Dit artikel bevat affiliate links. Boek je via zo'n link, dan krijgen wij een kleine commissie. Jij betaalt niets extra.This post contains affiliate links. If you book through one, we get a small commission. You don't pay anything extra.
Quick answer: Canggu with a baby is easy if you plan for three things: the heat, the roads and the sun. Bring a carrier, not a stroller. Choose accommodation with air conditioning. Stay out of the sun between 12 and 3. Nappies are easy to buy everywhere, but nappy rash cream is harder to find, so bring your own. We came to Canggu with our youngest, Risa Mia, when she was three months old.
That was in 2023. Risa Mia is three now, and Canggu has been our base for months at a time since, with her older brother and sister, Rico Jr (12) and Rosalia (6). This is the honest guide to Canggu with a baby: what worked, what we’d skip, the products we swear by, and the one baby item she loved more than anything.
Table of Contents
Is Canggu baby-friendly?
Yes. Restaurants are relaxed about babies, there are baby chairs almost everywhere, and the basics are easy to buy. Honestly, we had no real surprises. The only things that caught us out were the heat, and the sudden rain that we were not always prepared for.
The hard part of Canggu with a baby isn’t the people or the food. It’s getting around. More on that first, because it shapes everything else.
Stroller or carrier in Canggu?
We brought both. We learned the hard way that a stroller in Canggu is not the best choice. The roads are bad, either too crowded or too narrow, there are no pavements, and there are holes and loose stones everywhere.
So our advice: bring only a carrier. A stroller is not necessary here. A carrier also doubles as a place to nap on the go (see sleep, below).
For longer distances we use a Grab car or a taxi. Book them in the Grab or Gojek app and they pick you up at the door.
Where to stay in Canggu with a baby
Finding a good place was not an issue for us anywhere in Canggu. Our one fixed rule: air conditioning. We always choose accommodation with AC, because the heat is the biggest challenge with a baby here.
What we found you don’t need:
- A pool: nice, but not essential with a baby. We didn’t always have one.
- A washing machine: not needed. There are laundry shops everywhere in Canggu.
How we find our places
We have stayed in villas for anything from a few days to a month, and lived in most parts of Canggu over the years: Berawa, Pererenan, Batu Bolong, Umalas, Cemagi and Seseh. We search everywhere: Booking.com, Airbnb, Agoda, Facebook groups and word of mouth.
Two things we learned to check, and they matter even more with a baby:
- Does the AC really work? Some units are too weak for the heat, and some leak a lot. Ask for recent photos or reviews that mention it.
- Is it on a main road? Scooter traffic on the main roads can be very loud. With a baby who naps during the day, a quieter street helps.
We compare the different areas of Canggu in where to stay in Canggu with kids. Or search places with AC on Booking.com.
Heat, sun and mosquitoes
Heat
We stayed out of the sun between 12 and 3. For the heat during the day, we went to places with air conditioning or fans, like restaurants, so she could cool down.
Sun
Dress your baby in breathable cotton clothes and a sun hat. For her sensitive skin we use a water-based sun protection made for babies. Ours is the one from Innisfree, which has the best ingredients we’ve found so far.
Mosquitoes
We use Soffell mosquito spray. It’s an Indonesian brand, very easy to buy here, and it works very well. With a baby, we spray a little on her clothes, preferably not on her skin, unless there are a lot of mosquitoes. Then we do use it on the skin too.
Pool safety with a baby
When our villa has a pool, the rule with little ones never changes: an adult is always with her in the water. Risa Mia always wears a floatie. In the beginning she also wore arm floaties, and now only a body floatie. For a baby, the canopy float further down this post was her favourite way to be in the pool.
Nappies, formula and baby supplies in Canggu
Nappies: MamyPoko
After a lot of testing, the brand we swear by is MamyPoko. They don’t leak and they hold a lot, so they also work for sleeping and long days out. You can buy them almost everywhere in Canggu, except maybe the very small shops.
That means you only need to bring nappies for the journey. Buy the rest when you arrive.
Formula
We can’t help you here: our kids were all fully breastfed until the age of two or three. If you use formula, bring enough of your own brand for the first days while you find it locally.
Nappy rash cream: bring your own
This was the one thing that was harder to find. Risa Mia had sensitive skin on her bottom, and the zinc cream and Bepanthen we like were only for sale at some pharmacies (apotek), and not much of it. Bring a tube or two from home.
Sleep with a baby in Canggu
We didn’t have a routine in the middle of the day. She napped whenever she wanted: in the carrier, on a restaurant couch, at home in bed, or on mama of course. She is an easy sleeper, and that made Canggu very easy.
Sometimes we used white noise. She likes it.
Eating out with a baby
All the places we go to are kid-friendly when it comes to food. There are baby chairs almost everywhere, and you can make your own platter for little ones.
Our regular spots are in best family restaurants in Canggu.
Where we take her now
As she grew, a few places became fixed favourites, and they all work with a baby too:
- Joon, Jalan Raya Babakan: a big garden with a playground and a pool, and good food from breakfast to dinner. We stay two to five hours and can even get some work done.
- Casa Tua, Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong: baby chairs and a kids’ menu, and rabbits between the tables. These days, “I want to go to bunnies!” is Risa Mia’s daily request.
- Milk & Madu, Beach Road or Berawa: kids’ menu and arts and crafts for older siblings. Berawa can get crowded, so we prefer Beach Road.
In all our time eating out in Canggu, nobody in our family has had stomach trouble.
The beach with a baby
Our family beach is Batu Bolong, in front of Times Beach Warung. With a baby, go in the morning until about 12, or from 3 or 4pm, and stay in the shade. The black sand gets very hot. We bring a big beach sarong to lie on, towels, sunscreen, and the sun hat. Parking is right in front, for about IDR 5,000 for a scooter, or a Grab or taxi drops you at the front.
The sea in Canggu is strong, with currents, and the red flags are up most of the time. A baby’s beach time here is shade, sand and dipping toes, nothing more. One more thing: there are a lot of street dogs on the beaches, and rabies is present in Bali. Keep the dogs away from your baby and the blanket. Read more in Canggu beaches with kids.
Rainy days with a baby
The sudden rain was one of the few things that caught us out. Our rainy-day plans: a mall, where you can eat, shop a little and let older kids use the play areas, or a movie day at home with food delivered from the supermarket or a restaurant. In Canggu almost everything delivers through the Grab and Gojek apps. Always keep a rain cover or a light jacket in the carrier bag.
Babysitters and nannies in Canggu
We didn’t use one, but they are very common here. A babysitter or nanny costs about IDR 50,000 to 100,000 per hour, and there are a lot of services and agencies. Our advice if you want one: do your research, interview a few, and choose the one that feels good to you.
Baby gear: what to bring, what to skip
We didn’t rent anything in Bali. This is what we brought:
- Our own carrier. Essential.
- A stroller. Not necessary. Skip it.
- Nappies only for the journey.
- Nappy rash cream, because it’s hard to find here.
- A baby pool float with a canopy. This was her favourite thing of all.
About that float: it’s a baby seat float with a sunshade, for babies from about six months. We bought ours, a pink one, at Decathlon. She loves it. Floating around and kicking her legs without getting water in her face is her favourite thing to do. If your accommodation has a pool, it’s worth packing. And stay right next to it: a float is not a safety device.
For the full list, see our Bali packing list for families.
The flight to Bali with a baby
Risa Mia is an easy baby who sleeps whenever and wherever, and is easy to please. What we packed for the plane:
- Teething rings
- A few little toys and soft toys. Not too many: they have to fit in the bag.
She also has a brother and sister to play with, which helps a lot. And she likes walks, so we did plane walks up and down the aisle.
What we’d do differently
Not much. If we came again with a baby, we would:
- Leave the stroller at home and bring only the carrier.
- Pack more nappy rash cream.
- Always carry something for sudden rain and a plan for the hottest hours.
More for families with little ones
Once your baby is a bit older, read things to do in Canggu with a toddler. For the beaches, including safety, see Canggu beaches with kids. For Bali in general with the youngest, read Bali with a toddler, and for health and safety questions, is Bali safe for families. For general travel health advice for babies, the CDC’s Indonesia travel page lists the recommended vaccines.
Our day bag with a baby in Canggu
With a baby in Canggu, one small bag is enough. This is what we’d put in it:
- MamyPoko nappies and wipes for the day.
- Zinc cream or Bepanthen for her sensitive skin.
- Innisfree water-based sunscreen and a sun hat.
- A thin cotton spare outfit, and a light cover for sudden rain.
- Soffell mosquito spray, for her clothes.
- Teething rings and one or two small soft toys.
That’s it. No stroller, no big bag of gear. Restaurants have baby chairs, the minimarkets sell the basics, and a Grab car picks you up at the door.
Doctors, pharmacies and rabies with a baby
With a baby, it’s worth knowing where to go before you arrive.
For small things, the pharmacies (apotek) are a good first stop. We use Apotek Indobat on Batu Bolong. They have the basics, but not always the baby creams we like, so bring your own.
Clinics that list 24-hour service in or near Canggu include Siloam Medika Canggu (Jalan Raya Canggu, Tibubeneng), BaliMed Canggu and The Medical Canggu in Berawa. For anything serious, the bigger hospitals are BIMC Kuta and the Siloam hospital in Kuta, both about 40 minutes to an hour away. Not every clinic has a children’s doctor on duty, so call ahead and ask for a paediatrician (dokter anak). Save a number or two in your phone on day one, before you need it.
Stray dogs and cats are everywhere in Canggu, and rabies is present in Bali. Keep animals away from your baby, the blanket and the carrier. If anything happens, wash the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes and go to a clinic that stocks the rabies vaccine the same day. BIMC’s rabies guide explains the steps.
Planning a family trip? Our complete guide to Bali with kids covers the best areas, activities by age, food, safety and getting around.
FAQ
Is Canggu good for a baby?
Yes. We came with our youngest when she was three months old and had no real surprises. Plan for the heat, choose a place with AC, and use a carrier instead of a stroller.
Can you use a stroller in Canggu?
We brought one and learned it’s not the best choice. The roads are crowded or narrow, there are no pavements, and there are holes and loose stones. Bring a carrier.
Where can I buy nappies in Canggu?
Almost everywhere. Our favourite brand is MamyPoko: they don’t leak and hold a lot. Nappy rash cream like zinc cream or Bepanthen is harder to find, so bring your own.
How much is a babysitter in Canggu?
About IDR 50,000 to 100,000 per hour. There are many services: research, interview a few, and pick the one that feels right.
Is it safe to bring a baby to Bali?
For us it was. We had no real surprises with our three-month-old. Plan for the heat and the sun, use mosquito spray on clothes, keep your baby away from stray animals because rabies is present in Bali, and check the CDC’s Indonesia page for vaccine advice before you travel.
Which baby sunscreen do you use in Bali?
A water-based sun protection for sensitive baby skin from Innisfree. Combine it with cotton clothes, a sun hat and staying out of the sun between 12 and 3.
Where can I find a paediatrician near Canggu?
Several clinics in Canggu are open 24 hours, such as Siloam Medika Canggu and BaliMed Canggu, and BIMC Kuta is the nearest big hospital. Call ahead and ask for a dokter anak (children’s doctor), as not every clinic has one on duty.
Questions about this? Ask us here