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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Does such a destination exist?

28 replies

LikeAKipper · 30/12/2023 18:19

Please help find our 2024 holiday destination...

  • All inclusive (ideally)
  • Ruins or jungles to visit...or other dramatic points of cultural interest
  • Less than 9 hour flight from London

Ideals would have been Mexico with ruins, or somewhere in Jamaica. But I am petrified of flying - 9 hours really is my upper limit (and yes I have tried meds / hypnosis / courses, the works!). Trying to build up each year to longer distances.

Can't find any all inclusives near Pompeii / in Peru that I wouldn't need to sell one of the kids to afford, which defeats the object really. Oh yes, suitable for teenage kids.

Hoping this rings a bell for somebody here! :)

OP posts:
BlackBean2023 · 30/12/2023 18:21

Athens?

huggyduggy54 · 30/12/2023 18:26

Malta?

reluctantbrit · 30/12/2023 18:28

Crete
Malta
Some areas in Turkey
Jordan (but not in Summer)

Muchtoomuchtodo · 30/12/2023 18:33

Pick some parts of this in Turkey and get AI hotels https://www.jet2holidays.com/turkey/antalya-area/discovery-tours-antalya/treasures-of-turkey

bookgirl1982 · 30/12/2023 18:35

Crete
Egypt
Turkey
Mauritius

witte · 30/12/2023 18:41

Mexico is literally it. I hope you can get there sometime soon x

stillthinking22 · 30/12/2023 18:44

Turkey 100%! The ruins in Patara are stunning and very untouristy. Not sure if you'd get all inclusive there as it's small but I'm sure you would in Kalkan which is a short drive. Patara also has the most incredible unspoilt beach and sand dunes. Tbh I would stay in a hotel in Patara and then enjoy all the lovely (and inexpensive) restaurants in the area rather than go AI which can get boring after a while.

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 30/12/2023 18:48

When are you looking to go ?

Athens is amazing but I don't think you will find any AI hotels.
crete ? No jungle but I believe there are pine forests; Knossos complex etc for ruins and plenty of things to do.
im not sure I'd want to go in summer though due to heat and chance of forest fires

NashvilleQueen · 30/12/2023 18:49

Costa Rica?

Favouritefruits · 30/12/2023 18:49

Tarragona in Spain has some of the best ruins I’ve ever seen! They were so much more than just ruins! Absolutely astonishing. Spain had lots of all inclusive so don’t think you’ll have a problem with finding a nice one.

compactopera · 30/12/2023 18:54

Europe is full of historical ruins? Do you have a particular type or era of ruins in mind?

Italy, Croatia, Albania, Greece all have lots of ancient ruins.

What do you want from a "jungle"?

There are rainforests (including waterfalls) in Norway, northern Spain, Bosnia...

Original poster
LikeAKipper · 30/12/2023 19:03

Thanks for suggestions so far! Costa Rica and Mauritius appeal but I think flight times over 10 hours?

We went to Malta which was wonderful, and have been to Greece.

I know, Mexico is my goal destination but I just need an in-between first to build up to that flight.

I hadn't really considered Turkey as didn't like Tunisia when I went and thought it might be a bit similar (found it a little scary tbh as a very blonde woman - kept getting stared at and pawed at by men in the markets etc even though I was very conservatively dressed).

Croatia looks gorgeous too - I've not seen any AIs there though?

OP posts:
Original poster
LikeAKipper · 30/12/2023 19:04

compactopera · 30/12/2023 18:54

Europe is full of historical ruins? Do you have a particular type or era of ruins in mind?

Italy, Croatia, Albania, Greece all have lots of ancient ruins.

What do you want from a "jungle"?

There are rainforests (including waterfalls) in Norway, northern Spain, Bosnia...

I just like browsing historical sites but esp love aztecs / incas / mayans etc

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 30/12/2023 19:09

Halkidiki. Warm, not too far, AI, short drive to all the sites of Northern Greece. When we went the flight was packed with families and kids.

Italy is lovely but doesn't really do AI.

backaftera2yearbreak · 30/12/2023 19:11

I used to work in Croatia. Sounds like the place for you. All inclusive does exist there, it’s not the norm though. Maybe look at a TUI holiday.

Wtafis · 30/12/2023 19:16

Crete
vost the Minoan ruins

HermioneWeasley · 30/12/2023 19:17

How about a Mediterranean or Greek islands cruise?

newmama311 · 30/12/2023 19:18

Kos, stay near paradise beach, lots of Ruins and wine tours natural springs etc to go to. Lots of lovely hotels

OdeToBarney · 30/12/2023 19:21

I've had flights to Jamaica of 9 hrs, if the wind is with you! It's a fabulous place OP and I hope you can get there one day 😊

compactopera · 30/12/2023 19:22

Is AI critical or for convenience?

Rome is pretty magnificent in terms of ruins (but not in height of summer). And you could do Pompeii as a day trip if you were based in Rome.

There's rock art in France and Iberia.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/874/

Croatia has Roman ruins and natural wonders (waterfalls etc).

Bosnia has UNESCO world heritage sites and amazing landscapes and outdoors activities.

Parts of Montenegro are like the Norwegian fjords but warmer.

Romania has fairytale castles. Bulgaria has Roman ruins.

Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula

The late prehistoric rock-art sites of the Mediterranean seaboard of the Iberian peninsula form an exceptionally large group. Here the way of life during a critical phase of human development is vividly and ...

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/874

compactopera · 30/12/2023 19:23

Parts of East Africa are probably within your flight time? I just googled and Rwanda is 8h30m direct. Ticks the rainforest box. You could go monkey tracking.

https://www.visitrwanda.com/interests/canopy-walkway/

https://www.visitrwanda.com/interests/primate-tracking/

Canopy Walkway – Visit Rwanda

Discover Rwanda

https://www.visitrwanda.com/interests/canopy-walkway

Alabasterbox · 30/12/2023 19:25

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
LikeAKipper · 30/12/2023 19:32

compactopera · 30/12/2023 19:23

Parts of East Africa are probably within your flight time? I just googled and Rwanda is 8h30m direct. Ticks the rainforest box. You could go monkey tracking.

https://www.visitrwanda.com/interests/canopy-walkway/

https://www.visitrwanda.com/interests/primate-tracking/

Would never have thought of Rwanda, that sounds amazing will definitely look thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
LikeAKipper · 30/12/2023 19:34

compactopera · 30/12/2023 19:22

Is AI critical or for convenience?

Rome is pretty magnificent in terms of ruins (but not in height of summer). And you could do Pompeii as a day trip if you were based in Rome.

There's rock art in France and Iberia.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/874/

Croatia has Roman ruins and natural wonders (waterfalls etc).

Bosnia has UNESCO world heritage sites and amazing landscapes and outdoors activities.

Parts of Montenegro are like the Norwegian fjords but warmer.

Romania has fairytale castles. Bulgaria has Roman ruins.

Romania is one of my favourite places in the whole world :) but we have a deal DH and I to never visit somewhere more than once as life's too short and too many places to see!

AI is not an absolute deal breaker we just really like it and I get v worried about how much £ we are wracking up otherwise so it's nice just to have everything covered and know we can splash out any "extras" on special excursions.

OP posts:
Gymmum82 · 30/12/2023 19:34

Egypt or Turkey. Ephesus was fantastic and loads of AI hotels