most major sites include a sarong and sash in the ticket price. But buying your own at a local market’s a plan if you’re exploring outside the main tourist areas.

Most UK visitors fly into Jakarta in the far west of Java. The Indonesian capital is one of the world’s busiest cities and, appalling or spectacular, depending on how much you like relentless, seething crowds, glittering modern architecture, humid smog and non-stop noise.

Staying in Jakarta for a day or two with older kids or teenagers can be exciting but it’s not the city to find traditional Indonesian culture or a great deal of the country’s famous charm.

For all of that, and beautiful South Java Sea beaches, travel to Yogyakarta in central Java.

One of the few Indonesian cities with an historic centre, Yogyakarta’s also close to 8^th century Borobudur: the world’s largest Buddhist temple, a UNESCO World Heritage monument and the country’s most visited site.

• Yogyakarta’s one of Indonesia’s oldest cities and an amazing experience with older kids because it’s small, easy to get around and awash with ancient monuments, museums, galleries, traditional heritage and culture.
• You’ll find a wide range of four and five star hotels in the centre if you want to stay in the city itself.
• Many families opt for coastal resorts round the beaches at Kukup, Ngobaran, Depok, Tinang and Indrayanti, just over an hour’s drive south of the city.
• Don’t miss: Kraton Yogyakarta (the sultan’s palace), Kota Gede district, the ancient Candi (temples) including Borobudur, Candi Kalasan and Candi Plaosan.
• Visit: Pasar Beringharj market, Kisik River Camp for canoeing and rafting, Museum Sonobudoyo for Javanese shadow puppet and gamelan performance.
• Take a tour round the historic heart of Yogyakarta in a Becak cart – younger children love it.
• There’s a shuttle service year round from Jakarta to Yogyakarta and flights take about 40 minutes.

Lombok’s to the east of Bali, about the same size, and where to head for a barefoot, beachy and almost untouched Indonesian island holiday.

• Breathtakingly lovely Lombok’s trimmed with white sand beaches and the interior’s a dramatic mix of mighty volcanos, lush forests, rice terraces, tobacco plantations and tiny, traditional villages.
• Good choice of places to stay for families from Airbnb properties to eco-hotels, beach resorts, charming guesthouses and heritage villa rentals.
• Mataram City is the island capital but most visitors choose to stay near Senggigi Beach, Mangsit and Setangi Beach, about 40 minutes outside the city.
• Don’t miss: Gili Island cruise for turtle watching, Ampenan market, surfing at Hallo Lombok, guided forest treks, roadside corn on the cob sellers, scenic road trips north of Senggigi.
• Lombok is 30 minutes flight from Bali and a regular shuttle service operates all year round.