You mention your upcoming trip to Bali with your children, and there it is—that embarrassed look from your listener that says: "But what kind of parents take their young children to such distant, underdeveloped, and surely dangerous lands?" Rest assured, traveling to Bali with young children is no more dangerous than any other trip. Contrary to popular misconceptions, you'll find there an welcome and experiences unparalleled for them.

At Bali, children are royalty

Bali is, far more than most destinations, a family-friendly destination. What makes it so? First and foremost, children are treated like royalty at Bali—they're the object of endless attention and smiles; and the younger they are, the more they receive (you'll find this same attentiveness in Thailand). For Balinese people, children are the reincarnation of ancestors and have only just left the Gods; they are respected and cherished, sometimes, by our standards, to an almost excessive degree.

Activities tailored for children...

At Bali, children are welcome everywhere and never a problem. For them, the island brims with fascinating things to explore and experience: beaches and their waves, watching artisans at work, forests, rice paddies, flowers, stunning roads and their colonies of monkeys, shopping (they adore all these colorful and figurative objects), Waterbom, ceremonies and temples filled with fantastical statues, gamelans (anyone can produce audible music with them)...

...your children will discover spirituality in Bali! Through temple visits, encounters with processions, music, the harmony between humanity and nature, and the beauty and serenity of the people.

...and peace for the parents

And for parents, what a joy to finish lunch unhurried, while a server has decided to occupy a slightly impatient child. Or what a pleasure to simply enter a shop or restaurant knowing that the stroller, or little hands that touch everything, won't cause a grimace from the shopkeeper. In fact, children often act as a kind of catalyst in relationships with Balinese people.

You can also easily and affordably find an English-speaking nanny to whom you can confidently leave your children for an evening or a more adventurous activity.

A few anecdotes from parents

• Made, the owner and chef of Warung Sobat, stepping out of his kitchen to teach our children gamelan at the end of his shift and listening to them with tenderness.
• One day at Double Six, while we were seated at Warung Asia, our children disappeared from our view. We found them in a painting workshop. The painters (who were producing paintings on an assembly-line basis) had prepared small canvases on frames for them, given them pots of paint and brushes, and our kids had settled in to paint in the middle of the workshop.
• The servers at Tekor Bali interrupting their tasks to patiently teach the kids how to weave traditional vegetable decorations.
• Andy, a party-loving beach boy who taught our 7-year-old son to surf (probably too young for the activity); the attention and patience he gave him—he'd lift the surfboard with his arms while the child lay on it to spare him from wiping out or simply fear of waves that were too high.

A few simple safety rules to follow

Of course, traveling with children to a place like Bali involves a number of rules that rely on common sense and respect for the child themselves.

The journey is long from France—nearly 24 hours of flights and airports. You'll need to plan entertainment for them. The younger they are, the more acute the challenge, but it's manageable: books, games, drawing supplies, portable DVD players...

Road journeys are long and sometimes arduous in Bali. Dining spots are absent from certain areas. You need to plan your departure and route with these constraints in mind.

As for food, restaurants are generally of far better quality than what you'd find elsewhere. Just be wary of certain makeshift warungs that might serve poorly washed fruits or vegetables. Balinese people are generally well aware of this kind of problem, and issues are rare. Make sure the warung where you eat or grab a juice has running water.

Remember to have the children drink regularly, cover them with sunscreen, pack a kit with medications for minor bumps and ailments (a kit you can actually put together once you're there), supervise them during swimming...again: nothing you wouldn't do in southern France.

In short, if you have children, don't let that stop you from traveling to Bali. Rent a villa or bungalow there and take the time to live a little on the island without rushing too much—they'll love it and it will awaken them to a magnificent culture and a unique sense of harmony. Of course it has a cost, but for equivalent accommodations, a month-long stay in Bali is two to three times cheaper than what you'd pay in France.