Help us pick a destination - v picky criteria!

[myotheraccountsa]

Hi, appreciate this is being way too picky but just seeing if anyone sees this list and thinks they know just the place! Criteria =

• Max 6/7 hours flight from any London airport
• Must be a direct flight route for BA, Quantas or Emirates (I know this is mad but truly terrified flyer and these are the only ones I feel ok with)
• As exotic/ tropical as possible but safe!
• Lots of culture if possible. No "Little England Brits Abroad" vibe
• Good luxury all inclusive options
• Good weather in Aug, no likely hurricanes

Does such a place exist?

The Azores?

How old are the kids?
We were in Madeira for a week in January and we did 3 trips with Hit The Road Madeira. They have a fleet of 4 wheel drive Land Rover Discoveries which they use to go off the beaten track. Funchal has cable cars to get up to the top of the mountain and toboggans to get down again. There are lots of walks in the levadas. The island only has one small sandy beach (and it's black sand) so it's not a beach holiday resort. It's a beautiful place.

I forgot about this!

Trust me OP do not fly into Madeira. You'll never get on a plane again.

Jealous you have ten thousand pounds to spend on a holiday. No suggestions but have a lovely time.

We went to Canada last year, not tropical and flight a bit longer than you wanted bit it was amazing and lots to see

It’s worth looking into whether a private GP will prescribe diazepam for you. If you are able to show them on your NHS record that you have previously been prescribed this and only for flying (ie not repeat prescriptions for a month’s worth of medication), they may be happy to do this.

Agree with pp who said Cyrpus.

I’ve never been but hear only good things about Slovenia?

I’m petrified of flying but have been to Madeira. I don’t remember it being that bad (I have no memory at all of the landing so assume it must have been ok).

Where in Croatia do you want to visit? There are definitely some AI hotels there.

The Annabelle Hotel in Paphos Cyprus - 5 hours flight time BA direct , good AI , some culture , paphos is a tourist town though
otherwise Ikos resorts on various Greek islands or Elounda on Crete

We flew to Aruba from Amsterdam and it was 9.5 hours. Longer than your criteria but definitely not 12. It was absolutely beautiful, I’d thoroughly recommend.

I honestly think Bermuda is your best bet if you want exotic/tropical without an extended flight. Otherwise I think you have to consider the Emirates option to Dubai, and then overnight or 2 over nights in Dubai to rest and then brave the plane again, so you get somewhere like Mauritius, Maldives or Seychelles?

Not necessarily tropical but some suggestions that match some of your criteria!

• Some lovely hotels in Belek area of Turkey e.g. Cullinan Belek
• Rhodes or Crete. Nana Golden Beach, Creta Maris or Atrium Palace are all really nice AI options. Lots of exploring to do on both islands
• Malta is lovely. Have nice enough HB or AI options, lots of sightseeing although not all beaches are sandy but you can hire a car and drive to sandy ones
• Sani beach and Ikos hotels are fab. Might be worth having a look into them and seeing if they come in within budget as they’re not the cheapest
• Dubai will be sweltering. I love it there but even I wouldn’t like to go in August 🫠

Hope wherever you choose is lovely!

I mean Dubai in general is an option for somewhere like Atlantis The Palm, but obviously no culture at all around the area really. I think currently we're down to Bermuda, Antigua, Sicily...and maybe Madeira although that bumpy landing sounds terrifying!

We like hot hot hot by the way :)

Hilton Dalaman or TUI blue tropical Sarigerme or a bit further up to Dalyan. Lots of culture, near to turtle bay (actual huge turtles swimming by) mud baths and lovely beaches. It had a lush tropical feel to it.

Have friends that love Bermuda, it has a tropical climate, British but not Brits abroad IYSWIM. It’s tiny and in the middle of nowhere, and you’d be very unlucky to get hit with a storm.

BA fly to Sicily and you can do AI at the grand palladium Palermo. Love Sicily and while it’s not tropical it will be hot.

If Sicily in August isn't too hot for you then surely Taormina

Perhaps it depends on the winds?

The last time we basically flew lower and lower towards the ocean like we might crash and then last minute (felt like) banked right and flew low the rest of the way to the island. I am not a nervous flyer and I was terrified.

Grand Palladium looks a definite best bet for Sicily. Does anyone have any good hotel recommendations for Bermuda? The AI that looks really good bizarrely only has double beds and not sure my teens will want to share!

Grotto Bay Resort in Bermuda has rooms with 1 king bed or 2 doubles.

Yeah that's the one I like. But the teens would have to share a bed and they're not same sex so bit odd at their age, they wouldn't like it. That hotel doesn't do any single beds!

Wouldn’t you just book two rooms?