Our child will be three and a half years old and we
Our child will be three and a half years old, and we are looking for somewhere warm and probably beach-based. I understand that in November, a long-haul trip may be the best way to ensure sunshine. We want somewhere that is relaxing but that also offers plenty of things to do with a young child. I know certain short-haul holidays offer kids’ clubs and baby-sitting services but I can’t seem to find anything long-haul We have a reasonable budget. M Burdon, via e-mail
A.The surest way to find sunshine in November is to fly to somewhere in the southern hemisphere; Sydney, for example, is close to perfect in the late spring.
But the 24-hour flight and associated jet lag may well be too much for you for a short stay, let alone for an under-four. For a warm winter break, with a reasonable chance of sun, the obvious choice is the Canary Islands, four hours flying time from the UK. In November the Canaries enjoy an average daily temperature of 22C and pretty reliable sunshine and, unlike many long-haul destinations, you won’t have to worry about immunisations, visas and jet lag.The UK-based mass-market tour operators – notably Airtours, First Choice, JMC and Thomson – are all represented in the Canaries, and therefore kids’ clubs and baby-sitting services are plentiful. A more upmarket operator, Cadogan (023 8082 8313, ) has breaks at the four-star Iberostar Grand Hotel Anthelia, on Costa Adeje, Tenerife. The hotel has baby-sitting facilities and mini-club (4-12 years, under fours can attend accompanied by an adult) plus children’s pools and children’s playground. A seven-night stay costs £1,082 per adult and £345 per child, based on two sharing half-board accommodation, return flights, taxes and transfers. Baby-sitting is available on request at €12 (£7.50) per hour.If you want somewhere a little less bucket-and-spade, one of the less developed islands such as Fuerteventura, La Palma or La Gomera is a good option, though the less developed the island the less plentiful the family facilities.Further afield, Mauritius is becoming an increasingly attractive option as a long-haul holiday destination.
This year both British Airways and Air Mauritius are flying direct from Heathrow, with a flying time down to 11 hours. November is the perfect time to go to this little island in the middle of the Indian Ocean; just before the humidity of the rainy season and after the winds that can make June-September a little cool.Mauritius has smart, child-friendly hotels represented by a number of UK-based tour operators, offering plenty to entertain children.Kuoni (01306 747 000, ) has seven-night packages to the Sun International Le Coco Beach hotel, for £1,312 per adult and £315 per child, based on two adults and one child sharing. The package includes flights from Heathrow with Air Mauritius, transfers and half-board accommodation. The same package is available for 14 nights, at an additional cost of £577 per adult and just £4 per child.
Childcare facilities such as the Sun Kid’s Club, which has daily activities for children from 2-12 years, are included. Baby-sitting is available for £3.80-£6 per hour.Finally, the Caribbean is an obvious choice for winter sun. November marks the end of the bad weather in the Caribbean, and early in the season prices are relatively low. Flights to many of the Caribbean islands take around eight hours,andfew vaccinations or visas are required.
