Destinations / Bali
Bali with kids
Bali works for families because the south-coast resort strips (Nusa Dua, Sanur) have protected, gentle water, big kids' pools and clubs, and staff who are used to small children. Add a large water park, a safari park and a zoo within 30 to 75 minutes by car, plus cheap babysitting and food, and a long stay is easy to fill. The cost is the journey: there is no nonstop flight from the UK or the US.
Bali
Which ages it suits
Ages 0–2 · Possible
The 17+ hour journey with a connection is the hard part; once there, resorts offer cots and babysitting, but dengue risk (no vaccine option for infants) and heat make it a tougher first long-haul.
Ages 3–6 · Great
Best fit. Shallow resort pools, club programmes from age 3 or 4, calm Nusa Dua and Sanur water and a toddler area at Waterbom.
Ages 7–12 · Great
Slides at Waterbom, animal encounters at the zoo and safari park, snorkelling and water sports at Tanjung Benoa.
Ages 13–17 · Good
Surf lessons, scooter-free day tours and Waterbom slides work; fewer dedicated teen programmes at the resorts.
When to go with children
Weather for kids and school-holiday crowds together. Best: May, June, September, October.
- January · 28°C
- Peak of the wet season: daily heavy showers, high humidity, and the Christmas to New Year price spike carries over into early January.
- May · 28°C
- Dry season has started, crowds are still light and prices are below July and August.
- July · 26°C
- Dry and sunny but the busiest period, with school-holiday crowds from Australia, Europe and Asia and the highest prices; book early.
- September · 26°C
- Dry, warm sea and noticeably fewer visitors than August; one of the most comfortable months for small children.
- November · 28°C
- Rains build through the month; mornings are usually fine but afternoon storms become frequent.
- December · 29°C
- Wet season plus Christmas and New Year peak pricing; sea can be rougher and beach flags more common.
Parks and days out, by car
Typical minutes by car from Nusa Dua. School-holiday traffic can add a lot.
Long white-sand beach in front of the resorts with a gentle slope and mostly calm water; check the tide, as at low tide parts of the reef are exposed.
Best for 0–12
Banana boats, glass-bottom boats and snorkelling trips run from the Benoa peninsula; operators are independent, so confirm life jackets for children and minimum ages when you book.
Best for 6–16 · Tickets on GetYourGuide
Large landscaped water park with a no-minimum kids' area; some bigger slides need 100 cm. Official single-day price is about IDR 610,000 adult and 495,000 child (2–11); a family-of-four pass exists. Open daily 9am to 6pm.
Best for 3–14 · Many rides need 100 cm+ · Adult day from about $40 · Tickets on GetYourGuide · Official site
Compact zoo of more than 350 animals with feeding sessions, animal presentations and a Jungle Splash water-play area included in the ticket; allow about three hours. Open 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:00. Price is third-party (around IDR 355,000 adult), so treat it as approximate.
Best for 2–10 · Adult day from about $20 · Tickets on GetYourGuide · Official site
Drive-through savannah-style safari with a day section (9:00 to 17:30) and a separate night safari (18:00 to 21:00). The $44 figure is from a reseller; the official site did not show a price, so check before you go.
Best for 3–12 · Adult day from about $45 · Tickets on GetYourGuide · Official site
Where to stay
Nusa Dua
Gated resort enclave with calm, protected beaches, large kids' pools and clubs; quiet and easy with small children but little nightlife.
Sanur
Shallow reef-sheltered beach, a flat seafront path that suits pushchairs and bikes, and a slower local feel.
Ubud
Cooler, green and cultural; good for a 2 to 3 night add-on with rice terraces and the zoo and safari park nearer, but no beach and more steps and uneven pavements.
Family resorts we checked
A beachfront kids' villa and kids' pool with slides, with the two-bedroom family suites doing the room work.
A free two-hour-a-day club plus a parent-attended toddler club on a sprawling Nusa Dua site.
A complimentary kids' club and a 12 m waterslide, per the hotel's own listing.
A family suite sleeping four in one room, a kids' club and a reef-protected beach in calm Sanur.
Kitchenette suites and a big lagoon pool at a mid price; Accor lists free stay and breakfast for children.
Family suites with a separate kids' room at a lower price, and IHG's kids-stay-and-eat-free offer.
A 10-night trip, paced for kids
Land and slow down
Transfer to Nusa Dua, keep the first two days to pool, beach and early nights while body clocks adjust. Book the resort kids' club for a short first session.
Waterbom and a quiet day
Go to Waterbom Bali when it opens at 9am to beat the heat, then rest at the hotel in the afternoon. Day 4 is beach and pool only.
Animals
Do Bali Zoo one day (about three hours) and the Safari Park another; both involve over an hour in the car so take snacks. Use the day safari for under-6s, as the night safari finishes at 21:00.
Sanur or Ubud
Move to Sanur for a gentler beach and cycling on the seafront path, or spend two nights in Ubud for rice terraces. Keep to one activity a day.
Water sports and last swim
Take a supervised half-day snorkel or glass-bottom boat at Tanjung Benoa, with the last day free at the resort before the long flight home.
Good to know
- The catch
- Bali traffic is slow, so Ubud, the zoo and the safari park each cost a long drive; families who base only in Nusa Dua or Sanur and plan one outing a day have far better days.
- Flights
- No nonstop from the UK, Germany or the US: expect one stop via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or a Gulf hub, roughly 17 to 22 hours from London and 24+ hours from the US East Coast.
- Jet lag
- Bali is UTC+8: 7 to 8 hours ahead of the UK and 12 to 13 ahead of US East Coast. Children usually take 3 to 5 days to settle, so plan quiet first days.
- Health
- Dengue is present year round and peaks in the wet season (about November to March): cover up and use repellent against daytime mosquitoes; no malaria in the main tourist areas; drink bottled water only.
- Safety
- Tourist areas are generally safe but check the current UK FCDO and US State Department advice for Indonesia before booking; take care on scooters and with sea currents on surf beaches.
- Getting around
- Use private drivers or Grab/Gojek cars; taxi and ride-hail car seats are rarely available, so bring your own. Pavements are uneven and a sturdy buggy works better than a light stroller outside Nusa Dua and Sanur.
- Budget
- About $190 a night for a mid-range family room for four, $450 for luxury, plus about $110 a day for food, transport and outings.
Pairs well with: Singapore, Phuket & Khao Lak, Gold Coast
Partner links are marked and may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Kids' club ages, seasons and prices change; check with the provider before booking.