Bali and Komodo: A Grand Family Adventure

Upon arrival, your guide will be waiting for you once you have passed through immigration. From here, it's a 90 minute drive north to Ubud where your holiday begins. We'll recommend one of our preferred luxury hotels which is close enough to the action in Ubud town, but far enough away to kick back and get over the jet lag. Cure your jet lag with a refreshing dip in the pool before venturing out for dinner this evening. We'll provide you with some up to date recommendations before you depart.

Paddle through stunning scenery and over cascading rapids on an exciting whitewater rafting journey today. You will be picked up from your hotel and transfer to the river, where the rafting guides will greet you and you'll be kitted up and given a full safety briefing and demonstration of paddling techniques - you'll be a pro in no time.

Suited and booted, it's time to start paddling. The Telaga Waja route will cover approximately nine miles and you'll be on the water for around two hours, whereas the more leisurely Ayung route covers around six miles in an hour and a half. Both routes have a midway break point where you can pull over for a well-earned rest!

As you paddle, be sure to take in the beautiful scenery between rapids, ranging from gorges and waterfalls to lush farms.

At the end of the raft route, an Indonesian buffet lunch will be served to refuel. Shower and toilet facilities are also available here. Once fed and refreshed, you'll return to your hotel.

Keen foodies will relish the chance to get a taste for local culture with a hands-on cookery class, sampling the spices, trying traditional preparation techniques and learning about authentic Balinese culture. In Ubud visit the morning market and then, under the tutelage of an expert chef, learn to cook a variety of dishes using methods and recipes handed down over generations.

You'll take a short walk to the vegetable market where you will browse the stalls with your guide, learning about the fresh herbs, spices and vegetables used in Balinese cooking. After the market tour, walk to the restaurant to start your cookery class.

Not only will you discover the herbs, spices and techniques of Balinese cooking but you will also learn about the ceremonial and cultural significance of food in Balinese society. The menu changes daily and after preparing a feast of delicious dishes, sit down to enjoy the meal together with a glass or two of local rice wine, or homemade hibiscus tea for the kids.

Return to the airport this morning for the flight east to Labuan Bajo, the jumping off point for the Komodo archipelago. This region is brimming with picture perfect deserted beaches, colourful coral reefs, and the notorious Komodo dragons, and there is no better way to explore this region than aboard a luxury 'phinisi' schooner (a traditional Indonesian sailing boat). Settle into your cabin and then head up to the main deck to get used to life aboard a liveaboard. The boat has kayaks and water skis, so take this opportunity to keep the kids busy with some watersports whilst you relax on the cushioned daybeds.

Today, you will be exploring the island of Rinca. After a light breakfast, take the tender to the shore to see the famous Komodo Dragons. You'll trek accompanied by a park ranger, to explore the giant lizard's habitat on foot and learn about its hunting habits. The island is home to about 2,500 dragons as well as monkeys, Sunda deer, wild pigs and jungle fowl, so there is plenty to see on the trail.

Rejoin the boat and enjoy lunch while sailing for a couple of hours to Karang Makassar. Stop by Manta Point, a feeding ground for manta rays, and one of the top diving and snorkelling spots in the park. For certified divers, drop in for a relaxed drift dive where you can hopefully watch the mantas gliding gracefully through the water. Perhaps enjoy a second dive at Batu Balong, a massive underwater rock with pinnacles and rifts surrounded by grey reef and white tip sharks, giant trevallies and emperor fish. The coral garden on its top can also be enjoyed by snorkelers, who have a good chance of seeing the larger fish.

In the late afternoon, relax on a quiet sandy beach, or hike up the grassy hill behind for panoramic views across the islands - this is one of our favourite views in Indonesia! Then settle in to the comfortable bean bags on the beach while the crew mix you up a cocktail/mocktail, and build a giant bonfire before heading back to the boat for a hearty supper.

Discover the wonders of Mauan & Kode's superb reefs which can be appreciated by divers and snorkellers alike. Mauan harbours a manta ray cleaning station, where the animals congregate to have cleaner fish remove parasites and other organisms from their skin. Perhaps explore by kayak, relax on deck or a deserted beach, or try your hand at wakeboarding. Come evening, ask the crew to make up the day beds with blankets and fall asleep under the stars.

Spend a lazy or an active day, as your mood dictates. A climb up Padar's verdant slopes will yield spectacular views across the park landscape and the island's four bays, fringed with grey or white sand. Resident wildlife includes sea eagles, deer and goats. Successful anglers will be rewarded with melt-in-the-mouth sashimi or ceviche prepared by the chef. Under the water, Pillarsteen has four large pinnacles covered in soft corals, as well as canyons, caves, swim-throughs and chimneys. Watch out for the brightly coloured red and purple fire urchins. As the sun begins to disappear over the horizon, catch the tender to a secret beach for refreshing drinks and a BBQ.

Spend your last day on board returning to some of your favourite dive spots or coral gardens, perfect for snorkelling. Improve your wakeboarding skills with further water sports sessions, or hike on some of the regions uninhabited islands in search of the perfect view. You may of course prefer to relax on board with a good book and a cool juice, or find the perfect powder white sand beach to spend the afternoon on.

After breakfast, sadly it's time to pack and up disembark the boat, but the trip isn't over yet! Fly back to Bali and transfer to lively Seminyak, where you can settle into a luxurious beachfront retreat. This is perfect beginner surfer territory, close to some truly beautiful temples (Uluwatu and Tanah Lot, we're looking at you), as well as being home to some of the islands best restaurants, independent boutiques, and vibrant beach bars. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Spend the last few days of your holiday frolicking in the sunshine on Seminyak's fashionable beaches. Should you wish to keep the kids busy, we can arrange private surf lessons, coastal horse riding experiences, kite surfing lessons or sunset temple visits.