At the Association of Independent Travel Operators (Aito’s)
launch this month, I was struck by the number of companies taking family
travel seriously - by which I mean offering family-friendly holidays which
go beyond giving free Mars bars at the destination.
The trend towards the genuinely family-friendly holidays is percolating
through the travel industry, but you still need to look carefully at the
websites to see what is meant by ‘family friendly’. The advantage of AITO
members is that they tend to be small, hands-on companies which give good
service, although they can’t always match the prices of the big travel
companies.
Below is my list of favourite one-off adventure holidays that offer a genuine
family-friendly angle:
1. Regal
Diving (AITO member) has put time and effort into creating family
holidays which will have everything for water babies aged 8 and above.
Better still, it is offering cut price deals for holidays in their Egyptian
resort during the February half term, rather than jacking up their prices to
celebrate the school holidays.
The company takes a thoughtful angle on diving novices. Rather than taking the
normal black-and-white approach by catering for those who either have or
have not got their PADI
diving certificate, the company offers various courses to suit age groups
from eight.
Kids in this youngest group can start to learn about breathing underwater (£45
for a one- two hour course) although they can’t learn to dive until they are
ten. The one-day initial diving course, offered to anyone aged 10 or over,
costs £81. The five-day course costs £221. All this takes place at Movenpick
Resort & Spa with a special rate for February half term 8th &
15th February of £519 pp for seven nights B&B with transfers and
flights. Kids prices are from £359 ages 2 - 11.
One warning: I have visited Egypt in March and found it a little chilly.
2. Whale and dolphin watching seem to go down well with every age
group. In Oman, The Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa offers these
trips. Closer by the hotel, from now until June, turtles can sometimes be
seen laying eggs and even hatching. This is a massive resort with 6,000
square metres of swimming pool and a playgound on an Arabian Dhow boat. The
Little Turtles Kids Club can be found at the Al Waha or oasis section, and
all this can be accessed by Bushbaby
Travel which specialises in child-friendly holidays around the world.
Teens have their own club with activities like karaoke, and there is a
babysitting service. Price from £61pp B&B and excluding flights,
although children can sometimes stay free.
3. Working, rather than travelling, in a country can give a fantastic
insight into the place but this is difficult to achieve with children and
without much time. Different
Travel (not an AITO member) may have the answer. It arranges holidays
designed to let travellers volunteer for projects as diverse as helping in
schools and orphanages to rebuilding old people’s homes. It’s a great way
for a family to bond as well as getting to know other families from
different cultures. Two weeks in Sri Lanka costs from £1,395 including
flights.
4. Older teens might appreciate a trip with AITO member Bare Bones
Travel which specialises in archaeology. New for this year, and at half
term, their Athens tour focuses on the city’s ancient sites plus trips to
the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion and Delphi, where the gods hang out. This
trip hits some of the high spots of Classical Greece when there are no
crowds and less pollution. And this trip could be just in time the help
secondary school students with their exams in Classical Civilisation. A snip
at £995 pp sharing and including flights, specialist guides, and all tips.
The Bare Bones trip to
Pompeii, a visual and historical feast anyway, may appeal to a wider age
group partly because Dr Who will be landing there later this year…or rather
just before Vesuvius erupts.
5. AITO member Journey Latin America has long experience of creating
tailor-made trips for families in central and south America. Their nine-day
Costa Rica package is luscious, and I reckon most families with kids
over six would give their collective eye teeth to do the company’s Nature
Trail. This includes a zip ride over lush jungle, volcanoes, cloud forest,
canoe trips through mangrove swamps, waterfalls surrounded by hummingbirds,
white water rafting and white sand beaches. All this for £5,942 per family
of four sharing, excluding international flights.
6. Finally, Travel
Butlers has a round-up of lodges and safaris in southern Africa in
malaria-free areas for families with under 12. Most safari lodges don't
cater for under 12s, but Travel Butlers prides its on offering Big Game
drives especially designed for younger children where the kids don't need to
be quite so close to the animals. There is also childcare for those who
would rather leave their precious progeny at home.
I also have to say that another great idea is to take a family holiday where you spend some of your time volunteering and the rest just enjoying the sights as you would on a normal holiday. There are fantastic, non-profit tour agencies out there who do a marvellous job of putting together packages for individuals and families, such as the Tropical Adventures Foundation in Costa Rica (http://www.tropicaladventures.com) where you get to help out the local community or wildlife, while at the same time enjoying tours and exploring the country.
Jo, London,