Moving To Bali 101: Complete Guide To Moving To Bali With Kids

Why Make The Move To Bali?

Bali has something for everyone. It’s a place where introverts and extroverts, the adventure-seeking, and those looking for a quiet life can all find a space and a community. Countless waterfalls, volcano hikes, ice skating, horseback riding, visits to historic landmarks, and relaxing on beautiful beaches are just a few of the activities at your fingertips.

It’s also super close to some gorgeous Asian countries. From Bali, you can start your exploration of Indonesia, take a short flight to Singapore, take a boat to Lombok, or discover Malaysia. You have easy access to fast ferries, and affordable flights to nearby islands; each with unique histories, and things to see and experience. Bali’s community-style living gives you the feel of endlessly exploring an adventure-filled second home.

Checklist For Moving To Bali With Kids

Here’s what you need to know:

Visa/Work Permit
You will need to get a visa or work permit (locally referred to as 'Kitas') to live in Bali. You can either use a visa agent who will take care of all the paperwork for you, or you can go directly to Indonesia’s immigration website to complete your application.

Cost of living
The low cost of living is a major attraction of Bali. Food, transport, housing, and activities are all reasonably priced. You can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle even on a small budget.

Schooling
There are three options for educating kids in Bali. You can homeschool, and have them attend classes online or you can choose to send them to a local or an international school.

After-school care/activities
Your children will never be bored. There are many different things that you can sign your child up to do after school, from sports to creative classes. You can be sure that they will be well cared for.

Food and Home care
You can easily find good staff to help at home. This includes prepping meals, housekeeping, garden maintenance, and babysitting.

We’ll go into these in more depth in this article.

Best Area In Bali For Expat Families

Ubud

Nature is your neighbor in Ubud. Homes are tucked into rice fields, and you can choose from traditional Balinese houses to extravagant villas. Ubud is also the home of crafts and traditional dance. It is close to many waterfalls, and near to its center sits the Tegalalang Rice Terraces – a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ubud is the cultural and spiritual core of Bali. It is a peaceful place to live in harmony with the locals. And best of all, children still play in the streets and outdoors instead of being glued to tablets and phones.

Canggu

Canggu is a fast-paced and lively coastal village in southwest Bali. It is highly transient, with tourists flocking here for business meetings, co-working spaces, and a very active nightlife. There is a vast variety of entertainment, from pub quizzes to tennis, to surf camps and gyms. The expat community here is huge making it ideal for those who are very outgoing or looking to network. There are many kid-friendly restaurants and activities to choose from, and both you and your kids can meet new people from around the world daily.

Sanur

Sanur was once where older expats chose to make their home due to its balance of quiet living and family-centered activities. In recent times these same things have attracted younger families who want to live on the coast in a quiet area while having access to western conveniences, co-working spaces, and live entertainment. Located on Bali's southeastern coastline, it bursts with beautiful sunrises and is also home to one of the key ports for the fast ferries that go to Lombok, Nusa Penida, The Gilis, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.

Uluwatu

Known for its surfing, Uluwatu is a southwestern community on the tip of Bali’s Bukit peninsula. It is the perfect space for those wanting a mix of quiet community living and surfing. Your options for adventure range from hiking trails, to white sand beaches, stunning cliff views, and fancy beach clubs. The expat community there is very tight-knit and as with all of Bali, there are many activities for kids from surf classes, to craft workshops.

Villa Rental Agencies For Moving To Bali With Kids

There are countless villa rental agencies and websites - it's just a quick Google search away. Some people find places on Facebook Marketplace, too, but be careful of scams. It is ideal if you can go with a reputable agent.

Bali Coconut Living, Jl. Bumbak Dauh No.89b, Kerobokan, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, +62 361 847 6727, info@balicoconutliving.com, balicoconutliving.com

Bali Home Immo, Jalan Pantai Berawa No. 25, Tibubeneng, Kuta Utara, +62 81 999 712 202,  info@bali-home-immo.com, bali-home-immo.com

Bali Moves, Jl Danau Poso no. 20, Sanur, Denpasar Selatan, +62 361 449 0222, hello@balimoves.com, balimoves.com

Villas Of Bali Long Term Rentals, Jl. Raya Kerobokan No. 120, Kerobokan Kelod, +62 811 3960 8685, info@balilongtermrentals.com, balilongtermrentals.com

Paradise Property Group, Jl. Sunset Road no 9A, Seminyak, +62 813 5367 8113, info@ppbali.com, ppbali.com

Visa Options For Moving To Bali With Kids

Before moving to Bali you need to look at and choose the best visa situation for you and your family. There is no one straightforward way to go about this. If you are planning to work here, you can get a company to sponsor you with a work permit (Kitas) or you can open a company yourself.

These two options both require a large upfront investment on your part but you can list your children under these umbrellas. The entire process can take up to two months.

You can also look into getting a B211a visa which is initially valid for 60 days, however, this will need to be renewed and extended up to 180 days before needing to have a new one issued. A Temporary Stay Visa for Foreign Investors is another option you can explore. Like the B211a, you cannot work at all, even to volunteer or for charity purposes.

Best Schools in Bali For Kids

Green School Bali

Green School Bali is known for its unique teaching approach, curriculum, and environment. Tuition starts at 112,876,630 for Pre-K (half day or 3 full days per week) per year. This stunning eco-friendly learning environment is located in the midst of lush Ubud greenery. It caters to foreigners and locals from Pre-K to Grade 12. Their comprehensive syllabus also offers extracurricular activities like music, arts, sports, Balinese dance, gymnastics, and surfing.

• Green School Bali, Jl. Raya Sibang Kaja, Banjar Saren, Sibang Kaja, Kec. Abiansemal, Kabupaten Badung, thrivewithpurpose@greenschool.net, +62 361 469 875, www.greenschool.org/bali

Canggu Community School

Canggu Community School (CCS) is in the heart of the expat hub Canggu. The school grounds feature an open-air canteen, 25m swimming pool, football pitch, and playgrounds. 350 kids attend CCS in 20-student classes. Kids can choose from extracurricular activities like surfing lessons, arts, sports, music, coding club, Model United Nations, and TED Club. All classes are in English with the required Bahasa until Year 6. CCS believes in a balanced approach to learning; from a rich curriculum to physical activities that encourage health mindfulness and overall well-being.

• Canggu Community School, Jl. Subak Sari, Tibubeneng, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung.
  mail@ccsbali.com, +62 361 844 6391, www.ccsbali.com

Australian Independent School

The Australian Independent School is jam-packed with activities and classes to stimulate and expand the mind. Located in Bali’s capital city Denpasar, this school provides students with all the options that they can imagine to craft and make their school experience mentally and physically nourishing and inspiring. Ready for a mouthful? There’s a 25m competition-grade swimming pool, fields (for soccer, hockey, and rugby), and a multi-sport court (for basketball, netball, Taekwondo, hockey, volleyball, indoor cricket, badminton, and tennis) totaling 850 square meters.

• Australian Independent School, Jalan Imam Bonjol No.458a, Pemecutan, Denpasar Barat,
  bali@ais-indonesia.com, +62 361 845 2000, www.ais-indonesia.com/school-campus/detail/bali

Bali Island School

Bali Island School has an immaculate educational background. The school started in 1985 and is the longest-standing school in Bali. There are quite a few extra-curricular activities like arts, lego, theatre and drama, brain games, dance, and swimming for starters. The real gold at this school is its academic history and events. BIS started and runs events like the Bali Maths Competition, Bali School Sports Association (BSSA), Indonesian International Small Schools Activity Conference (IISSAC), Battle of the Bands, BIS College and University Fairs, and Bali Model United Nations (MUN).

• Bali Island School, Jalan Danau Buyan IV No. 15 Sanur, Denpasar, info@baliis.net, +62 361 288 770, www.baliinternationalschool.com

Montessori School Bali

Inspired by and tailored to the Montessori Method, which was developed by Maria Montessori, Montessori School Bali has taken every part of her teachings and mixed it with Bali’s culture in a beautiful space. The curriculum focuses on ​​health and well-being, life skills, creative academics, global citizenship, positive relations, leadership, and experiential learning. Their after-school program is also dynamic. It includes capoeira, Balinese dancing, choir, soccer and cricket, and violin.

• Montessori School Bali, Jl. Raya Semat 66, Tibubeneng, Berawa, Kuta Utara, contact@montessoribali.com, +62 361 934 8566, www.montessoribali.com

Additional schools in Bali:

• Lycée Français de Bali (French School Bali), Lycée Français de Bali, Jalan Umalas Kauh No.76 Kuta, Kerobokan Kelod, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, +62 361 4732 314, administration@lfbali.com, www.lfbali.com
• Gandhi Memorial Intercontinental School, Jl. Tukad Yeh Penet No. 8A Renon, Denpasar.
  principal@gandhibali.org, +62 361 239 744, www.gandhibali.org
• Dyatmika School, Dyatmika School, Jl. Pucuk Bang, Banjar Tangtu, Kesiman Kertalangu, Denpasar.
  info@dyatmika.org, +62 361 461 874, www.dyatmika.org/en/home

After School Care & Activities In Bali For Kids

Junior Sports Academy

Take your kiddos for some super active fun. This sports academy has lots of different classes in gymnastics, trampolining, basketball, boxing, muay thai, capoeira, rugby, surfing, and even swimming

• Junior Sports Academy, Jalan Pantai Berawa, Canggu, Tibubeneng, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, jsa@finnsrecclub.com, +62 361 848 3939, www.jsabali.com

Bali Equestrian Centre

Take your kids to visit the horses and take pony ride lessons. They'll learn how to safely ride and groom the different-sized horses and ponies.

• Bali Equestrian Centre, Perumahan Canggu Asri, Jl. Karang Suwung, Berawa, Canggu
  info@baliequestriancentre.com, +62 361 844 6541, www.baliequestriancentre.com/riding/children-activities

Pelangi School

Afterschool Activities that this international school provides: soccer, floor hockey, badminton, dance (Modern, Balinese), circus club, drama, art club, book club, and even lessons for guitar, drums, and voice.

• Pelangi School, Br. Kumbuh, Mas, Ubud, Gianyar, office@pelangischoolbali.com, +62 821 4524 7146, www.pelangischoolbali.com/after-school-activities

There are so many more family-friendly activities in Bali. Check out these articles for more:

• 50 Things To Do In Bali With Kids, Babies, Toddlers, And Teens
• Guide To Canggu With Kids And Toddlers *UPDATED
• Top 10 Awesome Toddler Activities In Bali *NEW
• 10 Best Beaches In Bali For Families, Kids, And Babies Too