Traveling Bali with a Baby - Tips, Essentials & Our Experiences

Bali is undoubtedly one of the most popular travel destinations in Southeast Asia for families with children of all ages – and for a good reason!
The "Island of the Gods", as Bali is often called, is incredibly child-friendly and offers an excellent healthcare system.
With its pleasant warm temperatures year-round, affordable living costs compared to many countries, and a wide range of fascinating sights and activities, Bali is an ideal destination for families traveling with babies and toddlers.

Before we embarked on our parental leave adventure in Bali with our then 10-month-old daughter, we had many questions, uncertainties, and concerns about whether everything would go as we had imagined. In retrospect, we can confidently say that our initial worries were completely unfounded.
The two months we spent in Bali with our baby were wonderful in every way, and we would do it all over again!

If you're considering whether you should also take on the adventure of Bali with a baby, we’d like to share our experiences with you in this post.
We hope it helps answer your open questions and alleviates any fears or concerns you may have about such a trip. Ideally, we can also support you with your subsequent travel planning.

BEFORE THE TRIP

1. ADDITIONAL VACCINATIONS FOR BALI

The decision on whether to give your baby additional vaccinations is entirely up to you.
As a parent, you must weigh the health aspects and consider the pros and cons of (not) vaccinating your child and take responsibility for it.
The most common additional vaccinations include those against typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, and hepatitis A.

After consulting our pediatrician, we decided against administering any additional vaccinations beyond those recommended by the national guidelines, as our daughter was only eight months old when we began our five-month parental leave journey through Southeast Asia.

2. CHILDREN’S HEALTH CHECK-UPS WITH THE PEDIATRICIAN

Before embarking on our travels, we ensured that all health check-ups for the period were conducted by our pediatrician.
Since we had our daughter's routine health check-up at around 7 months, the next one wasn’t scheduled until her first birthday.
Therefore, we didn’t need to visit a pediatrician during our five-month parental leave abroad.

If a check-up is scheduled during your trip, we recommend discussing with your pediatrician in advance whether it’s possible to bring it forward or delay it until after your return.

Our tip: In case of a medical emergency abroad, we recommend saving the health booklet digitally on a USB stick or hard drive, so you don’t need to carry the entire booklet with you.

3. BOOKING SUITABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

For a round trip, we generally recommend booking at least the first accommodations before leaving home.
This saves you from having to search for a suitable place to stay upon arrival with jet lag and a baby.
We booked the rest of our accommodations with a cancellation option in case our daughter got sick (fortunately, she never did), and we couldn’t travel further on a given day.

In terms of accommodation amenities, we always made sure it included air conditioning, a private bathroom, and enough space.
We also prioritized having a balcony or veranda or staying close to a restaurant, so we weren’t confined to a dark room in the evenings with our sleeping child.
Thanks to our baby monitor with a camera, we could always keep an eye on our daughter and be with her quickly if she woke up.

We also chose accommodations with a swimming pool because our daughter loves the water.
This was ideal for us, especially when one of us was sick, as it allowed at least one of us to splash around with her.
To avoid long travel distances, we always chose accommodations that were relatively central and near the sights and activities we had selected in advance.

The range of hotels and accommodations across Bali is extensive and varied.
From homestays and budget hotels to affordable mid-range hotels to luxurious all-inclusive resorts, there’s something for every taste.
Besides hotels, there are also plenty of guesthouses or self-catering villas available.
On platforms like Airbnb or booking.com, you’re sure to find the right accommodation to meet your needs.

Here’s a small overview of the most beautiful and comfortable accommodations we found:‍

• Sawah Indah Villa in Sideman
• Best Western Premier Agung Resort in Ubud
• Pandawa Village in Lovina
• Hidden Paradise Cottages in Amed - with direct beach access
• Vyaana Resort in Gili Air – we could have stayed here forever
• Water Blow Huts in Nusa Lembongan

Good to know: When searching for and booking accommodations, we always only listed two adults, as children up to 2 years old can usually stay for free.

DURING THE TRIP

1. FLYING LONG-HAUL WITH A BABY

We had many thoughts before our first long-haul flight with a baby. Will she be able to handle the air pressure changes well (using a pacifier works very well for this, by the way), will she sleep, and how would we keep her entertained in such a small space for so long (she was already crawling by this time)?
We also wondered how our seat neighbors would react if she cried frequently or for long periods.
In the end, it turned out to be half as bad. We arrived exhausted, as she required our attention almost nonstop, but we expected that in advance.

As parents, you should remind yourselves to relax because children often mirror their parents' calmness. Try to see the flight as part of the journey rather than an obstacle.

Children under two do not require their own seat on the plane, but for convenience, many parents choose to book an additional seat.
We never booked a seat for our daughter on long or short-haul flights, always keeping her on our lap.
For take-off and landing, we secured her with an airline loop belt attached to our seatbelt – this was completely sufficient for us.

Our tip: Sometimes it can be cheaper to book two seats in business class instead of three seats (for parents and child) in economy class. This was the case for us on the route from Munich to Bangkok.

Regarding toys, we don’t want to give specific recommendations since each child develops individually.
We can only share what we brought for our daughter and what kept her entertained for at least a while. At eight months, books with faces, a small doll (especially the face), rattles, spinner toys, colorful stacking cubes ,some beach toys, and anything we had in our hands were particularly interesting to her.
She also found it fascinating to empty all our bags and purses.

For meals, we brought over a liter of water for her bottle and two jars of baby food. We were checked at security, but once they saw our daughter, they returned our bag without further questioning. Throughout the flight, we were repeatedly offered to warm up the bottle and jars.
Overall, we found the onboard staff to be very attentive to the youngest passengers and their needs.

2. MEDICAL CARE IN BALI

From personal experience, we can assure you that you don’t need to fear a medical emergency in Bali.
Especially in tourist centers like Ubud, Canggu, Kuta, or Uluwatu, hospitals, clinics, and doctors meet Western standards.
In fact, we found some of them to be even more modern than those in many Western countries.
In serious cases, it’s always wise to consult a doctor, particularly concerning your baby’s health.
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The availability of pharmacies is also very good and particularly affordable. You’ll find everything you need here.

However, keep in mind that the costs of medical treatment and medications are likely not covered by your national health insurance.
For this reason, we took out private international health insurance in advance. We compared plans on Check24 and chose the one that suited us best.
The insurance usually costs a small amount per year and is worth every penny in an emergency.

Our tip: When taking out insurance, make sure it includes full coverage without limit caps and, in case of a severe illness, repatriation. Additionally, save all receipts for medical treatment and medications, as you may need them to claim expenses with your insurance later.

We have included all further details in our separate post, "Bali: Tips & Essentials for Your Dream Trip".

3. FOOD & DRINK FOR BABIES IN BALI – FORMULA, BABY FOOD & MORE

This topic was perhaps the one we thought about the most in advance. In addition to bottle feeding, we had already started with solid foods (baby-led weaning and fruit purées).
This raised questions about whether the right milk powder would be available, as well as healthy, age-appropriate food for our daughter and, if so, where we could find it.
Once again, we worried way too much in advance. Yes, there are babies in Bali who also need food.

Large supermarkets like Pepito and Clandy’s offer a wide selection of milk powder, rice-based baby food, squeezable fruit pouches, and occasionally baby food jars, although the selection is somewhat limited. We mostly shopped at Clandy’s as prices were considerably lower there.
The smaller 24/7 stores (Indomaret, Alfamart, etc.) generally only have a small selection of milk powder.
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In Bali, you won’t typically find infant formula specifically suitable for newborns (under 6 months), as most baby formula available starts with follow-on formula.
If you rely on infant formula, it’s essential to bring enough from home.
We also recommend packing sufficient food for the beginning of your trip to help your little one gradually adjust to the new environment.
Keep in mind that your baby will likely already be dealing with jet lag, high temperatures, and many new stimuli.

If you prefer to prepare food yourself, you can find almost all the essentials, such as oatmeal, pasta, rice, potatoes, fresh meat, plain yogurt, a variety of fruits, and more, in the supermarkets. However, you’ll need a kitchen in your accommodation, which wasn’t always an option for us as it limited our choice of accommodations.
We mostly chose the easier option and ate out. Our daughter was allowed to try everything from our plate, as long as it wasn’t too heavily seasoned or hard.

In restaurants, you can always ask if they can prepare some extra boiled vegetables without spices or sauces for your little one.
Balinese people are very child-friendly, and they’re usually more than happy to accommodate this request. Fresh fruit is always available and can be purchased everywhere.

Our general rule – not only in Bali but throughout our entire journey in Southeast Asia – was "boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it".We only drank bottled water, never tap water.
We washed our daughter’s bottles with tap water but regularly rinsed and boiled them with hot water.

4. DIAPERS & WIPES IN BALI

Diapers and wipes are widely available in Bali. Every MiniMart, Indomaret, and Circle K carries a small selection of diapers in corresponding package sizes.
The larger supermarkets like Pepito and Clandy’s offer a much bigger selection and larger packs. If you’re looking for “Pampers-quality” diapers, try the Mamypoko brand.
They’re almost identical in price to Pampers, making them relatively expensive for Balinese standards.

A more affordable but equally good alternative in our opinion is the BabyLove brand.
If you prefer diapers with side tapes, be sure to look out for this feature, as most diapers in Indonesia are pull-ups.
It was an adjustment for us initially, but we quickly got used to it.

In Bali, swim diapers are practically unavailable. Therefore, we recommend bringing a reusable swim diaper from home.

Changing tables are also rare. We often had to improvise and quickly change our daughter in a quiet corner of a restaurant or side street. Necessity is the mother of invention!
We were very grateful for our washable changing mat, which proved to be a real all-rounder and must-have in these situations.

5. LAUNDRY IN BALI

Doing laundry in Bali is very easy. You’ll find a laundry service on practically every corner.In advance, we read that some people bring their own detergent, as some laundries use bleach/chlorine to remove stains and add plenty of softener and fragrance. But you don’t have to!
Since you need to wash your clothes very often with a baby or toddler, and we didn’t have the time or inclination to do laundry ourselves with our own detergent, we used the laundry service about twice a week.
Our verdict: Just like anywhere else, there are both good and less good laundries. Generally, our laundry was always well-cleaned, retained its color, and didn’t smell strongly of fragrances. So, our daughter probably didn’t even notice the different detergent. If she did, it didn’t seem to bother her.

Laundry is charged by the kilo. Depending on the city or tourist region, you pay between 10 – 20 IDR per kilo of laundry.

6. SUN PROTECTION & MOSQUITO REPELLENT IN BALI

When it comes to sun and mosquito protection, opinions tend to differ more with babies than with older children, who are simply lathered with sunscreen or mosquito spray.
Some parents rely solely on physical protection, like suitable clothing and mosquito nets, while others additionally use chemical products like sunscreen and insect repellent.

Back home, physical protection may be sufficient. In the tropics, however, it wasn’t enough for us. From morning till evening, the sun was often shining. Of course, we sought shade whenever possible and avoided the midday sun, but it wasn’t always feasible to keep our daughter exclusively in the shade, especially when she was in the water or on the beach.
The same applied when we were out and about. In the buggy and carrier, she was always exposed to the sun, even though we covered her with a thin cloth.
For this reason, we applied sunscreen whenever necessary. Long clothing was only an option in the evenings, as even lightweight clothing felt too warm during the day, and we didn’t want to put our daughter through that. Even wearing a short-sleeve bodysuit, she often sweated heavily.

In the water, she wore additional longer UV swimwear. One thing we wouldn’t be without is her baby sunglasses. Initially, we were concerned that she wouldn’t want to wear them, but it turned out she liked them a lot, especially since the bright light was often overwhelming for her. The attached elastic band kept them securely in place.

To reduce the risk of dengue fever or malaria, we also applied mosquito repellent lotion or spray, which we purchased locally.
These products are available in almost every supermarket, and in some restaurants, the staff even offered us mosquito spray, suggesting they use it themselves.

7. BUGGY AND/OR BABY CARRIER IN BALI

We took both a compact travel buggy and a baby carrier, and this decision turned out to be just right.
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We specifically bought a travel buggy for our Southeast Asia trip. When choosing one, we prioritized features that were essential to us, such as a reclining position, sunshade, and a spacious storage basket. It also needed to be affordable, compact, and lightweight. The Hauck sport buggy met all these criteria and proved to be a versatile companion.
When there was no high chair available, we used the buggy, where she could sit safely to eat. Afterward, we could entertain her with some toys while we ate relatively peacefully.

Most airlines allow up to two items of baby gear free of charge, so we could easily take the buggy up to the plane.

Despite the stroller, our Manduca carrier was used just as often, if not more. Along the main roads, it was almost impossible to navigate the stroller on the often poor sidewalks.
Another important factor was the sensory overload and lack of emotional security for our baby. In the first few weeks, our then 10-month-old daughter sought our physical closeness due to the abundance of new sights and sounds.
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The carrier had always been a place of safety and comfort for her since birth, helping her process the many new impressions without stress.
When it became too much for her, she could easily take a “safety nap” in the carrier.
A big advantage of the carrier is that it’s very handy and lightweight, taking up little space in a suitcase or backpack. It also allows hands-free movement, unlike a stroller.

8. TRANSPORTATION & CHILD SEATS IN BALI

Opinions about transporting babies and toddlers in Bali vary widely. What’s considered an absolute no-go back home may be normal for the Balinese.
So, it’s essential to note that we are merely sharing our experiences and views. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide if this is right for you.

In Bali, as in other Southeast Asian countries, it’s common for children of all ages to travel in cars without a child seat.
If you order a taxi, Grab, Bolt, or similar service, expect that it will likely not have a child seat.
In this case, you’ll have to hold your child securely on your lap. However, this doesn’t mean child seats are unavailable in Bali.
When you book a transfer in advance, for longer trips or to the airport, many providers offer a child seat upon request, often for a small fee.

Every child seat we received was secured with a 3-point seatbelt, as Isofix is either unknown or not yet widespread.
This was completely sufficient for us. It’s also essential to know that these are simple child seats or baby seats. Don’t expect all the features and extras you’d find at home.
If you find this too risky, consider bringing your own child seat. However, remember that the seat may only be used briefly and will then sit unused in your accommodation.
If you continue traveling and flying, you may have to check the child seat as oversized luggage for an extra fee.

What many find even more concerning than car travel without seat belts or child seats is riding a scooter with a baby or toddler. For the Balinese, however, this is entirely normal.
You often see them with not only one child but two or more on a scooter, with the youngest usually held in an adult’s arms.
Admittedly, we had many reservations about this initially, viewing it from our own perspective.
However, as experienced scooter riders, we had already decided that if we felt safe on-site and it seemed right, we would, like the locals, ride a scooter with our baby.

We traveled everywhere by scooter during our time in Bali and never encountered any dangerous situations, as we always drove responsibly and with foresight.
We avoided riding the scooter at dusk when possible. Our daughter was always in a carrier and sat securely between us.
We protected her arms and legs from the sun by clipping a cloth to us. We even found a suitable helmet for her locally, which served more as extra sun protection, while the visor shielded her from dirt and other particles. We had read in advance that some parents bring bicycle helmets for their little ones from home.
However, we didn’t see any children wearing such helmets on-site. Usually, the youngest riders didn’t wear helmets at all.

All other information about renting a scooter and essential safety tips can be found in our post "Renting a Scooter in Bali - Helpful Tips and Information".

9. PACKING LIST: TRAVELING WITH A BABY & TODDLER TO BALI

Our detailed packing list for traveling to Thailand or Southeast Asia with a baby can be found in our post “Packing List for Traveling with a Baby to Asia”.
We hope it’ll be helpful in preparing for your own trip.

10. OTHER FAMILIES WITH BABIES/TODDLERS

Finally – you’re not the only ones traveling with a baby in Bali. We met many other families there, some with babies as young as 2 or 3 months.
Alongside Balinese babies and children, our daughter had plenty of international playmates, and we connected with like-minded parents to share experiences.

Are you planning a round trip in Bali and its well-known neighboring islands? Then our following posts might be of interest to you:

• Bali: Tips & Essentials for Your Dream Trip
• Amed – A Diver's Paradise in Eastern Bali
• Ubud - 6 Tips & Highlights
• Ubud & Surroundings in 4 Days: Highlights and Tips
• Gili Air – Highlights & Tips for the Indonesian Island Paradise
• Nusa Lembongan & Nusa Ceningan – Highlights & Tips for the Indonesian Islands

Enjoy browsing and planning!

USEFUL LINKS & RECOMMENDED TRAVEL GUIDES FOR YOU

• Find affordable Transfers with 12Go.com
• Find affordable rental cars at rentalcars.com
• Find affordable flights at skyscanner.com
• Discover the best accommodations
• The best Travel Guides for Bali
• Unique Excursions to Experience in Bali
• Experience Wonderful Dives around Gili Air
• Rent a Scooter at Bikago

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‍Note: This blog post contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or purchase something through these links, we earn a small commission. There is absolutely no change to the price for you.