Where to go for a real adventure with teens?

[Chocguzel]

We need an Easter destination for next year. Somewhere with lots to see and do that feels really different.

Places we have loved before include:

• Vietnam - the kids adored cycling around the Mekong Delta, a street food tour by Vespa in Saigon and kayaking in Halong Bay. Some parts were too touristy though (I’m looking at you Hoi An)
• Morocco - we hiked the Atlas Mountains, loved running down the sand dunes of the Sahara and enjoyed the chaos of Marrakech.
• Botswana - safari was a hit, especially searching for hippos my canoe, but there was more time in cars between safaris than the kids really wanted.
• Oman - again they loved the desert but also hiking to deserted swimming Wadis. They loved the old forts and market towns too.
• Silk Route - we camped in yurts in the mountains of Krygistan which was stunning and they loved the history and ancient sites of Samarkand plus the chaotic bazaars. Another highlight was meeting people on the old sleeper trains.

So where next? It has to be a good Easter destination ideally with a mix of outdoor adventure in nature and interesting towns/cities.

What time of year did you go? I’m so torn I whether Easter is a good time to travel there.

Hiking the South West coastal path around Cornwall. Show them the highlights of the British Isles. Coastering, surfing, hiking..

if you fancy cold and snowy what about northern Finland (Lapland) - at that time of year you could ski, do snowmobiles, husky rides, ice fishing, and if you're lucky, see the Northern Lights!

@Chocguzel My DD did a school trip to Iceland one Easter. It was cold and wet! We went mid September and had great weather mixed in with raging winds and snow. There’s a reason why the summer is prime visiting time! I would not go at Easter and expect to achieve your holiday goals.

Jordan for a week's holiday. If can travel for 2 weeks, Costa Rica or Borneo for an outdoors/nature holiday or Japan for more of a cultural trip.

A pp mentioned Alaska. I think this would be amazing too but probably better suited to a Summer holiday than Easter if that were possible.

Easter will be expensive in Japan as it’s likely to be cherry blossom season somewhere. However weather is great.

We did this a couple of years ago in Feb half term. It was utterly magical. We saw the northern lights every single night, we sledged the longest sledge run in Europe under the midday twighlight, we jumped in frozen ice lakes after saunas, fished in an ice hole, had husky pull us through a snowy forest. I should have listed it in my OP. To top it all off it was quite cheap or at least the flights and accommodation were cheap, the activities were more costly. I’d highly recommend.

Unfortunately Alaska is till the US so off the list until it’s less of a hostile environment for non US citizens. If we ever get back to that point I would love to go to Alaska.

I love idea of the Yucatan. Was it easy to get away from the huge US hotel resorts?

Lots of great ideas on this thread.

we did Iceland during an October half term. It was amazing and one of our best holidays ever, the kids loved it. But that’s do-able for a long weekend (unless you want to travel around the whole island) so I think I’d do something more long haul if I were you.

Yes - we did this. Got flights with Tui to Cancun and picked up a hire car. We went to Cozemel on the car ferry to a lovely resort, inland to Valladolid and and then back to the coast. I would head north if I did this again. At the beach we stayed in AI resorts and they were great - food amazing and amazing value so dont totally discount them. I tried to avoid any that were on the Tui site 😁.

But. and it it's a big but, you do need to have your scam radar well and truely on. Everytime we gased the car a scam was attempted and there was an edge going about of people trying to scam your particularly tourist sites. Teens loved the holiday as did we though especially the food! It was very good value overall.

@Chocguzel Not all Americans voted for Trump. Yes, Alaska would be better in the summer but you probably visit many countries with dubious governments but don’t think twice. Oman - absolute monarchy. Abolished slavery in 1970. Yes : 1970! No elections for head of state or anything else. No political parties. Great choice for someone with high moral values.

I was coming on to say this.
It was amazing do a tea trek although super touristy even 20 years ago.
Also they will be very appreciative of how much we have in the UK after coming home.

@TizerorFizz i get that but as I explained earlier I can’t travel easily travel to the US on an ESTA as I’ve been to Iraq and Syria with work. Colleagues with the same stamps in their passport have already found themselves stopped and questioned for several hours and I have no desire to start a family holiday like that.

Our teens loved Japan.

@Chocguzel No you won’t get an esta but don’t dress that up as Trump. It was never going to work for you before the November election either.

Not true. Got an Esta last year my being open and transparent about why I travelled to those countries. It’s only in the last few months that colleagues have been seemingly granted Esta then questioned at the border for hours. All have then been admitted but in one case it took 14 hours separated from family. There is no doubt it’s more difficult to enter the US now and I’m not even criticising Trump for that, just saying it puts me off going.

I’ve applied for ESTAS several times. The countries you mention have been non Esta for years. You have to apply for a visa. It’s not new at all. Travelling on an Esta which you got before travelling to the countries they “ban” is an issue. We were planning to go to Iran 6 plus years ago (after the Monty Don Paradise gardens programme) and binned it due to likely USA immigration issues at a later date. It was pointed out on the FCO web site and we were very concerned about it. Only in person visa applications after visiting Iran.

I won’t go on about it after this post as it’s not the point of this thread but there are limited exceptions for ppl who traveled to restricted countries for official duties or military service. You submit proof of that with the Esta application and they make a case-by-case decision. That’s how my colleagues and I have Estas but recently despite them being granted and appearing valid ppl have been questioned for many hours at the border.

Japan is phenomenal but also throwing Korea into the mix. Seoul is a fabulous city, the countryside is stunning, and you can take trains to Busan or fly to Jeju. Great food, easy and hard hiking depending on your plans, the weather at Easter would be great. And if either teen likes KPop or Korean movies then you can build that in to the trip.

Another vote for Sri Lanka; it really delivers with such diversity for a small country. You’ve got the ancient Cultural Triangle (climbing Sigiraya is a must as long as you have a head for heights) train journeys through the hill country’s tea plantations, great surf spots, safaris - I’ve been there half a dozen times and still find new places to explore.

Having said that, I would urge you to look at Japan again. I was very pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive it is whilst you’re there - flights and trains are pricey but accommodation (esp airbnbs) and food are super reasonable.

Hi
we didn’t touch the Cancun/ Rivera Maya area other than driving right past it on the way back from Bacalar to the airport so yes! It was a fab holiday!

Have a look at Intrepid for some ideas; they do plenty of holidays with kids.

The caribbean is still warm and sunny, but not too humid.

Belize & Guatemala also good (had to go via USA to get to Belize, so that might be a “no”).

DD went to Morocco with school at Easter, but you’ve been there.

DH and I had fab weather in Iceland one Easter; even caught the sun in one of their outdoor lidos.

Mauritius (or Reunion) are much cheaper hols than safaris. You’ll be going into Autumn so the sea is still pretty warm.