When it comes to family holidays we think the key to success is to understand what type of holiday would constitute your dream trip. This is going to depend on what stage your family is at right now, what the motivation for your next adventure is and what is sure to get everyone excited.
To aid and inspire you we've identified four holiday types we think every family will be able to relate to. Click through to reveal one of many suggested locations for each one.
Once your children reach school age you might feel ready to reignite your wanderlust and Asia is a brilliant continent in which to begin. The whole family can experience a new culture and, if the holiday is well-planned around a relaxed itinerary, no-one need feel overwhelmed. The key is to find the perfect base from which you can explore as much or as little as you like, somewhere wonderfully exotic yet very safe and child-friendly at the same time!
It’s great to broaden our children’s horizons by showing them another way of life and if it’s packaged in an engaging and entertaining way then everyone will be happy. At this age, it's not always predictable what will generate the most excitement but it's often not the 'big-ticket' items, so you shouldn’t feel that you have to rush round all the major sights. Balance your adventures with some R&R - something that will refresh the parents as well as the kids of course - and everyone will go home wanting more.
As kids become teens they're usually ready to take on a more adventurous journey with a variety of immersive experiences, especially if you engage them in the planning from the start. After all that classroom learning it's great to get them out into the real world and they're at the age when their perspective on the new, the different and even the challenging can be quite enlightening to us parents! They'll thank you if you let them flop on a sun lounger every now and again, but this is still a great time for a family to embrace the opportunities that travel offers to step out of your comfort zone once in a while.
Do you dream of convincing your children that real life is more interesting than screens? Perhaps you (all) feel the need for reward and restoration after the stress of exams? Maybe your not-so-children aren’t even sure it’s cool to travel with you anymore? What better way to bring the whole family together than to follow a wild orangutan on its journey through the forest, spend a few days living with a remote tribal community and float down a river decorated with fireflies? This is a holiday guaranteed to instil a sense of wonder and curiosity in everyone.
It's in the detail
A holiday is a chance to rest and recuperate, but also have fun, engage with a new culture and savour moments together you’d only dreamed of. You need time for adventure - heading out on safari, cycling around ancient temples, or learning to surf - as well as time for special meals, chilling by the pool and squeezing side-by-side into hammocks. We know that your downtime together is as important as the action - and we’re committed to getting the balance right.
Whether it’s seeing your first elephant or sleeping under the stars, tracking a leopard or watching a thousand fruit bats fly through the evening sky, we’ve got a back-to-nature experience to suit every family. Getting out of your natural habitat, so to speak, is a guaranteed bonding experience, and you’re bound to find out something new about each other. One of our travellers was shocked to find her teenage son rising at 5am for an early morning bird-watching walk, completely of his own accord...
When it comes to family travel, we never underestimate the value of a great pool. The right room set-up is also key: whether it’s interconnecting doors or separate cottages, we’ve got ideas to keep everybody happy. And a truly special ‘destination’ hotel that’s exciting for the kids and magical for you, be it in the midst of the Bornean jungle or the deserts of Rajasthan, will be an experience in itself. We spend time getting to know what will work for every member of your family; nothing beats hunting down your perfect place.
Our holidays are privately guided by the best in the business. Guides who keep everyone engaged and happy; who can get even the stubbornest iPhone addict enthused. Guides who feel like a local friend, showing you the hidden secrets, best restaurants and places to shop. Someone on hand to help when you need it, yet knows when you'd like your own space too. In short, someone who just gets it.
Every family has its own rhythm. You might like to be on the go the whole time, making the most out of every minute, with as much variety as possible. Or you might think that sounds awfully overwhelming; you’d rather slow it down, immerse yourself in the micro-moments. We truly believe that getting the rhythm right will make the difference between a 'holiday' and a 'struggle' - and that’s why each of our holidays is designed from scratch to suit your family’s personal pace.
Our holidays celebrate the benefits of tourism: cultural exchange, support for local communities and environmental protection. Every one of our experiences has been carefully vetted - both to make sure it’s fun, but also to ensure it is responsible and sustainable. We want our travellers to feel as though their presence has had a positive impact on the destination, even in the smallest of ways.
Asia is magical in its own right, but we like to seek out experiences that resonate with every member of your family; to facilitate the moment they’ll remember forever. If everyone hasn’t said “Wow” at least once on your holiday, then we have missed the mark.
Our families come home with stories to tell, not just photos to show. It might be the moment you lock eyes with a wild orangutan, eat at a community restaurant, or simply share a joke with your guide. Actively taking part in the holiday and coming home with a connection to the people and places you visited: we think that’s what takes your experience to another level.
We often say that magic happens when you push your comfort zone, wherever your comfort zone may be. It could be eating Pho from a street food stall in Hanoi, or reaching the top of Mount Kinabalu. This isn’t always about extreme adventure; this is about stepping away from your everyday.
Learning how to make summer rolls, how to hit a bullseye in archery, how much work goes into every single cup of tea… Our holidays are about living and experiencing completely different ways of life. Taking some time away from our screens to broaden our horizons, and explore sights, sounds and smells you didn’t know existed.
Your holiday could include all of this, and so much more.
We want to take the hassle out of family holidays, smoothing the way so you are free to enjoy and immerse yourself as much as the kids. And that includes the trip planning stage too.
Curious? Simply click the button below and ask us to call you. Conversations about holiday time are always fun and, once we know what makes you tick, we’re confident we can create an inspiring itinerary that checks all your family's boxes.