First Time in Bali With a Toddler: What We Wish We Knew

Planning a first Bali trip with a toddler feels simultaneously exhilarating and totally daunting. The Instagram feeds are full of flawless sunsets at Tanah Lot and fairy-tale rice terraces in Ubud—but no one posts about the toddler tantrum in the taxi over the air-con not being cold enough, or spending 45 minutes at every restaurant finding a clean changing table. We decided to be that friend.

Travel with toddlers under 3 is totally possible—but also genuinely magical in Bali if you know what to expect.

Here’s our comprehensive guide to travelling to Bali with a toddler, compiled from all the things we wish we’d known!

Is Bali Toddler-Friendly?

Yes, definitely— but with caution!

Bali is well-equipped for tourism, and Balinese culture loves children. The Balinese will absolutely adore your toddler. Get ready for your child’s cheeks to be pinched, random cuddles from warung aunties, and temple offerings being placed lovingly into their tiny hands. It really is heartwarming to see.

Of course, there are health and safety factors you’ll need to consider. The biggest things to watch out for when visiting Bali with toddlers are:

• Travel sickness / Bali belly — Easily avoided with bottled / filtered water, avoiding salads/raw food at non-airport restaurants for the first few days, and packing oral rehydration sachets.
• Mosquitoes / Dengue fever — Apply toddler-safe mosquito repellent (something DEET-free like Mosi-guard Natural is our parent favourite) and dress them in a light long-sleeve top at dusk.
• Sun / Heat exposure — Bali is pretty much on the equator. UV levels will regularly be in the 11+ range. Apply SPF 50+ mineral sunscreen every 90 minutes, keep them in the shade whenever possible, and avoid outdoors between 10am-4pm.
• Uneven pavements / Open drains — Bali roads are very higgledy piggledy. A carrier or structured carrier backpack is WAY more useful than a stroller.

When to Visit Bali With Toddlers

Trust us, the time of year matters more than you think.

Between April–October is the dry season in Bali, and hands-down better for toddlers. Lower humidity, less rain, and more reliable beach days makes travelling with toddlers (and logistics) far easier. July-August are the peak tourist season months —more crowded but also prime weather.

November-March is wet season, and those afternoon downpours are no joke if you’re trying to stick to nap schedules and make outdoor activities enjoyable with a toddler. Book with more flexibility in each day if you’re travelling in these months.

We visited in May which we loved—it was post-peak so quieter, dry weather, and still plenty of greenery from the last of the rain season.

Best Places to Stay With a Toddler in Bali

As plush as Bali’s resorts and villas look, not all of them are toddler friendly. Infinity pools with zero fencing, exterior staircases with no railings, and open plan designs with sharp objects everywhere are common in Bali’s trendier spots.

Here are a few things we considered when choosing where to stay in Bali with toddlers:

Safety around the pool area is critical. Honestly just ask the villa/host directly whether there is fencing, gates, or alarms on the pool. Many villas won’t have it — and you’ll need to keep an eye on the toddler whenever they’re outside.

Our favourite toddler-friendly areas for villas/stays in Bali:

• Seminyak / Canggu — flat roads, accessible restaurants, close to beaches, and highest concentration of family-friendly villas with fenced pools we found.
• Ubud — magical for toddlers who can walk longer distances; monkey forest, rice terraces, lots of cultural activities. Roads are MUCH more steep and narrow.
• Nusa Dua — If you’re after that “Bali resort” experience, Nusa Dua is it. Beautiful manicured bushes and gardens, gentle beaches, and pools with designated shallow areas. The most stress-free option overall for first timers.

Insider tip: Search for villas with “shallow wading pool” or “children’s pool” in the description. Lots of cute boutique properties in Seminyak and Canggu are now specifically marketing to families.

Transportation With Toddlers in Bali

Grab scooter = never.

You’ll be hiring:

• Private car hire (with driver) — our number one suggestion. Hire a driver for half/ full days. Costs about IDR 400,000–600,000 for a full day. The driver can double up as a tour guide, waits at each stop for however long you need, and many know more child-friendly spots than are listed on Google. Hire a driver for the bulk of your travels, then do quick grabs around the same villa area.
• Grab/Gojek car — Ok for quick trips. Take note that car seats aren’t a thing for taxis/ridehails in Bali. We packed a portable travel car seat for our child, but many parents we met were fine just bringing cushions for their toddler to lean on.
• Stroller vs carrier — hear us out here. DO NOT BRING A STROLLER. You’ll be bargaining with your toddler to walk up temple steps, navigating sandy beaches with it, trying to fit it through crowded market stalls. You’ll be frustrated way before they are. Bring a carrier, leave the stroller at the villa for when you’re renting bikes or staying in super flat areas.

What to Bring Toddlers in Bali

Add to your standard toddler travel packing list with these Bali must-haves:

• Toddler mosquito repellent (we found spraying shirts/socks with DEET-free repellent worked better than patches)
• Sunscreen — Bali sun is NO joke. Pack SPF 50+ mineral sunscreen and reapply religiously.
• ORS sachets / Electrolyte powders — way easier than you think they’ll need it but trust us.
• Portable white noise machine / app — You’ll need this for villa naps. Virtually every villa has kitchen/shop/music blast noise from morning til night.
• Rash Guard + Swim Hat — for beach days.
• Something light and long-sleeved to cover arms up for temples and cooler Ubud evenings.
• Snacks!!! Bring snacks from home. Every sticker book and travel toy has a shelf life with a tired toddler on a long car journey.
• Basic first aid kit including children’s fever medicine (bring your own brand/ dosage), antiseptic wipes, plasters, and anti-itch cream for bites and stings.

Baby formula, food, and general essentials can be found at convenience stores throughout Bali. Alfamart and Indomaret are widespread — but brand differs so stock up before you go where possible.

Toddler Activities in Bali

Yes, there is more to Bali than Ben’s Burger and the beach!

Karana Nusa Lembongan was our little one’s favourite place to cool off on hot days. Bali has MANY family-friendly beaches, but the two we visited toddlers loved were Nusa Dua and Sanur beaches. Both calm, shallow areas with tons of sand to run around in. Kuta Beach and Echo Beach are off limits with toddlers; crazy currents and big waves.

Ubud Monkey Forest: HIGHLY recommend but keep hands covered. Little ones LOVE watching the monkeys but they WILL grab anything—bags with zips (even closed) are fair game.

Bali Bird Park (Gianyar): Easily Southeast Asia’s best animal/ bird park. Large aviaries you can walk through with tropical birds galore. Toddlers will be obsessed. Stroller friendly paths too.

Waterbom Bali (located in Kuta): Asia’s best rated waterpark has a whole toddler area with kiddie pools and mini slides. Book online before you go to save waiting in line.

Rice Terrace Walking Tours: Tegallalang and Jatiluwih are both doable with a carrier. Try and do early morning as once 9am hits, tour buses arrive and it can get crowded.

Cooking Classes: We tried one with our toddler in Ubud and they let her sit at the counter with a high chair. Recommended as a more chilled morning activity that gives you parents something to do too.

Eating With Toddlers in Bali

Bali has an incredible food scene, and honestly eats really well for toddler-friendly food options.

Steamed rice/ nasi goreng (fried rice) and mie goreng (fried noodles) are everywhere. Mild in flavour/spice for the most part, and most toddlers go nuts for them. Pancakes are another easy win. Banana pancakes are on every cafe menu in Bali. Places also do great fresh fruit platters with watermelon, papaya, dragonfruit. Healthy, cheap, and usually a winner.

High chairs are mostly available at mid-range and touristy restaurants. Give restaurants a call if dining at more traditional balinese warungs — some may not have them.

Food safety tip: avoid fresh juices with ice made from tap water for the first couple days. You’ll also want to be selective about smoothie bowls at warungs until your toddler adjusts.

Helping Toddlers Sleep in Bali

Timezones work for you!

Bali is GMT+8 (same as Singapore, Malaysia, Perth). If you’re travelling from within Asia, congratulations—jet lag doesn’t exist for you. Seriously makes Bali one of the easiest destinations for toddlers if you’re flying in from overseas.

If you’re travelling longhaul (>5 hours) from Europe, UK, or US. Allow 2–3 days for time adjustment, and try to stick to your regular sleep schedule for day 1.

Blackout curtains on windows are something we looked for in our villa and didn’t regret. Bali mornings become bright EARLY.

The Not-So-Glamorous Reality We Omitted

You will have bad days. Travelling with toddlers is fickle. Bali heat + hungry toddler = public parenting breakdown when you’re stuck in a 40-minute Canggu traffic jam. Roads around Seminyak/Kuta are terrible. Max two-three stops a day and take advantage of your villa for lunch/naps.

But you’ll also have moments that will stay with you forever. Your toddler laughing as a monkey steals daddy’s sunglasses at a temple. Watching the sunrise over Bali’s rice terraces from your hostel warung with a cold Bintang in hand. Our villa treated us like family. They remembered our toddler’s name by day two and brought her a little bunch of flowers every morning.

Bali isn’t just kid-friendly—it’s family-friendly.

Just go prepared, leave your itinerary open, and go.

Bali With Toddlers

Travelled to Bali with your toddler? Drop your experience in the comments — the real tips always come from other parents in the trenches.