The thought of a big family vacation gives me warm, fuzzy feelings and anxiety – all in same heartbeat. I’d love nothing more than to gather my extended families and experience the world together. But as mamas, we know the worry work involved in planning these epic trips; taking into account everyone’s differing personalities, interests, and abilities.
“Will the kids have enough things to do?”
“Is our accommodation accessible for the elderly?”
“How can I, too, be able to have a relaxing time on this holiday?”
So when the opportunity arose to check out one of the many family-friendly properties by The Luxe Nomad in Bali, Indonesia – I packed our bags and took them up on their commitment to ‘take the guesswork out of your holiday‘.
Content:
2. The Luxe Nomad Guest Experience (plus, family-friendly recommendations)
4. The Giveaway
Welcome to Villa Kapungkur, Jimbaran
After a 3-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur and a 25-minute drive through Bali’s notorious macet (traffic congestion), we arrived at the 5-bedroom Villa Kapungkur in Jimbaran. This southern peninsula of the island is renowned for its seafood and pristine white-sand beaches with aquamarine waters that are far less crowded than Kuta and Seminyak; making it much more comfortable for families.
The villa manager, Mr Ram, ushered us through a foliage-framed Javanese doorway that transported us into the most serene Balinese garden we’ve ever seen – with cascading water features, water gardens, carved stone statues, and frangipani trees. We loved that the water gardens are interspersed throughout the whole property, where young children can watch the fish swim freely by the flowers and plants.
Frankly, we didn’t expect to have so much space to ourselves – all 2,000 square metres designed for a group of 10 adults and 2 children. You can expect lots of grounds for kids to run around in, cosy areas to hang out at, as well as stand-alone rooms that are far enough apart to offer complete privacy. The villa’s design is a nod to traditional Javanese vernacular architecture, featuring natural stone, recycled timbers, and ornately carved teakwood. We were especially charmed by the antique Dutch-colonial furnitures!
We were welcomed with watermelon juice and spring rolls in the enormous wantilan (pavilion) with a thatched roof made from alang-alang grass. There is a large sitting area with the most beautiful Javanese canopy daybed, a dining area for 12, and a fully equipped kitchen that even has a professional espresso machine for your morning latte – where being a former barista came in handy for me (don’t worry – the staff can help make the coffee for you, too). It is even spacious enough to host intimate events.
Across from the pavilion is a Javanese screen wall that opens into the first bedroom called Gebyog. It’s the only bedroom on this level, making it suitable for family members with limited mobility, or those who’d like easy access to the kitchen (especially the fridge, as the rooms do not have a minibar). The second and third chalet-style rooms (Gladag and Limasan) are down a short flight of steps, with their own little tropical gardens and timber verandahs.
At the lowest level are the Joglo master bedroom (in a traditional Javanese house once owned by a nobleman – I called dibs on this because of the four-poster bed under the embellished tumpang sari ceiling), and the simpler Suite room with its own side garden. Both of these rooms are right by the swimming pool and an air-conditioned media room, kitted with a high-end entertainment system, an aquarium, and comfy space for the little ones to play.
All rooms come with en-suite open-air bathrooms, with rain showers, twin washbasins and semi-outdoor bathtubs (except for the Suite room) for glee-filled bubble baths. Each room also has a plush king bed, a desk and a chair, and plenty of closet space.
The whole magic of the villa is brought together by a seemingly floating spa bale over a pond (hello, relaxing massages for mum and dad!) and the centrepiece of Villa Kapungkur: a cerulean blue 15-metre waterfall-fed swimming pool that’s surrounded by the most lush cascading greens and circular daybeds – you know where the kids will be all day!
Despite its ancient charms, Villa Kapungkur is fitted for modern travellers who can appreciate both time-honoured aesthetics and contemporary convenience (and comforts). All the rooms boast 55″ flatscreen Smart TVs with easy access to Netflix, Japanese smart toilets with heated seats and automatic bidets, laptop-friendly spaces, and speedy wireless internet. If you’re like me and forgot to pack your universal plug adapters (they use Type C and Type F outlets that are common throughout Europe), the villa comes ready with them; you just need to ask.
The Luxe Nomad Guest Experience
Leave behind your mental checklist for once, and allow The Luxe Nomad’s Guest Experience team to take over. The villa staff, concierge service, and amenities are in place to help prevent unwanted headaches when travelling in a large pack.
1. Utmost Care for Young Families
Upon request and at an additional charge, they are more than happy to set up baby cots/cribs, high-chairs, a pool fence (for water safety), and a playmat with toys for your young’uns. Babysitting services are also available. Children aged 4 and under can stay for free, but you might need to add an extra bed for older kids (up to 4 extra beds, at a fee).
Please note that the swimming pool is 1.5 metre deep throughout, so you can request for floaties and kickboards (along with water guns and pool toys) for the children.
2. Food for Everyone’s Taste
Planning to eat out in a big group for every meal can pose as a challenge, with everyone’s different palates and diets, or even a fussing bub. You can arrange for an in-villa breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner meals in advance, and specify your family’s preferences. A floating breakfast is also available, if you’d like to try this special experience of dining in the pool!
If your family is celebrating a special occasion, you can also request for a private chef to shop for fresh local produce and cook up a delicious meal that will be presentably served. Just pay for the grocery cost and a 15% handling fee.
3. Taking Charge of Mama’s Needs
From arranging transportation or a driver, to making a reservation, there is no request that is too much trouble for the concierge team. We didn’t even have to leave the villa to enjoy a spa experience, as Mr Ram arranged for 2 therapists to come. I opted for a wonderful 60-minute Balinese massage that is priced at 225,000 rupiah (about RM68, which is a steal).
We also love that staying at one of The Luxe Nomad’s properties means gaining access to a tasteful curation of books and reading materials, and even toiletries. I still dream of the lush Sage and Chamomile soaps and shampoo!
4. Insider Recommendations
You can scour the Internet for nearby family-friendly spots and eateries…or you can just ask Mr Ram and his team when you get there. During my stay, I also had access to Ms Wika on WhatsApp, and she was more than happy to send me more recommendations, along with a list of halal restaurants.
Here are some of their top recommendations:
For Family-Friendly Attractions in and around Jimbaran
- Jungle Play Bali at Jimbaran Hub (4-minute walk)
- Jet Bike and Skate Park at Jimbaran Hub (4-minute walk)
- Sundara Beach Club at Four Seasons Resort Bali At Jimbaran Bay (non-hotel guests can dine in and use the pool facilities, visit the public beach, and access the lovely Umah Rare Kids’ Club)
- Beachside seafood dinner and frolic at Jimbaran Beach (6 minutes by car)
- Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park (11 minutes by car)
- Melasti Beach, one of the best beaches in Uluwatu (23 minutes by car)
- Pandawa Beach, the “hidden beach” (26 minutes by car)
Check out this Jimbaran guide by Wanderluxe, The Luxe Nomad’s Digital Magazine.
For Top Restaurants in Jimbaran
- Sundara by Four Seasons Resort Bali At Jimbaran Bay (halal food available, 5 minutes by car)
- Opia Bali (4 minutes by car)
- Locca Sea House (vegetarian food available, 6 minutes by car)
For Bali’s Best Halal Restaurants/Cafés near Jimbaran
- 70 Fahrenheit Koffie CAFE, Jimbaran (12 minutes by car)
- Menega Cafe in Muaya Beach, Jimbaran (6 minutes by car)
- Nelayan Restaurant & Puri Bar, Uluwatu (12 minutes by car)
5. Top-notch Team
The villa is staffed by a villa manager, butlers and housekeepers from 7am to 11pm (they remain discreet but are somehow always there when you need them), a security team from 11pm to 7am, and a gardener that comes every morning at 7am to ensure the landscaped garden and the pool remain immaculate.
6. Wanderluxe Club Perks
Every booking on The Luxe Nomad entitles you to the Wanderluxe Club card (currently only available in Bali), where you can enjoy discounts at a range of restaurants and cafes, such as Motel Mexicola and Luigi’s Hot Pizza, beach clubs like La Brisa Bali, the popular Ours Spa and more.
makchic‘s Top Bali Tips
To help make your family vacation even more enjoyable, here are team makchic‘s personal tips and recommendations for exploring Bali with your families.
1. Hiring a Driver vs a Grab driver
Getting a Grab ride is easy now in Bali, especially from the airport (there’s a special Grab lounge). This is a great option for short rides – but bear in mind that for some tourist attractions, Grab drivers can only drop you off and are not allowed to pick up any passengers, so you might end up taking a taxi back (Bluebird Taxis are the most reliable).
Now, Bali is bigger than you think. For example, a trip to the waterfalls and rice terraces in Ubud from Jimbaran is over an hour, and it’s a 50-minute drive to take your family to have breakfast with the orangutans at the Bali Zoo. I’d recommend booking day trips through Klook for further destinations, or a private driver as it might be more cost-efficient for a bigger group. You can request for a car and driver rental service directly from Villa Kapungkur from approximately USD 60 nett (excluding petrol) for 8 hours a day.
Fellow makchic mama Lu Sean also recommends Pak Made, a private driver and guide she hired during her last trip to Bali. He was friendly, spoke fantastic English, and took lovely photos and videos of her group. He can be reached via phone at +62 812-3985-395; do check out his Instagram and Facebook pages as well.
2. Reaping Greater Rewards with the Rupiah
While most places accept credit/debit cards (please enable overseas transactions before you come) and QR Pay, you’ll need some cash on hand for smaller eateries, sundry shops, laundrettes, and select ticket counters. It’s also good for tipping, which is commonplace (but optional) in an island that depends a great deal on tourism.
We discovered that you can get more rupiah from your ringgit by taking cash out from an ATM machine in Bali, especially using cards like BigPay or Wise. Do it at a proper ATM machine, with your safest bet being at the airport or in shopping malls. And if you do decide to visit a Money Changer, please recount the notes given to you, in order to avoid sneaky tellers dropping a note or two behind the counter after counting them in front of you.
3. Be Wary of “Bali Belly”
“Bali Belly”, a phrase coined for gastroenteritis from consuming contaminated food and water, is probably the island’s least popular attraction. This is my third time in Bali, and my family and I have been spared so far. However, many others weren’t as lucky. The general advice is to only drink boiled or bottled water, eat at clean F&B premises, wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before eating, and avoid washing your fresh produce with tap water.
Villa Kapungkur provides a bottle of clean water by each washbasin (and by your bedside, for drinking), so you can take extra measures by using this water to brush your teeth, in lieu of of tap water.
4. Don’t Monkey Around with Your Belongings!
Bali is generally safe, but it doesn’t hurt to be vigilant and keep your bag in front of your body. Unfortunately, certain tourist attractions lure the most unsuspecting of thieves – monkeys! When visiting the Uluwatu temple and the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, keep all your belongings in your bag, remove all watches and sunglasses, and try not to hold anything in your hand. We witnessed two tourists who had their smartphone and sunglasses snatched from them by these cheeky residents.
5. Appreciate the Culture
More than 80% of the Balinese population practices Hinduism, displayed greatly by their larger-than-life spiritual statues and sacred edifices. Every morning, the Balinese Hindus will put out the canang sari, a daily offering of gratitude in the form of a woven bamboo basket containing rice, flowers, incense, sweets, fruits and spices, at their place of worship, home, and workplace, including their shops. Feel free to take photos, but please do not pick them up or step on them.
If you’re visiting their temples, such as the famous Pura Tanah Lot or Pura Luhur Uluwatu, ensure that your legs are covered below the knees. Most of the well-known temples let you borrow sarongs at the entrance (or bring your own!), and if your legs are already covered, you can borrow a sash to tie around your waist as a sign of respect.
6. The Best Time to Visit
Bali’s dry season from April to October is said to be the best time to visit. I threw caution to the wind and decide to come mid-January, and we only had one night of rain with plenty of sunny days – so visiting during the wet season of November through March should not be off the table. That being said, it is a little more humid during this wet season.
A Dream Holiday
At makchic, we think parents deserve to be on holiday… while on holiday. From sharing family-friendly destination guides to fuss-free travel tips, we hope to help families make the most of their vacations (with as little drama as possible). I hope sharing my experience at this amazing family villa in Bali will help you to take that leap and go on that big trip – knowing full well you’ll have a good time too.
But be warned, mamas – there is a downside to staying at the Luxe Nomad’s lavish villas: the part where we leave to go back to a reality of invisible labour and decision-making is now infinitely harder!
Thank you, The Luxe Nomad and Villa Kapungkur, for inviting us to experience blissful Bali with you.
By Nora Ismail
makchic’s stay at Villa Kapungkur was sponsored by The Luxe Nomad. The writer’s opinions, however, are solely her own. For more information, please visit the TheLuxeNomad.com or check out their Instagram or Facebook pages.
Here’s your chance to experience your own big family vacay at this luxurious slice of paradise in Bali! Win a 3-days/2-nights stay at Villa Kapungkur (worth over RM8,000) on our Instagram or Facebook.
Here’s how:
- Follow @makchic and @theluxenomad on Instagram, OR “Like” us on Facebook at @makchicdotcom and @theluxenomad.
- Like our giveaway Reel on Instagram OR Facebook.
- Answer the following questions in the comments section: (1): Open-air bathtubs are synonymous with Bali’s luxury villas. How many semi-outdoor bathtubs does Villa Kapungkur have? AND (2): Why are you and your family in need of a getaway with The Luxe Nomad this year? (Hint: Read our review above to help with your entries!)
All the best, #makchicmumsquad!
makchic x The Luxe Nomad Giveaway Terms and Conditions
- The giveaway is open to residents of Malaysia aged 18 years or over, except for employees of makchic and The Luxe Nomad and their close relatives and anyone otherwise connected with the organisation or judging of the competition.
- By entering this giveaway, an entrant is indicating her/his agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
- makchic and The Luxe Nomad retain the unlimited right to use the submitted text for commercial and non-commercial purposes which include editorial, website, and social media usage at no cost. The entrant will be credited.
- There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this giveaway.
- The giveaway will be on makchic and The Luxe Nomad’s Instagram and Facebook platforms.
- The giveaway will run from 29th February 2024 until the closing date for entries on 7th March 2024 at 5.00pm. One winner (the “Winner”) will be selected, based on the correct (and most creative) answers submitted. After this date, no further entries to the giveaway will be permitted.
- The prize will be: a 3-days/2-nights stay voucher at Villa Kapungkur in Bali, Indonesia, for a maximum of 10 adults and 2 children, with a one (1) year validity period that expires on 8th March 2025 (the “Prize”). Travel dates are subject to availability and prior reservation is required.
- The Prize is inclusive of accommodation only, and excludes meals and other transportation services aside from what is included in the prize. The Winner and his/her guests will have to pay separately for any additional night’s stay, meals, and other rental items or services.
- The Prize can only be redeemed 30 days or less prior to arrival. Booking using this Prize is subject to availability, and the Prize can only be redeemed during normal and shoulder season. Block-off dates apply.
- The Prize is strictly non-transferable and cannot be extended, resold, exchanged, or converted to cash. The Prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers, or redeemed as an event venue.
- Any further compensation, including costs or expenses incurred not specifically mentioned herein, shall be borne by the Winner with regards to the giveaway prize.
- No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
- The rules of the giveaway and how to enter are as follows:
- Follow both @makchic and @theluxenomad on Instagram, OR “Like” us on Facebook at @makchicdotcom and @theluxenomad.
- Like our giveaway Reel on Instagram OR Facebook.
- Answer the following questions in the comments section: (1): Open-air bathtubs are synonymous with Bali’s luxury villas. How many semi-outdoor bathtubs does Villa Kapungkur have? AND (2): Why are you and your family in need of a getaway with The Luxe Nomad this year? (Hint: Read our latest article to help with your entries!)
- makchic and The Luxe Nomad reserve the right to cancel or amend the giveaway and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by makchic.
- makchic is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this giveaway.
- The Winner will be notified by email and/or DM on Instagram/Facebook within 24 hours of the closing date. If the Winner cannot be contacted, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the Winner and pick a replacement Winner.
- makchic’s and The Luxe Nomad’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the giveaway will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
- No cash or credit alternative or substitution is available and the Prize is not transferable or negotiable. The Winner will be solely responsible for any and all taxes and/or fees, as well as all additional costs such as travel and food expenditure that may be incurred in connection with the Prize.
- The Luxe Nomad will take reasonable care to ensure that the Prize is as described in the giveaway. However, the Prize is subject to availability and The Luxe Nomad may replace, substitute or amend any prize with another product of similar or equivalent value.
- The giveaway and these terms and conditions will be governed by Malaysian law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Malaysia.
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- For the terms and conditions relating to The Luxe Nomad, please visit: theluxenomad.com/terms-of-use
