What do you suggest?
Obviously cost is a factor, and we would probably prefer the more independent style holiday than a fully featured resort complex.
Southend and buy her a Calippo?
Lol 🙂
Define tropical!
Loads of possibilities!
I can recommend Sri Lanka, look on last minute etc for deals. We stayed at a all inclusive hotel but did alot of trips/ overnights across the island. It kind of makes it feel like your independant, stunning place. Also trips to maldives etc or can do two centre holiday.
Just so you know, we prefer independant stuff, India etc...but this was a good cheap way of seeing Sri Lanka without the independant cost.
Cape Verde Islands
Define tropical!
My brief is tropical with a beach - that's it. It's open-ended, I want you to show your initiative for this challenge.
Cape Verde is on our list too, but the toddler in our life has put it on hold for now. 🙂
Rarotonga or Aitutaki, Cook Islands
We have a toddler. Is there something about Cape Verde that would mean toddlers can't go? Or is it a cost thing?
Of course.. the closer and easier to get to, the better it'll be...
little cayman, or cayman brac
you might get decent deals as its coming into hurricane season. no need for mrs grips to know that though
or belize
i'd go to cuba before castro dies and the US come in and clean it up
Thailand, somewhere like Krabi or Pee Pee, nice hotels (or there was when went before the Tsunami), fantastic beaches, very tropical, huge limestone cliffs and towers, mangrove swamps - brill.
Or try the Maldives, Kuramthi, one big resort island but not to in your face, fantastic beaches, superb diving and sea life, not a lot else to do though. Took our toddler here no problems.
Zanzibar's mint. I heard Cape Verde most definitely isn't.
Nicobar and Andaman Islands, Indian Ocean/Bay of Bengal. Somewhere I have always wanted to go and not many people go there.
If you want actual "tropical", then Cape Verde might be as close as you can get. 🙂
Oh, and the fewer middle class gap year travelling backfriggingpackers the better.
Molgrips - Reason we wont take the toddler long haul is a personal thing...heat, cost, long plane journey etc. We decided to keep holidays local, Europe etc, until he is a little older.
Depends on your budget? If you can afford it (I could but only on low season deal in may) I'd recomend Kenya, plenty of palm trees and white sand beaches. If you can drag your wife away from beach for a 2 or 3 days you can fit in some safari too. I went with First Choice but arranged safari with a local opperator http://www.dreamkenyasafaris.com/ if you're looking for more independant resorts they may be able to help.
Cape Verde tends to be full of holiday prisons with only the odd independent hotel. I went to Sal for the windsurfing and stayed at a little place in Sal town which seems to be the world capital of litter.
A lot of tropical places are popular because they are in the trade wind belt. As a consequence the breezes keep you a bit cooler than the latitudes might suggest. On the other hand they can get a bit chilly and you get sand all over you.
The nicest place I've been to which fits that bill is Mexico and Belize. We caught a package flight to Cancun, and while the rest of the plane turned left to the coaches, Mrs BigJohn & I lifted up our rucksacks and headed south to the bus stop. Marvellous time, best bit was being forced to get up and sing karaoke in a mariachi bar in a small village where nobody spoke English, and i didn't recognise the tunes. Second best bit was Ambergris Key in Belize. La Isla Bonita, as Madonna calls it.
And we're not middle-aged. We're a lot older than that.
EDIT: Oops, sorry, misread that, thought you said middle aged, not middle class. It's OK, the backpackers only go to the hostels that are featured in Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. Buy one of them ti find where not to go. I sometimes wonder if they ever have big gang fights - the RoughGuiders vs the LonelyPlaneters.
Kenya was always somewhere I wanted to go - but since Sept 11th I was a little wary, the country being partly Muslim and all - but I'm sure that's all blown over now.
Not worried about long haul with the toddler tho, she is getting used to it.. but much more than 8-9 hours would be harder tho.
I want you to show your initiative for this challenge.
Have I accidentally stumbled into a text based version of the Crystal Maze?
One way ticket?
Verses - you're fired.
Tropical World in Leeds then Brid. Job done.
We have also done a package to Margarita, once there we did a few days trip into Venezuala & the Amazon.
the fewer middle class gap year travelling backfriggingpackers the better.
Jesus, you want somewhere close, cheap, tropical, kid-friendly and "undiscovered"? You ain't asking for much, are ya?
My suggestion? Israel. More beaches and heat than you can shake a shitty stick at, not too far, homeland of the three great religions (specifically, kebabs, hummus and felafel).
If that's what is putting you off Kenya don't worry, I never even gave it a thought. It's a beautiful country but growing up in Nigeria and Zimbabwe means I'm always happy just being back in Africa so I'm biased. Though best recommendation would come from my girlfriend, she's keen to go back usually she like to "tick off" destinations.
Other African destinations I'm considering are Ghana and Botswana.
Molgrips Go to Kenya. i'm off again in January for 3 weeks.
The country is more western than muslim now, esp after Obama and the amount of development in the big cities, the coastal regions are lovely and mostly untouched since the coloney days.
I'd seriously look it up.
Barbados, all the above plus safe as houses - like when you were kids.
Here is great with kids, stayed a few times.
http://www.silversandsbarbados.com/index.htm
Not the most 'exclusive' nor high-class, but cheap and out-of-the-way (hire a car). Don't go all-inclusive, food is not so great.
Two pools, next to the sea, great beach.
BA use to use them, but not sure who know.
Will look up Kenya.
Will my guide book from 10 years ago still be worth taking?
Do you really want to take your little one on a long haul flight? I know I wouldn't.
Africa isn't too far - I'd be very tempted by Ghana. Someone that freelances for us lives there should any info be needed!
Do you really want to take your little one on a long haul flight? I know I wouldn't.
She's already been on 6. The first 4 were murder, the 5th was better, 6th was quite alright 🙂
Note that's 3 return flights ie 6 legs.
I work with a Ghanaian chap, so I also have info ta 🙂
Then send her somewhere tropical with a beach and then book a biking holiday for yourself.
No need to fly:
[img] 
[/img]
Port Douglas, North Queensland.
Four Mile Beach might give you a clue to how much beach.
10 year old guide book for Kenya will be handy for general info but maybe use tripadviser for a better picture of specific resorts and hotels now.
Port Douglas, North Queensland.
I think Australia might be a bit far for a toddler tho!
Kenya's lovely, have to be a little bit careful crime-wise if you're not in the big resorts with loads of security (blurgh) but if you're a seasoned traveller you should be fine. I reckon you would struggle to find better beaches, and lots to do away from them.
Brazil's also worth a look if you can fly direct into the North. If not you're looking at 11 hours to SP/Rio.
Other African destinations I'm considering are Ghana and Botswana.
Don't know anything useful about Ghana. Botswana is a great place to go - superfriendly people, very safe, lots of interesting nature stuff, can't wait to go back.
However, it's not tropical, it doesn't have beaches and it takes more than 8-9 hours to get there. So I'm a bit bewildered that you're considering it!
Long haul all depends on the child, our first was just under 2 when we went to the Maldives, she was fine (10 hours each way). Our second is not so good (same age now) and spent about an hour out of a 4 hour flight back from Greece on Wednesday screaming. He won't be going long haul for a few years.
In order to advise you properly on a Tropical destination we first need some pics of your wife in a bikini, just so we can picture her in the right location to make the right choice! 😉
molgrips - Member
'Port Douglas, North Queensland.'
I think Australia might be a bit far for a toddler tho!
There's an international airport at Cairns. So it's Heathrow to HK, then HK to Cairns. Cairns is just 50 km from Pt Douglas.