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).

Habibi, you're accustomed to it though so it will appear to be cooler (no offence meant in the least, I lived in Bahrain and Dubai till I was 18 and remember putting jumpers on in weather I'd now find pretty tropical!) Muscat is a great place - weather wise in June it is going to be harder going, especially as the majority of things you'd want to do there involve being outside. Maldives is a great suggestion but going in the other direction, how about Canada and renting a cottage somewhere in Ontario?. And as for Ibiza all inclusive, surely it's horses for courses? I'm sure I'm not the only one who's had eyebrows raised at them for taking their kids on long haul multi centre trips as being un child centered & a bit selfish - last summer I was told that 'AI and short haul are really what's best for children'. Couldn't disagree personally more but surely each to their own and live and let live (and various other cliches?!)

Thanks all!

I'd very happily take DD to Ibiza - one of our best ever holidays was there. But we were thinking of somewhere a bit more "once in a lifetime". Lanzarote is a great suggestion, but we go there quite often as we love it so much!

I hadn't thought about going East being slightly easier than West in terms of shifting the sleep patterns. We have been to the Maldives a few years ago and loved it. It certainly could fit the bill. Just checked and it is four hours ahead at this time of year, so perhaps not quite so bad for sleep patterns. Seychelles is only three hours, so could also work well?!

I would love to go to the Caribbean, not been for a few years now, but I think going in the opposite direction will be more problematic, so might have to wait until DD is a bit older and can cope better with jet lag and shifting sleep patterns.

So, any recommendations for four year old friendly places in the Maldives or Seychelles? Any good tour operators that do a package deal?

Thanks so much!

I’d avoid Ibiza; went two weeks ago and was offered every conceivable drug on playa den bossa within ten minutes of arrival. And the villa was broken into!

Mauritius is a 12 hour direct flight from London and not too hot at that time.

We took our 4 and 1 year olds and travelled with mauritiusholidaysdirect.co.uk

I used Kenwood travel. We've just done the Caribbean with our 21m old and no issues with jet lag, just an extra nap or 2 on days 1 and 2

Bermuda? Amazing beaches. 4 hour tin difference.

Cape Verde.

Amazing beaches, good AI resorts, 6 hour flight. Can’t remember the time difference (possibly 2 hours?) but I know it’s not a lot. Loads of diving and snorkelling and a good choice of islands with different terrain.

I wouldn't go long haul with a four year old. No point. They'll have a great time somewhere nearer like Spain or Portugal. Also worth saying they probably won't remember the holiday when they are grown up. Mine certainly can't. The once in a lifetime thing will be more memorable to them when older.

qwerty we took a child to Ibiza it was fine, mostly families with children of the same age, it's not all lively resorts.

Why not rent a house on Ibiza? You don’t have to stay in a resort.

I would look at Kenya. Virtually no time difference. Maldives is a bit smarter. What about Boston and then going on to Cape Cod? No snorkelling but lots of whales!

If you want good snorkelling you are a bit limited to where you go. Ibiza isn’t world class re snorkelling. You will presumably need child care if you are going to snorkel together!

Pick your coastline mycyprusinsider.com/cyprus-uncovered/the-insider-pick-great-spots-for-snorkelling-around-cyprus/. Plenty of decent AI options when you've decided where you want to be.

Oman is beautiful but way too hot June/July. I know because we lived there for quite a few years.
Fab for October half term though when it has cooled down a bit.

Another vote for Mauritius. We went late April a few years ago & the weather was great. We're also planning a biggish holiday next year for the same reason (as well as not having one this year) and Mauritius is the top of our list. We went as a couple last time but it did seem very family friendly. We'd do self catering as DD will only be 16 months so it will be easier. No jet lag and although it's an 11 hour flight it's a night flight so your DD should sleep for most of it.

South Africa is another option but you'd want to go a bit earlier in the year.

Your four year old won't appreciate the difference between Spain and the Maldives. I'd save it for when she's older.

Mauritius is ideal. Time difference is only a couple of hours, and the island is beautiful. Great snorkelling and diving, fab food, giant tortoises! Lots of very good resorts.

I’d be inclined to head east rather than west for long haul. I think you get far more bang for your buck in Mauritius/ Maldives etc than you would in the Caribbean.

I haven’t been to the Seychelles, they always seem really expensive.

Cape Town in April would be lovely. It’s dry and not too hot, plus the time difference isn’t much and it is cheap to eat out etc. But I found driving in SA to be a bit unpleasant, and the sea is freezing so not much good for snorkelling.

Having a big holiday is also for dh and I. I know DD may not remember it, but I've just had a massive promotion at work, and we promised to recognise it with a big holiday many years ago. So even though DD may not remember it, we will. I'd rather do it before she starts school so we can get it slightly cheaper during term time.

Bermuda is an interesting idea, I'll look into that.

We went to Cape Verde many years ago, before it becam a "destination" and loved it. Might be the right time to return?!

What about a cruise? If you go from Southampton then it stops at lots of ports so the time zones change gradually.
Or a fly cruise? We did Caribbean fly cruise with a 1 year old.
The kids facilities are superb, but there is still 5 star food and entertainment.
A different port most days.
My kids love sitting on a balcony and pulling into port each morning and seeing the different sights and port workers.
There is a fly cruise to Dubai that I’ve got my eye on!

I vote for Sardinia - we’ve been twice at the start of June. I’ve never seen better beaches in Europe and we stayed on the south coast - Chia.

South Africa? No jet lag, great booze, wildlife (and 4 yr old should be old enough to also enjoy), beaches, culture, scenery. Malaria free parks too

Oh sorry I see you want snorkelling etc - hmm Mauritius or Maldives for sure. Get an overnight flight miles easier with kids

Thanks all.

I think that Mauritius seems to fit the bill, so I'm starting to look into that. I am wondering whether going slightly earlier in the year might be better, more April/May time, rather than June/July?

Any advice on holidays in Mauritius?!

Kuramathi in the Maldives - if you visit The Food Medic blog she's doing a discount thing with Kuoni for trips to Maldives.
They have a good kids club there and food is amazing.

Lara Beach area of Antalya (Turkey) is nice - pretty much all AI hotels there.

I was in Mauritius this time two years ago. Weather generally lovely, 27 degrees. It'll probably be a bit warmer in April. Loads of resorts to choose from. We were in Belle Mare and loved it. Lots to do, swimming, snorkelling, many hotels have water sports, plus excursions (or just hiring a taxi) to Port Luis, the tea and rum plantations, and to see the giant tortoises. I'm still impressed I didn't try to bring a baby one home.