With the children only just out of your hair and back at school, it may seem
indecently early to start thinking about booking another family holiday. But
October half-term isn’t far away, and the best trips are going already.
The last week of October is tricky. If you head to the northern Mediterranean
banking on balmy weather, you are likely to be disappointed. And it might be
the tail end of the hurricane season in the Caribbean, but you can still run
into large helpings of rain.
Other long-haul favourites are not at their best. The Maldives, Goa and Sri
Lanka are likely to be wet. The south of Thailand can expect a bucketful –
and is it really worth flying for 15 hours to have five days on a beach?
So where should you head? We’ve found the best family holidays in a range of
destinations that offer reliable weather, affordability and minimal flying
time. First, however, get your dates right.
Although there are exceptions, most state schools in England are off from
October 22 to 26.
Unless stated, prices are per person and include flights from a London airport
on Saturday, October 20, or Sunday, October 21, returning a week later.
Child prices are for ages 2-11 sharing their parents’ room.
For those who don’t have to travel during school holidays, we’ve also included
prices per person for two adults sharing in the week after half-term.
For regional departures, contact the operator.
THE RED SEA
Five hours on a plane and you are on the Egyptian Red Sea coast: 10 hours of
sunshine a day, average temperatures of 30C and not a sniff of rain. The
harsh heat of summer will have passed, but the sea is still warm.
Sharm el Sheikh is the best resort for active families, with sandy beaches,
shallow reefs near the shore and a lively strip of restaurants and shops. A
few miles from the town centre, the five-star Baron Resort Hotel has 650yd
of private sandy beach, a large free-form pool, tennis courts and a health
club. A week costs £869, B&B (children £699), with Mosaic Holidays
(020 8574 4000, www.mosaicholidays.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £595pp.
Along the Sinai coast, Taba Heights is a more upmarket resort than Sharm.
Nightlife options are limited, but it has a new 18-hole golf course and an
impressive dive centre, and you can visit Petra on a day trip. An
all-inclusive week at the five-star Mövenpick Resort Taba costs £879
(children £649), with Peltours (020 8371 5200, www.peltours.com
). Bolt-ons include premium flight upgrades, from £99pp. Two adults sharing
after half-term: £619pp.
FLORIDA
It’s shoulder season in southern Florida – a smart time to treat the kids to
theme-park heaven. Sunshine is all but guaranteed, with temperatures
hovering at about 25C – and, because high-season prices don’t kick in until
the middle of November, your pound will stretch even further. The challenge
is to find flights over half-term.
Cosmos Holidays (0871 622 4317, www.cosmos.co.uk
) has one of the best deals: a week in Orlando at the three-star Days Inn
International – near the theme parks – for £694 (under17s £676), including
car hire, but not meals. Two adults, travelling a week earlier, would pay
£650pp.
Hayes & Jarvis (0871 664 0246, www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk
) has a week at the three-star Quality Inn Maingate West, in Orlando, for
£749pp, B&B (two adults sharing after half-term: £415pp). Or
upgrade to Disney’s five-star Animal Kingdom Lodge, where rooms overlook 33
acres of savanna populated by giraffes, gazelles and zebras. Five nights
cost £1,137, room-only (children £569), with Kuoni (01306 747008, www.kuoni.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £857pp.
Farther south on the coast, in Fort Lauderdale, Expedia (0871 226 0808, www.expedia.co.uk
) recommends the four-star Trump International Sonesta Beach Resort, where a
week costs £681pp, room-only, based on a family of four sharing a
two-bedroom studio. The hotel has a children’s programme, an Aquanox spa,
three restaurants and a pool complex with waterfalls, spa tubs and cabanas.
Two adults sharing after half-term: £804pp.
THE GULF
A seven-hour flight takes you to Dubai, where you can bask in temperatures of
up to 35C. But such autumnal splendour doesn’t come cheap – a five-night
stay at the five-star Oasis Beach Tower starts at £1,619 (children £379),
based on a family of four sharing a two-bedroom apartment, room-only, with
the Airline Network (0871 700 8630, www.airlinenetwork.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £1,499pp.
Or spend just three nights at the five-star Jebel Ali for £689, B&B
(children £359), with Pure Luxury (0844 472 0100, www.pureluxuryholidays.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £679pp.
A better-value option is the nearby emirate of Fujairah – 90 minutes from
Dubai – where five nights at the newly built five-star Fujairah Rotana
Resort and Spa start at £896, B&B (children go for £713, and get
their own room). The hotel has a free kids’ club (ages 4-14), tennis courts
and a dive centre, and offers a courtesy bus into Dubai. Book with Elite
Vacations (01707 371000, www.elitevacations.com
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £854pp.
For a richer cultural experience, head to Oman. Tropical Sky (0870 907 9605, www.tropicalsky.co.uk
) has eked out a deal at the Shangri-La resort, near Muscat: a week at the
five-star Shangri-La Barr al Jissah costs £1,244, B&B (first child
£509). Two adults sharing after half-term: £979pp.
THE ALGARVE
Although you’re unlikely to get sunstroke on the Algarve, you can pack T-shirt
and shorts. October is a good time to polish up your tennis or golf. The
upmarket Vale do Lobo resort (00 351 289 353333, www.valedolobo.com
) runs tennis weeks for families that include initial assessment, 10 hours
of coaching spread across five days, free use of courts at other times, a
prize-giving party and car hire. A family of four sharing a two-bedroom
apartment and self-catering would pay a total of £2,312. Two adults sharing
after half-term: £578pp. Flights are not included, but several airlines fly
to Faro, including EasyJet (www.easyjet.
com ), from Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.
An appealing option for younger families is the five-star Grande Real Santa
Eulalia Resort. It has a free kids’ club (ages 3-12), and a gym, a spa, yoga
and pilates classes for grown-ups. A week costs a total of £2,389,
room-only, for a family of four flying from Manchester and sharing a
one-bedroom apartment, with Sovereign Luxury Holidays (0871 664 0227, www.sovereign.com).
Two adults sharing after half-term: £784pp.
For a budget option, try five nights’ self-catering at the three-star Parque
Mourabel, in Vilamoura, for £299 (children £269), with Airline Network (0871
700 8630, www.airlinenetwork.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £289.
CYPRUS
Even when there’s cool, squally weather in many parts of the Mediterranean,
Cyprus is still enjoying warm sunshine and temperatures in the high 20s.
Spread out in the hills above Paphos, the five-star Aphrodite Hills Resort has
plenty to amuse hyperactive children, including mountain-bike trails, football,
mini golf, volleyball, basketball and a supervised club (ages 4-14). Golf
and tennis lessons are available, with riding nearby. A week starts at
£1,036, B&B (children £781), with a 10% discount if you book
online, through Libra Holidays (0871 226 7825, www.libraholidays.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £785pp.
Cheaper is the four-star Olympic Lagoon Resort, on Nissi Bay, flush with
child-pleasing extras: tennis, mini golf, football, three swimming pools and
a supervised club (ages 4-12). A week costs £760, B&B (children
£564), with Cosmos Holidays (0871 622 4317, www.cosmos.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £540pp.
Or there’s a tour of northern Cyprus that takes in St Hilarion Castle, a visit
to a traditional village, a fishing trip and a donkey safari in the Karpas
peninsula. Suitable for children aged 5-13, the escorted trip costs £647
(children £535) including breakfast and four lunches, with Explore (0870 333
4001, www.explore.co.uk ).
THE REST OF THE MED
Closer to Africa than to Athens, Crete enjoys warm, sunny days long into
autumn. Simply Travel (0870 166 4988, www.
simplytravel.co.uk ) has several self-catering properties, including
Villa Nicoletta, near Kalo Chorio, in the island’s picturesque southeast
corner. A week costs £415 (under17s £215), based on a family of four sharing
and including flights from Manchester and car hire. Two adults sharing after
half-term: £315pp, plus £109 for car hire.
Sicily is a decent bet. Taormina is a good base for exploring Greek
amphitheatres and climbing Mount Etna. Stay at the Hotel Villa Belvedere,
which has dramatic sea views and a gorgeous pool. A week costs £760, B&B,
based on a family of four sharing two rooms, with Real Holidays (020 7359
3938, www.realholidays.co.uk ).
Car hire starts at £112 with Carrentals.co.uk. Two adults sharing after
half-term: £572pp.
In Sardinia, Voyages Ilena (020 7924 4440, www.voyagesilena.co.uk
) has a selection of villas, including Casa Querce, near the southwestern
beaches of Chia and the Roman town of Pula. It sleeps four and costs £1,000
a week, including car hire. Flights to Cagliari are extra: try Easyjet (www.easyjet.com
) or British Airways (0870 850 9850, www.ba.com
). A week later, the villa price is the same.
Late October and early November in southern Turkey are known locally as
pastirma yazi – their Indian summer. In the quiet resort of Kas, the newly
opened Deniz Feneri Lighthouse is a small, stylish, child-friendly hotel
with enough watersports, indoor games and spa treatments to keep the whole
family amused. A week, with a day’s gulet cruise, costs £650, B&B,
with Exclusive Escapes (020 8605 3500, www.exclusiveescapes.co.uk
). Parents pay £475 for one child sharing their room; two children get their
own room for full price. Two adults sharing after half-term: £350pp.
On Turkey’s Aegean coast, Sunsail’s Club Phokaia (0870 112 8487, www.sunsail.co.uk/clubs
) offers a packed programme on shore and off: dinghy-sailing, windsurfing,
mountain-biking and a traditional hammam. A week costs £889, half-board
(children £719). Flying on October 14, the adult-only price is £679.
Near Bodrum, the Rixos is a new five-star contemporary hotel aimed firmly at
the family market. Children get their own restaurant, disco and cinema. An
all-inclusive week for a family of four sharing one room costs a total of
£2,797, with Sovereign (0871 664 0227, www.sovereign.com
). Flying on October 13, the adult-only price is £788.
NORTH AFRICA
The weather in Morocco and Egypt should be ideal, particularly if you want to
kick off your flip-flops and explore. The Adventure Company (0845 450 5311, www.adventurecompany.co.uk
) has family tours, including a week-long Nile River Adventure that takes in
Cairo, the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings. For £1,009 (ages 5-12
£989), you get a three-day Nile cruise, an overnight train to Aswan and some
meals. The same company has a group tour of Morocco that delves into the
souks of Marrakesh and takes you into the Atlas Mountains before chilling on
the beach at Essaouira. It costs £699 (ages 5-12 £679).
Teenagers with a taste for adventure might prefer Inntravel’s City &
Sahara Experience (01653 617906, www.inntravel.co.uk
). It offers three days in the desert, including a camel safari, a night
sleeping on the dunes and an off-road drive through the Valley of a Thousand
Kasbahs. Seven nights cost £892, including some meals, but not flights.
Airlines serving Marrakesh include Ryanair (0871 246 0000, www.ryanair.com
) and EasyJet (www.easyjet.com ). Two
adults sharing after half-term: £875pp.
In Jordan, Scott Dunn (020 8682 5075, www.scottdunn.com
) has a desert adventure that includes a horseback ride through Petra, a
visit to Wadi Rum, dune-bashing in a 4WD and the chance to watch a
reenactment of chariot races and gladiator fights in the hippodrome at
Jerash. Six nights cost £1,405, B&B (children £915), based on four
sharing a two-bed apartment. Two adults sharing after half-term: £1,405pp.
EAST AFRICA
The coast of Kenya should be sunny and dry in October, with average
temperatures of 29C. In Mombasa, a six-night stay at the Flamingo Beach
Hotel costs £772, full-board (first child £540, second child £386), with
African Safari Club (0845 345 0014, www.africansafariclub.com
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £659pp.
On the same coast, the four-star Turtle Bay Beach Club is set in tropical
gardens near Watamu National Marine Park. An all-inclusive week costs £1,040
(children £895), with Somak (020 8423 3000, www.somak.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £859pp.
Or try the Southern Palms, on Diani Beach, which has watersports, tennis,
diving and kids club for ages 4-12. A week costs £775, half-board, with
Hayes & Jarvis (0871 664 0246, www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £765pp.
CITIES
Taking the children to a city in the southern Med might be considered
foolhardy in August. But wait until October, when the sights are less
crowded, temperatures are lower and accommodation is cheaper, and it’s not a
bad idea at all.
In Rome, the four-star Residence Vatican Suites, near St Peter’s Square, has
two-bedroom apartments with balconies and satellite television that are
ideal for families. Three nights’ self-catering, flying on October 20, costs
£304, based on four sharing, with Expedia (0871 226 0808, www.expedia.co.uk
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £269pp.
In Istanbul, three nights at the four-star Richmond Hotel, flying on October
22, cost £324, B&B (children £261), including BA flights, through www.baholidays.com
. Booking by phone (0870 243 3406) incurs an extra charge of £15pp. Two
adults sharing after half-term: £298pp.
ACTIVITY BREAKS
Book an activity holiday and you won’t curse your luck if the weather turns
chilly. On the Greek island of Poros, you can learn to sail with your own
private instructor on a Sun Odyssey 32 yacht. A week’s boat hire costs
£549pp – based on a family of four – plus £595 for the instructor, with
Seafarer Cruising (0871 423 5548, www.seafarercruises.com
). Two adults sharing after half-term: £649pp.
Or saddle up for a self-guided cycling tour of the Loire. Your luggage is
transported between hotels, so children as young as 10 can manage the route,
which takes in some of the valley’s most beautiful chateaus, along with
vineyards and caves. With Inntravel (01653 617906, www.inntravel.co.uk
), six nights cost £665, half-board, including cycle hire and rail travel
from London. Two adults sharing after half-term pay the same price.
In the south of France, take a cruise on Europe’s oldest waterway, the Canal
du Midi. No boating experience is required to hire a three-cabin cruiser,
which sleeps up to six and costs £1,360 a week, with Crown Blue Line (0870
160 5635, www.crownblueline.co.uk
). Flights are not included. Airlines serving Toulouse include BA (0870 850
9850, www.ba.com ), EasyJet (www.easyjet.com
) and Jet2 (0871 226 1737, www.jet2.com ).
A week later, two adults could share a single-cabin cruiser for £675.
The Tuscan town of Vinci – birthplace of Leonardo – is your base for a week of
family activities including climbing, cycling, caving and a treasure hunt.
Equipment and instruction are included in the price, £920 (under15s £860),
along with car hire and some lunches and dinners. You sleep in a converted
13th-century farmhouse. Book with Activities Abroad (01670 789 991, www.activitiesabroad.com
).
All information was correct at the time of going to press
