Bali is a great place to take the kids. Most hotels cater to young families and a number of resorts are explicitly child friendly. As ever, kids are primarily their parents’ responsibility and few hotel pools and none of the public beaches offer any kind of lifeguard supervision.

The Balinese simply adore children and locals will happily offer to hold your babies while you shop or swim. Even local children are very friendly with foreign children and will happily include them in games and sports. Certain hotels like the Hard Rock or any of the resorts in Nusa Dua have exceptional child care facilities and even dedicated shallow water pools and playgrounds.

Hiking or surfing in Bali can be done with children and it is up to the visiting parent to decide what they may like to do in this case. There are few locations or places in Bali that are prohibitive for people visiting with their young ones and the Monkey Forest in Ubud is one of the most enduring kid-friendly attractions in all of Southeast Asia.

24 hour emergency health care clinics operate in Kuta and the main hospital in Denpasar is well-equipped to cater to any health problems encountered by parents or their children. Care should be taken is doubling kids on the back of a motorbike and visitors should use their discretion regarding seat and safety belts in taxi cabs and mini buses.

Bali is part of the largest Islamic country in the world. Indonesia has varying degrees of Islamic orthodoxy but in Bali, a Hindu island, is the least influenced by the codes and laws related to female dress in Islam. As a beach and tourist island, there has to be a certain laxity to female dress codes too.

Nude or topless bathing is sure to be frowned on and at best will attract unwanted attention. Be sure to be mindful of the fact that topless bathing is offensive and upsetting to locals who have otherwise seen it all. One piece swimsuits or bikinis are accepted but away from the beach t-shirts or scarves are expected.

Otherwise, women travel fairly easily in Bali. The influx of western tourists since the 1930s means that Bali is relatively modern and tolerant. Single women of all ages travel to Bali and in Ubud, where a number of solo women operate art galleries and museums. Many Australian women and girls travel to Bali alone or in groups. All relevant toiletries and medical supplies are readily available in all chemists in places like Kuta and Ubud as well as in Legian and in Seminyak.