Asia’sTop Family Friendly Holiday Hotspots

Paradise beaches, laid-back living and a climate that puts the British summer to shame, it’s no wonder Asia is such a popular holiday destination. But this doesn’t sound like a family holiday destination; surely it’s more geared up to honeymooners and backpackers? But luxury stilted resorts and dodgy hostels aside, Asia is actually incredibly family friendly. Here are three of the region’s most family friendly hotspots and you can get family holidays to all the locations with On The Beach.

Phuket

Phuket is a stunning, tropical island off Thailand’s west coast. The best time to visit is between February and April, when there are fewer tourists and the weather is at its best. The star attractions of Phuket, both for children and adults are the beaches, of which there are many. The resort is highly developed so you can hire jet skis, boats, canoes and windsurfers or enjoy banana boat rides and parascending.

If your children are old enough it is worth taking them snorkelling or even scuba diving. The Andaman Sea is teeming with marine life and the water is clear and calm making it perfect for diving and snorkelling. If your children are too young for this, there are several glass-bottom boat operators in Phuket that take you out to the island’s lively and colourful coral reefs to see the real Nemo.

You’ll find more information about Phuket on the Tourism Thailand website.

Goa

Goa is a little rougher around the edges and less pristine and touristy than Phuket, but what this Indian resort lacks in amenities it makes up for in character. The food is delicious thanks to a tantalising mix of Portuguese and Indian cuisines, and it’s not quiet as fiery as elsewhere in the sub-continent making it more palatable for children. The beach takes centre stage, but activities are low key; you’ll have to make your own fun building sand castles and larking about in the shallows, but if you venture inland you can cruise along mangrove lined backwaters, jump into waterfall pools and cycle past miles of paddy fields.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is like one giant nature reserve, filled with tropical plants, flowers and animals that your children have probably only ever seen on TV or in a zoo. It’s worth heading up to the Yala National Park as you might be lucky enough to glimpse the most elusive of the world’s big cats, the leopard. Sri Lanka has literally hundreds of waterfalls and if you can tear yourself away from the beautiful beaches and awesome wildlife, it’s worth checking at least one of these waterfalls out and perhaps kayaking along the island’s network of streams and rivers.