Jimbaran was an incidental stop on our 1 month trip to Bali.
We ended up spending 3 nights here after a 5 pm arrival at Bali International airport in need of a place to catch up on sleep.
The saving grace for Jimbaran was the Hotel Puri Bambu – which after coming from the cold winter of South Africa was a welcome respite. We all immediately jumped into the huge central swimming pool and my first thought was “I am in heaven.”
Then I ordered a cold beer from the poolside bar!
We found Jimbaran on a last minute ( the night before) internet search on where to stay around Kuta (which wasn’t Kuta) when arriving Ngurah Rai International Airport. Several sites recommended Jimbaran with kids because it had a nice beach, gentle surf, and a relaxed atmosphere.
As you will find with many places in Bali, especially when traveling with kids, the hotel can be a highlight of a certain location and can make or break a place. Coming from South Africa where we had large and inexpensive “self-catering units” we realized very quickly that if we were not all going to share a bed we would have to pay a bit more.
Hotel Puri Bambu has one of the nicest pools we have come across for a very reasonable price, lovely gardens and a good Bali feel.
Jimbaran beach is actually quite nice. If you are arriving here as your first stop in Bali as we were you may be under-impressed, but as you travel the island you will begin to see why people say it is a good place for kids.
Surfing in Jimbaran Beach is Perfect for Kids and Beginners
There is a very gentle surf break at the far end (opposite the airport side) where anyone could learn to surf, when the tide is right it is perfect for body surfing and our kids had a blast playing in the waves. It is one of the only beaches in Bali we have been to that had fun waves and very little riptide.
Kuta’s main beach is fun for kids as well, but the rips here are strong as you will see when you visit.
Jimbaran is famous for its beachside seafood dining. We did partake in one sunset meal and it was nice, but it all felt a bit fake and a little forced. But like the guidebooks said, you can sit and enjoy a meal while your kid’s frolick on the beach… That, of course, is only if they are in the mood.
The walk from Hotel Puri Bambu is about 5-7 minutes to the beach and your kids probably will complain if this is your first stop and they are adjusting to the beach. It makes a great starting point for a trip to Uluwatu Temple as well for a night dance, although we did not know this until we had already left and were in Kuta.
Final Verdict
Jimbaran is not a “must see” Bali location by any means. It is made very nice by the well priced and well located Hotel Puri Bambu which really sells it in my mind as an airport stopping point. The breakfast is one of the best we have had and they have a free shuttle into Kuta which I have yet to see anywhere else on our adventures.
The beach is decent, not AMAZING, and you can eat fish on the beach, but you can really do this anywhere.
Costs and highlights:
- Transfer from airport to hotel (by the hotel) was 75,000 IDR (about 7 bucks)
- Hotel Puri Bambu – about $55 US per night plus an extra bed if you want for $20 – this is the one place we paid the difference which brought up the cost.
- Free amazing breakfast.
- Free WiFi that was pretty good.