TALKING TRAVEL: FAMILIES
I have travelled long-haul exploring with children for over 15 years. Before we go into destinations, I think the most important thing to remember in planning the holiday is to have something for everyone. But if the kids are happy – you will be happy. And the second most important thing is that you always need a pool. In fact, that’s the top rule.
The mistakes I made in the early days planning my family holidays:
Assuming that the sea would be a good substitution for a pool.
Refusing to stay in jumbo hotels with lots of facilities as they are not my style. The kids love them. Of course.
Introducing incredible activities at too young an age. South Africa Safari aged 5 incurred the daily question as we set out on a game drive, “how long is THIS journey?”
Thinking that my children would be interested in spending more than 10 minutes at a temple or cultural museum.
Trying to squeeze two older children on a sofa bed to save money. It saved a good amount of money but didn’t lead to a happy stay (for anyone).
Not having enough downtime at the end of a holiday to truly soak up your surroundings and feel utterly relaxed together as a family.
Best Family Destinations
From experience, the best family holidays are those that offer something fun, exciting, or wildlife focused mixed in with some downtime. So, it’s not so much where you go, as to what you plan to do there.
Take Vietnam as an example. The country has fascinating history & politics with the Vietnam War and communism mixed with some incredible scenic countryside and the food is delicious. Yawn – think the kids. Change the holiday to cycling around the Mekong delta, doing a scavenger hunt in the local markets in Hanoi, taking off your shoes and traipsing bare foot through paddy fields dressed in conical bamboo hats to learn rice planting, making and flying traditional kites and then ending up on a gorgeous beach – and wow! It’s the perfect destination creating incredible family memories. Easter is the best time to visit but if you stick to the South (Ho Chi Minh and the Mekong) and the Central coast (Hue, Hoi An & beach) then summer works perfectly.
This is what we’re brilliant at, turning a destination into a holiday that makes your whole family excited. So, if there’s somewhere that you have always wanted to visit but not sure whether it works for you as a family, then give one of our Holiday Designers a call on 01273 923 100.
And if Vietnam isn’t for you this time, here are some more ideas to get you pondering.
Costa Rica
This country is activity heaven! And everything is set-up incredibly well. Zip-lining through rainforest, white water rafting, canyoning, kayaking, learning to surf, treetop walkways. Add-in monkeys and sloths, tonnes of incredible natural space and beautiful beaches and, no wonder, Costa Rica is a favourite for families. A classic family itinerary tends to include watching nesting turtles in Tortuguero, zip-lining and white water rafting in the volcanic rainforest region and then hitting the beach. Take a look at our itinerary ideas for more inspiration.
Borneo
Offers a perfect mix of wildlife, activities and beach. Kayak to local villages, white water rafting (a choice of gentle or full-on which works well for all ages), go snorkelling. Wildlife is once in a lifetime stuff – orang-utans, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, Irrawaddy dolphins. Usually spotted on boat safaris. Treetop walkways in the rainforest add to the adventure. And the beaches are perfect for that end of holiday downtime. Our most popular Borneo Family Holiday tends to be a simple explore of the jungle followed by beach time perhaps with some white-water rafting, or some time in Kuching or Kuala Lumpur added in.
Sri Lanka
The variety of Sri Lanka ensures kids love it. Take a tuk-tuk tour, cycle to temples, climb rocks for incredible views with monkeys nearby, white-water raft, tour a village by ox-cart, pick tea, take a local train, spot elephants and leopards, learn to surf, zipline in the hills, take a family cookery lesson, tour a spice farm and milk a cow. And then you have your pick of beaches. Or add-on the Maldives! There are lots of different ways and routes to explore Sri Lanka so it is worth chatting through what you're looking for, the pace of the holiday you would prefer (3 stops versus 7!) and the budget you'd like to work towards. Our Sri Lanka family holiday ideas are a good starting point. Or just give us a call on 01273 923100.
South Africa
The wildlife is incredible – before you get to safari you have penguins, whales, meerkats, elephant feeding, monkey world, snorkelling with seals, ostriches and much more. There are tonnes of activities (kayaking, paddle-boarding, zip-lining, segway tours, cycling) and no need to pre-book so you have a lot of flexibility in deciding what you want to do together. Family accommodation options are really varied. From family rooms in smart boutique hotels, to brilliant luxury glamping options on the Garden Route, to apartments in the V&A. Every budget is covered. There are lots of options for South Africa family itineraries. The most popular Family Holidays are either a self-drive Cape & Garden Route ending with safari or Western Cape and Safari Family Holiday without the need to self-drive. My favourite non-malarial family safari spot is Madikwe. However, the Eastern Cape also offers a brilliant and relaxed safari experience well suited to all ages. Take a look at our South Africa Family Holiday Ideas or give us a call on 01273 923100 to chat through ideas.
Thailand
Thailand is perfect for families. A taste of Asia with a little more ease than some other destinations (Philippines!). Start in Bangkok exploring the maze of canals in a long-tail boat, wander golden temples, take a local tour by tuk-tuk, visit a puppet theatre and soak up the markets. Then head to Kanchanaburi for waterfalls, zip-lining, canoeing & rafting as well as learning more about the poignant history of the railway. Or to Chiang Mai for a stay with the hill tribes, jungle and elephant experiences. And then hit one of the many gorgeous beaches in the south for perfect end of holiday family time. Please email or call 01273 923100 to get some more ideas for a fabulous Thailand Family Holiday.
Where to go when
Easter: South Africa, Costa Rica, Borneo, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Namibia, Vic Falls, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Philippines, Galapagos, Peru
Summer: Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Borneo, Madagascar, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Vietnam (south & central), Indonesia, Peru, Costa Rica
Christmas: South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia, Costa Rica, Galapagos, Brazil
Having listed these, it’s worth noting that some countries have varied rainfall and temperatures across the country. For example, Costa Rica is rainy in the volcano region in summer but is clear and sunny by the beach in Guanacaste. We had a fantastic family summer holiday at this time of year.
Similarly, South Africa has cooler weather on the Garden Route in our summer but if you head on a safari in the malaria-free (& incredible) Madikwe, then you will have daytime temperatures in the mid-20s. Again, talk to us to get more information on whether a destination will work at a particular time of year.
We are really grateful (& LOVE) having lots of lovely repeat and word of mouth clients who ask us whether the destinations on our website are all we offer. The answer is that we should have a lot more destinations on show. We have staff who have travelled the length of Central and South America as well as Australia & New Zealand. And, with partners on the ground, we are able to design holidays to these destinations for anyone who asks.
Want to talk to a consultant about your next family holiday? Give us a call on 01273 923 100 or drop us an email on holidays@sundownerholidays.co.uk
