To not want to travel to Dom Rep or Mexico

[Betaday]

DH wants long haul guaranteed 26 degree plus holiday weather. I don't want 8 hour plus flight time with dd6 and dd nearly 2. Also not keen on going to the Dominican Republic or Mexico. AIBU? I'd be happy with Tenerife in April however DH will hate it if it's not hot

We have been going to Oman every year since having children. It's lovely in April and has always been great with kids. It's safe is Muscat town and lovely in the beach areas. Have been since eldest was 3 months old

Mexico is gorgeous, food, weather and locals out of this world! Been three times , twice with DCs! Most resorts have loads of activities for children as well!
Flight duration not great but if you stay there for around two weeks it's so much worth it !

Wow Artandco I think I've lost my sense of adventure since becoming a mum

Dh can only get a week off work AnotherTime. Will be heading to Oz at Christmas to see family for 3+ weeks.

It's great. Last year kids loved the turtle reserves, took desert trip, swam in sea, boat trips, lovely hotel, plus a bit of culture in Muscat before leaving. It's only 7 1/2 ish direct flights also which are good.

OP tbh I'd go even for 5 days, it's truly amazing! iPad videos are great for the flight x

I adore Mexico but wouldn't go with kids your age for a week.

So that flight time and jet lag time for just 7 days makes the decision IMO

Well theres no peppa pig world, but Lanzarote has a water park, two zoos, the volcano and camel rides, and lovely beaches. Friends have just come back from an AI there which was £300 each for the week and said the food was excellent, the weather was scorching, and they are going back as soon as they can.

I have gone there every year at least twice for the last 15 years and its perfect for a weeks break with pretty much guaranteed sunshine, decent food and a nice clean environment.

I love the DR. I wouldn't go with children though as it is really is a resort only place. I went for pure relaxation with my boyfriend.

I've never wanted to go to Mexico, even when we lived in California. Theres a travel warning for Americans, so I'd assume the warnings hold true for Brits. Nearer the US border isn't safe, but staying in a tourist area would be more safe.
No way I'd want to do long haul if I didn't have too. I hate flying, it's so boring. I get fidgety and want to move about.

Can I suggest Malta, shorter flight, guaranteed good weather with a breeze, tons to see & do whatever your interests The food is often Italian influenced, so pretty easy with DCs to feed. Stick to Meilheiya(sp) Bay Area though, as that's the only good beach area on the island, but it's a beautiful beach & shallow paddling in the sea too.

I love the DR - we've been there four times. Sadly the last trip wasn't brilliant - my husband did end up with food poisoning on that occasion (had to take him to hospital on our return)! Previous trips were lovely though. If you do go, remember to also factor in the transfer times from the airports (some hotels are two hours away, on top of the 9-10 hour flight time). I don't think I'd want to tackle it with young children though!

Also, be very careful going in March/April, as it coincides with the US spring break, and both Mexico and the DR are very popular with the spring break crowds! Not only is it likely to be busier and more expensive, but there's likely to be large groups of drunken students in some hotels (think of the American version of the Malaga crowds).

We went to Rhodes two years ago in April, which was amazing - weather was lovely (24-27 degrees), and loads to do (Rhodes old town, various archeological sites, went on a bike tour through olive groves and forests, etc) that was really easy to sort ourselves, rather than being dependant on expensive excursions. Sea was cold though, did miss that about the DR!

I agree with Doobigetta. It is perfectly ridiculous to say everyone who goes to the DR get food poisoning. I have just totted up the total number of weeks we have spent there in a variety of resorts both with the family and as a couple and it is 45, with no ill effects.

Not sure I would fancy taking a two year old on that long flight though. The six year old would be fine.

We went to Mexico when my son was 6mth old and it was lovely and far better experience (food and atmosphere) in my opinion than Tenerife (where we went the year after) and worth the extra flight. So much so we went again in December with a 2.5yr old and a 4mth old not once was I concerned about my children's safety

lionsledge assuming that OP would be travelling to the Caribbean coast of Mexico your post is just scaremongering. It says

Quintana Roo: Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya and Tulum are major cities/travel destinations in Quintana Roo - No advisory is in effect

Mexico is flipping enormous you can't compare London with the Shetland Isles and you can't compare Mexico City with playa del Carmen.

I live in Mexico City and love the country, but I wouldn't travel so far for a mere week. Personally it takes me a week to get over jetlag.

We have done the canaries a couple of times in April and it was lovely about 21-24 degrees. It went cooler quicker at night though.

Have to say that even 4 hours is a long flight with a two year old... i wouldn't go further having stepped off a 4 hour flight with ds aged two and vowed never to fly with him again

Yanbu. Parts of Mexico, including some tourist areas like Cancun have big drugs problems and drug related violence. I've been there and wouldn't return.

Dominican Republic has a reputation for hygiene issues ie food poisoning, I wouldn't go there and haven't been, maybe it's very nice though...

Canary Islands are a much safer bet I'd say, plus a shorter flight and hopefully no Zika virus.

I wouldn't fancy the flight. Tenerife was 25 degrees most days over Christmas, lovely temperature on the beach. We went to Puerto de Santiago- full of families and 60+ year olds, not a stag do in sight.

I agree with other posters in that Mexico is a long way for a week, but if you go with Thomson you get the Dreamliner which was a lovely plane, and I didn't mind the flights at all.
Mexico felt very safe as the people understand just how much of their economy is based on tourism. I think the violence mainly exists around the drug cartels, I saw no evidence of this in the yucatan area, we did several day trips and again it was fine.
The food was great, hotel fab, we swam with sea turtles, saw chichen itza and swam in cenotes (little lakes in caves), highly recommend it!

We went to Mexico last April with our children, then 3 and 1 years old. The flight didn't feel as bad as we were anticipating, considering it was an all day flight. Not easy for fidgety little ones. The arrival in Cancun was horrendous. It took us 3 hours to get out of the airport to the buses, so that, with the hour and a half bus trip, made for a very long day.

We stayed in playacar which is a massive gated complex of hotels. It wasn't our bag. For the money spent (7 grand!) and the distance travelled, we felt we could have been in a generic hotel closer to home. It was too hot for the kids so we couldn't do any trips and were stuck round the hotel pool. There was some pretty wildlife. But mostly a bit of a drinking holiday culture. We hate the all inclusive environment though, but had to go for a wedding. If we hadn't had kids I dare say we would have found some more exciting, authentic things to do. But to sit round the pool in a big, busy hotel, I'd say save your money and go to Europe!

I also resented having to give the kids holiday jabs, to which they responded terribly. We had horrific gingevostomatitis after those jabs! They were still battling cold sores on the actual holiday 6 weeks later.

Our number 1 worst holiday! But worth a trip when you are young and backpacking, possibly.

And if your Dh wants guaranteed heat then it's got to be the Caribbean (or Africa or Middle East, but they really aren't safe!)

And yes, the Dreamliner was amazing. They gave us scones with jam and clotted cream! Highlight of the whole holiday!