Entry requirements (check before every trip)
Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the EU, the US, Canada and most other countries can use Indonesia's Visa on Arrival for tourism, valid for 30 days and extendable once for another 30. It is cheapest and fastest as an e-Visa on Arrival (e-VOA) applied for online before you fly, so you walk through on a QR code rather than queueing to buy one at the airport. The fee is IDR 500,000 per person, children included, plus a small online processing charge. Since late 2025 arrivals also complete an online All Indonesia Arrival Card before travel.
Bali additionally charges a tourist levy of IDR 150,000 per foreign visitor, paid online through the official Love Bali portal before or on arrival. Passports need at least six months' validity from your arrival date, every child needs their own passport, and these rules change, so confirm them on the Indonesian immigration site and your government's travel advice a few weeks before you fly.
Time, money and phones
- Bali is on Central Indonesia Time (WITA), UTC+8, which is the same as Perth and Singapore, and two hours behind Sydney and Melbourne during Australian standard time (three during daylight saving).
- The currency is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR). Cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and bigger shops; carry cash for markets, small warungs, drivers and tips. ATMs are everywhere; use ones attached to banks and cover your PIN.
- Buy a local SIM or eSIM (Telkomsel has the best coverage) at the airport or a phone shop; data is cheap and WhatsApp is how everything is arranged in Bali, including your babysitter.
- Power is 230 volts with European-style two-round-pin sockets (types C and F).
When to go
Bali is warm all year, roughly 27 to 32 degrees by day. The dry season runs from about April to October, with the lowest humidity, clearest skies and calmest seas from June to September, which is also the peak season with the highest prices. The wet season, November to March, brings short, heavy afternoon downpours, higher humidity and quieter, cheaper resorts; it is still a good time to visit with children if you plan mornings outdoors and afternoons by the pool.
Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, falls in March each year: for 24 hours the whole island shuts down, including the airport, and everyone stays inside their hotel or villa. It is a remarkable experience but plan around it. Galungan and Kuningan, celebrated twice in the Balinese calendar, bring beautiful decorated bamboo poles along every street and some closures.
The airport and getting to your villa
Flights land at Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), just south of Kuta. Typical drive times with normal traffic are 15 to 25 minutes to Kuta and Legian, 20 to 30 to Jimbaran, 30 to 45 to Seminyak, Sanur and Nusa Dua, 45 to 75 to Canggu and Uluwatu, and 60 to 90 minutes to Ubud. Afternoon and evening traffic can add half an hour or more.
Book a private transfer with a child seat before you land if you have young children; airport taxis and ride-hailing cars rarely carry them. Around the island, Bluebird taxis are metered and reliable, Grab and Gojek apps work in most areas (some villages restrict them), and a private driver for the day is good value for families and the easiest way to use a car seat.
Health and safety basics
- Do not drink the tap water; bottled and filtered water are everywhere.
- Use mosquito repellent, especially at dawn and dusk, as dengue is present.
- Sunscreen, hats and rash vests all year; the sun is strong even on cloudy days.
- Take out travel insurance with medical evacuation cover before you go.
- International hospitals in Kuta and Nusa Dua and private hospitals in Denpasar provide good care; pharmacies are well stocked.
- Do not ride scooters with children, and use child seats in cars.
The first hour at your villa
- Find the bottled water dispenser and the first aid kit.
- Check the pool: fence or no fence, depth, and whether the gate latches.
- Walk the villa for steps, ponds, low balconies and unlocked gates.
- Save the villa address, the manager's number, the nearest hospital and your babysitter's number in WhatsApp.
- Put the children in the pool. Everything feels better after that.
Entry rules, prices and opening hours change. We check these guides regularly, but confirm the details that matter for your trip with the official source before you travel.
