【Bali Travel Diary】Our Family of Four’s Accommodation for the First Two Nights in Bali
“Let’s Play and Eat Ho Chi Minh City” Live Footage
A Taiwanese businesswoman in Vietnam travels to Bali.
This article is adapted/reprinted with permission from the owner of “Let’s Play and Eat Ho Chi Minh City”
Originally published in the Facebook group “Bali/Indonesia Travel Guide”
Taken from the group, shared here to give back to the group
☀️《Bali/Kuta》✈️The Perfect Spot for Lazy Travelers: Watch the Sunset🌇, Enjoy Dinner🍽, Stock Up on Supplies🧃 - 《Beachwalk Shopping Center》
Why We Stayed in Kuta
Although Kuta isn’t the best place for a long stay (see: Why Kuta is the Most Convenient but Least Recommended Place to Stay in Bali), why did we choose to stay here right after landing? There are four reasons:
- It’s the closest to the airport, allowing us to relax almost immediately after landing. Traveling with two kids, staying in Kuta minimizes post-flight fatigue, helping the family unwind quickly and start enjoying Bali.
- It aligns with our next day’s itinerary to Jimbaran and Uluwatu. Kuta’s central location makes it convenient for visiting other Bali attractions like Jimbaran and Uluwatu, saving us travel time.
- As first-time visitors to Bali, we wanted to experience its liveliest area. Kuta offers bustling streets, diverse dining and shopping options, and stunning beaches, giving us a taste of Bali’s vibrant culture.
- We heard Kuta Beach is ideal for learning to surf, and our two boys wanted to give it a try. Known for beginner-friendly waves and wide sandy shores, Kuta Beach is perfect for kids eager to experience surfing.
After considering these four factors, we decided to spend our first day in Kuta, staying at a comfortable hotel near the Beachwalk Shopping Center to kick off our Bali adventure.
Kuta Accommodation Options
🔅 The “Aloft Kuta” hotel is right next to the Beachwalk Shopping Center. 👣 Step out of the hotel, and you’re at the shopping center in a second—perfect for lazy travelers 👏👏👏. The hotel’s location is incredibly convenient, not only close to the shopping center but also within walking distance to the beach. Plus, the room with two queen beds is ideal for our family of four, making it a perfect lodging choice.
The Aloft Kuta offers rooms with two queen beds and a mini bar.
▶ Aloft Kuta Booking Link ▶ Trip.com Booking
Aloft Bali Kuta is a Marriott New Hotel
For the first day of travel, to align with our family’s ‘relaxed vacation’ ethos, it’s unsuitable to rush through itineraries. The Kuta area, just 15-20 minutes from the airport, is perfect!
Located within the Beachwalk Shopping Center, the Aloft Kuta, which opened in April 2022, is a youthful brand under Marriott. Its design is simple and comfortable, with relatively affordable pricing while maintaining Marriott’s quality standards. The service is friendly, and the facilities are modern, making the stay feel excellent (awesome). Although it’s near the shopping center, access requires passing through an X-ray gate, ensuring safety. The Aloft Kuta has only three floors, with many rooms on each. Rooms at the back, though not facing the bustling Kuta beachfront, are quieter, ensuring a good night’s sleep.
The room design includes a small sofa area, a balcony, and a bathroom with separate wet and dry areas—everything is more than satisfactory! The breakfast restaurant is bright and comfortable, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting in plenty of sunlight. Although the breakfast options aren’t extensive, both Western and Balinese flavors are offered, all delicious and refined—the overall atmosphere is very much appreciated!
The pool area is lushly green, surrounded by trees, offering a refreshing ambiance. We stayed here for two nights; unfortunately, one morning was rainy, and the other morning we reserved for surfing, as the hotel faces the world-famous (beginner) surfing spot “Kuta Beach”—there’s no reason not to visit!
泳池的氛圍也很翠綠，四周樹木環繞，清晰感無限。我們在這兒住了兩晚，可惜一天早晨陰雨綿綿，另一天早晨我們要留給衝浪，因為飯店對面正是世界聞名的（初學者）衝浪勝地「Kuta Beach」，沒有不造訪的道理!
The most beautiful scenery is the people, and at Aloft Kuta, it’s right at your fingertips. The overall service deserves full marks — isn’t this exactly what a vacation needs?
▶Aloft Kuta Booking Link ▶Trip.com Booking
Day 1 Itinerary
Our Day 1 itinerary is as follows:
Private driver took us to exchange money and get SIM cards > Eat USD$1 dry noodles
“Let’s Play and Eat Ho Chi Minh City” live footage
Check-in > Watch the sunset at Beachwalk Shopping Mall 3F > Eat the roast pork rice recommended by Jay at Warung Babi Guling Bu Dayu Kencani
“Let’s Play and Eat Ho Chi Minh City” live footage
Truly a ‘hidden gem’ flavor! Watch Jay’s recommendation in the video below:
Buy water and souvenirs at Beachfront Shopping B1 Foodmart
Notes & Impressions
✖️Don’t want to travel far to Jimbaran for sunset? Just follow the 🈯️ ‘Beachwalk Shopping’ sign to the ✨sunset deck✨ next door, and you can enjoy Bali’s magical sunset for free 🥳🥳🥳. This was an unexpected travel surprise - being able to admire such a beautiful sunset near the shopping mall truly lifted my spirits.
“Let’s Play and Eat Ho Chi Minh City” live footage
🍽 The sunset deck has restaurants on both sides. I originally planned to have a drink at “Mr. Wayan, by the sea” on the left while enjoying the sunset 🍸, but all the good spots were reserved. So I just wandered around the sunset deck 👀. Even though I didn’t get the ideal seat, strolling under the sunset and feeling nature’s beauty was still enjoyable.
🍴 The restaurant on the right, “Raa Cha Suki & BBQ Beachwalk”, seems to have better outdoor seating closer to the sea - definitely make a reservation if interested! 📲 Next time, I’ll be sure to book a seaside spot in advance to enjoy the perfect combination of food and sunset.
🌠 In the evening, the sunset deck 🎵 is accompanied by light music, creating a wonderful atmosphere with the sunset, beautiful scenery, and good times 😊. Watching the sunset with music playing was an incredibly joyful moment that lifted my spirits.
👀 Bali is vast, but unfortunately the roads are narrow and single-lane traffic can cause jams 🚘. If you’re really too lazy to go out for food, Beachwalk Shopping Center is a great solution for hunger pangs 💪. It offers not only a wide variety of dining options but also snacks and souvenirs, making it both convenient and affordable.
🔹 1F: The massive candy wonderland 🍭 “Candylicious” is a colorful paradise 🫧 for kids (visited). The children were absolutely delighted by this candy heaven, spending a happy time here, and I could feel their joy.
🔹 3F: “MM Juice🍹” - netizens recommend the juice but say the food is bad (not visited). Although I heard the juice here is great, we chose another restaurant this time. Maybe we’ll try it next visit.
🔹 3F: “Bebek Tepi Sawah” 🦆 - perfect for those wanting to taste Balinese cuisine but short on time (not visited). Although I didn’t get to try the food here, I heard the dishes are very authentic. I’ll definitely make time to try it on my next Bali trip.
🔹Basement Supermarket Foodmart Supermarket: Easily stock up on snacks🧃🍪 and some souvenirs (visit). At this supermarket, we purchased many essentials and mementos, making our journey more convenient and enriching.
“Let’s Play and Eat Ho Chi Minh City” live footage
“Let’s Play and Eat Ho Chi Minh City” purchases for personal use and souvenirs
🗓For two consecutive nights, Saturday and Sunday, live performances🎙 were held at the 1F grand plaza of Beachwalk Shopping Center, creating a strong holiday atmosphere. These performances filled the shopping center with joy and vitality, allowing us to enjoy a delightful evening deeply immersed in local music and culture, enriching our travel experience.
We referred to “Xiao Jie Indonesia” for introductions. Friends interested in visiting here can watch the video below:
Want to learn more about Kuta? Click here
Recommended Bali Car Rental Drivers
✨A good driver takes you to heaven☁️, eats local🍽, visits scenic spots📸, and acts as a guide📚. Highly recommend Bali drivers 👍
📋Our trip to Bali came suddenly. 📸Transportation between attractions💭 was initially thought to be handled by the hotel we stayed at. Unexpectedly, a week before departure, with the help of the administrator of the Facebook group “Bali/Indonesia Travel Guide Indonesia, Bali Travel Guide”💪, we got the chance to step into heaven.
🏡 Gede, who lives near Kuta, worked on a large cruise ship in the 🇺🇸 United States before returning home, so he has no problem communicating in English 👍. 👨👩👧👧 Plus, Gede has daughters aged 8 and 10, and a 6-year-old son, and he is extremely patient with children 💗. This was a great help for our family trip 🙇♀️.
“Let’s Play and Eat Ho Chi Minh City” Facebook screenshot
😊 Gede’s smile is genuine, making you feel at ease; his service is impeccable, ensuring a worry-free journey:
🔹 Always arrives on time (or early) for appointments
🔹 If there’s any delay (traffic), he will notify you in advance 📱
🔹 Safety first—he even shields you from traffic when opening and closing car doors ⛑️
🔹 Upon arriving at the hotel, he always rushes ahead to confirm everything 👀
🔹 Any questions? He will do his best to assist (lost items, shopping, sharing information ℹ️)
🔹 If you need to purchase tours, he will ask friends to try and get you the best price 💰
🔹 The three steps after landing are also taken care of: ✈️ airport pickup, 📲 buying a local SIM card at a shop, 💵 currency exchange (at a legitimate exchange center that doesn’t cheat you)
🔹Money-grabbing attractions, Gede advises against visiting ❌ (Gede doesn’t take kickbacks, so some popular spots won’t allow him to accompany guests) 🔆 For some attractions, Gede will accompany you (locals get free entry 🎫 at certain spots), acting as your guide, explaining the history/stories of the area🔊 🌇 During our visit to Uluwatu Temple/the cliff/sunset, Gede stayed close by, 📸 helping us take photos, 🐒 keeping an eye out for monkeys trying to snatch our belongings, 👀 always vigilant
⚠️ Remember! Be a responsible traveler—Gede is a driver, ✖️ not a tour guide. If he doesn’t accompany you into attractions, it’s perfectly reasonable. Don’t make excessive demands—put yourself in his shoes🫰 🔎 On this trip, we never insisted Gede had to join us for visits or provide commentary. We went with the flow—extra companionship was appreciated❤️, but its absence was normal.
🍽 As for meals/afternoon tea/scenic cafes☕️, places tourists like us visit, 💰 the prices are never low. 🚘 Basically, Gede drops you off and waits nearby📲 👦🏻 For Gede, who doesn’t earn much, these places are outrageously expensive💸. Since we treat Gede like a friend, we often invite him to join (he always declines, claiming he’s already eaten😑, though he occasionally joins for drinks, always choosing the cheapest😑).
📍Gede’s rates (2024)💰 ➰ Full day 600,000 IDR (10h) ➰ Half day 400,000 IDR (5h) ➰ “Remote areas”: Kintamani 650,000 IDR (10h) Lempuyang 800,000 IDR (10h) Bedugul 650,000 IDR (10h)
➰ Price includes parking, gas, and the vehicle ➰ Does not include village entry fees in certain areas
🔊 Originally, we planned to arrange transportation through each hotel, but after gathering all the info, ℹ️ we shared it with Gede, and it became clear his value is off the charts💥
📍Contact info is here for you:
🚘 A good driver takes you to paradise, worry-free travel in Bali GO🥳🥳🥳🥳
PS 🇮🇩 Indonesia is a tipping country, so don’t hesitate to tip generously, ✨ because Gede deserves it! ✨ (A 10% tip for a full-day car hire is basic; if you’re very satisfied and able, 20%～30% is also great—thank you on behalf of Gede🙏)
To be continued
This is the first installment of our series. Today, we’re going to eat well 😋, sleep well 💤, and recharge our energy 💪 as we prepare to take on the next challenge: surfing at Kuta Beach 🏄♀️. This vibrant and romantic island is full of endless possibilities, and we look forward to spending unforgettable moments on this beautiful beach.
Series Completed:
- Day 1: Staying in a Shopping Mall! Family Accommodation Arrangements for Two Adults and Two Kids
- Day 2: GWK Cultural Park, Free Beach Club at Uluwatu, Uluwatu Temple, Uluwatu Fire Dance
- Day 3-7: Five Days in Ubud: Food, Attractions, Accommodation, and Volcano Exploration Recommendations
- Day 8: How to Enjoy Bali Safari and Night Stay Guide
Do you think the itinerary arranged by the Taiwanese businesswoman in Vietnam is exciting? Quickly plan your own Bali free and easy trip! We also welcome everyone to share your itinerary in our community!
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