Has anyone been on a longhaul trip/bit of a 'different' holiday with children and regretted it? I've got this urge.....

[CroissantNeuf]

We've always done very 'safe' holidays especially since having children.

By 'safe' I mean the likes of France, Canaries, Portugal etc where we can get by with the languages we know, where English is also widely spoken, where I can always find something Veggie to eat, where there's not a shortage of hot water/comfortable beds and all the basics that you become accustomed to etc. On the other hand we don't tend to do hotels, all-inclusive or stay in very English touristy areas if we can help it.

Anyway, I've got this urge to be a bit more adventurous.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about taking the family trekking through the Amazonian rain forests but going somewhere that isn't mainstream Europe and is a bit different. Trouble is I have no idea where.

Can anyone recommend anywhere? Or has anyone done this and loved it (or regretted it)? What are the pitfalls?

Have I got a rose-tinted view of things but will find the reality is whinging children, me and DP arguing ??

Croissant, I have this urge too.
How old are your children?
Ours are 7 and 9, and this year I really, really wanted to go to either Vietnam or Malaysia. We'd have gone if we could have gone with other friends, but we are free at a time when other friends aren't.

Have you seen this website for inspiration? www.audleytravel.com/Holiday-Types/Family-Holidays.aspx
Places I'd go to with children in tow: Canada (easy), Vietnam, Malaysia, Brazil (though I feel a bit apprehensive about safety there), Namibia.

Maybe, to start with you could try some least known places in Europe?
Islands hopping in Greece (not the usual islands)?
Driving through Northern Spain (superb)?
Driving tour of Sardinia?

What about Morocco?

Neilson Adventure holidays have a good range -but they are pricey.

We did the African Safari thing last year and our DC were 15 & 20. I would not have wanted an under 12 to go - partly for all the meds needed, but also they would not really appreciate or have the stamina for the really long days.

Sri Lanka is supposed to be brilliant - I have a colleague with family there and she raves about the holidays available there. We nearly booked the Virgin Adventure there, but safari won for us.

It depends how old, and how resilient, your children are.

Our most recent trip was to Morocco, and we got on absolutely fine with the practicals, but I'm sorry to say that the whole experience was ruined by adolescent dd1 and her hormonal strops. We could just about have managed if we'd been on our own, but as it was a group holiday it was all played out in public, and she was so rude to the other children on the trip (she was the oldest), as well as snapping at us every time we looked at her, that it soured everything. We came across as that miserable, bickering, car-crash family (we really aren't!). I was mortified and so disappointed - it was meant to be a joint 40th birthday/10th anniversary/honeymoon for us (as we had to cancel a similar trip because I was ill while pg with dd1). So we had loads invested in it emotionally as well as financially.

I'm sure there'll be loads of families with better experiences , but personally I've decided to save our money if we ever get any more for child-free holidays in the future .

I'm from a family of red-heads (which to be clear is a wonderful thing )so family summer holidays were usually camping somewhere that didn't get too hot - Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Holland etc. We also did France and Germany too.

Not particularly adventurous but might be a good place to start. Lots of Eastern Europe that was behind the iron curtain when I was growing up is easily accessible now too. We always had great holidays - lots of happy memories.

We also did a fly drive to the Canadian Rockies and west coast which was pretty awesome too. I reckon Canada/States generally would be relatively easy. Australia and New Zealand too if you can cope with the long flight.

aah yes, I meant to put the DCs ages in the OP.

DD is 12 (so your mention of hormonal strops TheDog is one of my fears, although DD tends to do the long, drawn-out, sullen, moody strops with the occasional full-blown wobbly as the grand finale!! ) and DS is 7.

Strange that Morocco, Malaysia and Vietnam get mentions as those are the sort of places that really appeal but I wonder if the latter two are a bit too adventurous as a starting point?

I'll take a look at the link Franca and look up Nielson Milliways.

Yes I know exactly what you mean! I have yet to find the perfect family holiday with toddlers as everything just feels like normal childcare but slightly harder cos you are not at home . How old are your children? I took DS (2.5) and DD (1) to Malaysia recently and it totally scarred me. Plane was awful, jet lag horrendous and didn't even get to sunbathe or have a drink once (partly cos I didn't have DH with me to help) . Did love the warmth and amazing food though. Having said that I am contemplating a short family cycle tour in the UK this summer. I feel like it might end in disaster, I just can't seem to help myself.

When they are older I have India, trekking in Morocco and Cape Verde on my wish list. I'm saving now . Though family means I'm sure I'll be back to Malaysia too!

Oh sorry x post. I think Malaysia might suit you fine!

Canada would be a great option if you like the outdoors and wildlife. Hire one of those huge campervans & tour. Rockies or Vancouver & Vancouver Island.

If your DD needs a bit of civilisation consider mixing Algonquin national park, Niagara Falls & Toronto.

I know I couldn't have done it with toddlers!! Thats very silly brave of you MrsDobalina .

Actually, another thought is that if the language barriers aren't there then maybe that would take some pressure off..... so other than the obvious ie. US, Canada, Australia, NZ where else is English (or French) the main language?

I have itchy feet because I realise that now (being ours 9 and7) is the best time for travelling together, before they hit the teenage yrs, when they don't really want to spend much time with their parents!
Plus, I have to say that our children have always been portable, and are very curious etc.
I think that Malaysia is relatively easy. You can combine forests, Kuala Lumpur and fantastic beaches.

We are instead flying to Key West, then driving by the Gulf old Mexico, 2 nights in Orlando (just to see the Harry Potter wizarding world) and then 4 days in NYC. Hurrah!

gulf of mexico

They will speak English in Malaysia, I think.

Agree with Franca. At 9 and 7, I'd have taken ours anywhere - they were more resilient than toddlers, we had half a chance of peace now and again, but they were much more agreeable and less hormonal than a few years down the line. Perhaps they'll be better company again one day...

Another good trick is to travel with close friends with children more or less the same age as yours.
We always do this, when possible, and it makes for a much more relaxed holiday, imho. The children play together (you may even find the time to read!!!), it's gives you time to catch up with friends and also you feel "more secure", imho.

Is the US adventurous enough?

We took our two girls who were 10 & 12 at the time on a road trip. Bought flights, spent a week in Manhattan then rented a car with a sat nav and we were off. We had no fixed plans, on the first day I got out the map and saw a place called Mystic (of pizza fame) and said I'd like to visit a place called Mystic please.

We had the best trip ever. The sat nav was invaluable for finding nice places to eat off the beaten track and motels where we were unlikely to be murdered in our beds. We ended up touring The Catskill Mountains, Vermont and Pennsylvania. I recommend it!

WE drove around Canada (well, not all of it, but a bit of it) in a massive RV, stopping at loads of different campgrounds with an 8 year old, a 5 year old and a 10 month old and we had an ABSOLUTE BLAST. I'd do it again tomorrow.

Go for it! What are you worried about?

Took DS1 to India for 2 weeks when he was 3 and again for 3 months when he was 7. Kids are WAY more open minded and resilient than we sometimes take them for.

Hehe silly is exactly the word. I think sleep deprivation addled my brain. I spent a couple of holidays in Malaysia aged 6-15 (well I was born there too but that doesn't count!) and I have amazing memories. It's pretty much all English speaking and they are very child friendly but as franca said there's easy beaches, rainforest, temples, turtles laying eggs on the beach etc. Kind of like Vietnam lite. There are great deals in lovely hotels and the food is cheap and the best in the world (not biased or anything!)

Another RV vote here!

Last November toured south Florida in an RV was amazing, beautiful weather, keys are gorgeous, and there are lots of very non touristy places on the west coast (esp. Sanibel island) it was a massive adventure.

I think the thing to remember is that just because a country speaks your language does not make it any the less adventurous to travel around- US culture for example is very different to ours.

Should have said DD is 23 months

Happy adventures!!

Yucatan peninsula - there's Mayan ruins for Indiana Jones stylee adventuring, nature reserves with monkeys, crocodiles and parrots, and fabulous white beaches that you can string a hammock up on (and you can even buy the hammock in the local market.) For the more adventurous you can swim or even snorkel in sinkholes and underground caverns, and if you go in the summer you can help at the baby turtle sanctuary, releasing the babies back into the wild. And they do a damn fine margerita cocktail there too! I love the place. The area to the south of Cancun is best, near Tulum. From there you are close to Coba, Tulum, Xel-ha, and Si'an Kaan Biosphere. It wouldn't be out of the question to do a day trip to Chichen Itza too.

Alternatively, try Jordan. I went with my mum a few years ago and we hired a car and driver who also booked all of our accommodation. It was not expensive. Once there you have got the Dead Sea for floating in (and a spa hotel for you, perhaps at the end of your travels!) and Petra for real Indiana Jones exploring, the Red Sea for snorkelling, Wadi Rum for off-roading, camel trekking and camping with the Bedouin. There's also a lot of Roman ruins, Crusader castles and Old Testament religious historical sites. A fab place, and the people are so friendly.

My kids are a lot younger than yours, but in a couple of years I will definitely be taking them on this kind of holiday. Right now I am still scarred by our visit to the ice cream parlour last week in Italy!

senioroafdog that's exactly what we are planning to do in Florida, have you got other reccomendations for off the beaten track locations nr Sanibel?

And Mrsdobalina I am now even more convinced that I want to visit Malaysia!

I have done quite a lot of travelling with my children and we have loved it. We often do twin centre holidays which works well. I have taken my children to Cape Town, Egypt, Saint Lucia, L.A, Cuba, Pacific side of Mexico, Dominican Republic, Croatia, Spain and Greece many times, Rome, Pisa, Pompeii, Barcelona, Jamacia, France, Ireland, Wales, Portugal and Cyprus, Canaries and Bulgaria.
This Easter we are trying our most adventurous yet and spending 6 nights Rio de Janeiro before flying to Argentinia and spending 4 nights in a rain forest.
My biggest tip is to do lots of research and really think things through regarding flight timings, budget and activities once you are there.
I have also been on a couple of cruises and these work well as you get to see lots of places and still have the luxury of the ship.
I am a holidayholic and spend any spare cash on travelling rather than new cars etc.

Franca depending on your route from Key West to Gulf, this would be a great place to break your journey off Alligator Alley (that's a main dual carriageway across) www.billieswamp.com/