Waterbom Bali Waterpark

Waterbom Bali has been the island's favourite family day out for decades, and it has kept its reputation by doing the simple things very well: clean water, tight safety rules, lush landscaping and a mix of rides that suits toddlers and adrenaline seekers alike. The park sits on Jalan Kartika Plaza in Tuban, the southern end of Kuta, a few minutes from the airport, in a garden of tall palms, bamboo and flowering shrubs that keeps it feeling less like a concrete fun park than many waterparks elsewhere. The ride line-up spans gentle family slides and pools through to steep, fast drops; side-by-side racers such as Fast n' Fierce and Twin Racers let friends and siblings race each other down, and several rides use tubes with handles. Between slides there is a lazy river to float around the park, a dedicated area with small slides and splash play for younger children, and poolside bars and a food court, including a pork-free, Muslim-friendly option at the Wantilan food court. Extras such as the FlowRider surf simulator, lockers, towels, gazebos, spa treatments and digital photos cost more. Waterbom is open daily from nine in the morning to six in the evening and is wheelchair accessible. What makes it particularly useful in Bali is timing. It is a perfect first or last day when you are close to the airport, a reward day for children after temples and long drives, and a rare attraction that is just as good in the wet season: warm rain does not matter when you are already soaked, though staff close the tallest rides during lightning. Height and weight rules apply on the bigger slides, and loose jewellery, glasses, metal items and cut-off denim are not allowed on the rides.

Planning the day: arrive at opening, when queues for the big slides are shortest, and do the headline rides first before the late-morning crowds build. Bring swimwear you can move in, reef-safe sunscreen and a waterproof phone pouch, and rent a locker for valuables; renting a gazebo makes sense for groups with small children who need a shaded base. Weekends and Indonesian and Australian school holidays are the busiest periods. The Tiqets entry ticket covers entry, all rides and the shower rooms, and can be cancelled or rescheduled up to twenty-four hours before your visit date, which is helpful with Bali weather and changing plans.

Who it suits: families with children of almost any age, teenagers who have had enough of temples, and adults who simply like waterslides. Smaller children are well catered for, with their own zone, but check the height limits for the bigger rides before promising anything. It is less of a draw for couples without children, though the lazy river and a poolside drink are pleasant enough on a hot afternoon.

Getting there: from Seminyak and Legian it is around twenty to forty minutes by taxi depending on traffic, from Nusa Dua and Jimbaran about twenty to thirty, and from Ubud allow well over an hour each way, so Ubud-based families are better off visiting on a transfer day. Kuta beach and Beachwalk mall are close by if you want to finish with a sunset on the sand.