There is more to Bali than you see at surface level. Bali is also known for its forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddys, beaches and coral reefs. It is also famous for their unique culinary cuisine, it’s warm and welcoming people and its beautiful culture.

These are just a few things that attract many travellers, and lots of families from all around the world, in particular, Australians.

While Bali can be a controversial place for many, and you are either open to travelling there, or you are not, I have been there four times, and personally, love it! I feel safe there, and even though I disagree with some of the things that go on in Bali, I would not let that stop me from travelling there again.

To get the most out of your trip, keep these top tips in mind:

1. Do not use the tap water to clean your teeth or to drink – only shower in it. Ensure you keep your mouth closed and supervise your kid’s at bath time to make sure they don’t drink the water.
2. Eat cooked foods as much as possible. They have mostly organic produce that is tastes amazing.
3. Be very careful with alcohol. Take a litre of duty-free alcohol with you from Australia and only drink bottled beers and drinks. Do not drink anything with Arak as an ingredient.
4. Exchange cash money as you need it as you get a better rate in Bali. There are reputable “authorised’ exchange counters everywhere, but avoid any that don’t have glass doors as an entry point.  Only use your credit card at safe shops. Always count money in your hands in front of the teller before you leave the counter.
5. Use your hotel room safe to store your other cash, cards and passports.
6. Bintang Shop is a great place to buy household items cheap. There are also COCO Marts, Mini Marts, and Circle K shops to buy general items. Some are open 24 hours per day and some allow you to exchange money, but I would not use the ATM to withdraw cash at the mini mart.
7. Hire a Nanny. We used Bali Nannies Bali. Debbie is the owner and she has a fantastic team. The kids loved doing the crafts with our nanny and they were well looked after. It is a minimum five hours, and the price is approximately $5 per hour. Email infobalinanny@gmail.com.
8. Take your washing to one of the many laundries to get washed, pressed and folded for you for about $2 per kilo of washing. It is cheaper in some locations and much cheaper than at the hotel.
9. Book your tours as you go. This saves you money if you are not up for it on the day.
10. Shop smart. Shopping options include The Krisna shops (four locations – Kuta, Tuban and two in Denpasar) which is THE place to buy traditional Balinese items and souvenirs cheaper than anywhere else. The Matahari is great for the Myer experience of Bali. There are also many designer shops with great quality clothes. These higher quality shops do not allow bartering, so save your bartering skills for the markets where you should be able to get the locals down to one third of their original price.