Essential Packing Guide for Bali with Kids
A Traveler’s Packing Guide for Adults & Kids
Heading out to Bali for some sun, relaxation and family time? Here is a packing list to help you get organised and off to the airport faster!
We recently travelled to Bali for a week, and the best decision we made was to pack carry on luggage only. It is a little trickier to coordinate and keep within the weight limits, but it made life much easier through the airports. This will of course depend on your circumstances. If you are heading there for longer, taking young children or a big shopper this might not suit your needs.
When packing, you’ll want to consider the types of activities you are planning while you are in Bali. Will you be primarily soaking up the sun on the pool loungers? Hiking through the rice fields of Ubud? Adventuring up a storm on ATV’s and water rafts?
Before you Travel:
- Check your passport has 6 months validity from the date you leave Bali.
- Apply for your visa online at https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/
- Complete your customs declaration online. This can be done up to 3 days before you travel at https://ecd.beacukai.go.id/
- Pay your $15 Tourist Levy at https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id/
Clothing
Light and airy is key! You may also find you need to change a couple of times throughout the day if you are getting super sweaty, so a couple of extra items on hand is helpful. For a week I packed
- 3 dresses
- 1 pair of shorts
- 4 t-shirts / singlets
- Thongs
- Runners / comfy enclosed walking shoes
- 2 pairs of bathers (they sometimes take a while to dry in the humidity!)
- Sarong (in case of any temple visits)
- Underwear, socks etc
My husband and son both packed:
- 3 pairs of shorts
- 6 shirts
- Boardshorts / rashies (two sets)
- Underwear and socks
- Thongs
- Runners / comfy enclosed walking shoes
You might want to consider packing a pair of long sleeved pants / shirts if you are planning to visit any temples as you will need to have shoulders and knees covered, though many will have sarongs to use / rent there depending on which ones you visit.
Toiletries
Most hotels will provide toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel so we didn’t pack our own. Although I did end up buying shampoo and conditioner there as the hotel provisions weren’t great on my hair.
- Toothbrushes & toothpaste
- Specific skincare products (remember the 100ml rule)
- Shampoo & Conditioner
- Shower gel
- Moisturiser
- Ladies – sanitary products are better taken with you
- Sunscreen SPF 50+
Sunscreen can be a little expensive in Bali and you are also limited to 100ml if using carry on only so we took a few small tubes of Cancer Council sunscreen. I always use Go-To Skincare Nifty Fifty for my face sunscreen and I have just discovered Naked Sundays SPF 50+ mist, which is a game changer! It is great for topping up your sunscreen through the day and can even be applied over make up – trust me, try it! Having the smaller tubes was also really helpful for taking with you on the go when out for day trips.
Miscellaneous
- Phone
- Kindle or a book
- Travel adapter & charging cables for electronics
- Sunglasses & hats
- A backpack or tote bag for carrying all you need on day trips
- Portable chargers (our hotel only had one plug so we relied heavily on them. I also always carry one in my handbag while we’re out and about. I love this one from Amazon – light, cheap and gets 2- 3 charges for my mobile. We have four and they’ve been on many trips with us now!
Medical
- Any prescriptions you need & a copy of the prescription
- Insect repellant – though it is very cheap and easy to find in Bali. Balinese brands Soffell and Autan are deet free (I believe!) and Dee-Dee was great. Smell pretty good too!
- Stingose
- Mini medical kit – bandaids, panadol, anti bacterial cream / wipes
- Anti nausea tablets in case of the dreaded Bali Belly
- Hand sanitiser. We took a few little bottles so we could carry it around with us on day trips. It was always in my handbag.
Kids
There will be plenty to keep the little ones busy between splashing around in the hotel pools, outings and trying all those yummy new foods but for the moments you need them:
- Snacks if your child has some particular faves or may struggle with a new cuisine
- Entertainment for the plane (iPad / Nintendo Switch)
- Kooshy Kids headband style headphones were great when my son was smaller – nice and comfortable! (Side note: Kooshy Kids website is worth a look – lots of great travel items for kids).
- Family game for downtime e.g. Uno cards, Spot It or 5 Second Rule
Laundry / Washing
We needed to do a load of washing while there as the wind kept me from wearing any of my floaty dresses and my husband was changing regularly with the humidity. If you pack light and need to refresh your clothes, it is easy (though pricey) through the hotels. Otherwise there are plenty of laundry services who will clean, press, fold and delivery your laundry in a manner of hours. It was well worth it for us!
We hope these packing tips help you and your little adventurers have an amazing trip to Bali! Remember, pack light, embrace the adventure, and most importantly, have fun!
Share your own Bali packing tips below!
