{"id":16317,"date":"2020-02-17T14:46:18","date_gmt":"2020-02-17T14:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/?p=16317"},"modified":"2020-12-22T15:08:55","modified_gmt":"2020-12-22T15:08:55","slug":"family-travel-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/family-travel-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for family travel in Asia, from one parent to another"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This post was written by Anneke, a member of the Experience Travel Group community. Prior to having her two boys, Anneke and her husband had always travelled independently. But, with kids in tow, Anneke decided it might be worth getting some support when travelling long haul \u2013 and that\u2019s when she found ETG. Here are her tips for family travel in Asia…<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Don\u2019t put off travelling with your children! No matter where you go, how near or far, nothing opens children\u2019s minds like new experiences. Our two boys even get along better \u2013 they need and rely on each other as they explore new places, meet new people and encounter new activities and situations together. Adventurous travel doesn\u2019t have to stop when you have young children, but there are a few things that can make life easier. Here are my top 10 tips for family travel in Asia.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”16318″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

1. Pools are priority!<\/h2>\n

As far as possible we look for hotels with a swimming pool. If you\u2019ve had a busy day of sight-seeing, hiking or sitting in a car there is nothing better than relaxing and having fun in the pool at the end of the day, or even a quick dip in the morning before heading out, or a night-time swim before bed\u2026 a pool is always a winner with children!<\/p>\n

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2. Plan for picky eaters<\/h2>\n

Our favourite hotels have been the ones that are off-the-beaten track, very small and local. This means food-wise you eat what you are given, rather than select from a menu. The food has always been delicious and we are lucky that our two boys will eat anything \u2013 weird looking, spicy, no idea what it is? \u2013 no problem, they will eat it! However, not all children are this flexible when it comes to food. The last thing you want on holiday is for every meal time to be a battle. So if you know your child is a picky eater then you may want to select hotels that are slightly bigger and so can offer a menu or a buffet.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/6″][vc_single_image image=”16323″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/6″][vc_single_image image=”16324″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

3. Start slowly<\/h2>\n

If you have the luxury of time, then starting the holiday slowly works well when travelling with children. Hitting the ground running after a 12-hour night flight with a 6-hour time difference doesn\u2019t. So, if we can, we try and have 2 or 3 nights in a hotel (with a pool) at the beginning of the holiday. This means we can get over the jetlag, acclimatise to the weather and food, and just start the holiday off on a refreshed, fun note. No rushing around. No early wake ups. You are on holiday after all!<\/p>\n

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4. Pack swimsuits & sarongs<\/h2>\n

I spent much of my childhood living in Kenya where everyone and anyone uses a kikoi. A kikoi is a single piece of colourful cotton cloth, traditionally worn by men \u2013 like a sarong. It\u2019s so versatile and we never travel without one each. They can be used as a scarf if you\u2019re cold, shade if you\u2019re hot, a shawl if you need to cover your shoulders or knees when visiting a temple, dodgy hotel\u2026 (unlikely if you\u2019re using ETG) \u2026use it to cover smelly pillows, as an extra sheet if chilly on the night train, a picnic blanket, a towel – the list is endless. So I make sure we each have a kikoi and a swimsuit in our hand luggage. If your luggage goes missing then when you arrive at your hotel (with pool of course!) you can at least go swimming whilst you wait for your luggage to hopefully turn up.<\/p>\n

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Get inspired for your family holiday<\/a><\/h3>\n

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5. Embrace ‘kid-friendly’ activities<\/h2>\n

Know that when you travel with children there will be stuff you can\u2019t do, see or experience which you will really want to. ETG are great at planning an itinerary all will enjoy, but there are still things you will have to miss out on and you have to let that go (the Vespa night tour of Saigon<\/a> comes to mind – we decided to wait a few more years for that one)! It\u2019s more important to create happy family memories and enjoy the experiences you can do, than feel frustrated about the things you can\u2019t do. In fact, what we, the parents, have enjoyed the most on our holidays have been the activities that were planned initially \u201cfor the children\u201d!<\/p>\n

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6. Engage early on<\/h2>\n

Get your children engaged and involved as early as possible. The DK Eyewitness guidebooks are great as they have so many photos and maps. My boys love to look through them and mark the pages of anything that looks interesting to them. If possible, we try and incorporate their ideas into the itinerary. You can usually find children\u2019s books on the country you will be visiting too \u2013 fact or fiction \u2013 which are always fun to read before you go. ETG have some recommendations on their website. The ETG travel app has all the details of your itinerary and a map of the country with each place you will be visiting marked on it. My sons love to look at this map to get a sense of where they\u2019re going and how much of the country they will be seeing.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”16322″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

7. Carry small change<\/h2>\n

As in all major world cities, you are likely to see beggars. Whilst I believe it is generally best to support a local charity (ETG can advise) than to hand out money, it\u2019s difficult to walk by and do nothing, and our children feel this especially. We therefore make sure we always have some small change handy and encourage our children to smile and say hello.<\/p>\n

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8. Pack light<\/h2>\n

We find it works well to make sure our children can manage their own luggage and they love this responsibility. A hand-luggage sized suitcase on wheels for the hold and a small backpack as actual hand-luggage per child provides plenty of space. You don\u2019t need much when travelling in hot countries and you can do laundry along the way \u2013 in Hoi An we found a little place near our hotel that would do your laundry for the equivalent of a euro a kilo! Clean clothes and supporting the local economy. What\u2019s not to love?[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”16321″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

9. Where possible, fly direct<\/h2>\n

Direct flights are just so much easier when travelling with children. If it\u2019s affordable and doable fly direct \u2013 even if it means taking off and landing at ungodly hours. It\u2019s still easier than dealing with connecting flights which often means stressing about delays and missed flights, dashing for the next flight, missing luggage or long boring lay overs.<\/p>\n

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10. Bring Electronic Devices<\/h2>\n

Yes, we do bring iPads for the kids on holiday. They are just so handy for long flights, long car rides, long train rides, and providing some quiet time whilst Mum & Dad have a siesta to avoid the midday sun. We make sure to download movies and books before we go or wherever there is free Wi-Fi. Plus my kids love making holiday vlogs and this can keep them entertained for hours! Who knows, we may have the next Simon Reeves on our hands.<\/p>\n

So those are my tips.\u00a0 Do you have any more tips for family travel in Asia?[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

CURIOUS ABOUT FAMILY TRAVEL IN ASIA?<\/h2>\n

Get inspiration for your family holiday to Asia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For personalised travel tips, give us a call on 020 7924 7133<\/span>\r\n \t<\/p>\n

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