The following content is adapted from a travelogue shared by group member Mei Liu:
Key Takeaways: For a Chinese New Year trip with seniors and kids, the most practical lesson is to complete visa, tourist tax, and customs declarations online in advance while still in Taiwan — even with careful planning, you might still miss an online form (the author here missed the departure declaration and had to fill it out on her phone on the spot, taking over ten minutes). The most important thing is to stay flexible. For Chinese New Year flights, start monitoring prices a year in advance — don’t wait for travel fair deals.
When planning our Bali trip, I found a wealth of valuable information in the Go Bali Go Bali Travel Group, and it was incredibly helpful. So I’d like to share my experience of traveling to Bali for Chinese New Year with seniors and kids. This was my third visit to Bali, and interestingly, I’ve found myself coming here every decade. This time, the trip felt more like a family reunion.
Visa
I opted for the e-visa. Since traveling with seniors and kids tends to eat up more time, I prefer to get everything done in advance. Not just the visa — I also paid the tourist tax back in Taiwan to minimize processing time upon arrival.
Bali’s customs process is now largely digital, but despite my thoroughness, I missed the fact that the departure declaration had also moved online. I ended up having to fill it out on my phone right there, which took over ten minutes. Luckily, my family had already learned to relax, so this little hiccup didn’t dampen the first day’s mood — instead, it reminded us all to embrace the flexibility and spontaneity of travel.
Though the trip had a few bumps, it really drove home how important it is to stay flexible and patient when traveling with family. I’ll continue sharing more details and insights from this Bali trip.
Quick Reference:
Latest version: 【Entry Requirements】3 Must-Do Steps Before Traveling to Bali in 2026
Flight Arrangements
Based on my decade-plus of experience, the best strategy for flights during the Lunar New Year period—no matter the destination—is to start monitoring prices a full year before your intended departure. Once you spot a good deal, don’t hesitate or wait for travel fairs or airline promotions, because prices during this peak season almost always go up.
This Bali trip was originally planned for Australia, but after discussing with my family in March, we decided to switch to Bali. When searching for flights during the Lunar New Year, I unexpectedly found round-trip business class tickets on EVA Air to Bali for just over NT$35,000 (about USD$1,129), while economy class was already close to NT$20,000 (about USD$645). In comparison, the business class price seemed especially reasonable—especially considering the nearly five-hour flight to Bali, where the added comfort came at a surprisingly accessible cost.
Business class meal
The Lunar New Year is peak travel season, so ticket prices are notoriously high. But sometimes, shifting your perspective and slightly increasing your budget to choose business class can yield pleasant surprises. This experience taught me that flexible budgeting and choices can make a trip far more comfortable and enjoyable.
How to Find the Cheapest Bali Flights? Trip.com Search Tips & Money-Saving Guide
Local Transportation
Public transportation in Bali is not well-developed, so getting around mainly comes down to three options: hiring a private driver, taking taxis, or renting a car or scooter.
- Private Driver: This is the most common and convenient option, especially for families with elderly members or children. With a private driver, you can flexibly adjust your schedule and destinations, and the driver often doubles as a guide, recommending local hidden gems and restaurants.
- Taxis: For short trips, taxis are a good choice. I recommend using local ride-hailing apps like Grab or Gojek, which offer transparent pricing and convenience.
- Car or Scooter Rental: For travelers who love independence, renting a car or scooter is a great option. However, keep in mind that Bali’s traffic can be chaotic, and driving habits differ from those in Taiwan, so this is best for experienced travelers.
This time, we chose a private driver, which not only made the trip more relaxing but also allowed my family to rest in the car and recharge for the adventures ahead. While Bali’s transportation isn’t as convenient as in big cities, with proper planning, the journey can still be smooth and enjoyable.
Quick Reference:
Private Car Experience
When traveling with elderly family members and children, I strongly recommend hiring a private car. In Bali, private car rates typically depend on the vehicle size, distance, and duration. In travel groups, many people share recommendations for drivers based on their own experiences. If you’re traveling with friends, an English-speaking driver is perfectly fine, but since my mom was with us this time, I wanted her to feel more involved, so I preferred a Chinese-speaking driver. I came across a recommendation for a female driver who had worked in Taiwan for a few years—she not only spoke Chinese but was also familiar with Taiwan. I added her on Line and booked four days of private car service.
When we met her on arrival day, she was incredibly warm. Her personality and way of speaking instantly reminded me of the Indonesian caregiver who used to look after my grandfather, which put the whole family at ease. Once we got in the car, we realized her husband was the one driving—so we essentially got a car plus a guide, a delightful surprise!
This couple has a restless spirit. After their children grew up and started working or studying, they bought a car and launched their private car business. Perhaps because they’re parents themselves, they have a strong ‘maternal instinct.’ As soon as we got in the car, they had three local banana cakes ready, worried we might get hungry if we hit traffic on the way to the villa. She also proactively asked for the villa’s contact number to confirm the route and arrangements in advance—very thoughtful. Throughout the ride, they were great conversationalists; finding them instantly won over my mom!
Once the elders relax, a family trip is more than half successful, so I personally highly recommend this couple. If you’re planning a trip to Bali, consider hiring them. (Contact info at the end of the article.)
Taxis and Traffic Conditions
We visited during the rainy season, which is similar in every country—on good weather days, ordering food delivery or hailing a taxi was smooth, but once it rained, everything changed. So on days without a private car, don’t plan any long-distance trips; a 30-minute drive is the absolute limit. I recommend scheduling popular attractions on your private car days; otherwise, on the way back, you might get overcharged or even unable to find a ride in bad weather.
We experienced an extreme case of food delivery during a rainy day: we ordered at 11 a.m., but by 1 p.m., no driver had accepted the order. Eventually, Grab gave up and let me cancel! Luckily, we had bought enough instant noodles, vegetables, and eggs at the supermarket the day before, so we didn’t go hungry.
Traffic in Bali is indeed far from ideal, mainly due to the haphazard road planning. Often, places that look close on the map require five times the travel time to reach by a long detour (sometimes I really felt like climbing over the wall to get there!).
Grab Ride-Hailing Experience
Most drivers booked through Grab are decent, but we did encounter one who asked us to cancel the order after picking us up so he wouldn’t have to pay the platform fee. When we arrived at our destination, he even joked, ‘No tip?’ In situations like this, just stay calm—every place has its own culture and habits.
Quick Reference:
Bali Ride-Hailing App Driver Tricks: How to Avoid Grab/Gojek Scams?
Renting a Scooter
Since we were traveling with elderly family and kids, we didn’t get a chance to rent a scooter this time. But from what I know, the price isn’t steep—around $6 to $10 USD per day. If you’re a group of young travelers exploring independently, renting a scooter is a great option. Just be mindful of Bali’s chaotic traffic and reckless foreign drivers—ride carefully!
Quick Reference:
Bali Scooter Rental Guide: Prices, Safety, and Tips at a Glance
All in all, while Bali’s transportation comes with its challenges, planning ahead with a private driver or choosing the right mode of transport can still make your trip smooth. I hope these insights help future travelers heading to Bali!
Accommodation
This trip was all about ‘kicking back and relaxing,’ so I focused on booking villas. Browsing through Airbnb felt like a tour of luxury homes—so many stunning villas that it was dizzying. It took me about three days to snap out of that dreamy haze and start seriously considering practical needs.
Latest Update: December 2025
In Bali, the more luxurious the villa, the more remote its location tends to be, which can mean less convenience compared to city-center stays. So, based on my family’s personalities and needs, I tried to strike a balance between ‘luxury’ and ‘convenience.’ The villas I booked were all in areas where Grab delivery or taxis are easy to hail, ensuring we could conveniently handle meals and transportation when needed.
However, this stay also taught me a few lessons. Villa designs in Bali often place common living spaces—like the living room, dining room, and kitchen—outdoors or semi-outdoors to bring guests closer to nature. While this layout enhances the vacation vibe, it also invites more mosquitoes, which was particularly tough for someone like me who attracts them. Next time, I’ll be more careful and choose a villa with air-conditioned, enclosed common areas to enjoy a comfortable environment without the bug problem.
Booking Process
The booking process went smoothly. Bali’s villa booking system is now run by many small to medium-sized management teams, and communication and service are quite thorough. If you’re comfortable with English, you can directly communicate with hosts through Airbnb or other platforms, and you’ll usually get prompt, detailed responses.
When it comes to accommodations, this villa experience left our whole family very satisfied. The ability to enjoy a relaxing vacation in a private space is especially ideal for family trips with elderly members and children.
Quick Reference:
Dining Experience
Bali’s water is quite hard, which was tough for a tea lover like me. Fortunately, a friend’s sister who lives in Bali warned me in advance: even bottled water from the supermarket makes tea taste far worse than what I’m used to in Taiwan. She suggested bringing tea bags made from broken leaves or stems, as they brew a more palatable cup. Although I brought some nice red oolong tea leaves, after the first day of trying tea bags from Taiwan, I gave up entirely—I didn’t even use the travel gaiwan I’d brought.
Local Food
When it came to food, I tried local street stalls a couple of times—things like crispy roast pork rice and satay—but quickly gave up. The locals’ standards for ingredient quality didn’t quite match our family’s expectations, so I mostly ended up eating at restaurants frequented by foreigners. These places tend to cater to foreign palates, even when serving local dishes, making them a safer bet, especially for those who don’t enjoy spicy food.
More Food Recommendations
- Bali Durian Season Guide: When to Find the Best & Cheapest Durian
- Kreneng Night Market Food Tour: Bali's Biggest Night Market with a Local Guide
- MoonLite Kitchen and Bar: Seminyak's Sunset Dining Paradise
- Alila Villas Uluwatu Brisa Brunch: A Clifftop Sunday Feast
- Bali Food Exploration: 10 Must-Try Classic Dishes & Street Snacks
- Wanaku Seafood & Chinese Restaurant: Best Dining Near Bali Airport
Fruits and Vegetables
Left: Our driver took us to a fruit stall to buy mangosteens / Right: Snake fruit—tastes like sweet water chestnuts
In recent years, Bali’s highlands have started growing a variety of imported fruits and vegetables, such as cabbage and zucchini, and the quality is quite good. We bought zucchini three times to stir-fry ourselves, and the cabbage was also crisp and sweet. Additionally, January is the peak season for local mangosteens, which are of excellent quality—we bought them twice to enjoy.
Quick Reference:
When is the season for mangosteen, the queen of tropical fruits, in Indonesia/Bali?
Dairy and Desserts
My travel companion is a big fan of dairy products and kept looking for local fresh milk. It’s important to emphasize that Bali has no livestock industry, so there are no dairy products produced here. If you use Taiwan’s standards to find good milk, you’ll just be wasting money. Compared to twenty years ago, when my first trip to Bali only offered powdered milk and UHT milk, now there are some products labeled ‘Fresh milk’ in English that come close, but they’re far from ideal for drinking straight—only good for adding to coffee or tea.
Similarly, Bali doesn’t produce flour, and locals’ taste for sweets isn’t very Westernized, nor do they pay much attention to quality. So I wouldn’t recommend spending time or money here looking for good Western-style desserts or bread. This is Bali, not Korea or Japan—adjust your expectations accordingly.
Seafood
Mr. Lobster’s seafood feast as our New Year’s Eve dinner
Seafood quality in Bali is better than meat, mainly because the island is surrounded by ocean. However, since the cold chain logistics aren’t as developed as in Taiwan, I didn’t dare arrange a sunset seafood dinner in Jimbaran this time. Instead, following a recommendation from the Go Bali Go Facebook group, I chose Mr. Lobster, run by Taiwanese owners, and ordered seafood delivery to our villa for New Year’s Eve dinner. The seafood was caught live and fresh, with excellent quality—tasty and delicious! Plus, the price was 30-40% cheaper than in Jimbaran. If you’re not particularly after the view, this restaurant’s seafood is definitely a great choice.
Quick Reference:
Mr. Lobster’s contact info & latest deals here
Transportation & Itinerary Planning
As mentioned earlier, Bali’s roads lack comprehensive planning, resulting in traffic jams for more than two-thirds of the day, almost around the clock. So if you have plans for the day—especially for attractions more than an hour’s drive from your accommodation—it’s absolutely recommended to set off by 7 or 8 in the morning. Otherwise, the traffic alone can drain half your energy, leaving you exhausted for the rest of the day.
When planning your itinerary, try to group attractions in the same area together, and avoid the wishful thinking of covering more than 40 kilometers in a single day! With Bali’s narrow roads and the Lunar New Year falling during the island’s third peak season of the year, it’s common for a trip under 40 kilometers to take two hours. Don’t pack your schedule just because the distance looks short on the map—you’ll only end up stuck in traffic, frustrated, and missing out on the joy of travel.
Click here for senior-friendly attraction recommendations
Click here for senior-friendly attraction recommendations
Family Travel Tips
For family trips, especially with elderly members and kids, I highly recommend adopting a ‘one day of private driver, one day of rest’ rhythm. This not only gives everyone enough time to relax between outings but also helps avoid fatigue from long hours on the road.
For example, on the day you hire a driver, you can visit farther attractions or popular spots like Ubud Market, the rice terraces, or Tanah Lot Temple. On the rest day, you can enjoy the private pool at your villa, get a spa treatment, or have a leisurely meal at a nearby restaurant. This pace keeps the elderly comfortable while giving kids plenty of time to burn off energy and rest.
- Episode 1: [Bali Travel Guide for Seniors - Safety, Comfort, and Precautions
- Episode 2: [Complete Guide to Bali Travel Destinations for Seniors
- Episode 3: [How Quirky Can Elderly Behavior Be? Beware of 'Ungrateful Efforts' When Traveling Abroad
Massage Experiences
I didn’t have high expectations for massages in Bali at first. In my mind, whether it’s the budget or luxury version, the pressure tends to be too light for Taiwanese people—like a gentle stroke over the muscles. For those of us used to deep meridian work, it never feels quite enough. Even when I choose the strongest pressure and repeatedly ask the therapist to go harder, the effect is still limited.
This time in Ubud, I first tried the Deep Tissue Massage at Nata Spa. The pressure was indeed heavier than typical Balinese massages, and it felt quite comfortable—I even dozed off for most of it. While it was much better than the previous ‘gentle touch’ experience, it still left a bit to be desired. However, my driver mentioned that massages in Kuta and Seminyak are much better, while Ubud’s are relatively average, so I wasn’t too disappointed.
A Surprising Find: Hot Bamboo SPA
Once I arrived in Canggu, I started searching for nearby massage places and stumbled upon ‘Hot Bamboo SPA.’ After reading the reviews, I was immediately drawn to its uniqueness. They offer a treatment using warm bamboo sticks, hence the name ‘Hot Bamboo.’ The reviews were overwhelmingly positive, especially about the pressure—it’s touted as the most effective massage in Bali.
So, I decided to go for it! However, this SPA is surprisingly popular and is one of the few places that requires a deposit when booking, which can only be paid in cash or via bank transfer to an Indonesian account. The massage fee itself is also cash-only. Luckily, my driver helped me transfer the deposit, so I managed to secure a reservation.
Simple Yet Professional Choices
Unlike other massage places with endless options, Hot Bamboo SPA’s menu is refreshingly simple, offering just three types of massages:
- Relaxing Bali Aga (gentle relaxation)
- Hot Bamboo (warm bamboo massage)
- Strong Barefoot (intense foot massage)
Listed from lightest to strongest pressure, with durations of 60, 90, or 120 minutes—straightforward and clear. The interior is clean and artsy, featuring natural bamboo and linen tones, creating a cozy and relaxing atmosphere.
Strong Barefoot Massage Experience
We didn’t hesitate to choose the strongest “Strong Barefoot” massage and booked a 2-hour session. The pressure was truly intense yet gentle, especially when working on my back. At first, I thought about asking the therapist to ease up, but within a minute, I felt completely relaxed and even started to doze off—I couldn’t bear to ask them to lighten the pressure at all.
This massage experience completely changed my view of Balinese massages. The professionalism and unique techniques at Hot Bamboo SPA truly offered a full-body and mind relaxation. If you also enjoy deep-pressure massages, this SPA is absolutely worth a try!
> Quick Reference: Already included in our “Top-Rated Bali SPA Recommendations” — if you’re looking for a great SPA to unwind, don’t miss our curated list!
Final Thoughts
This Bali family trip, though challenging with elders and kids, brought us countless unforgettable memories and valuable experiences. From flights, accommodation, and transportation to food and massages, every aspect deepened my understanding that travel is not just about exploring the world, but also about creating beautiful moments with family.
Bali’s charm lies in its diversity and inclusiveness. Whether it’s luxurious villas, unique massage experiences, or nature-close landscapes, everyone can find their own way to relax. While traffic and dietary habits may require some adjustment, with advance planning and flexibility, these small challenges actually make the journey richer and more enjoyable.
This trip taught me that when traveling with family, the most important thing isn’t how packed the itinerary is, but whether everyone feels comfortable and happy along the way. Bali’s slow pace and warm hospitality provided the perfect space for us to unwind. I hope this travelogue offers practical insights for future travelers to Bali, and I look forward to creating more beautiful memories with my family on our next trip!
Bali, see you next time! 🌴✨
Note: Driver Recommendation
Traveling to Bali with elders and kids? I highly recommend hiring a private driver! The standard rate for a private driver in Bali is usually based on a 10-hour day, with pricing depending on the number of passengers and luggage. For our group of seven, we sent our itinerary to the driver, and she quoted a price based on distances—very professional.
I especially recommend this husband-and-wife driver team. The wife, Ani, worked in Taiwan for many years, speaks Chinese, and is familiar with Taiwanese culture, which made my mother feel more involved during the trip. Ani is cheerful and attentive—she proactively confirmed our itinerary before departure and even brought local banana cake on arrival day, worried we might get hungry in traffic. Her husband handled the driving, so it was like having a private driver plus a tour guide. They worked seamlessly together, putting the whole family at ease.
Ani not only knows Bali inside out but also recommends suitable restaurants and attractions from a Taiwanese perspective, with absolutely no hard selling—every suggestion is objective and practical. When they saw us off at the airport, they even thoughtfully prepared local sweets as souvenirs, making us feel their warmth and sincerity.
If you’re planning a trip to Bali with elderly family and kids, this couple is definitely your top choice!
How to Contact Ani:
Line: agussolihin72
WhatsApp: +62 081246683494
Think Mei Liu and their itinerary sounds amazing? Start planning your own Bali free-and-easy trip now! Feel free to share your itinerary in the group too!
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