Where to go for a "big" holiday with a 4 year old?

[TeamEponine]

I'm trying to plan for a "big" holiday next year, most likely end of June or early July. DD will start school next September, so we would like to do a big holiday before we are limited to school holidays.

Any suggestions? I'm rather concerned about the long flight and time difference for many of the destinations that immediately spring to mind, plus it is the rainy season in lots of nice places around then.

I'm trying to come up with somewhere that sounds something like...

• Flight not horrendously long and/or not too much time difference (DD isn't a great sleeper and finds it difficult to break her routine).
• Ideally not too hot (30+) and not too rainy.
• A gorgeous beach with snorkelling is pretty essential!
• Ideally AI, but certainly not self-catering.
• DH is risk averse since having DD, so places like Egypt might not be ok with him!
• Probably going for 10-14 days.
• Budget around £5-6k for three of us (me, DH and 4yo DD).

www.jet2holidays.com/balearics/ibiza/playa-den-bossa/grand-palladium-white-island-resort-and-spa?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnNvaBRCmARIsAOfZq-3DHSHBD4mxAB2oR6Mh2let7MZNvIaiE98YqEusYAvQ7arA7Kw6sXAaArS_EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Playa D'en Bossa in Ibiza. Reasonable flight times, very short transfer times, all inclusive, right on a lovely beach and I believe there is decent snorkelling.

I've just noticed this is in long haul, apologies if you wanted further afield, but this resort ticks all your boxes (which are the same as ours, we're going on a last big holiday before school there this September)

I’d go east not west. It means that without adjusting to time zones your dd will wake late and go to bed late which has always worked well for us (lie in, late breakfast and not too tired for restaurant dinner)

Maldives? Even in the “rainy” season (as long as you miss the changeover months between the monsoons) the weather is great and rain if any is short and often overnight. It’s our go to with kids as the sea is so safe (shallow lagoon, normally without waves) and they love the sea plane or boat to the island
Otherwise Sri Lanka/Seychelles? Or Thailand if you fancy going a few hours further afield.

We did Florida, cliched but super fun.

Maldives flight - if you go direct you can get a night flight on the way out which has always been easy for us - dinner in the airport and then the kids are worn out by the time the flight takes off and zonk out for the flight. Return flight during the day is broken up by a couple of meals and at 4 they’re old enough to watch films and play games

Seriously, don’t take a child to Ibiza

Oman - 3hr time difference, gorgeous hotels and food , spectuaclar scenery.
I've seen turtles snorkling out of Muscat.

www.shangri-la.com/mobile/muscat/barraljissahresort/

With a 4 year old, of course it’s perfectly doable, but wouldn’t any “big” holiday be lost on them? And it would probably be quite exhausting?

qwertyuiopy why on earth not??

Why not take a child to Ibiza??!

I think the concept of a “big” holiday is lost on a child but the hol isn’t just for the child’s benefit is it? We reason that as long as the journey isn’t too painful and the time zones work that long haul can suit us all as a family

Actually if you flew Oman Air you could fly through Muscat and have a 5 day stop over on route to the Maldives.
That would be fab.

Why not take a child to Ibiza? It’s great for families, you don’t have to take drugs and party all night We’re big fans of Greece but not great for snorkelling, if you want snorkelling without a long flight Egypt really is the best bet. Other than that for snorkelling you could look at Gozo or Cape Greco in Cyprus.

Habibi - Muscat Shanghai-La is my favorite ME hotel!

OP Muscat is beautiful and very safe and family friendly. Lots of snorkeling, you can take boat trips out and see turtles, dolphins......

Yes I also think I'd be inclined to go for more luxury/better childcare options if you are going for that, but closer to home.

Ibiza all inclusive?! No thank you!

I think people have really odd ideas about Ibiza it’s beautiful outside of San Antonio

Wow suggesting Ibiza has brought out sneery snobs! Its a gorgeous island, great beaches, and the hotel is a well reviewed 5 star resort

Caribbean? Heard good things about St James Club Morgan bay in St Lucia.
I stayed at Coconut Bay Resort which was fab but that is a big no for snorkelling. Not sure on weather that time of year though...
Seychelles was fantastic but very few (if any) AI so can be expensive due to the cost of importing goods. Not sure how good for kids but we stayed at the Constance Ephelia

My kids ds and I have always liked bed Ibiza, I don’t like hotels though and have always done delicious local cAfes for brunch and restaurants for evening.

Oman - 3hr time difference, gorgeous hotels and food , spectuaclar scenery.
I've seen turtles snorkling

At the time of year the OP wants to travel temps would be up to about 45.

Actually if you flew Oman Air you could fly through Muscat and have a 5 day stop over on route to the Maldives

There’s no Oman Air flight to the Maldives anymore so it would probably involve flying up to Dubai and going from there.

Sorry they resume in October.

Mine loved Lanzarote at that age, the constant wind made the heat very bearable. Flight is about 4 hours but no time difference.
We did self catering but ate out every day as it was very cheap and good quality.

Oophs didn't see the not over 30c.
I'm in the gulf and Muscat is cool for us.
That hotel is particularly good for heat though ,lots of pools,shade ,ac and breeze off the sea
I've stayed there in the summer.

Habibi, 46 years in Muscat and I can’t say I’ll ever find temps of 45 cool.