Jet lag from Los Angeles to Bali with kids

Trip at a glance

• Time difference+15 hvaries with DST
• Body-clock shift9 hours laterdelay (easier)
• Days to adjust~6 (5 with head start)adults; kids similar
• Flight time~19h 25mtypical travel time estimate

What does a family jet lag plan for Los Angeles → Bali look like?

Sample built by the calculator for 2 adults and kids aged 3 and 8, departing Jul 1 with a 2-day head start. Home bedtimes: adults 10:30 PM, kids 7:30 PM, everyone up at 6:30 AM. Times before the trip are Los Angeles time; after arrival, Bali time.

How do you beat jet lag from Los Angeles to Bali, step by step?

1. Pre-shift at home: For 2 days before you fly, move bedtimes and wake times later each day (adults 60 min, kids 4–8 30 min, babies/toddlers 15 min), with bright light in the evening.
2. Switch to destination time on board: Set devices to Bali time and eat on its meal schedule.
3. Sleep on the plane: Sleep about 2:45 AM–6:30 AM destination time.
4. Time your light: Day 2: get bright light 4:30 PM–9:00 PM. The windows move later each day; follow the daily plan.
5. Bedtime on local time: Adults around 10:45 PM on night 1, reaching 10:30 PM by day 6. Wake at a fixed time even after a bad night.
6. Short, early naps: Adults/older kids ≤ 20–30 min; little ones keep naps but on local time, ending by ~4 PM.
7. Melatonin (optional): Usually not needed westward; adults 0.5 mg only for early-morning waking.
8. Meals, caffeine, movement: Eat on local time, hydrate, skip alcohol, adults caffeine mornings only, outdoor activity in the light windows.

What's different about Los Angeles → Bali?

• Flying west is the easier direction. Expect early wake-ups (4–5 AM) the first mornings; keep lights dim and treat it as night until the planned wake time.
• You cross the International Date Line, so you land a calendar day later than the clock math suggests. Plan dates carefully; your body only feels a 9-hour shift.
• Bali does not use daylight saving time, so the gap is 15 or 16 hours depending on whether Los Angeles is on daylight time (mid-March to early November).
• At roughly 19h 25m of travel, this is a long-haul day. Pack two "sleep kits" (pajama layer, eye mask, lovey) and plan meals on Bali time.
• On a typical 11:00 AM departure, the flight overlaps night in Bali. Aim for sleep from about 2:45 AM to 6:30 AM local time, then land ready for a full day.
• Bali is near the tropics, so daylight is strong and roughly 6 AM to 6–7 PM year-round. Sunglasses and shade are easy tools when the plan says to avoid light.

What should each age do?

• Babies & toddlers (0–3): keep naps on Bali clock time and end the last nap by about 4 PM. No melatonin.
• Kids 4–8: one nap of up to 45 minutes before 2 PM on arrival day only if needed, then outdoor play in the light windows.
• Tweens & teens: naps of 20–30 minutes max, devices off an hour before bed.
• Adults: melatonin usually isn't needed going west; caffeine is fine until mid-afternoon to make it to local bedtime.

Guides by age

• Jet lag with a baby: naps, feeds and daylight
• Jet lag with a toddler: early wakes and nap caps
• Jet lag with kids 4–8: outdoor play and bedtime routines
• Jet lag with teens: morning light and phones
• Flying west with kids

What about the trip home?

Coming home to Los Angeles is a 9 hours eastward shift (usually harder): plan about 9 days to readjust. How to handle jet lag on the way home.

Related routes

• Los Angeles → London
• Los Angeles → Paris
• Los Angeles → Rome
• Los Angeles → Tokyo

Open the calculator with this route

Not medical advice. General sleep and travel guidance based on published circadian research. Ask your doctor or pediatrician about melatonin or other supplements, pregnancy, medications or health conditions. Never give melatonin to babies or toddlers.