04 Jul. 2019 Looking for a welcoming destination for a family trip? Look no further! Indonesia is the country for you!

Traveling as a family is not always straightforward, and choosing a destination that suits everyone is no easy feat.

Having lived in Indonesia for 10 years and as the mother of a 4-year-old daughter, I realize every day how fortunate I am to live in such a "kids friendly" environment. Proof positive comes in three examples (all true!) that happened just days apart.

· On my way to do groceries with my daughter, mission: fruits and vegetables for the week. Mila settles into the small seat in front of the scooter (yes! Even with children, the scooter remains the preferred mode of transport for short distances.) First stop: gas station. While my husband fills the tank, his wife offers Nina a small bag of freshly cut mangoes. "Do you like mangoes? These ones are very sweet. Here, this is for you." Seeing Nina's delighted expression, I explain: "She keeps asking me for mangoes. It's her favorite fruit but it's no longer in season and we can't find any at the market anymore." At that, the man walks away and comes back by giving two ripe mangoes to Nina. Fruit mission accomplished! And a gift on top of that!

· The next day, lunch break at a small restaurant overlooking rice fields. One of our favorite spots because, aside from the excellent carrot cake, the owner had the good taste to install a pond with fish that delights children while parents quietly sip their coffee. When Nina insists on trying to feed the fish with all the dead leaves falling on the terrace, the employee finally arrives with a small box of fish food and sits down next to Nina while she happily distributes the little pellets that the carp finally deign to swallow!

· A few days later, we try a new warung (small local restaurant). After choosing and writing on the paper what we'd like to eat, the server comes to review and verify the order: "One 'nasi goreng' (fried rice) and two hot teas with a little sugar." Indignant look from Nina: "I said 'lots of sugar!'" A knowing glance from the server in my direction, then a big smile at my daughter: "Oh yes, of course, a tea with lots of sugar!" After finishing the nasi goreng, I get up to pay and as I watch my daughter dive under the table trying to retrieve her lost flip-flops, a server (a different one) rushes to her rescue, moving chairs out of the way to make her passage to the exit easier. A minute later, as I maneuver the scooter to turn it around, I listen with half an ear to the utterly mundane conversation between the parking attendant and my daughter:

- What's your name?

- Nina.

- How old are you?

- 4 years old.

- But you're already so big! What grade are you in?

- Grade 0 (Nina's invariable answer, who believes that before Grade 1 of primary school, one is necessarily in Grade 0.)

A genuine and hearty laugh from the man, who closes the conversation with an inevitable: "Hati-hati di jalan!" (Be careful on the road!)

Rest assured, your children will always be welcomed with pleasure wherever you go. And don't worry: if you don't find labeled kids friendly spots in your guidebook, it's because the entire country is one...

Charlène NomadaysAs the earliest SEO writer at Nomadays, now content manager and head of the communications department, Charlène has accompanied the adventure from its beginnings with passion and loyalty. After living seven years across Asia—from China to Thailand, passing through Mongolia and South Korea—she has made travel a way of being in the world. A lover of words, nature, and human connection, she strives to convey in her writing a sensitive, engaged, and responsible vision of tourism. For her, each article is a bridge between curiosity, respect, and wonder.