What To Pack for Bali with Kids: The Ultimate Family Packing Guide for 10 Days!
If you're planning a family trip to Bali, this packing guide will help you prepare for a stress-free and enjoyable trip. This is exactly what I pack for my own family when we go, and it’s the same list I send to anyone who asks.
Truthfully, you don't need a lot - carry-on luggage is preferable. It will save you a lot of time at the airport, as checked luggage can be slow to come off the plane once you have touched down in Denpasar.
Nappies and medications are readily available once you land, laundry services cost $2-$3 a kilo with a 24-hour turnaround, so you can easily wash what you do bring - and honestly you will mostly live in swimwear and a cover-up anyway because the kids will likely not want to get out of the pool!
What I Pack to Keep Kids Entertained on the Plane:
With flight times from Australia to Bali ranging between 3 and 6 hours, and with most flights to Bali being direct, the journey is not overly tedious. Just a few key items should be enough to keep tantrums and the ‘I’m bored’ comments at bay!
- iPads & Headphones: Make sure the shows are downloaded onto the device and work in flight mode!
- Snacks: Pack familiar snacks and more than you think you will need. Bento style lunch boxes look great, but on a plane they are too easy for kids to flip and end up all over the floor. Packet snacks will do just fine.
- Balloons or an Inflatable Beach Ball: Help kids burn off energy in the terminal with ball games pre-departure and allow devices to stay fully charged until boarding.
- Scented Mini Slimes: Especially great for sensory seekers.
- String & Lollies: Keep little hands busy with crafting fun, making edible necklaces.
- Bali Travel Diary & Activity Books: Learn about your family holiday destination in a fun way, with Bali-themed activities and games, and document the adventure!
- Polaroid Camera & Film: Kids enjoy the anticipation of waiting for film to develop, and the pics make a great addition to their Bali Travel Diary once finished.
- Mentos: Something to get them to chew & swallow during take-off and landing, to help those little ears.
- Paint with Water: No mess!
- Uno: Classic & compact.
Additional Considerations:
- I also pack an empty water bottle for each family member (you can fill these up post clearing security), and pop some wipes, and medication sleeves in a clear ziplock bag.
- Remember all liquids, gels and aerosels must be under 100ml per item, and kept in a clear ziplock bag, however, please note the 100 ml rule does not apply to the water needed for formula if you are travelling with a baby or toddler.
- Dress everyone in comfy, warm clothes for the flight. It can get chilly on the plane.
Flight Times to Bali from Australia:
Melbourne to Bali flight time: 6h 15m
Sydney to Bali flight time: 6h 35m
Brisbane to Bali flight time: 6h 25m
Darwin to Bali flight time: 2h 40m
Adelaide to Bali flight time: 5h 30m
Perth of Bali flight time: 3h 45m
What to Pack for 10 Days in Bali: Toddlers
- 3 pairs of shorts: One soft, one boardies, and one ‘going out’ e.g., chino/linen
- 3 tees and one nicer ‘going out’ shirt/top/dress
- 2 sets of swimming clothes: rash vest and shorts, or sunsuits
- Goggles & hat
- Swim vest/floatation device e.g., Zoggs
- Underwear/nappies*
- Formula, bottle, and dummy*
- Walking shoes or enclosed sandals: The footpaths are unstable and full of potholes, so avoid thongs or slides for walks. Nike Sunray Protect shoes are great.
- An empty drink bottle
A Note on Nappies, and Swim Nappies:
If your child is still in nappies and does not have sensitivities, pack only what you need for the flight and the first 48 hours. Nappies and wipes are readily available in most supermarkets and pharmacies in Bali, allowing you to save valuable luggage space.
I recommend the brand Mamy Poko - Royal Soft (pictured below).
While swim nappies are not readily available in Bali, Bali Kidz Hire can deliver them directly to your hotel or villa, along with any toys, pool fencing or baby items you may require.
Need or want to pack your specific brand of nappies? Space bags are a great way to reduce the size, and weight of nappies for travel.
What to Pack for 10 Days in Bali: Kids
- 3 pairs of shorts: One soft, one boardies, and one ‘going out’ e.g., chino/linen
- 3 tees and one nicer ‘going out’ shirt/top/dress
- 2 sets of swimming clothes: rash vest and shorts, or sunsuits
- Goggles & hat
- Swim vest/floatation device e.g., Zoggs
- Underwear
- Walking shoes or enclosed sandals: The footpaths are unstable and full of potholes, so avoid thongs or slides for walking. Nike Sunray Protect shoes are great.
- An empty drink bottle
Additional Considerations:
I recommend everyone, including toddlers, carry their own backpacks. While Trunki suitcases are cute, I find parents often end up dragging them once the novelty wears off.
It's much easier to have kids carry their own backpacks, and if they get tired, you can easily carry the backpack on your front. Also, with kids at an airport (or ferry if you plan on visiting islands), it’s always better to have both hands free!
What to Pack for 10 Days in Bali: Female/Women
- 1 pair of denim shorts, 2 linen sets, 1 white singlet
- 1 dress that covers your knees
- 1 white long sleeve shirt (throwover)
- 2 bathing suits (that can double as tops/bodysuits with shorts)
- 2 x pair of shoes: slides & sneakers (wear the sneakers on the plane)
- Hat/sunglasses
- Underwear
- Toiletries & minimal make up
- An empty drink bottle
Additional Considerations:
Bali is very hot and humid, so be sure to pack breathable clothes. I like linen sets because, with two different coloured sets and a separate white top, you can create seven outfits. I also bring a versatile dress for dinners and a throwover shirt for visits to temples or religious sites, where covering your knees and shoulders is required.
For shoes, black or neutral Birkenstock style slides are perfect - they're easy to slip on and off, dry quickly, have reasonable grip, are suitable for long walks, and can be dressed up for dinner.
If don’t plan on doing any adventure activities, you can omit the runners from your luggage.
If you want to bring makeup, keep it minimal as it just melts off anyway, I only pack makeup as we get family photos in Bali with CocoArt Photography - otherwise I would not bother. I take waterproof mascara, tinted moisturiser, bronzer, and a colour-stay lipstick and balm.
Me at Truntum Hotel in 2024 - wearing a linen top, denim shorts, and black holsters. P.S. This is an underrated, affordable, family-friendly resort in Bali if you want to stay in Kuta!
What to Pack for 10 Days in Bali: Men/Male
- 3 pairs of shorts: One swimming, one active, and one ‘going out’ e.g., chino/linen
- 3 tees and one nicer ‘going out’ shirt/top
- 2 x pairs of shoes: Slides & sneakers (wear the sneakers on the plane)
- Hat/sunglasses
- Rash vest
- Underwear
- Toiletries
- An empty drink bottle
Additional Considerations:
I don’t recommend packing thongs, as I have seen too many people stumble on the footpaths. Sturdier sandals are best. We personally wear and love Holsters.
What to Pack for 10 Days in Bali: Medicine
- Adults Panadol, and Nurofen
- Children’s Panadol and Nurofen - chewable or suppositories
- Hydrolyte powder sachets
- Aeroguard, mosquito patches, and bands
- Anti-histamines
- Laxatives (Duolux, and Movicol sachets)
- 2 x roll on sunscreens and a ZINC stick
- Prescription medication
- Menstruation products if required – e.g., tampons, pads, period underwear
- Wipes and hand sanitisers
Additional Considerations:
Most medicines (and brands you’ll recognise) are readily available in tourist areas, so there's no need to pack excessively. Just bring enough to last through the flight or manage a late-night emergency until you can seek medical attention or visit a pharmacy.
To streamline customs procedures and reduce weight, I opt for chewable medications whenever possible. Additionally, I remove all medicines from their original boxes and pack the foil strips in a ziplock bag. The exception to this rule is prescription medication – leave those in their original packaging.
Sunscreen is expensive in Bali, so definitely pack your own, and ZINC stays on better in the pool, so I recommend taking this in addition to sunscreen for noses, and ears.
Dengue fever is a risk in a tropical country, and mozzies do not just bite at dusk, they are active 24/7. It’s easy to forget to re-apply repellent, and because of this reason, I also recommend taking patches, and bands.
We also purchase Soffell and Cajuput Oil when we arrive in Bali. These are local repellants and are excellent. You can also put the oil on your table as you are dining out to keep mozzies away, and its great for upset bellies too.
Don’t be afraid of purchasing the local medication if you require - During our last trip, a family member needed antihistamines, and the local/generic version, which had the same ingredients as children’s Claritin cost $1.40 AUD.
How to Avoid Bali Belly:
Bali Belly is another name for Traveller’s Diarrhoea – and some locals get offended when travellers refer to this as Bali Belly. The best way to avoid traveller’s diarrhoea in Bali is to wash both your and your children’s hands as often as possible, and only consume bottled water (including when you are brushing teeth).
If you need to sterilise babies bottles or drink bottles do so with boiled bottled water or rent a steriliser from Bali Kidz Hire.
Should you get struck down with "Bali Belly," contact a local doctor as soon as possible and do not take Imodium, as it keeps the bug inside your body - you want it to come out!
While we have never had "Bali Belly" in all our trips, we have had to call a local doctor twice for other health concerns, and both times the care has been excellent. Here’s their numbers if you wish to save them in your phone prior to travel. It's best to contact them on WhatsApp.
Dr Ari: +62 812 3954 567
Dr Wayan: +62 822 6610 3310
What to Pack for 10 Days in Bali: Miscellaneous
- Camera gear, battery packs, waterproof phone case
- Indonesian adaptors, or a power board
- Surge protectors
- Aussie Cash, and Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
- Passports, and travel documents
- eSim for mobile phone data - we use AirArlo
Additional Considerations:
Travel adaptors have become much more affordable, with Indonesian ones now available at Kmart for $6 each. However, you can simply purchase one adaptor to plug into the wall and bring an Aussie power board from home to connect your devices.
Bali frequently experiences power surges, so if you are bringing valuable items like a laptop, consider packing surge protectors.
Take enough IDR to get you through the first 48 hours of travel, so you’re not pressured to find a money exchanger immediately. You'll get a better rate exchanging your money in Bali rather than at home.
Install an e-Sim prior to depature so that you can make phone calls/or use the internet as soon as you land. We use AirArlo, as it uses the Telkomsel service which is the most reliable in Bali.
Final Words - Happy Travelling!
I hope this is helpful as you prepare for a great trip to one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Having been to Bali so many times, I love putting together checklists and helpful hints for families, to make your trip ever more awesome.
Got questions I haven’t answered here? Come and let me know, by dropping a comment on our Instagram!
Kirstin, Tom and the crew at My Big Adventure.
Ready to organise your Bali travel documents? Read through my Bali entry requirements checklist here.
Looking for things to do in Bali with kids? Check out my best activities for kids list here.
