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Far East & India
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Free: £10 Hippychick voucher! Reasons to book via/quoting babygoes2.....
Quote babygoes2 when enquiring about any of the properties/hotels featured on the site*, and if you then make a booking and confirm it back to us (booking@babygoes2) we'll send you a £10 Hippychick voucher (great for holiday essentials as well as unique nursery products) completely FREE . You'll also benefit from exclusive giveaways and discounts. AND you'll also gain babycame2 points for each booking which will give you discounts of up to £150 off your next holiday. More points available for insurance, car hire and for referring friends.
Click here for more info on Hippychick and for full conditions. |
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Before you decide, CHECK
(go to "planning it")
- what immunisations you and your child will need and leave plenty of time to get these done (some jabs cannot be administered simultaneously with others
netdoctor.co.uk/travel/vaccinations.html
- if you need a visa with embassy or consulate of country you're visiting. Children with their own passports will also need their own visa, but a child included on a parent's passport does not
- that you've got comprehensive family travel insurance
- whether you will be able to get hold of the basics like nappies, sterilising pills, baby food, formula milk and whole milk; local mineral water may not be ideal for babies
- whether your GP can supply you with a course of children's antibiotics in powder form so you can mix them up if required
Bring:
- essentials to last at least a couple of days
- a travel kettle (and adaptor)
- mosquito net
- small, cardboard or battery-operated fans
- bottled drinking water when out and about
- antibacterial wipes
- long-lasting waterproof sun-protection mousse
- anti-malarial suppositories for children who are unwilling to take them orally
- long-sleeved shirts/trousers/pyjamas and lots of insect repellent - eucalyptus-based repellent which is safe for children
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Babygoes2 recommends properties which are suitable for babies or toddlers for a variety of reasons (go to first stop). None of these properties however is 100% child-safe. All of the property descriptions are the opinion of BabyGoes2 and not the individual property owner or tour operator. Prices, while as accurate as possible, are for guidance only. Check late deals and members offers for any price reductions or offers.
Why go to Bali?
- As an increasingly popular holiday destination over the past decade, "the island of the Gods" offers high-class accommodation and facilities against a backdrop of palm trees, beautiful beaches, lush green vegetation and volcanic mountains
- Hotel accommodation is often very luxurious for a fairly reasonable price. The Balinese prize beauty, and this extends to their tourist development, for the most part
- Bali is currently a cost-conscious option, and if you travel around and book accommodation as you go, rooms are very cheap
- Lots to explore and see such as monkey forests, ancient temples, markets, dolphins (at Lovina beach in the North, staff wake you at dawn to go and watch the dolphins at sunrise in your little boat). There’s even a smoking volcano!
- Plenty of treatments on offer – beach massages, ayurvedic treatments etc.
- Mothers with young children are universally welcomed - locals will quite literally fight to give up their seats for you in most areas
- It’s very easy to travel away from the main tourist areas – local taxis (bemos) are plentiful and very cheap (but be prepared to bargain)
- As soon as you get just slightly away from the developed area, the old Balinese 'magic' is still there – temples at every turn, beautiful scenery and supremely friendly, serene people
- It’s easier than in most places to sample the ‘real Bali’, without having to stray miles away from your hotel
Things to think about:
- VERY long flight
- Can appear over-developed in parts, so be prepared to find an area that suits you.
- Stay as long as you can, because there is a lot to see, and it takes a while to fit it all in
- Exercise the usual longhaul caution with food, avoid salads etc. Food not especially inspiring
- Limited medical facilities
(for more details...)
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Bali with childcare
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Why go to Goa?
- The tiny state of Goa, located halfway down India's west coast, offers a fascinating melting-pot of Indian and Portuguese cultures.
- A land of contrasts, Goa boasts golden sandy beaches, green paddy fields, beautiful tropical shrubs and an intriguing mix of Portuguese and Indian architecture
- There is a variety of cuisine on offer including Goan, Italian and Chinese. Eating out is very cheap, and breakfasts are huge
- For those who want to remain active, there’s everything from watersports, to golf and tennis
- For those who want to relax, many resorts offer a range of treatments including Ayurvedic herbal massage
Things to think about:
- Sea can be rough and treacherous, so again, question operators carefully
- A lot of the cheaper hotel options only have overhead fan. Best to go for airconditioning if you can
- Goa used to be the untouched hippy paradise of beauty and spirituality. It’s not as undeveloped as the new ‘undeveloped haven’ of Kerala or Pondicherry, so don’t expect to be the only ‘traveller’ on this road. This doesn’t mean that the region doesn’t still have something really special to offer though, and development brings plenty of advantages
- Exercise the usual longhaul caution regarding food, bottled water etc
- Medical facilities aren’t fantastic, although tourist development means that there are more facilities than in other areas. Not the place to go if you’re a nervous traveller health-wise on behalf of yourself or more importantly, your offspring!
(for more details...)
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Goa with childcare (skip to Without Childcare) |
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Why go to Malaysia?
- Penang boasts fantastic beaches, while there's also plenty to satisfy culture vultures: the main resort area is close to the historic city of Georgetown with its stilt houses, night markets and colonial architecture
- Plenty of children's activities available at most resorts (from age 3 and upwards)
- Very young children and toddlers love "critturs" and Borneo will press all their buttons with its fantastic nature reserves, home to everything including Orang Utans
- Borneo provides an excellent opportunity to combine a relaxing beach holiday with a jungle adventure
- Excellent watersports and other activities, including golf
Things to think about:
- Worth checking with foreign office about any specific areas of unrest before travelling (www.fco.gov.uk/travel/)
- Check for any health risks (www.doh.gov.uk/traveladvice/index.htm)
- Long flight and hot transfers.
- Water on Penang beaches is, due to climate conditions, not always the blue, blue crystal clear sea it appears in the photos. Grey murky waters can occur, so if this would spoil your trip, our advice is to ring the hotel direct and take the name of the person who describes the conditions for you!
- Off the beach, many "sights" are centred around temples, most of which have a lot of steps. Take a sling or backpack/hippy chick if your toddler will get really bored.
(for more details...)
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Malaysia with childcare |
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Why go to Mauritius?
Check weather /Air Mauritius/hotels at www.maurinet.com or www.ercoli.com
- Fascinating island - scenically varied and beautiful with a real mix of cultures - big French influence.
- Lots to do and see: feels exotic with white sand beaches, clear, warm Indian Ocean.
- Great Creole cuisine.
- Very high quality hotels with plenty of facilities for children yet no compromise on adult appeal.
- No charter flights: there's a definite emphasis on quality tourism.
- Time difference is +GMT - which minimises jet lag
Think about:
- Flight time: around 12 hours, although flights are at night which helps. Book a skycot if you can.
- High quality tourism means most things are relatively expensive.
- Fewer free night/child free deals than Caribbean.
(for more details...)
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Why go to The Seychelles?
- Arguably one of the most beautiful tropical islands in the world, with La Digue winning the paradise on earth prize more often than anywhere else. Rain forests (that you can actually walk through), palm trees, white sandy beaches, brilliantly coloured wildlife, surrounded by the clear, warm, turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.
- Accommodation is diverse and almost always of a high standard, from guesthouses to luxury resorts
- Food is delicious and breakfast buffets in the most humble establishment groan with a vast array of tropical fruits, while brilliantly coloured birds (fodi) will watch you as you eat
- Excellent snorkelling: Coco Island (tiny island off Pralin) is particularly good
- The people are very friendly and relaxed and French is widely spoken, so chances are you’ll be able to communicate with the locals in a language other than English
- The number, and proximity and diverse nature of islands, makes island hopping an easy, attractive and intriguing option, either by boat or tiny plane. Boat trips between islands are mainly short and make a fascinating excursion in themselves
- Excellent watersports and other activities on offer including windsurfing, canoeing, sailing and snorkelling
- Children’s activities widely available at most resorts
Things to think about:
- Despite diversity of scenery, friendliness of people etc, it’s still very much a beach holiday, so if you don’t like lazing on beaches, it’s possible you might travel a long way to get a bit bored. (For most of us, it’s perfect, however!)
- Eating out can be expensive, and some of the islands have only one hotel or restaurant, so if you plan to island hop, allocate yourself a generous food budget
(for more details)
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Seychelles with childcare (skip to Without Childcare)
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Why go to Thailand?
- A country of breathtaking contrasts, from the bustling capital Bangkok to the idyllic beach resorts and islands such as Phuket and Koh Samui
- Possible to combine a short-stay in Bangkok (a couple of days max if you're with children) with an island break
- Even the luxury resort hotels are reasonably priced
- Check out family sea canoeing off Phuket
Things to think about:
- Nov/Dec to Feb/Mar best times to visit when not so humid
- Bangkok is an acquired taste – fascinating to some, a busy, humid, stressful maze to others. With a child, it might be the latter, so plan any stays there carefully.
- Jet lag can be hard to deal with, especially if you leap straight into exploring Bangkok
- Avoid sex tourist hot-spots: Pattaya on mainland; Patong on Phuket
(for more details) |
Thailand with childcare (skip to Without Childcare)
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Laem Set Inn, Koh Samui |
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| Stay: |
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Laem Set Inn, Koh Samui |
| Location: |
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Situated on the least developed Southern part of this beautiful island, just an hour’s flight from Bangkok, the Inn makes a point of welcoming children, whilst retaining adult appeal (in fact, it makes a point of welcoming everybody, particularly those visitors in "pursuit of excellence as a Zen life's philosophy"). The upshot: excellent facilities, combined with a range of accommodation options and a personalised service at reasonable rates. The Inn's mission statement includes details of how profits are being diverted to build an orphanage. |
| Accommodation: |
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Variety of flexible eco-friendly (recycled from old timber houses) accommodation options from rustic bungalows to standard rooms and suites (sleeping up to 10 persons; ideal for two families sharing) with private pools. |
| Facilities: |
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Restaurants; swimming pools and bubble pool; water sports including scuba diving, sailing nearby; mountain biking (including children’s size bikes); massage and beauty centre offering everything from Thai herbal oil massage to Dead Sea Mud Mineral Wrap; laundry; instant internet access from all rooms; computer room; cookery courses available during certain periods |
| For children: |
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Two supervised playgrounds, one with a rubberised floor and secure surrounding wall for toddlers and one for older children which includes a motorised 10m-high ferris wheel "The Laem Set Eye"!; a child-minding service is available at any time of day or night at nominal cost; staff will erect a big umbrella in the shallow water on the beach for your family to play under; mountain-bikes come in children’s sizes and there is a special little pool with bubbles for parent and baby; separate children’s supper at 1800 in order to have younger children in bed, (baby sitter available), in time for grown-ups’ supper starting between 1900 and 2030 but it should be noted that this is an option for your convenience. Children are welcome to dine later with their parents; from about 15 Dec to 1 May, there is separate children’s entertainment officer and open a special "children’s centre" to create a focal point for younger visitors and give parents even more freedom to enjoy themselves
Many of the rooms are specially-equipped for families with children of all ages and facilities for nannies to accompany them if so desired. Baby-sitting and child care can be arranged at very reasonable rates: in fact if staff are not busy, they insist they will be glad to play with your children anyway |
| Getting there: |
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12hr flight from UK to Bangkok (return flights from around £500 with British Airways www.british-airways.com); then approx hour's flight to Koh Samui (Bangkok Air www.bkkair.co.th has regular flights from the capital; prices from about £110 return). Limousine service available from airport to Inn. |
Price guide
(per room): |
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Bungalow from approx £50 per night; standard rooms from £85 per night; studio suites from £140 per night; larger suites - price on application. |
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