Ideas for a family adventure/ nature holiday on a £12,000 budget

[BookShelved]

We are a family of 5 with three kids 10,11,13.

We usually camp in the UK, with a few short euro city breaks. Even pre kids we didn't travel much.

I've just had £12000 inheritance that I want to spend on a 'big' holiday but having never done it I don't know where to start!

I want to go for 2.5 or 3 weeks. No all inclusive, and I certainly don't want luxury but not exactly backpacking either. I was thinking 3 or 4 destinations, hopefully not too much self catering (good value restaurants etc therefore important), nature, activities.

I'm not instantly drawn to SE Asia, it appears too touristy for me, definately want to avoid gap year party people. Equally i don't want remote!

My dream destination is Costa Rica and I thought it was a no brainer, but actually it looks like my budget wont stretch 😥

Can anyone help me please?

We have always used local travel agents for our big trips, i.e. Hong Kong/Mainland China, Sri Lanka, India and Vietnam/Cambodia thus far, and we have a personalised itinerary, stay in 4/5* hotels, have a private guide/driver, etc. We can afford that level of luxury because we use travel agents based in those countries. There’s no way we could have the same type of trip booking through a UK-based travel agent. We save a fortune.

We went to Belize last year. It was brilliant, especially the snorkelling. We chose it over Costa Rica because it has Mayan sites as well as wildlife. We stayed 4 places Cayo region - wildlife and ruins, Ambergris Caye, Lamanai and Placencia

As someone who believes that you don't need to go to the other side of the world for a 'big' holiday, nor is doing that necessarily more worthy or interesting, what about Iceland?

In 2.5/3 weeks, you'd be able to drive all around the island, which is very quiet/remote and untouristy once you get out of Reykjavik and see all the massive water falls, volcanic landscapes and loads of other interesting things. Not sure about the wildlife, but I'm sure there's something that's interesting.

Good time of year to go for long hours of daylight, fairly acceptable weather and everything except the northern lights really.

Yes it's expensive while you're there, but so are a lot of the other places suggested, in particular North America. Plus your flights would be a lot less than going long haul, leaving nearly all your budget for the actual holiday.

We did Borneo last year and loved it. If you want to do it some accomodation gets booked up 12 months out so think ahead.

we did 3 nights KL, then 5 nights crossing Borneo Borneo - orangatangs, sunbears and river lodge stay. Plus staying on tea plantation. finished with 3 nights on the beach and 2 nights Singapore on way home. We had private driver and guide for the 5 night section.

one thing to be aware of is that turtle island is on FCO no go list so we skipped that.