Would you take a four month old to Bali?

[MauriceTheMussel]

Interested in opinions on this because I can’t figure out if I’m being unnecessarily cautious.

We haven’t been on holiday in forever and due to work can’t do long haul. For various reasons we can do long haul this year but would like to go before weaning the baby, so this is for all intents and purposes the “holiday of a lifetime”, well, for the next 8-10 years. We would fly Business and I’m not worried about the flight and the baby.

We are thinking about Bali with a stopover in Singapore. The vaccination schedule for babies is the same in SG as it is here and, as far as I can tell, Indonesia too. Baby has had the BCG.

We would stay right on the beach in a uber premium 5 star resort (and frankly not leave the hotel), so I’m not worried about the water or rabies or anything like that… just the mosquitos. Even if the baby didn’t contract dengue or something horrific, do babies scream their heads off over the itching over a bite?!

Part of me thinks: if all the other babies in SE Asia are born, how risky can a UK baby there be? Also, I’m no longer breastfeeding so no antibodies from me.

Would you take your 4 month old?

And stay in a swanky hotel compound which could be absolutely anywhere in the world. What a waste of money.

It is a roll of the dice. It could be lovely, a nightmare, or somewhere between the two. If you’re thinking holiday of a lifetime, definitely wait until your baby is older. You can still do brilliant things on holiday with kids, especially if you have a healthy budget. I would recommend somewhere relaxing but lower key.

When my oldest was 4 months old, she became very unsettled, and I had to do all of it as I would at home, but without familiar things around me, or family to help.

Good job you’re not paying.

Not everything has to be Eat, Pray, Love come to Jesus moment. I don’t think everyone that gos to Spain or the Bahamas is out there home-staying with the locals, are they?

If anyone can think of something long haul, not the Caribbean, warm, with a clean beach and private pool and minimal disease risk, believe me, I’m all ears.

Better to go while breastfeeding exclusively as they are less likely to catch anything. Mosquito nets are also great.
The only thing I would check out is what the hospitals are like near to where you are staying. The resort maybe 5 star but is the health service. Travelling long haul kids pick up a lot of bugs just from the plane, and the difference in the standard of healthcare can come as a bit of a shock. Big cities can sometimes have very high standard private hospitals - so probably depends where you are. I don't know Bali specifically though.

Haha! Yeah the less eat pray love the better

I think it’s doable, but I don’t think I’d care for the hassle just to stay in the hotel anyway. Obviously if you were going sightseeing or something it makes sense, but you’ve said you’ll just stay at the hotel anyway. surely at the price (or much cheaper!) you can do somewhere closer and have the same experience but less hassle. It reads like this is your one chance to go long haul so you’re doing it, but I dunno if that’s a reason.

At that age my dc wasn’t sleeping great, was teething and up a lot in the night and wanted carrying and walking around non stop. I’d have been shattered and unable to relax much, so it would’ve been a bit wasted on me. If you think that’s low risk for you and you’re happy to take that risk then it’s completely doable.

Go for it. We did Thailand, Dubai, Malaysia and Bali before DC1 was 1 and have just done Malaysia for a month with dc1 and dc2 while dc2 was 7 months.

everyone here will say it wont be relaxing as you still have to parent but it’s a break from cooking, cleaning, life admin here and doing it without partner. It was super relaxing in Bali with dc1. Also there is a great nanny network there if you need a second pair of hands (even if you don’t intend on leaving your hotel- but can at least read a book etc).

id suggest avoiding super trendy
spots like cangu; and looking at more family friendly places like Sanur, Jimbaran or nusa dua. Traffic and pathways can be a pain otherwise.

If your planning to lounge around a pool I'd find a posh hotel in the med somewhere.

Less time flying more time chilling.

We took our baby to the Alps for first holiday.

We used to live in Western Australia and did the flight long haul a lot, with babies, toddlers and children. I wouldn't have done the long haul unless I had to (to come back and visit family) though it was easiest under 6 months.

Bali was short haul from there, never really liked it, went once for a weekend and then reluctantly again for a wedding! Beaches were dirty and nowhere near as nice as home in Australia, loads of drinking and general bad behaviour from tourists! I guess if you're staying in a really fancy hotel it won't matter but in that case aren't there fancy hotels you don't have to fly long haul to?!

If you do want lovely hotel and splash out for a private pool, do so. Look up kayumanis hotels. we had private pools, huge rooms and great breaky included. You cannot get that type of value for money in Europe. That alone is worth getting out of Europe for. And even if you don’t leave your room that much, you’re in an amazing setting in your private hotel villa so it’s no real hardship

The issue with short haul is: late March/April = not reliably warm for Europe and 2) moreover, we can do short haul absolutely whenever. It’s because DH is on gardening leave that we can go long haul so I don’t want to miss this small window where he isn’t chained to a job AND the baby is still on just liquids.

The next time I could do long haul is literally a minimum of 5 years away - either because DH is changing jobs again or else I’m brave enough to do longhaul solo. So because the window of opportunity is small, I want to take advantage of it.

I would not take a baby to somewhere where mosquito born diseases are possible. Bali is low risk for malaria but high risk for dengue fever.

In your opinion.

If you’re up for Bali long haul, I’d probably go the extra couple of hours and do Australia. Queensland at that time of year is lovely weather.

Totally agree. Whitsundays are gorgeous

What the actual fuck is the point of life if you can't take a holiday without having to work through it?

If you can't enjoy your life outside of work, then what's the point, no matter how much you're earning?

Oof, gurl, I don’t think the Chat board on MN is the time or place for a question that big.

I will say though that we do enjoy life and the jobs we do afford us a lot of happiness and choices in life.

Ooooh, I initially had Australia down as waaaay too far with a baby, but the Whitsundays look gorgeous

Yes, this in spades.

Would I take a tiny baby on a 24+ hour shlep to Bali? No.

Would I go to all that way to Bali just to stay in the hotel? Absolutely no.

Surely you can find a nearer country that you don’t actually want to experience properly.

No- I definitely wouldn’t take a baby business class anywhere, what if your baby is unsettled during the flight and you annoy everyone else around you, you’d feel awful. A baby won’t get anything out of a holiday at that age, do you want to spend thousands to sit in a room with a baby? Just the thought of carrying nappies and all the paraphernalia gives me chills

I wouldn’t take a 4 month old on a long haul flight as you don’t know how they will be affected by cabin pressure and walking up and down the aisle with a screaming baby is no fun- been there, done that when we lived overseas and that was short haul.
imo there are nicer places than Bali.

In short, no.

I love Bali but I agree if it's white sand beaches and turquoise seas you want it's definitely not the place. The Gili islands have this though if you want to be near Bali. Alternatively some of the Thai islands/coastal resorts, or the Whitsundays. I wasn't overly impressed with the Vietnam beaches but the country itself is incredible and definitely worth a trip. For true white sand/turquoise waters it's the Maldives/Seychelles, the south Pacific islands, or the Caribbean.

I certainly would take a four month old to Bali. However, do consider Australia! Especially if you can take a couple of days in Singapore on the way over to break up the journey.

Not Bali but no. 4 travelled to New York at 5 weeks and Bahamas at 5 months (along with other dcs aged 10, 8 and 7). I'd stay out of the pool mid day and go somewhere shady or chill with a book then we'd join dh and the others about 4 for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Yes, dh could have stayed with her but he loves snorkelling etc as did the other children and I don't.

Certainly easier than a wriggly toddler when you want to do something not child centred!