Our favourite family holidays

Do most hotels have family/connecting rooms? 

Most larger, more tourist-centric destinations such as cities and beach resorts will offer either a family suite, connecting room options, or extra beds (sometimes a mattress on the floor). Nearly all hotels will also be able to provide a cot, though it might not be a style you’re used to. 

You’re more likely to find family rooms and connecting rooms in bigger, international-style hotels than boutiques, and they might only have one or two available, so you should definitely book in advance. 

Do private transfers have car seats? 

Car seats for very young children are available in most pre-booked private transfers, but booster seats are not common for primary aged children. Public transport is another matter entirely! Getting yourself around in Asia can mean tuk-tuks, trishaws, cyclos, pickup trucks, tractors and more – and seatbelts are in very short supply. 

What is the minimum age for a child to travel on one of your trips?  

We don’t have a minimum age, though we do recommend that your child is old enough to have received the vaccinations recommended for your destination countries.  

Some of our activities and experiences aren’t suitable for younger children, but many can be adapted. For cycling tours, many of our suppliers can provide smaller bikes (though not stabilisers) or child seats for adult bikes. On boat trips, meanwhile, most will provide child-sized life jackets — though we do recommend that you only take your child on a boat trip if they can swim. We’ll discuss your options with you when we’re designing your trip, so you can be sure that everything we include is age-appropriate.  

What’s it like to fly with young children?  

Don’t worry, airlines are very used to having children on board! Adults with babies can book a bassinet seat, while toddlers and older children will be booked their own seat with a child fare. Details vary from airline to airline, but there are often activity packs, children’s movies and child-friendly meals available. One of our top tips is to pack something for your child to suck on — a dummy (pacifier), bottle or sweets — to help with the changes in air pressure. 

My child is a fussy eater. How easy will it be to find something they will eat? 

Most locations have a handful of tourist restaurants with western menus, so you’ll be able to find burgers, pizza and french fries in a pinch! For a more local flavour, many dishes are rice-based, and you can choose what they'd like to accompany it. Do note that most restaurants won't tend to have a child menu, so children will be served smaller portions of main dishes.  

That said, if you're looking to take your family off the beaten track, especially to rural villages or homestays, you're likely to encounter small local menus only. If this is the case, we recommend stocking up on snacks before you leave the bigger towns and cities, just in case! 

Will children be welcome in restaurants? 

Most restaurants will happily welcome children, especially in popular tourist destinations. The only exceptions to this are fine-dining restaurants, and some speciality restaurants at hotels (such as steakhouses or sushi bars) which often have minimum age limits. If this is the case, don’t worry — you’ll always be able to use the hotel’s main restaurant.