Where to go during the School Holidays - 15 Family Vacation Ideas
1. Bali, Indonesia
Visiting Bali as a family is a wonderful experience that you should definitely consider for the upcoming school holidays. Bali provides an extensive range of activities for kids to enjoy, ranging from surfing, snorkeling, river rafting to wakeboarding. You can spend an entire day at Waterbom Bali, a fantastic water theme park, or if your kids are animal lovers, head over to Bali Safari and Marine Park. We’d suggest you book one of the many family villas with private pools on the island so you truly relax and bond together as a family.
2. Krabi, Thailand
Krabi is a beach paradise that is an amazing venue for the whole family to enjoy some fun in the sun and get away from the stresses of school and work. The scenery at Krabi and its surrounding islands is spectacular and will help your kids learn to appreciate natural beauty. An island hopping tour of the 4 nearby islands is the best day-trip to take your kids on, as they will be able to enjoy swimming and snorkeling in the clear blue waters. If your kids are looking for more adventure, take them to Krabi Fun Park, where they can try ziplining through the rainforest. Another key attraction, Krabi Elephant Sanctuary, will let your kids get up close and personal to these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat and they can learn more about animal welfare and the conservation efforts of the park.
3. Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a great destination for the whole family, offering delicious dim-sum, fantastic shopping and of course, the main attraction of Hong Kong Disneyland. Hong Kong Disneyland offers thrilling rides like Hyperspace Mountain with a Star Wars Theme, RC Racer and Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars for older children and adults, interactive experience like Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple for younger children to learn how to duel with lightsabers, and parades like Paint the Night and lastly, the Disney Fireworks display for the whole family to enjoy together.
4. Shanghai, China
Shanghai, the largest city in China, is a bustling metropolis and has a host of great attractions for children. Among other must-visit attractions, like the Shanghai Railway Museum, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, and the New World Ice Skating Rink, Shanghai Disneyland is by far the best full-day experience for the entire family. When you’re there, don’t miss the Pirates of the Caribbean Ride: Battle for Sunken Treasure, which is a ride that is different from the other Pirates rides in other Disneyland parks. Peter Pan’s Flight is a classic ride that is perfect for younger children, while TRON Lightcycle Power Run will give teenagers the thrill that they are seeking and the nightly Ignite the Dream fireworks display is a special experience for the whole family to share together.
5. Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, the capital city of Japan is an excellent choice as a destination for a family holiday for many reasons, including its wide variety of delicious food options, large electronic shops and popular attractions like Ghibli Museum, a Legoland Discovery Centre, Pokemon Centers, Kidzania, Tokyo Skytree and of course Tokyo DisneySea. At Tokyo DisneySea, the must-visit rides are Journey to the Center of the Earth, an excellent thrill ride for older children, Sindbad’s Storybook Village, which is a slow boat ride that is well loved by younger children and 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, a discovery ride that is great for the whole family to enjoy together.
6. Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, is filled with rich culture and lots of heritage and traditions. There are many beautiful sights to visit as well as a host of educational experiences to be had at historical monuments, museums and art galleries. The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is a unique and traditional form of entertainment that is sure to please your kids. For theme park lovers, Vinpearl Land Water Park Royal City Hanoi is one of the largest in town. For parents that miss the fun of visiting a circus and want their kids to get a taste of it, bring them to Hanoi Central Circus to see clowns, acrobatic displays, and carnival games.
7. Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei is a great destinations for families to explore together. There are many beautiful sights to see in the day and there are many night-markets for families that want to eat and shop together at night. Towering above the other buildings in Taipei, Taipei 101, has an excellent observation deck for the whole family to admire the city landscape together. Longshan Temple is a beautiful temple for families to pray together or take photos of the cultural architecture and learn more about the religious heritage of Taipei. The Taipei Zoo is a wonderful day-trip as well. When night falls, visit one of the many night-markets like Shilin, Raohe, Ximending and Yongkang Street to get your fill of amazing street food.
8. Seoul, South Korea
Seoul offers plenty of things for kids to do to keep them entertained throughout your family vacation. From museums that have been designed specially for kids, to large amusement parks, and animal sanctuaries, your children will surely have a ball of time in Seoul. Seoul Forest is one of the best places to visit as a family, its a large natural park, with great spots for a picnic, four different themed playgrounds, an insect garden, cycling trails, an area where you can feed deers and another spot to feed rabbits and guinea pigs. For those with younger kids, bring them to Seoul Children’s Museum, where they can play at the many interactive areas and learn new things in the process too. For those with older kids, visit Namsan Park and hike up trails together to get awesome views of the city.
9. Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai offers a great variety of activities that are sure to offer great thrills to families that want to get in touch with nature. The most highly rated attraction is the Flight of the Gibbon, an excellent ziplining adventure, for those with kids 4 years and older. The Elephant Nature Park is a great day-trip to get up close and personal with these gentle giants, and you can wash and feed these lovely creatures, many of whom have been rescued and are in the process of rehabilitation. For families that like hiking, don’t miss the 300 step climb up to Doi Suthep to see its beautiful architecture and admire the view of surrounding landscape. And, if you’re travelling with young children, you can choose to take the cable car instead.
10. Yangon, Myanmar
Yangon is the cultural hub of Myanmar and the host to the country’s most important pagodas and museums, making it a great place to visit for families with older children, where they can learn about religion, traditional and culture. A visit to Shwedagon Pagoda is an absolute must, where children can learn more about Buddhism and admire the Pagoda’s beautiful architecture. The National Museum of Myanmar is a fantastic place to learn about national heritage and the different cultural groups in Myanmar. And finally, end the day with a visit to Inya Lake to see beautiful scenery and enjoy street food with the locals.
11. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur’s claim to fame as a family friendly destination is its Sunway Lagoon Theme Park, combining an adventure ride park with a large water park, with a wave pool at its core. Offering a full day of fun for the whole family, there is also an animal park, where children can interact with at least 90 species of animals. For kids that want to feel like adults, you can bring them to Kidzania, where they can try adult jobs for the day, like being a pilot, doctor or newswriter.
12. Palawan, Philippines
Palawan is consistently voted as one of the world’s best beaches and offers children the chance to swim in its lovely blue water and kayak out to the Big Lagoon or Small Lagoon. Take them on an island hopping tour to nearby Snake Island and Cudugnon Cave. There’s plenty of snorkeling excursions too for older children and allows them the chance to get close to underwater creatures. When night falls, lay back on the beach and look at stars as a family.
13. Siem Reap, Cambodia
Have you always wanted your kids to have a rugged adventure while on holiday? Then, look no further than Siem Reap, Cambodia for your next school holiday vacation. Rent an ATV and take your children out to see the vast countryside, where you’ll see rice fields, banana plantations and local wildlife. The floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, make an excellent half day trip. And of course, while you’re in Siem Reap, you have to take your children to see the expansive Angkor Wat Temple Complex.
14. Bintan, Indonesia
If you don’t have much time for a long vacation, spend a weekend at the resort island of Bintan, Indonesia. With many family friendly resorts like Bintan Lagoon Resort, Angsana Bintan, Nirwana Garden Bintan and Club Med Resort, you’ll be spoilt for choice finding a resort that is just right for you and your family. You can also try the seaplane ride with Air Adventures Bintan for a thrilling ride. For those who want a more relaxing activity, try fishing as a family and try to catch your own dinner.
15. Johor, Malaysia
If you’re looking for a one-day trip of fun for the family, look no further than Legoland in Johor. At Legoland, you have the choice of visiting either the Legoland Water Park or Legoland Theme Park. Legoland has a great combination of fun rides, shows and educational experiences. The main attraction is Miniland, where you’ll get to see mini Lego versions of key Asian landmarks, like the Taj Mahal and Angkor Wat. You can also stay the night at the Legoland Hotel for a complete Lego experience.