Bali Safari & Marine Park and Mara River Safari Lodge

After we left Ubud, we spent our last two nights near the coast at the Mara River Safari Lodge, part of the Bali Safari and Marine Park. The lodge was very nice, but I don't think any rooms in Bali are safe from geckos.... Though... by the end of our trip, their chirps in the middle of the night were strangely comforting and friendly. :) The lodge had a nice restaurant where we had free breakfast, and could go back for lunch and dinner. Staying at the lodge also gave us free access to the safari park. The first afternoon we arrived, we went to an elephant show not far from the lodge. 

See Thing 2 looking over there to the right?

As I was taking this picture, she was moving AROUND the little fence to go pet the elephant. Employees came running saying, "No!!" Yep. That's my kid.

The show was a lesson on the history of elephants in Asia and why they need to be protected. Towards the end of the show, the elephant rescues a "drowning" guy in the water. I look over to my right, and Jessica is SOBBING. Apparently, it was a very emotional scene for a pregnant woman. Haha.

One of the coolest features of the lodge was the restaurant that shared a window with the lion enclosure. This is what we had breakfast with every morning:

Our first full day at the lodge, we headed out to see the park in its entirety. 

These things are loose all over the park!

The largest statue of Ganesha in Indonesia at roughly 9m tall.

Playing in a gift shop while their moms look around.

Balinese dance costumes.

Doing a little practice....

Thing 2 took a Balinese dance lesson.

The other great feature about the lodge (and what really sold us on it when we were searching for hotels) was the fact that when we stepped out onto our balcony, we saw this: 

We were maybe 15 feet from these animals! And elephants, zebras, and wildebeests too. Our room even came with carrots that we could throw to the animals when they got close enough. Our kids REALLY liked that. 

Would I go back and stay there again? I'm not sure. If you are staying longer than a day or two, you might get really tired of the single restaurant available for breakfast and dinner. During the day, you can wander into the park and eat at the restaurant there, but you are still really limited in choice. And though our kids loved the animals, the lodge, and the park, once you had seen them all, you had done pretty much everything available. I'm glad we went, but I don't think I'd put it on my Bali "bucket list." It was, nonetheless, a nice way to spend our last couple of days on the island with our kids. 

Bali Bird Park

One of the places we visited while on our trip was the Bali Bird Park. I had heard a lot about this place and yes, it was also in the Little Travelers: Bali movie. The Bali Bird Park is also side-by-side to the Bali Reptile Park and admission to one grants you access to the other. Not only did the kids like the park, but as soon as we walked up the restaurant to get some lunch, us Mamas fell for it too. They had a GREAT kids' play area and our kids spent a good hour playing before and after their meal. It was so nice to eat and have a conversation while our kids played over to the side.

Just as we were finishing up lunch, one of the employees came over with some birds to do a little educational show. When everyone was allowed to come up and see the birds, Jessica bravely volunteer to hold one.

But she didn't know there would be a second one....

A second one eating a peanut....

And no surprise, Thing 2 wanted a turn as well. She didn't want to just hold a bird, she wanted a bird on her shoulder!

The park was pretty and had a LOT of birds. It was great to see so many birds... but... the inevitable happened. One of us got pooped on. (Not me!) Ha!

Cafe Wayan: A slice of heaven in Bali.

So after we switched hotels, we spent the next day exploring our surroundings in Ubud. After some shopping and sightseeing, we needed some lunch. I had heard about Cafe Wayan before traveling to Bali and one of our drivers had mentioned it as well. As it turned out, the Cafe was located almost directly across the street from our hotel. It was fate.

Nevermind the fact that this was a restaurant, it become one of our favorite places in Bali. Jessica and I both agreed that it was one of our favorite restaurants in the entire world, for that matter. Don't let it's simple entrance fool you....

If you look closely, you'll notice that shortly after you walk into the Cafe, it quickly opens up to a large garden area. It. Was. Beautiful. It was so lush! And smelled of flowers and incense from daily offerings. There was a fountain in the middle which our kids quickly surrounded. While Jessica and I waited for our food, our kids played in the fountain and even made friends with a little boy from France, named Luca. Seating areas were spread out through the garden, covered by thatched roofs. There was both Asian-styled low-table dining, as well as Western styled tables with chairs. The temperature during our trip was phenomenal. It wasn't humid, it wasn't hot, it wasn't cold... it was absolutely perfect with a little breeze thrown in here and there. We could have stayed at Cafe Wayan for hours.

As if the atmosphere weren't enough, the food was fantastic. If you have kids, Cafe Wayan has the best kids' menu that we saw during our entire week's visit to the island. My kids were thrilled to get peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I ordered a mixed satay (pork, chicken, and beef) and it literally melted in my mouth. What I wouldn't give for some right now....

Wayan Cafe was so good, we headed right back over for a meal the next day as well. If you're kids aren't interested in the fountain and gardens, no worries - the staff are apparently employed as babysitters as well. 

I swear my kids were enjoying themselves....

Don't mind the Balinese ladies just coming over and picking up your kids. They love kids!

Heaven.

Nasi Campur - a wonderful array of various dishes. Mmmmm!

If you visit Ubud, and are looking for a great place to eat, you have GOT to go to Cafe Wayan. It's beautiful, it's serene, it's got fantastic food, and it's only of the most kid-friendly places I've ever been.