Diamond Head Road

Have Your Brunch and Eat it Too

The Balinese are famous for their love of children. Ceremonies to insure good luck in life start in utero and Balinese infants are not even allowed to touch the ground until six months of age when yet another elaborate celebration takes place to honor the event.

How did the children of Bali inspire this God-like reverence, you ask? I'm not sure, but it is a relief to vacation or live in a place where children are not only valued, but actually welcomed into nice shops, restaurants and hotels. It is not unusual for one of our sons to be whisked away into a waiter or salesgirl's arms as if he or she had never seen a child before. This kind of experience definitely helps to set the tone of an afternoon or evening especially if you've just barely survived a meltdown or are in desperate need of a 5-minute break.

On any given evening and early morning in Bali, you'll find the island's hipsters dancing the night away at the internationally renowned, Ku De Ta restaurant and bar. But on Sundays, the bright red umbrellas and breathtaking ocean views are reserved for the little people as the grounds are filled with the sounds of laughing children instead of world famous beats.

At no extra charge, younger kids are free to swim in the pool (which is located in the middle of the restaurant), enjoy really creative art activities in the kiddie tent, jump in the bouncy castle or nibble on one of the mini-burgers offered on the kids' bar-b-que. The older guys can rent a surfboard on the beach for $5 and get a surf in if they're fairly experienced or pick up a really cool Panama style beach hat on the beach in front of the restaurant.

While the kids are entertained, parents enjoy a REALLY nice breakfast (I love the ricotta pancakes) and maybe a Corona or two….