Choosing Between Egypt in August or India in November—Need Advice for Our Family Trip!

[flawless29]

We are planning a holiday—my partner, our 18-month-old son, and I. It will be our first trip since I was pregnant. I’ve gone through numerous brochures and read lots of online reviews. We’ve stumbled upon a fantastic deal in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt that looks incredible and has good reviews, all at a reasonable price. However, I’m a bit worried about the heat in August being too intense for my son. Additionally, I’ve read a few posts online about harassment towards women, which adds to my concerns. We’re torn between visiting Egypt in August or perhaps waiting to travel to India in November. Is India a far better for young family ? Could anyone share their experiences or advice on which might be a better option? Thanks in advance!

Neither. Egypt in August is cheap because it's too hot. India in any month will be a slog with your 18 month stressing about getting d and v.

Sad truth is child would be happy with the Isle of Wight. Or an AI in Tenerife with a kids pool.

Neither. I’ve been to Egypt and India on holiday pre-kids and also go frequently for work. I consider myself quite adventurous on the subject of travel, and I can’t think of a good reason to go to either country with a toddler unless you are a sucker for punishment.

You would be mad to travel to Egypt in August with an 18 month old.

You'll be too hot, get harassed and likely catch a tummy bug.

I know it might seem like an odd choice, but we’ve visited several destinations like the Canary Islands and various places in Europe. This time, however, we want something a bit more exotic, so we’re considering a holiday in Asia or perhaps Egypt.

In India, we are looking to explore parts of North India, including Delhi, Agra, and one other place.

Goa, yes no problems with 18 month old in November.
anywhere else in India no.

The time for adventure isn’t when you’ve got an 18 month old. Book a couple of weeks in September/October in the Med.

Sounds like Hell on Earth - why would you want to expose your little one to either of these so young? Stick to Europe or tge UK at that age.

India with an 18 month old is, much as I hate to say it, going to be a struggle. Getting around will likely be a challenge - unless things have changed wildly since I was last there, strollers are really not a feature of day to day life in most places, so getting around on foot will be hard. And dangerous tbh. You’d definitely want reins I think. And you would need to be prepared to accept road safety conditions that are very very different to what you are used to in the UK. Very very different! If your little one is still napping at that age, which I assume they will be, that might also present a challenge or at least restrict you in what you can plan to do. As someone else said, you could possibly do Goa or Kerala, but even getting to say Arambol or Kochin from the airports would put you up against the challenges I described above. India is a genuinely astonishingly fantastic place to visit, and is absolutely suitable for a family holiday. But imo, wait until your child is no longer napping, can reliably walk decent distances and follow instructions in traffic. And look carefully into the transport options so you can make an informed choice. (Just occurred to me - if your kid would happily spend a lot of time in one of those toddler backpack carriers, that could potentially be a solution). Definitely go to India, just wait a few years 💕

I’ve never been to Egypt so can’t comment on that, but Dh and I lived in India pre-dc. It wouldn’t be my choice of holiday with an 18 month old. An older child, yes. Ours are 11 and 6, and we’ll probably take them when youngest is a bit older.

There are lots of reasons why India can be a tricky place for a tourist, but on a really practical level, you are very likely to get ill. Most people get some degree of stomach upset within the first couple weeks of getting there. Even if you are in a resort. Or only eating in hotels. It would be horrendous with a toddler.

If you haven’t travelled much yet with your dd, I’d do something easy and closer to home. I’ve been to Spain and Italy for city breaks when mine were little and it was great. If you really much go further afield, I’d consider Sri Lanka. It’s a much easier place to travel.

Go to indonesia. Its very child friendly there. India its not good. I’m sorry but i cant stand the smell and its not very kids friendly. Egypt in august its too hot.

Agree with all the comments . Both have obvious negatives . Egypt I have been in August and it was insanely hot . The only place I have got sunstroke . Really would not take an 18month old or myself there again
India is another hard work choice. Only been to Kerala , incredible poverty and dubious food hygiene. I felt like I was playing food roulette with each meal. In saying that I would go back to India and we are planning to but keep putting it off partly I think because of the risk of getting sick but I think it looks an amazing country. Just maybe not with a 18 month old who will be putting everything in its mouth
i would look at somewhere like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia if you want an exotic but family friendly holiday

Neither with a toddler!

August heat in Egypt will be way too hot for him to be comfortable, so you'll be limited to air conditioned places and he'll be bored and cranky. Egypt is beautiful, but maybe best when he's older and not in August.

I haven't much experience of India, but people I know who have been there have often reported GI upsets, and those were adults with decent hand hygiene. Toddler D+V can ruin a holiday for everyone, especially if they get dehydrated, which can happen easily anyway in hot countries.

Both would be amazing experiences when he's older.

Any holiday with an 18month old will be awful. Same shit different location. Just accept it and go somewhere close and easy. Our holidays were to the grandparents houses at that age, then you can hand over the DC and get a break!

How about somewhere like Goa or Kerala? You could do cultural stuff but also find a nice hotel with a big pool for the toddler? Theres not a great deal to see in Delhi tbh, and the Taj Mahal will probably bore the life out of your toddler. Or, Sri Lanka? Again, there’s culture + beach/ hotel with pool. Google if these places have malaria though- I’m not sure.

I agree with everything that's being said. Morocco would be better than Eygpt. Both means constant harrasment, unless you are linking your partner. Do your research before you go so you both know how to handle things. November would be a good month. Goa would be fine, anywhere else not with an eighteen month old who would go down hill fast if struck down with gastroenteritis etc.

Casual observation but there seems to be a bit of stereotyping here with some uncomfortable undertones. Been to India twice, not had any stomach upsets or found anything dubious about the food hygiene. This was travelling around too . . . . I was there with a two year old and I would say it was child friendly. That said doing anything cultural with a toddler is probably more hassle than it's worth so I would wait until they are a bit older and they might appreciate it more - I mean that for anywhere, not being specific about India. If you wanted somewhere with some culture and nice beaches/ancient towns or ruins etc, maybe look at some of the Greek Islands (Crete/Rhodes etc) or Italy. Puglia has some lovely beaches and old towns too. That said, South Goa is gorgeous! Happy holidays OP and good luck with the research.

The main cities in India are really, really polluted in Nov/Dec due to Diwali (I think mid Nov). I wouldn’t go at that time of year. Also don’t think it is a relaxing choice with a baby.

I’ve been to Egypt in August and it was 50degs! I wouldn’t recommend taking such a young child there at that time of the year. How about Cyprus?

Go to the far east in November - maybe a Malaysian Island like Penang or Langkawi. Very child friendly and a more pleasant temperature than Egypt in August and easier to travel with a toddler than India. Or the Caribbean, Mexico?

Personally I wouldn’t do either with an 18 month old. Egypt will be unbearably hot with India not far behind. I haven’t visited personally but my parents visit Goa every year and keep going back to the same place as they love it

Definitely not Egypt in August. Way too hot. Are you planning to go to Sinai or more in land to visit cities and archeological sites? But even on the beach in August is totally unbearable.

I adore virtually every part of India I’ve ever been to, but have never taken my fussy-about-food child there. It just would have been an endless trial feeding him. I always take time to acclimatise, even in the days when I was coming from somewhere else hot and crowded. Friends who moved to Delhi for work say their two year old lived on almost nothing but naan and plain yoghurt for months.

I’m also puzzled as to why you’re contemplating two holidays at pretty much opposite poles of holidaying? Do you have any idea what either is like?

Goa or Kerala would be nice places for a family holiday. Agree with others about the stereotyping, never got any d&v when I was there. Food was great and there was different cuisines available, Italian appeared to be very popular amongst Indians. Worst case you eat dhal and chappatis.

OP, why do you think Sharm is going to be cheap in August? Because the heat will be unbearable. Also, it’s not far from Gaza - would you really feel comfortable sunbathing and helping yourself from the buffet, given what’s going on over the border? Nobody is going anywhere near there - that’s why it’s cheap!

You won’t get hassle from men in the hotels, but you won’t be going out of the hotel anyway unless it’s an organised tour because a) it will be about 40 degrees and b) it is desert and there’s nothing there except for all inclusive hotels. Hotels will have security scanners on entry.

The main trip people do there is in the evening when they go into the desert for star gazing, baking bread under the sand, camel riding. That’s about it, Not ideal with a baby,

When you say India - where in India?