For many families, life can begin to feel like a constant cycle of work, school schedules, stress, and rushing from one obligation to the next. Increasingly, families from places like California, Australia, the UK, and beyond are deciding to press pause and create a different chapter for their family — even if only for six months to a year.
That’s exactly what Sarah and her family are planning.
After years of busy work and lifestyle pressures, the Wong family made the decision to take a six-month-plus “mental break” in Bali while their new home is being built in California. Their goal wasn’t simply a holiday. It was to slow down, reconnect as a family, and experience a more balanced way of living.
And like many families we speak to, they quickly realised that moving to Bali involves far more than just booking flights and finding a villa.
Why Families Are Choosing Bali for a Lifestyle Reset
Bali has evolved into far more than a tourist destination. For many families, it has become a place to:
- Escape burnout and stress
- Spend more quality time together
- Access affordable help, such as nannies and cleaners
- Enjoy outdoor living year-round
- Experience a slower pace of life
- Create flexibility while working remotely
- Give children a more balanced childhood
One of the biggest shifts families experience is time.
In places like the United States or Australia, parents often spend much of their day commuting, cooking, cleaning, and managing household logistics. In Bali, many of those pressures ease dramatically due to affordable support services and a more relaxed lifestyle.
Why Sanur Is Becoming Bali’s Most Popular Family Area
When families first begin researching Bali, areas like Canggu and Ubud usually dominate social media. But after deeper research — and speaking with families already living on the island — many discover Sanur is actually the better long-term fit.
That’s exactly what happened for the Wong family.
They chose Sanur because it offers:
- A quieter and calmer atmosphere
- Walkable beachfront paths
- Easier access for young children
- Less traffic chaos than Canggu
- A stronger family and local community feel
- Great cafes, restaurants, and daily conveniences
- Proximity to schools and medical facilities
For families with young children, Sanur often feels significantly more manageable than trendier areas.
Unlike Canggu, where traffic congestion can become exhausting, or Ubud, which can feel isolated for some expat families, Sanur provides a balance of convenience, calmness, and community.
Finding Schools in Bali Can Be Challenging
One of the biggest concerns families have before moving is schooling.
Availability at good schools can disappear quickly, especially for mid-year starts or younger year levels.
For Sarah’s five-year-old son, finding the right school was a priority and some schooling options were ruled out because they didn’t fit the family’s goals:
- Some schools had no availability
- Others lacked flexibility for temporary stays
- Some alternative education programs did not run through December
This is something many relocating families don’t anticipate: Bali schooling is highly varied, and the “best” option depends entirely on your child’s personality, educational style, budget and how long you plan to stay.
You can discuss further with us through our School Deep Dive or buy our comprehensive Bali School and Education Guide.
The Reality of Living in Bali With Babies and Young Children
Families moving with babies often imagine Bali as a highly walkable tropical paradise. While certain areas are easier than others, there can still be challenges.
Even in Sanur — Bali’s most walkable family area — infrastructure is not particularly pram-friendly.
Footpaths can be uneven, roads busy, and daily logistics more complicated than expected.
For Sarah’s family, transportation planning became an important part of the move, particularly with an 11-month-old baby.
Most expat families in Bali rely heavily on:
Once families adapt to this system, daily life often becomes much easier and more affordable than back home. For families considering longer-term help, this guide on hiring a nanny in Bali is a useful starting point: Hiring a Nanny in Bali.
Why Many Families Choose a KITAS Instead of a Tourist Visa
One of the most confusing parts of moving to Bali is understanding visas.
Initially, many families assume they’ll simply enter on a 60-day visa and extend it. But longer stays often make a KITAS far more practical.
For the family, the recommended option was a Remote Worker KITAS with dependent KITAS.
The benefits of a KITAS can include:
- Multiple entry flexibility
- No need for constant visa runs
- No return ticket requirement
- Ability to open a local bank account
- Access to local health insurance
- Easier long-term living arrangements
- Greater stability for families
For remote-working families planning six months or longer in Bali, these benefits can significantly reduce stress and admin.
However, Bali relocations rarely go perfectly smoothly. You can explore our visa page to learn more about this.
Why “Landing Pads” Are So Important
One of the most valuable recommendations for relocating families is to avoid signing a long-term villa lease before arriving.
Photos online can be misleading, locations can feel very different in person, and daily traffic patterns dramatically affect quality of life.
Instead, we often recommend booking a short-term “landing pad” for the first 2–3 weeks.
This allows families to:
- Explore different neighbourhoods
- Visit schools in person
- Test commute times
- Inspect villas properly
- Adjust to Bali gradually
- Avoid expensive rental mistakes
Have a read through our Housing page for a more detailed breakdown of what to look for and what to expect when searching for housing in Bali.
The Growing Trend of Families Taking a Temporary Bali Chapter
One of the biggest misconceptions about moving to Bali is that it must be permanent.
Increasingly, families are choosing Bali for temporary lifestyle chapters:
- Six months
- One year
- During career transitions
- Maternity leave
- During burnout recovery
- During homeschooling periods
- Before children enter higher schooling years
For many families, these experiences become life-changing.
Some eventually return home refreshed and re-energised. Others completely redesign how they want to live moving forward.
Either way, Bali often provides something many families feel they’ve lost: time together.
Ready to Make This Move?
Moving to Bali is one of the most exciting decisions you can make. It is also one that benefits enormously from having the right information and the right support at every stage of the process.
If you’ve read through this checklist and you’re thinking about where to even start, we’d love to help. Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Simone to talk through your plans, get your questions answered, and find out which of our support packages would be the right fit for your family. There’s no pressure and no obligation, just a genuinely useful conversation with someone who has helped hundreds of families make this exact move.
We can’t wait to hear where you’re headed.
