We hope you are excited about your Bali Family Villas stay!
The Balinese love children and we too aim to make your little travelers feel as welcome as adults. Congratulations on planning a holiday to the Island of The Gods with your children. We believe in collecting moments not things, and what better place than a tropical island to create childhood memories to last a lifetime!
Here is some practical information for those travelling with little ones, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any further queries. We are here to help and no question is too big or small xx
Baby Sitters
The Balinese love children, and your little travellers will receive plenty of attention and smiles. Trusting a nanny or Babysitter is a very personal process, and you have to the feel comfortable. Once you find the right fit, you can enjoy your holiday with the luxury of some help along the way.
We have a group of lovely freelance nannies we are happy to recommend. Please note, although we believe them to be wonderful, we can not take any responsibility for their services. For this reason all communication, arrangements and payment is direct between you and the babysitter. We can provide their details on request for our confirmed guests.
We do not recommend asking the Villa staff to babysit or watch your children, they already have a full time job and do not specialise in child care. Of course many will dote on the children regardless!
There are also several Babysitting and Nanny agencies in Bali. Below are the three agencies we generally use and recommend. Agencies are good in that if your first nanny doesn’t work out or becomes unwell, they have a team of others as back up.
Click the image below to browse available nannies and find the right fit for your family!
For babysitting on Nusa Lembongan Island:
WhatsApp: +62 822 366 10942
Instagram : @nusa_baby_care
You can request a babysitter who swims, but we advise to save water time for when a parent is present.
Be clear and simple with your instructions as English is a second language. You can always start my going out with the nanny and the kids together. She can be an extra pair of eyes and it’s a nice way to get to know your new friend. Most importantly enjoy your adult time, you deserve it.
Pool Fences
These days there are countless pool fences in Bali, which is a good thing. Some Villas provide their own custom designed fencing and other Villas allow for external suppliers to be used. Please note that this is a case by case scenario and our concierge team will guide you, specific to your holiday Villa.
We do not take any direct responsibility for the installation or quality of pool fences, and insist that they are to be considered as a pool barrier only. Children must always be watched around the pool. We are however consistently reviewing our recommended suppliers and making sure fences are installed before your arrival and taken down after your departure. Fences should be securely fitted and include safety gates. We prefer to install fences away from the edge of the pool where possible with pool lounges inside the fenced area. This way if a child needs help nearby adults can assist immediately. The quality review is a complimentary service by our team.
Bedding
Either the Villa or Bali Family Villas will provide a standard porta cot / travel cot on request. This is supplied with a fitted mattress and basic linen (fitted sheet and blanket). These cots are generally suitable for babies until two years. If you have a young child that is better suited to a mattress on the floor, please discuss prior to your arrival and we will see what can be arranged. We ensure our customers baby cots have mosquito nets, but we find the best defence against mosquitos is to have the air conditioner on and to spray the room with HIT spray (bug spray) around one hour before bed and close the door. If you dress your little travellers in long sleeved cotton pyjamas it also helps. We check the baby cots are of good quality for a safe and comfortable stay. The quality review is a complimentary service by our team.
Extra Baby Equipment
Bali Family Villas has in-house stock of the following items:
- Baby baths
- Stair gates
- Bottle sterilizers
- Sound Monitors
- Baby bouncers
- High Chairs
- Travel Strollers
- Potties
- Car Seats for Airport Transfers
- Toddler Swimming Vests
These items are provided to clients free of charge whenever possible. Please request in advance with our concierge team so we can allocate items to your reservation.
If you have a Mclaran stroller or similar (umbrella style) these generally work better in Bali than a Phil & Teds or Mountain Buggy models… as they are light you can lift them over holes in the road and they fit better on the narrow side walks, in a taxi etc. Packing a baby carrier is also a good idea.
If you need extra items that we are not able to provide please see the below hire companies. Examples may be double prams, bed rails, activity centres, car seats for use during your stay, back packs / baby carriers or baby walkers.
toys baskets & Pool Floats
We like to have our little guests feel welcome and a toy basket for use during their stay goes a long way. We aim to pack age-appropriate toys and this is a complimentary service. Most of the items are suitable for up to 7 years. We have some small toddler bicycles and trikes, play tunnels and tents, small soccer goals, games, building blocks and soft toys in rotation.
We also have a fleet of blow up pool toys such as Flamingos and Swans, lilos and smaller float rings for little ones. These make the pool good fun for your stay.
All toys are provided for use with adult supervision and if you feel the items are not suitable for your children please ask the Villa staff to store for our team to collect. Thank you and Happy Play Time!
Car Seats
Please advise the ages of your children prior to arrival and we will arrange forward or rear facing car seats for airport transfers. Car seats are not required by law, and you may find taxis and hire cars even without seat belts. Our complimentary car seats are suitable for children up until the age of 3 or 4 years. We also have some stock of complimentary Booster seats for older children on request. All of our cars are fitted with seatbelts.
Nappies
At minimarts and supermarkets you will find nappies available. However the Huggies brand is not the same quality as you will find in Australia or the UK. We prefer Mama Poko brand or Pampers. It is not so easy to buy swimming nappies in Bali. My tip is to safe your home nappy supply for night time as they are likely more absorbent and use the Bali nappies for during the day.
Baby Food
Baby Food such as Raffertys Garden Squeeze packs are available but in limited supply / variety and priced at approximately $5 per packet as they are imported. Milk formulas are available, however a different selection than in Australia or other Western countries. If your baby likes particular milk and snacks we suggest bringing a supply from home. There is no problem bringing snacks and food items into Bali in your checked luggage if they are for personal consumption. You can buy cheese, yogurt and regular pasteurised milk as well as fresh produce readily but rusks, corn cakes, muesli bars, fruit bars and sugar free toddler snacks available as well, although not with the same variety as in other countries. Cereal such as cornflakes, rice bubbles and Weetabix are also available in Bali.
The Villa staff can often make the usual baby mashes and basic meals with your instructions. A pre-arrival shop of basics to arrive to such as fruit, milk, cheese and bread is available at most of our properties also.
If you would like to order some pre-made baby food and snacks during your stay, please see the below links. Have a browse and see what your children may enjoy. Vivre has lasagne and some familiar favourites you can keep in the freezer and heat at the Villa as needed.
Safe Drinking Water
The tap water is not safe to drink. Do not even rinse your tooth brush with it if you can avoid it. It is common for all dishes and cutlery to be washed in tap water at restaurants and Villas, however you can request that your children bottles can be washed in bottled water and sterilized in boiling water. The Villas provide bottled drinking water. Microwaves are not common in Bali as they use a lot of electricity so you may sterilise the old fashion way, by boiling water on the stove. We also have some bottle sterilizes available to borrow.
HEALTH
The main points of contact for doctors and hospitals are Siloam and BIMC. They have several branches across Bali. If you experience a medical emergency or situation while staying with us and require our advice, please get in touch.
For something more serious the Pediatrician I recommend at Siloam Hospital is Doctor Irene. For smaller ailments such as “bali belly” or an ear infection the Bali Clinic on the main street in Seminyak is popular with tourists or please ask us for a good clinic near to your Villa to visit or to arrange a Villa Home Visit.
Please be sure to have comprehensive health insurance and bring any regular medication your children may need. We also suggest bringing your own baby Panadol or Nurofen just in case. The medical system in Bali is vastly improving, however it is not the same as in other parts of the world.
There are several pharmacies, called Apoteks where you can buy general items such as insect repellent, disinfectants, ear drops, soaps, bandaids etc. if required. It is also possible to purchase antibiotics and other prescription items over the counter in Bali if you know what you need or have a recommended dose from your doctor.
Ears and Tummies seem to the most common issues for babies and kids on a tropical holiday. Regular hand hygiene can help with this and preventive swimmers ear drops may help too. For protection from mosquitoes we recommend a natural repellent and light long sleeve cotton pyjamas. Repellent is just as important in the morning and day light hours as the evening as the Dengue carrying variety are more active in the day than the evening.
Family Meals In The Villa
Depending on which Villa you are in, you may be lucky enough to have a chef at hand to cater to you and your fussy eating little friends!
Please also download go-jek from the app store once you are in Indonesia. It really is a great service and you can have fish n chips, burgers, satay, pasta, pizza and all the kids usual favourites delivered to the door.
Enjoy Bali’s Best Restaurants at Home in your Villa!
We would like to introduce you to Gojek which may come in handy during your Bali Villa stay! If you would like to order food or coffee to the door or arrange transport to and from the Villa – Gojek is your go to!
(Please note this is available for download once in Bali.)
The delivery fee is between $1-3 on top of the cost of your food and transport is the same cost or less than a traditional taxi. All payments are listed upfront at the time of order.
Download through the APP store and use when connected to WI-FI or mobile Data.
It is easy and free to set up an account and select payment method as ‘cash on delivery’.
As well food delivery you will see options for both Motor-Bike Taxi and 5 or 7 seater cars. All communication is done through the APP and it makes payment and location simple and safe.
You can follow the location of the driver through the app too, so you can follow their progress.
Enjoy!
packing & Washing
Other than night time nappies, formula, snacks, and medicine packing light is a good idea. Sunscreen with a good SPF factor is also recommended to bring from home as the options in Bali are imported and expensive. Laundry’s in Bali are affordable with a fast turnaround so Villa staff are able to take clothing to the laundry for you at a minimal charge.
OTHER
We hope you find these initial ideas helpful. We assist our clients with queries on local gyms, birthday cakes, health food & dietary needs, restaurant recommendations, shopping tips, yoga studios, toy shops, and the list goes on. Let us know how to make your holiday the best it can be for you & your little tribe!
Please also see our notes on practical information here Bali Family Villas – Practical Information
