Sanur

The reef offshore is what makes Sanur different from every beach on the west coast. Inside it the water is shallow, largely flat and free of the shore break and rip currents that make Canggu and Seminyak a supervision problem. For families with children under six who actually want to swim in the sea rather than look at it, this is the most straightforward part of Bali.

The beachfront path runs the length of the bay, is flat, paved and continuous, and is genuinely usable with a pram, a scooter-board or a shaky new cyclist — a rarity here. Cafés and warungs open directly onto it, so a morning can be a walk with stops rather than a logistical exercise.

Sanur is quieter and older in character than the west coast, which families read either as calm or as dull depending on what they came for. It is also the departure point for fast boats to Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and the Gilis, which makes it a practical base for island trips. At low tide the lagoon drains a long way out, so swimming is tide-dependent.