Travelling with 0 – 5 year olds

Your little ones will have a ball on our holidays recommended for 0-5 year olds. You will always find a kids club on these holidays, open every day with trained staff, allowing grown ups to enjoy a couple of hours of ‘me’ time.

Our top recommendations for travelling with infants and small children include, pre-ordering children meals from the airlines. They are more likely to enjoy the food and they will be served first. If you are travelling with an infant, we will request a bassinet seat. If you are on a city break, book a centrally located hotel, so you can easily return to your room for naptime (and grown up downtime). Consider getting a hotel room with a kitchen, a self-catering apartment or a villa so you can easily prepare your toddler’s favourite food. Bear in mind that toddlers have short attention spans. Don’t plan anything too long during your travels; keep things short, light and fun. To avoid tantrums and over tired toddlers remember that routine is a key factor. Stick as closely to your home routine as much as possible when travelling. Keep bed- and naptimes the same and let your child bring favourite toys.

Travelling with 6 – 11 year olds

Travelling with school-aged children can be very rewarding; here are some of our recommendations for this age group:

Plan a holiday at a slower pace than you might usually attempt. Stick to just one attraction per day and keep a few days free and unplanned. You’ll either discover something you all want to do closer to the day, or you’ll relish the chance to simply do nothing at all. Self catering, apartment and villa style accommodation are not only cost effective but also allows you the freedom to come and go as you please and cook your own meals in your own time. Use any babysitting facilities at your hotel from time to time so you can have a break – remember this is your holiday too! Try to choose evening flights when travelling long-haul, this will help the children sleep on the flight and adapt to the new time zones easier. Most of our preferred airline partners offer in-seat television screens, which will help keep your children occupied, our consultants will be able to recommend the best airline for you and the family.

Travelling with 12 – 16 year olds

Teenagers can make excellent travel companions. They are generally fit, can be flexible with meals and don’t need a babysitter. Follow our recommendations for travelling with teenagers and you will be well on your way to having a happy family getaway. Engage your teens in the planning stages of the holiday; they will feel more involved and you will start your holiday on the right foot. In resort, why not take it in turn to plan the day’s activities.

Choose a holiday which is full of variety, freedom and plenty of activities with the chance to meet other teenagers. Cruising, all-inclusive holidays and adventure trips will appeal to this age group. Bear in mind that getting up early won’t be top of their agenda! Give your teenagers some responsibility. Respect the fact that they approaching adulthood and give them local currency so that they can take responsibility for their own spending. Inevitably not everyone will agree on every activity. Consider tandem-teaming on a couple of attractions (dad takes one child, mum takes the other somewhere else)…it will give you lots to talk about that night.

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Asia for Families

South East Asia is a magical part of the world, where you will be enchanted by the beautiful landscapes, ancient traditions and friendly locals.

Thailand never disappoints the family who wants is all. Few countries in the world can boast as much natural beauty, inviting culture, distinctive cuisine and preserved history. We have selected two holidays promoting the best Thailand has to offer; families who want to be pampered will enjoy a stay at a luxury Phuket resort. If your children are a little older why not take them on a Thai adventure, discovering the chaotic capital, charming north and finish up exploring idyllic beaches in the south.

If your idea of heaven is fine beaches combined with luxury hotels and a fine cuisine, the Malaysian Island of Langkawi is a popular choice. Borneo is a definite eco-tourism destination, where you can witness turtles laying eggs or play with an orphaned orang-utan at Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre.

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Reasons to visit Australia with the Family

Safe and Easy
It is safe and easy to get around Australia. Traffic is light and driving is the same in the UK, on the left. Limit your holiday to just a few destinations and fly internally – it is cheap and quick.

Unique animal encounters
Australia offers the opportunity to come up close to animals that you have never seen before, both in and out of the water. You are more than likely to spot kangaroos and wallabies in the wild but many Australian wildlife parks offer great interactive experience too.

Coastal Lifestyle
The beach is an integral part of the Aussie laidback lifestyle. Your family can do as much or as little as you like, try your hand at surfing, join a game of beach cricket and kick back with a BBQ.

Aboriginal Culture
Teach your children about the world’s most ancient living culture in a relaxed holiday environment. Aboriginal experiences are many and varied – from sharing bush tucker to Dreamtime story-telling.

Active Adventures
Aussies love getting stuck into the great outdoors. From zip-wiring through the rainforest to snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef, from Outback bush camping to learning how to surf, there’s something to suit all ages.

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Exciting New Zealand Adventures

Smouldering geothermal regions
Peer into brightly coloured bubbling pools in Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland in Rotorua. Erupting throughout the day and shooting up to 30 metres high, marvel at Pohutu Geyser in Whakarewarewa thermal reserve, Rotorua.

Glow Worm caves
Cruise through underground caverns illuminated by glow worms in Waitomo Caves, a spectacular sight. If your kids are older, or if you fancy an adventure, go cave tubing, abseiling and climbing through the worm lit underworld universe.

Glacier Hiking
Hike on the creaking glaciers of Fox and Franz Josef. Experience the glaciers up close from a viewing platform, an easy 10 minute walk from the townships following a path suitable for childern and buggies. For an exhilirating experience, fly over the glaciers in a helicopter and land on top of the glacier (childern all all ages allowed).

Thrills and Adventures
Name any adventure acticity and you can be pretty certain that you can experience it in Queenstown. Bungy jump in the morning and sky dive in the afternoon. Learn to ski (Jul - Aug), go river rafting, jet boating or for a more mellow experience, kayak down Glenorchy river.

Beach Fun
There are plenty of gorgeous and uncrowded beaches for your family to play on. Visit Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula and dig your own spa pool from the hot spring waters. The best time to visit New Zealand to enjoy the beaches is December to February.

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Africa and Indian Ocean for Families

Africa and the Indian Ocean offer the perfect combination for an incredible family holiday. Top quality service, fantastic weather and a great range of activities are a pre-requisite for any family holiday, and this region has more than it's fair share.

The African people have a love for children and this is seen and felt everywhere you go. One of the great benefits of holidaying in Africa is that the majority of flights are overnight and with a marginal time difference, there is unlikely to be any disruption to you and your family’s regular routine. You arrive fresh and ready to go, wasting no time on acclimatisation allowing you to make the most of your holiday.

Throughout Africa there are amazing experiences to be had, fantastic tales to be told and great memories to take home with you. Africa provides you with once in a life time experiences that are so much stronger when shared with your family, The Pyramids, The Serengeti, Elephants, Lions and Leopards. These are incredible images and witnessing them first hand will rank up there as some of your greatest experiences, and how great to share these with your children. After all the excitement the beautiful beaches and family friendly resorts of the Indian Ocean are just what you need to unwind, relax and absorb the African experience. The resorts of Mauritius are known as a great add-on to any African holiday for couples and families alike, but Mozambique, The Seychelles and even the Maldives offer incredible family products. If you only visit 2 continents, visit Africa twice!

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Reasons to visit Africa with the family

Just a sleep away
The vast majority of flights to South Africa travel overnight allowing you and your family a good night's sleep before starting your adventure.

Incredible unique experiences
Africa is home to without doubt the greatest Animal experiences available on the planet. Trek with Gorillas , swim with sharks and walk with the Lions. This is only possible in Africa.

African Culture
Africa's culture is rich and varied - from the proud Masai people of Northern Tanzania to South Africa's Zulu Tribesman, traditional rituals play an important role in African identity.

Fantastic Value
Renowned for its legendary hospitality the quality and price of the food and wine will make you want to come back time and time again.

The Weather
For a sunny, warm holiday in South Africa, the months between October and May are best, but the ‘winter’ months (June – August) are still bright and warm, with cooler evenings. This is the best time to take advantage of some great value deals on offer.

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