Longhaul in school summer hols?

[glitterysparklesandthings]

We've been on so many European holidays we would love to go somewhere different this summer with our 6 year old.

We love sunshine and lots to see and do. Any recommendations please?

Canada - Vancouver, whistler and Victoria
California
A lot of SE Asia is wet in July and August, but the following areas are dry:
Malaysian Borneo
Central Vietnam - Hue and Hoi An - Hanoi can also be pretty good then, but expect some rain. Plenty to do on wet days - water puppet theatre, museums etc
Luang Prabang in Laos - combine with Vietnam
Singapore - pretty much the same all year round weather wise - your son might enjoy zoo and universal studios
Bali and Java
Australia - Northern part of WA
Hong Kong - pretty hot and humid and it will rain some of the time, but easy to combine with another place in SE Asia and your son may enjoy Disney and Ocean Park
Bangkok also easy to combine with any of the above - also hot and humid though.
Phuket - not dry season, but you may get lucky with the weather. We went several years ago and only two days out of 14 with rain.
Have done all of the above with my kids in summer holidays.

It's winter in the Southern Hemisphere, but South Africa can be lovely at that time of year. If you go to a game farm in the north, it will be cold at night but beautiful during the day and it can be amazing for the kids. Cape Town is in the middle of the drought so while you might not be able to lie on the beach, you'd be surprised how lovely it is.

I'd also consider the Caribbean or Mexico (Although would have to check specific weather). I've always wanted to go to Mexico and would love to go diving there.

We have been to the BVIs in the Caribbean in July and it’s been fine. Ditto Barbados. BVIs are better though!

Peru is somewhere you might consider on a family adventure holiday and my DDs liked Alaska. They also liked Boston and Cape Cod and we did a safari when they were 10 and 8 in Kenya. Summer holidays is a good time to go but it’s high season. It would be better value going to South Africa. No one really knows if there will still be a drought next summer.

With a 6 year old I would avoid very long haul such as Australia, but Boston is only 6.5 hours so very different. The coastal towns and beaches of Cape Cod are lovely.