7 Best Nusa Dua Resorts for Families

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Pick Nusa Dua if your kids want a beach they can wade into. A reef holds the waves back, so the water stays shallow and calm. At low tide the reef flat is exposed and the coral is sharp, so pack water shoes. Low tide is pool time. Here’s where I’d book for kids around six and nine.

Nusa Dua Resorts for Families

Beach Days at Nusa Dua with Kids

The reef makes the water calm and sets the schedule. Plan beach time around the tide.

• Low Tide Changes the Beach: At low tide the reef flat shows and the coral on it is sharp, and the water turns very shallow. Swim at high tide, when the water is deeper and covers the coral. Check a tide chart the evening before.
• Water Shoes Protect Small Feet: Seaweed and coral both lie in the shallows, so water shoes save children from cuts. Wear them for wading even at the resort beaches that set out umbrellas and towels.
• Jet Skis Share the Lagoon: Jet skis and boats cross the lagoon, so keep children inside the marked swimming zones. Banana boats and parasailing run from Tanjung Benoa, the next beach north.

Beds in Family Rooms

Some rooms listed as fitting four have only one bed. Read the bed line before the sleeps figure.

• Count the Beds: Some king rooms are sold as a fit for two adults and two children and hold only one bed. Four people on one king is a bad night, whatever the listing says.
• Two Doubles Work: A room with two double or queen beds lets a six-year-old and a nine-year-old share one while the adults take the other. Bunk beds and second bedrooms put a bed under each child.
• Sofa Beds Are a Gamble: Few listings give a sofa bed’s size. One Nusa Dua resort lists its sofa bed at 90 by 180 centimetres, a single bed’s width.

Nusa Dua or Tanjung Benoa

Nusa Dua is the gated resort enclave, and Tanjung Benoa is the open strip just north. Both sell themselves as Nusa Dua.

• Inside the Enclave: The resort zone is gated, with wide roads and green gardens, and it is walkable between hotels. The Bali Collection shopping centre sits inside it, 500 metres from the beach.
• On Tanjung Benoa: Tanjung Benoa is not gated, so local restaurants and shops sit beside the resorts. It is also where the water sports run.
• Reading Hotel Addresses: Jalan Pratama addresses are Tanjung Benoa, and Kawasan Pariwisata or Kawasan Wisata Nusa Dua addresses sit inside the enclave. Check the street line before the hotel name.

From the Airport to Nusa Dua

Ngurah Rai International Airport is 10 to 15 kilometres away, a drive of 20 to 40 minutes. Traffic sets the time.

• Take the Toll Road: The Bali Mandara Toll Road is a raised road that skips the traffic on the main road south of the airport. Ask the driver to use it.
• Add Time at Rush Hour: Allow extra time for the morning and evening rush. Traffic backs up on the roads around the airport and the toll road approaches.
• Book a Private Driver: A pre-booked private driver meets you at arrivals, which is the easiest start with luggage and tired children. Give the driver the street name of your resort.

Weather and Busy Months

July to September are the busiest months, and the wet season runs from November to March. February and March have the lowest rates.

• July to September Fills Up: Hotels fill fastest from July to September, when Australian winter and European summer holidays fall. Book these months early.
• Wet Season Brings Afternoon Storms: Rain falls mostly in the afternoon between November and March. Plan pool time for the morning.
• February and March Cost Least: Hotel rates across Bali drop to their lowest in these months. Rain is the trade-off.
• Nyepi Quiets the Island: A day of silence called Nyepi falls in March, and the airport closes. Resorts keep guests on their grounds until it ends.

Out of the Resort with Kids

Most days end up inside the resort. A few places in Nusa Dua are worth a few hours.

• Bali Collection: Bali Collection is an open-air shopping complex with food pavilions serving Western and local dishes, so a picky eater finds something. It sits inside the resort zone.
• Museum Pasifika: Museum Pasifika holds more than 600 artworks from across Asia and the Pacific. It runs hands-on workshops open to children.
• Devdan Show: The Devdan Show mixes dance and acrobatics on stage at the Bali Nusa Dua Theatre. It is family-friendly and ticketed.

FAQs

1. Is Nusa Dua beach safe for children?

Yes, for wading and for swimming at high tide. The reef breaks the waves, so the water stays calm and shallow, and the sand slopes gently. At low tide the reef flat is exposed with sharp coral, so children need water shoes. Jet skis and boats use the lagoon, so stay inside the marked swimming zones.

2. Is Nusa Dua better than Sanur for kids?

Nusa Dua is better for resort days with kids’ clubs, and Sanur is better for walking to cafes. Both have calm, reef-protected water. Nusa Dua is a gated enclave of large resorts, while Sanur is a walkable town with a beachfront path. Sanur is also where the boats leave for Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan.

3. How far is Nusa Dua from the airport?

The airport is 10 to 15 kilometres away, a drive of 20 to 40 minutes. The Bali Mandara Toll Road is the fastest route, so ask your driver to take it. Allow extra time for landings in the morning and evening rush. A pre-booked private driver meets you at arrivals, which helps with luggage and tired children.

4. Is Tanjung Benoa part of Nusa Dua?

Not strictly: Tanjung Benoa is the open strip just north of the gated enclave, though its resorts use Nusa Dua in their names and addresses. It is not gated, so local restaurants and shops sit beside the hotels. Banana boats and parasailing run from its beach. Expect a short drive to Bali Collection and the main Nusa Dua beach.

5. When is the best time for a family trip to Nusa Dua?

Go between April and October for the dry months, and book July to September early, when Australian and European holidays fill the resorts. February and March have the lowest rates, though they fall in the wet season that runs from November to March. Rain falls mostly in the afternoon, so keep mornings for the pool.

6. Is Nusa Dua walkable with kids?

Inside the resort zone, yes. The roads are wide and Bali Collection is 500 metres from the beach, so short outings work on foot. A paved beach promenade suits prams and tired legs. For anywhere beyond the enclave, take a taxi or a private driver, because roads that look short on the map run slow in traffic.

7. Is Nusa Dua good for toddlers?

Toddlers do well here, because the lagoon water is calm and shallow and the sand slopes gently. A paved promenade runs the length of the beach and suits prams. Inside the gated resort zone the roads are wide and quiet. Keep toddlers off the reef flat at low tide, because the coral is sharp.