Aibu these are safe holiday destinations

[Thisisanewnamename]

Help me get some mental clarity Mnetters.

DH and I have 2 DC 3 and 9 months. Thinking of grabbing a cheap bit of winter sun in Nov, all inclusive 4/5*.

want it to be mid 20s at least to have lounge by pool/ beach and not do a lot else sort of hols. Basically 0 intention of leaving the hotel compound/ beach area somewhere that can’t be walked to.

talked to DM about you know as light convo and she balked at the destinations. Insisting they weren’t safe, hygiene would be poor, health care should anything happen would be insufficient and that it’s tantamount to neglect and me putting my selfish need/ want for a hols about my kids welfare, it’s just got me questioning myself.

looking at -
hurgurda in Egypt
looked at and dismissed Ayala and izmir as I think they aren’t that warm in nov
cape verde
dubai ( unlikely as seems pricey but maybe can find a deal)

shes being ridiculous right? Would you take your kids here? I just need to soundboard that these are perfectly legit places to take kids.

I’d love it! Love love love! Unfortunately out of our price range me thinks :(

I'd second (or third!) Oman, it's so child friendly, everybody dotes on kids and looks out for them. There's the Children's museum in Muscat. You can get day passes to most of the resorts so can stay in less touristy bits but still enjoy the facilities, which was fab for us.

Loved Cape Verde
Felt very safe at all times even with very blonde 16 year old DD in tow

i have super bad canary memories, hence why I didn’t really go back (family hols were always quite traumatic ) and the food in all the hotels was absolutely vile and they were AI hotels, it’s just left a bit of a meh taste esp when google was telling me the weather was low 20s…

what I really need is a euromillions win then l my problems would be solved haha

I’d never take my son to Egypt but would definitely consider Cape Verde and Dubai. Dubai is very safe

If you don’t mind - or can ignore - other issues, I’d say definitely Dubai, for more or less guaranteed properly warm weather, and safety. Haven’t actually holidayed there, just short visits from where we lived in Abu Dhabi and Oman.

I've been to the Canaries in December before now. Lanzarote will be warm and has great deals. Fuerteventura is lovely too.

Have you looked at Mexico? We have been to various resorts in December, Jan and Feb and gad perfect weather. The flight is a bit longer but it might tick your boxes. I found when we were booking for last winter that it was a fair bit cheaper than any of the Caribbean islands. We went to a riviera Maya this year and it was great with small kids - also we did need to get hospital treatment for one of the kids and the hospital and treatment was FAR better than anything you can get here on the NHS!

I’ve been to Cape Verde and we absolutely loved it, however I wouldn’t take little children there. We went to Boa Vista, the hotel we stayed at is being refurbished atm but is on the side of the island where the sea is “calmer”. Most days we’re still red flag days though so you couldn’t swim, that didn’t stop the utter dickheads trying and people got injured then moaned.

We didn’t stay in the hotel, we went out to the town and didn’t feel unsafe at all. You are hassled a little bit by the locals but they’re really poor so want you to buy what they’ve made/selling.

We didn’t need any vaccines to go. We didn’t get Ill either, my parents have been too, they were also fine. Our insurance cost a lot because I’ve pre existing medical conditions and was told I’d need to be airlifted to Gran Canaria should I become unwell but as I say I was fine.

I don’t understand your problem with all the hotels on all the Canary Islands tbh. We had a horrendous holiday in Lanzarote once, so much so we got a full refund and compensation, but we’re going back next weekend because we don’t think it can possibly be as bad as it was that week.

Fuerteventura is completely different to Gran Canaria and La Palma is simply stunning.

I'd do Cape Verde. Definite not Dubai. Enough stories of people who'd trod in some weed getting picked up and jailed until it was figured out. No thanks.

I went to Egypt a few years back 5* hotel in Marsa Alam, the hotel was lovely and spotless. The adults got dodgy tummies, not enough to stay in, the kids that were really fussy and only ate chips and bread mainly, were fine, the water park there was just right, not too big and busy and the Red Sea is amazing for snorkelling.
Canaries in comparison is awful, cockroaches everywhere, cheap feel about the place however that was years ago.

Just back from Hurgarda.

The hotel we were in had lots of babies and toddlers.

Western style hotels have links to Western style hospitals should you need them.

There's always a risk in travel, wherever you go in the world, including England. The risk is tiny if you're a sensible tourist.

Don't listen to the naysayer and decide where you want to go for a wonderful holiday.

Two things -

Do you believe everything Google tells you!?

Have you been on holiday with small children? They are the centre of everything. They won't just lie around a pool. They also won't appreciate culture or pass judgements (metaphorical and literal) on the coolness, or otherwise, of the destination. Most young children don't tolerate high temps all that well. Low to mid 20s ideal.

Sorry OP but your mum is right - their needs do come before yours to have an approved destination, somewhat exotic, higher risk holiday.

I don't think this is what you wanted to hear.

I had traumatic childhood holidays in London, Northumberland, and the Lake District but I have been since.

We go to Tenerife every couple of years in December as a cheap deal for my birthday normally, its always 25-28 it's lovely. We're going this year too.
I don't understand why you keep repeating google tells me when many people have said it is warm.

Ermm... Google tells me that average temperature is for day and night-time. The average daytime temperature is 24.8 in Gran Canaria, for example.

I don't like Tenerife as it has Vulcanic black sand. Much prefer white sand. Black sand doesn't feel the same and it's very windy so loads of waves.

We were in canaries in Dec and it was 26 degrees, its def warm in winter months.

22 degrees is not chilly lol

We went to tenerife in late October in 2019 and it was perfect weather. We spent most days by the pool or at the waterpark.

Why wouldn’t you take small kids?

ive stayed in about 7 hotels over the canaries maybe more on some 18/30s hols lol and they’ve all been comparable and I’d not enjoyed any, but I’m keeping an open mind as our options seem limited

To me that’s cardi and a coat weather, I exaggerate slightly but I’m always cold, definitely couldn’t pool it in 22

Yeah I’ve been on holiday with smalls but we did self catering (never again haha). They’re absolutely fine mid to high 20s it was like that in France when we went, we aren’t lazing sunbathing kinds (hard when you’re covered up haha) but both my kids are water babies and love a splash in a pool and a splash pad.

my mother could find fault in any destination though but is now suggesting hurgurda despite saying it was a bad idea, apparently she got that confused with sharm but I digress. She hates the canaries too, despite taking us as they are full of ‘chavs’ so basically everywhere is off the table except Disney

"Loved Cape Verde
Felt very safe at all times even with very blonde 16 year old DD in tow"

Strange comment for Cape Verde tbh. The safety issue with Cape Verde is that they have no hospitals, that also applies to very brunette 16 year olds.

Dubai will have beautiful weather and is so safe.

Explains rational as to why not keen on canaries, poor experience previously, thought weather might not be as warm as wanted and not likely to have many halal options