Anyone done a big trip with small kids?

[meladeso]

We're thinking of doing a proper adventure abroad with the kids next summer holidays.

Probably 5 weeks. They will be 7 and 3.5.

Thinking of south east Asia - Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand (DH has been so have some knowledge/know what to expect), and think am going to research South America (neither of us have been and do worry a bit that it's too unsafe?).
Other options we've talked about are northern Scandinavia / Iceland, or Africa (we know SA).

Don't want to do mainland /obvious Europe as whilst we'd love it (the adults) we'd like the kids to experience something more different to home.

Anyone ever done anything like this and share any suggestions/tips?

I would like to visit a few places, maybe one a week, but not more than that as the thought of constant travel with littles and suitcases makes me feel exhausted before we start.

TIA.

Kids are adaptable, but we resisted big trips until our youngest was 5. Mainly because they don’t have stamina and actually only want to have a swimming pool. However if you can adapt the amount you do to allow lots of pool action, I think they would be fine.

We’ve travelled round Cuba, Iceland, Canada. Going to Sri Lanka this Xmas and Namibia next Summer. We are planning on Vietnam, but youngest is starting to moan about the driving... and wants a pool! We may well end up on a cruise. Now 10 & 7 so see this as the start.

Oh wow they sound like great trips!
How was Iceland? We're hoping not to do masses of driving and stay still for maybe a week at a time.
We also talked about the pool issue.
And maybe mixing it up so they get a bit of down time and pool in between more exploring type stuff.

Iceland was amazing. The kids loved the waterfalls and the thermal pools. Also loved the quad bikes (the scenery was breathtaking), iceberg lagoon, the lava tubes, lava formations, the moss (!), museums, whale watching. They moaned like hell in the glacier caves as despite massive suits their feet were cold!

We stayed in apartments and drove and booked it ourselves. I took quite a lot of food with us and shopped for picnic stuff as eating out was expensive. Well worth going. X

We moved to China when dd was 2 and we have travelled a lot in South East Asia. Do make sure your children have all the necessary vaccinations. Weather can be a bit wet, depending on the area. The following areas are dry in July/August
Central Vietnam - but can be very, very hot - 40 degrees plus - Hoi An and Hue are two of my favourite places in Vietnam. Have also been to Hanoi in the summer and only had a couple of days with rain and plenty of museums if the weather is wet.
Malaysian Borneo - my children had a fab time in Sabah and Sarawak - dd was 5 at the time.
parts of Thailand
Java and Bali