Thinking about travelling to Bali with a toddler? We think it’s a brilliant idea, but you may need to do a little planning to ensure that everything goes smoothly.
Fortunately, we’ve got a guide for you that will help you enjoy Bali with a toddler and make certain that the holiday is paradise for both of you.
Is Bali Safe For Toddlers?
Yes! 100% Bali is safe for children. In fact, you will soon learn that Balinese people love children and are always super happy to see them and welcome them.
There’s very little crime in Bali (see our main article on Is Bali Safe?) and you will find that most hotels and villas have security to ensure that there’s no crime at all on their compounds.
However, there are a few things you need to know before you travel to Bali with a toddler to ensure your safety and the safety of your child.
Sensible Safety Precautions For Travelling Bali With A Toddler
Talk to your doctor long before your trip and ensure that your vaccinations and your child’s vaccinations are up-to-date and suitable for Bali. There are diseases in tropical climates like Bali’s that you might not normally vaccinate for at home. (Please note: We’re not doctors here at FINNS, we can’t offer a medical opinion on which jabs you should take or not).
Bali’s healthcare system is pretty good but it can get expensive if you have to pay for treatment. We strongly recommend that you have a family travel insurance policy that will keep your costs to a minimum if anything should go wrong.
Bring some baby formula (you can put it in your hold luggage). There are supermarkets here in Bali and they do sell formula and baby food but it’s nice to have some on hand when you arrive to avoid running around to find it. We would note, however, that the local baby food is very heavy on sugar and you might prefer to bring all the food you need with you. You may also not be able to find your preferred brand of baby formula.
Tap water is not safe to drink in Bali and it’s the leading cause of Bali belly. You should only drink filtered or bottled water. You should also see that your toddler drinks plenty of water or other drinks as the heat here means they will be losing a lot of fluid due to perspiration. You can buy most soft drinks in Bali and there are fruit juices galore.
Bring insect repellent – insect bites are a problem in the tropics and the easiest way to deal with them is to ensure you’re covered in insect repellent.
Sun Safety In Bali With A Toddler
Perhaps, the most important thing you need to do to keep your little ones safe in Bali is to ensure they are safe in the sun.
That means:
Using a high-factor SPF sun cream – we’d go with SPF 50+ creams, which offer the highest levels of protection against Bali’s fairly brutal UV.
Regularly reapplying the sun cream – unfortunately, when people get hot and sweaty, the sweat removes their sun cream, so make sure to reapply it on a regular basis. Don’t let a day on the beautiful beaches of Bali result in sunburn for anyone.
Use water-resistant sun cream – if you’re all splashing about in a private pool, playing in the ocean to inspect the sea life, etc. your sun cream needs to stay on, you can burn as easily in the water as you can on land.
Wide-brimmed sun hats (with under-the-neck ties) – kids are kids and if you don’t secure a sunhat to their head, they will lose it.
Keep babies in the shade as much as possible – baby skin is super delicate and the best way to protect it is to keep it out of direct sunlight.
Rehydrate, regularly – that means more than avoiding tap water and consuming lots of bottled water, it also means taking in the necessary salts that you sweat out in the heat. You can get rehydration salts from a pharmacy or find them in bottles of Pocari Sweat, Gatorade, etc. in your local small convenience stores. Coconut milk is also a good source of electrolytes.
Use air conditioning as necessary – if it’s hot, turn the air con on. It helps with toddler naps too as small children tend to sleep better when they’re cool and comfy.
How To Vet Hotels For A Holiday In Bali With A Toddler
It’s best to book your hotel(s) before your Bali holiday and we’d recommend coming up with a checklist of things that matter to you and your child so that you can ensure the hotel measures up to your needs.
Typical questions might include:
Are there pool fences around the swimming pools for safety?
How deep are the children’s pools? Are there pool toys for the kids to enjoy?
Do they serve a range of cuisines in the hotel or is it only Bali’s local food?
How stroller-friendly is the hotel?
Are the rooms relatively soundproof?
Is breakfast included and how good is it?
If there is a kid’s club does it have baby equipment?
We could come up with a thousand questions here, but it’s really down to how you want to enjoy family fun when you visit Bali as to what’s going to be relevant to you and your child or children.
Check For A Kids Club
A supervised kids club drop can make or break a holiday if you want to spend time on your own while visiting Bali.
Always make sure to check whether there is a club and what exactly that involves. Some hotels such as the Westin Resort are famous for their incredible kids’ clubs which are managed by highly qualified professionals who will ensure that your kids have a great time and learn a little into the bargain.
This leaves you free to enjoy your private pool, grab a massage, pop to the local markets for fresh fruit, etc. for a few hours each day.
Flying With A Baby Or Toddler To Bali
Most airlines are happy for you to bring a collapsible stroller with you to the airport and will allow it on the plane without including it in your hand luggage.
That means you can push your little one right up to the departure gate and then roll them out of the gate and through Denpasar Airport (Ngurah Rai International Airport) at the other end.
We recommend booking an early morning departure to Bali. Why? Well, because these flights are more likely to take off on time than later flights, they tend to be less crowded and your kids will be less tired.
Once you’re on the plane it can help to use wet wipes to clean any surfaces that your kids might be in touch with.
It’s a good idea to bring some snacks and drinks for your toddler as kids, generally, can’t stand the food on planes even if it is served hot at their table.
Arriving In Bali With A Toddler
One thing you must do before you travel: Bali requires that every person entering the country has a visa (usually a standard tourist visa), this includes children, no matter what age they are.
It’s going to be much easier if you get an e-visa online before you travel even though you can buy a visa easily at the airport.
That’s because if you have an e-visa, you can skip the long queues at immigration and use the e-gates to get out of the airport much faster.
You should also make sure to pay the Bali tourist tax in advance and do your customs declaration for Indonesia before you arrive. Then, you should be out of the airport in the time it takes you to flash your QR codes at the officers before you leave.
Then, it’s time to jump in a Grab, Gojek or meet your hotel’s driver and head to the hotel.
Ignore any taxi touts at the airport, either book a ride-share or use a hotel pick-up as this will make the process much easier for you and for your child.
Hospitals & Pharmacies In Bali
We hope that you won’t need them when you visit Bali with a toddler but if you do, the good news is that Bali has some excellent hospitals and clinics (our recent experience with Bali Med was excellent and Siloam Hospital is huge and has every facility you could possibly need).
Pharmacies are rather more relaxed than at home and you will find that as you travel Bali if a pharmacy has it in stock, they’ll probably be happy to sell it to you or recommend a pharmacy nearby that does have it in stock.
However, if you want swimming nappies, we’d recommend that you opt for a baby supplies store rather than a pharmacy.
The international brand Mothercare is here in Bali (on the ground floor of the Beachwalk Mall) and Myka Baby & Kids Store is most people’s preferred shop for baby equipment, nappies, etc.
Baby Food, Food For Your Toddler And Supermarkets In Bali For Baby Supplies
As we mentioned before, you can come to Bali with a baby or a toddler and buy food here, but the local baby products tend to be high in sugar, so you might want to opt for fresh fruit, vegetables, etc. and cook your own if you run out of the supply you bring from home.
You can buy everything you need in the supermarkets in Bali (we’ve got a great post with a full list of supermarkets in Bali) and your local convenience stores may have some items.
Equipment Hire For Seeing Bali With A Toddler
You don’t need to bring things like high chairs to Bali with you or a travel cot, for that matter. Many families rent everything they need on the island (which is not only convenient but much kinder to the environment than bringing everything with you on the plane).
Talk to your hotel or resort and they can point you in the right direction to rent the things you need.
The Big Challenges For You And Your Toddler In Bali
There are, of course, some real challenges of travelling in Bali with children and these can be summed up as:
It’s hot and humid – this means covering them up in the sun, and regular rehydration, but it also means that the 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. heat can be unbearable and they may prefer to take naps at this time or hang out by the pool. It’s hotter and more humid in the wet season than the dry season, so you might want to book for the dry season if you can.
More naps – the heat and humidity lend themselves to kids needing a few more naps than they do at home. Make sure they have somewhere comfy to sleep when they do.
Family-friendly locals don’t really do “family-friendly businesses” – Bali is a different culture, you won’t find a high chair in your average warung, there may not be any changing rooms in toilets in remote areas or even popular areas, etc.
No baby seats in ride-shares, taxis, etc. – for short day trips, keeping your child in your lap will be fine, the traffic here in Bali means that you’re never really travelling fast enough to be seriously injured. For longer trips, hire a driver with a seat already installed.
Scooters and children don’t mix – yes, we know the locals do it, but that’s because they’re trapped by economic necessity. Bali’s roads are not very safe and scooters offer no protection in the event of an accident. Travelling with children on a scooter is a bad idea.
The traffic – tired children can be a bit of a nightmare when trapped in a warm car for an hour or more to go a short distance. It’s better to think about when to travel in advance and plan accordingly.
The beaches are awesome – but the main beaches including those in the resort town of Nusa Dua (the most popular family resort destination) aren’t exactly ideal for swimming with little kids, the same is true of the famous surfing spot, Echo Beach. Sanur, on the other hand, has a brilliant beach for swimming with children. Water play on the beach in Bali is a lot of fun, but it should always be safe.
The food here can be very spicy – it’s a good idea to have some snacks and things on hand if your kids don’t like the local food on a day out.
The food isn’t always safe – we’ve already said, don’t drink the tap water, but kids shouldn’t eat salads (often washed in that water), unpeeled fruit or even street food if you have any doubt that it’s been cooked through.
Childcare Options In Bali
Most large hotels and resorts, particularly in Nusa Dua but also all over the island, have a kids club service with everything from art sessions to pool days included in the fee.
There are also pay-to-access kids clubs in some parts of Bali like the excellent Cubby House Kids Club in Canggu.
Even if your hotel doesn’t have all the cons of a Nusa Dua resort, they will almost certainly be able to arrange a babysitter if you give them some advanced notice.
How To Travel Around Bali With A Toddler
If you’re looking for more than a beach holiday in Bali, you will almost certainly want to travel around the island at some point as there are very few rice terraces, for example, within a short walk of a beach.
The best ways to get around the island with a child are:
Grab and Gojek (the local Uber equivalents) – these are ride-sharing apps that you can install on your phone. They have an advantage over the taxi services in that they set a fixed price before you get in the car. They won’t have baby seats, but if you’re travelling short distances and particularly in the beach towns, you can hold your little one on your lap safely enough.
Hire a private driver and car – this is way cheaper than it would be at home and for less than $35 USD or $50 AUD, you can engage a local with their own vehicle to drive you around all day long. This is one of the best ways to see Bali and best of all, your hotel or resort should be able to help you find a driver with a car seat already installed for you.
Rent a car and drive yourself – this is better than using a scooter, but to rent a car you will need to have a current driving license and a current international driver’s permit. We’d strongly recommend renting a car seat too if you’re driving yourself. Most of all, you want to drive defensively in Bali as the rules of the road here are non-existent.
What Are The Best Areas In Bali To Visit With A Toddler?
There are plenty of great areas in Bali for a family holiday including:
Canggu – Canggu has become the most popular destination in Bali in recent years. It has a little something for everyone from FINNS Beach Club, the world’s best beach club, FINNS Recreation Club, the best gym and leisure facility on the island, to surfing lessons on the beaches, the equestrian centre, etc. There’s just so much to do in Canggu. And if that wasn’t enough, Canggu is home to some of Bali’s most in-demand and hippest restaurants (including four amazing restaurants in FINNS alone), cafes and bars. And while it can’t, yet, match Seminyak for shopping experiences, there is a wealth of boutique stores in the area for you to go shopping in. There is something for everyone in Canggu, it’s like having all of Bali in miniature on your front doorstep.
Kuta – Kuta was the original area for tourists in Bali and it has a pleasant white sand beach that contrary to popular opinion is usually relatively clean and plastic-free. It’s famous, today, for its cheap and varied nightlife and there’s no doubt that if you’re parents who like to party, you can get a lot of partying done in Kuta. However, the area also has a huge number of family-friendly hotels and resorts that can provide excellent facilities for the little ones to play in. It’s also home to the best shopping malls in Bali and if you want Western-style shops on hand at all times, you can’t go wrong in Kuta. There are plenty of things to do in Kuta too. The downside is the area can be very crowded and at certain times of the year, it does get a bit grubby, no matter how hard the clean-up teams work to keep it nice.
Nusa Dua – Nusa Dua is Bali’s premium resort area and it’s super popular with families, it has the most kids’ clubs on offer, including the famous Westin Resort Club. The beaches here are white sand and completely unspoiled. However, beyond the resorts themselves, there’s not that much to do, and you may find that you need to take a few trips out of Nusa Dua to have an interesting and varied time in Bali. If you’re looking to just enjoy being spoiled in a brand name 5-star resort without ever moving far from the pool, you’re going to love Nusa Dua.
Ubud – Ubud is often considered to be the spiritual heart of the island and it’s home to the world-famous Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest. However, the big advantage of this location for a family holiday is that it’s at a higher altitude than the beach towns and thus, the climate is a bit cooler and more bearable for little ones that don’t do well in the noon day sun. The area has no beaches, but it’s got amazing rice terraces, temples, forests, hikes, art markets, palaces, museums and more. Many people opt for a dual centre holiday in Bali, staying at one of the beach towns for half their time and spending the other half in Ubud or a similar area such as Sidemen.
Seminyak – Seminyak is very upscale and it’s the place to go if you want top-quality 5-star experiences and fine dining. It also has good (but expensive) nightlife where you can party until dawn, assuming you get the right babysitter. Seminyak is often considered the best place to shop in Bali too. However, it’s a bit light on child-friendly activities and you might be better off in neighbouring Canggu or Kuta.
Sanur – Sanur is a quiet resort town on the opposite side of the island and its an amazing place to stay if you want to swim with your kids, the offshore reef protects the beach from any heavy waves.
Top 10 Places To Go In Bali With A Toddler
There are plenty of awesome things to do in Bali with a toddler including:
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Cubby House Kids Club – this is a great pay-by-the-day club that lets your kids have fun in a supervised environment while you go and spend some quality time with yourself. It’s nice to take a little holiday time just for you in Bali.
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Hit The Pool At Splash – the pool at FINNS Recreation Club is family friendly and this is the best place on the island to spend a day watching the waves lap on the shore and the most spectacular sunset in Bali.
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Pirates Bay Nusa Dua – this small park is full of pirate-themed attractions for your little ones to enjoy in the swanky resort town.
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Bali Safari & Marine Park – elephants, orangutans and more! This is a lovely place to learn about animals in Bali.
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Pony Rides @ Bali Equestrian Centre – Kids will love a pony ride near the beach!
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Mertasari Beach – this beach in Sanur has a lovely paved walkway with lots of room for strollers. Keep an eye out for the kites between June and August here too!
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Family Brunch At Westin Resort (Prego) – the brunch here offers plenty of entertainment for the little ones and under-fours eat for free. There’s even a dedicated children’s buffet!
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Made’s Warung Berawa Playground – great Indonesian food and a safe playground, what more could you want?
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Bounce Bali Trampoline Centre – Bounce is where kids can burn off any excess energy on the trampolines.
Toys In Bali
Bali has a few toy shops scattered around the island and if your kid attends a kids club, they will likely have toys available, however, toys aren’t all that common in Balinese culture and there’s no guarantee that a hotel or resort without a kids club will have any available for use.
The Locals And Your Toddler
Balinese people love children and often this makes travelling in Bali with a baby or a toddler a complete delight.
However, it’s not entirely unknown to see a little girl or a little boy in tears when a whole family of curious locals descends on them in fascination. Be aware that their fascination is meant kindly and just shield your kids if they start to become too popular with a big group of people.
The upside however is that you can always find somebody who is happy to keep your child entertained in resorts and restaurants and that babysitting services here are generally amazing.
This means you can easily spend time in Bali with a baby or toddler without having to drag them to the Monkey Forest with you and risking a monkey bite.
However, you can take your kids to most places with you, they’ll love the rice terraces, seeing you buying food in the local markets, making friends with other kids, eating in small restaurants like Sea Circus, or taking a fast boat across calm waters of the ocean to see the islands offshore.
FAQs
Is Bali A Good Place To Take A Toddler?
Yes, going to Bali with a toddler is a great idea. However, you do need to make sure you pay attention to the small details such as baby car seats and baby supplies, if you want to have a smooth time of things.
Is It Safe To Take A 4 Month Old To Bali?
Yes! Bali is a very safe destination for young children. There’s very little crime in Bali apart from petty theft.
That doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t safety precautions to take such as not drinking the tap water, ensuring that if they swim on Kuta Beach they are always supervised, using sunscreen, etc.
Should I Bring A Car Seat To Bali?
Car seats are not required by Balinese law and under most circumstances, traffic in Bali is so slow that you’re unlikely to need a baby seat.
Taxi drivers, generally speaking, won’t have a seat installed or available to them.
The same is true for ride-share drivers, though you can ask in the Gojek or Grab Taxi Lounge at the airport to see if they can source a driver with a seat for you.
If you are using an airport pick-up service then you should check with them in advance to see if they provide a seat.
However, if your day trips are going to involve seeing remote parts of Bali with a toddler, then you might want to bring a seat with you or rent one when you visit Bali.
Alternatively, you can arrange with your hotel to use the services of a private car where the driver has already installed a car seat.
Should I Take A Pram To Bali?
We’d avoid bringing a pram to Bali. The sidewalks are non-existent or too narrow in most parts of the island. In some areas, prams are actually banned too.
It’s better to bring a light stroller and then stay in an area such as Canggu, Seminyak, Sanur, Nusa Dua, etc. that has semi-decent narrow pavements that can easily accommodate a stroller.
Overall, walking on your Bali holiday is likely to be a bit more stressful than it is at home and we’d recommend taking a ride share between destinations that are more than a few minutes apart.
How To Book A Holiday In Bali With A Toddler
We would recommend booking a toddler-friendly holiday in Bali with the Bali Res Centre, a locally owned and operated travel agency that specializes in Balinese travel.
They can help ensure that you stay somewhere like the Westin Resort which is very toddler-friendly without missing out on any of the amazing experiences of Bali like Cubby House, FINNS the best of the world’s beach clubs, the Ubud Monkey Forest and more.
Final Thoughts On Bali With A Toddler
Coming to Bali with a toddler is a great idea and you can have an amazing time here on the island with a little one.
However, it does take a little advanced planning to ensure that you have a great time in Bali with a baby or toddler. Just make sure to run through the toddlers tips above and you should have a great time on the island without any major hassles.
We hope to see you and your family at FINNS very soon. It’s the perfect destination for a relaxing family day out!
