Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

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

Original poster

Trip of a lifetime suggestions

101 replies

Ziferblat · 07/08/2025 11:16

We usually focus on European travel but a big birthday is coming next year and my mind is turning to how few holidays we may have left with DC who are tween and teenage.

Where have you been that has blown your mind?

We are not super active but will try to shape up for the right trip and love great scenery, different cultures etc but also some comfort.

I’ve never been obsessed with animals but everyone seems to rave about safaris.

A lot of friends have gone to Costa Rica the last few years too.

Long haul places we have been to include: Australia and New Zealand; Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo with DC.

Before kids, we did the Yucatan peninsula and the entire West Coast of the US plus New York and Miami.

We would allocate about two weeks for this. Has to be in school holidays though DC get quite a lot of time off.

Where have you been that is long haul and you’d consider a trip of a lifetime?

I love the idea of South America but it is just so huge I don’t know where to start.

Anywhere else that you’ve been bowled over by?

OP posts:
mrsanflowerpot · 07/08/2025 12:57

In exactly the same position, although for the last few years (DD is now 16 and DS 12) we’ve tried to do slightly “out there” exciting places. We’ve been to Cape Verde, Dominican, Ras Al Khaimah. Trying to decide on somewhere amazing for our - probably - final family holding next year so this is a shameless follow

parietal · 07/08/2025 14:27

South Africa and Namibia are great for animals and for a big trip. Lots to see, good for teens.

Lucia573 · 07/08/2025 14:30

How about Sri Lanka? Great beaches, culture, safaris.

declutteringmymind · 07/08/2025 14:30

Ooo. We are in the same position - been to Costa Rica, Malaysia, Bali, Thailand.

We are looking at China for DH’s birthday. I fancy Peru/Bolivia for mine. I also want to go to Mongolia or the Phillipines.

India and Japan are on the list too.

Andbegin · 07/08/2025 14:42

Whats your ratio of luxury to roughing it like?
I thought Brazil - Recife. Rio etc was about right although obviously there’s hideous poverty in places. Not sure how it’s doing post covid.

Mysticguru · 07/08/2025 14:53

New England in the fall
Japan in blossom time
Great barrier reef
Polynesia
Galapagos

Gonegrey31 · 07/08/2025 15:10

Go to Patagonia ( the Chilean part), provided hiking is your thing ! Torres del Paine national park a must . Look up routes available for “family adventures “ with Pura Aventura , a small uk based company I really recommend.

Original poster
Ziferblat · 07/08/2025 15:23

Ooh thanks for all the suggestions! We are probably up to three or four hikers rather than proper ones I’m afraid. Not skiers either.

Japan is on the bucket list but was looking for a more off the beaten track type thing (or under visited city or journey).

Philippines looks incredible for beaches. I have heard negative things about Bali sadly.

We have roots to Polynesia and the Antipodes so feel we can do those without it feeling majorly exotic (I know!).

Thailand is most definitely on my list but it’s the most touristed country in the world so perhaps doesn’t feel off the beaten track.

Thanks for the Sri Lanka suggestion!

The landscapes in Namibia look incredible.

I quite fancied Tanzania and Zanzibar but I have since read the latter is a bit disappointing…

Places I have been before children that were incredible included Capadoccia in Turkey - a must and Jordan. Also enjoyed a small tour of Egypt. Also loved St Petersburg (very pretty but could be anywhere in Europe) and Moscow as it felt SO Soviet and the buildings were so ridiculously masculine.

Reminds me, must put Albania on the list for summer one year.

Oman looks nice but could be too resort-y and more like a week long trip.

I need to watch Race Across the World I think.

A child-free ex colleague travelled through Colombia a couple of years ago and loved it.

I love the idea of Brazil but it’s the size of a continent so don’t know where to start!

Also love the idea of Uzbekistan but not for two weeks.

One travel agent itinerary I looked at had combined South Africa with Mauritius which sounds intriguing…

Thanks for all the ideas so far!

OP posts:
Cynic17 · 07/08/2025 15:30

Safari in South Africa - and perfect timing in UK summer holidays. Best holiday ever!

ginasevern · 07/08/2025 15:53

I've always wanted to go to Nicaragua. It looks beautiful, nice beaches too.

wizzler · 07/08/2025 16:10

I went bear watching in Knight Inlet, British Columbia .. it was amazing. Went late summer when the salmon run and the bears come to feed on the salmon

OldieButBaddie · 07/08/2025 16:14

Japan is fabulous (but I would say don't go in cherry blossom season or Golden Week as it's v busy) and you don't have to do the busy super touristy bits, our favourite bits were not those (apart from Tokyo which is great but locals more than tourists)

Sri Lanka defo perfect for 2 weeks as it's small and lots to do and not too far

Clearinguptheclutter · 07/08/2025 16:21

Ziferblat · 07/08/2025 11:16

We usually focus on European travel but a big birthday is coming next year and my mind is turning to how few holidays we may have left with DC who are tween and teenage.

Where have you been that has blown your mind?

We are not super active but will try to shape up for the right trip and love great scenery, different cultures etc but also some comfort.

I’ve never been obsessed with animals but everyone seems to rave about safaris.

A lot of friends have gone to Costa Rica the last few years too.

Long haul places we have been to include: Australia and New Zealand; Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo with DC.

Before kids, we did the Yucatan peninsula and the entire West Coast of the US plus New York and Miami.

We would allocate about two weeks for this. Has to be in school holidays though DC get quite a lot of time off.

Where have you been that is long haul and you’d consider a trip of a lifetime?

I love the idea of South America but it is just so huge I don’t know where to start.

Anywhere else that you’ve been bowled over by?

my trip of a lifetime was definitely a honeymoon on Kenyan safari followed by a week on zanzibar but I wouldn't do the latter with kids. Extremely poor place with terrible infrastructure though has plenty of (soulless?) posh resorts where that wouldn't be in your face at all.
I can't describe how wonderful it was however to arrive at a remote airstrip in kenya and on the way to our safari camp havnig to stop to watch a huge pride of lions look after their cubs. Separtely we were stopped in our tracks one day while a herd of elephants came past in the opposite direction, within touching distance of the truck. I'lll never forget that. Would love to take the kids when they are bit older.
Kenya is probably a bit dodgy to take the kids these days. Other southern african countries might be better.

I'm sure Mauritius is lovely but very resort based (like Zanzibar) I reckon.

A friend recently took her kids to Vietnam - travelled Hanoi to Saigon - and they had a great time. I did similar rwenty years ago but I reckon its massively developed in that time.

Thailand is great fun and safe and hopefully still cheapish but a lot of it is either super developed or a bit tacky these days. Or full of Russians. Krabi used to be lovely and off the beaten track but proably not so much these days.

If I have another holiday of a lifetime I think it will be to costa rica, But reading some posts on here about it I think I will need deep pockets.

Whatareyoutalkingaboutnow · 07/08/2025 16:35

We went to Sri Lanka and stayed in a few different places. One was an Eco lodge called Kandelama. Amazing. We had a dedicated local guide who was an absolute gem, steered us right, took us to the best places. We booked through Travel Councellors. Not sure if they still exist, but they were great.

HolidayHattie · 07/08/2025 16:41

Safari: I love them, DH would be bored. The first day or two, everything is new and exciting but after that it's "oh just more giraffes / zebra / antelopes, seen them already." Big cats are the main attraction but can be elusive.

If you can plan a trip with other activities it might suit the family better - e.g. South Africa there are loads of activities you can do in and around Cape Town, then you can add in a safari.

South America I did a big trip starting in Rio, then Iguacu Falls, via Paraguay to Bolivia (La Paz and Titicaca). On to Cusco (Peru,) Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, ending in Lima. I'd recommend all of it except Paraguay (nothing really to do or see in Assuncion; other parts may be lovely.)

Rocknrollstar · 07/08/2025 16:57

Antarctica
India
Vietnam and Cambodia
Mexico - a tour not Cancun
The Silk Road

lovemetomybones · 07/08/2025 17:12

I’ve been all over the world and to 38 countries including Antarctica and the very best place I went to was the Galapagos. If you like animals it’s incredible. I swam with sharks, a tortoise hissed at me, played together with a seal, was the penguin paparazzi, swam with marine iguanas. My advice though is get the best boat you can afford- ours was a 16 birth catamaran (Gap 6) we went to places completely alone it was like no one existed- and the stars it’s like you are looking into the universe. Our guide to was incredible. It was epic!

StopRainingNow · 07/08/2025 17:15

Cambodia is lovely.

WildFlowerBees · 07/08/2025 17:17

Safari but if you’re not hugely into animals I’d skip that.
Canada & Alaska
India
As pp suggested Japan

Notexactlyasplanned · 07/08/2025 17:20

Sri Lanka is a great call: we went for two weeks and travelled around - like pp we had an amazing local guide who absolutely made the trip, but we actually booked all our own accommodation - mostly air bnbs including a few with private chefs which was amazingly reasonable and just great fun. It’s a brilliant mix of wildlife (there are great national parks: we saw elephants; aye-ayes and monkeys, whales and watched turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs) and culture (sigyara; polunaruwa); and the colonial architecture and history (tea country; cricket; Galle). One of our best holidays ever.

Radiatorvalves · 07/08/2025 17:22

Lots of great suggestions here. We were thinking of doing an exotic holiday this summer but the kids voted for Sunsail in the Med which was great fun. Next year Canada is on the list.

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 07/08/2025 17:23

Peru, Ecuador & The Galapagos.
Vietnam, Mekong river cruise & Cambodia.

Onthewaytothemountains · 07/08/2025 17:27

South Africa Cape Town and the peninsula including the penguins, drive to Herman's (land based whale watching but maybe not in summer). Driving yourself feels more off the beaten track as you drive through township etc.
Safari in Kruger or similar, be careful to go somewhere decent as they are all fenced so can seem a bit more like a private zoo, make sure it's big enough.

ShanghaiDiva · 07/08/2025 17:28

what about:
South Korea and Japan?
Vietnam - amazing food, very good value, easy to get around
Cambodia - siem reap is incredible
China
vancouver, whistler and Vancouver island

lalafox · 07/08/2025 17:28

Colombia is beautiful. Medellin and Cartagena.
cuba also one of my favorite places. Not far from Miami so could do a few days in Miami also.
safari amazing but if you’re not into animals then no point really but it’s absolutely amazing!
San Pedro Belize is beautiful