The best long haul holiday destinations for UK families
There's a conversation I have every year, when a family comes to me having outgrown their usual European summer. The kids are older, everyone's curious and they want something that feels more like an adventure. Long haul travel is the answer. Done well, it can even change how a family sees the world!
The destinations below are ones I recommend regularly. They're not just beautiful. They work for families with older children who want to do something real with their time away.
Japan: Where wonder is built in
Japan is the destination I find myself recommending more than any other right now, especially for families with teenagers. I took my own family a couple of years ago and it’s one of the trips we talk about most.
Tokyo is one of the most extraordinary cities on the planet - organised chaos in the best possible way, with incredible food at every price point, day trips to Nikko or Hakone, and the kind of sensory overload that teenagers thrive on. Take the Shinkansen south to Kyoto and the pace shifts entirely. Temple walks, bamboo groves, a traditional ryokan stay with a tatami room and an onsen - it's the kind of thing families remember for years.
Best time to visit: Spring (late March to mid-April) for the cherry blossom, or autumn (October to November) for the foliage. Both seasons are stunning and relatively manageable weatherwise. July and August are possible if you don’t mind high heat and humidity (I went with my own family in the summer school holidays and we still had a fantastic time in non-ideal weather!).
Flight time from London: Approximately 14 hours direct.
Sri Lanka: Compact country, exceptional range
Sri Lanka punches well above its weight with huge variety. In under two weeks you can cover ancient ruins, tea-covered highlands, leopards on safari at Yala and some of the finest beaches in the Indian Ocean. For families who want adventure rather than a single resort stay, it's one of the best long haul options going.
The train journey through the Hill Country, from Ella to Kandy, is one of those travel experiences that tends to end up as the highlight of the whole trip. Combine it with a few nights at a property like Chena Huts (tented camps overlooking Yala) and a wind-down on the south coast and you have an itinerary that works for all ages.
Best time to visit:Sri Lanka's weather is regional: December to March is best for the south and west coast; May to September if you're focusing on the east.
Flight time from London: Approximately 10.5 hours direct.
Thailand: Reliable for good reason
Thailand remains one of the most consistently strong long haul destinations for UK families, and it's not hard to see why. The combination of warmth, food culture, extraordinary temples, and a well-developed tourism infrastructure means things tend to work smoothly, which matters when you're travelling with a family.
My recommendation for most families is to split the trip: a few nights in Chiang Mai for the culture and activity (cooking classes, elephant sanctuaries, temple visits), then south to the islands for the beaches. Koh Samui or the Koh Yao islands for something quieter and more considered, or Phuket for more options and easier logistics.
Best time to visit: November to April, when the Gulf of Thailand is at its calmest and most reliable.
Flight time from London: Around 11.5 hours direct.
Mauritius: When you want to switch off
Some families want to cover ground. Others want a pool, a beach, world-class food and nothing on the agenda. Mauritius is where I send the latter, and the properties here, particularly on the west coast, deliver a level of service that's hard to match anywhere.
It's a destination that works especially well for multigenerational trips, where grandparents want a sunlounger and the kids want a water sport or a catamaran. The island also has a rich culture if you want to explore it, with markets, volcanic landscapes and a Creole food scene worth exploring.
Best time to visit: May to December, when it's cooler and drier. The summer months (January to March) bring heat and the risk of cyclones.
Flight time from London: Around 11.5 to 12 hours.
Tanzania: Safari done properly
The Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and the great migration are among the most extraordinary natural spectacles on earth, and for older children (typically 8 and above depending on the camp), it's an experience that stays with them long after the holiday is over.
Tanzania is a destination where the details matter enormously. Where you stay, what season you travel and how your game drives are arranged all make a significant difference to what you actually see. The best camps in the Serengeti are small, personal and deeply attentive. They’re the opposite of a resort in every way, but just as considered.
Combine it with a few nights on Zanzibar's coast at the end for a proper wind-down and you have the kind of trip that's almost impossible to top!
Best time to visit: June to October for the dry season and the migration in the northern Serengeti. January to March also offers excellent game viewing and fewer visitors.
Flight time from London: Around 9 to 10 hours to Kilimanjaro or Dar es Salaam.
The Maldives: For families who want the full reset
The Maldives isn't everyone's idea of a family destination, but I'd push back on that. The right property makes all the difference. The best resorts here have strong kids' clubs, water sports centres, exceptional snorkelling on the house reef, and overwater or beach villas large enough to feel like a private retreat.
It's a destination that's best suited to families who want the experience of being somewhere remote and beautiful, without the complexity of an itinerary. Come to unplug, swim, eat well and be taken care of.
Best time to visit: November to April is peak season, when the northeast monsoon brings calmer seas and lower humidity. The off-season can be great value though, if you don’t mind the odd rain shower. I travelled with my family in July, and despite some occasional grey skies we had a fantastic holiday.
Flight time from London: Around 10.5 hours to Male, plus a seaplane or speedboat transfer to your resort.
Costa Rica: For the adventurers
Costa Rica is one of the most popular destinations for family adventure travel and is incredibly well set up for it. This is a country where you can zip-line through cloud forest in the morning, spot sloths and howler monkeys by afternoon and be watching sea turtles nest on the beach by evening. For families with older children who want their holiday to feel active, it's hard to beat.
The classic route pairs Arenal, the country's most dramatic volcano, with the Monteverde cloud forest and a finish on the Nicoya or Osa Peninsula coast. The infrastructure is solid, the wildlife is extraordinary and the country's commitment to conservation means the natural experience feels real rather than staged.
Best time to visit: December to April, the dry season, particularly if you're spending time on the Pacific coast. The Caribbean side follows a different pattern and can be worth visiting year-round depending on where you're headed.
Flight time from London: Around 11 hours, usually with one stop via the US or Panama City.
Bali: Sea, surf and superb food
Ubud is the cultural heartland of Bali, with rice terraces, temple ceremonies, excellent cooking classes and a serene pace that even teenagers tend to appreciate. A few nights there, followed by time on the coast at Seminyak or the quieter Bukit Peninsula, gives you a trip with real contrast. The island also has superb surf for families who want to learn and enough activity options (white-water rafting, cycling through the rice fields, volcano hikes) to keep everyone engaged.
The resort offering in Bali, particularly around Nusa Dua and Seminyak, is exceptional and often considerably more generous for the price than comparable properties elsewhere.
Best time to visit: May to September, the dry season, when humidity is lower and the skies are reliably clear. July and August are peak season, so booking well in advance is essential.
Flight time from London: Around 15 to 16 hours, typically via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Dubai.
A final note on planning
The destinations above all work for families, but the itinerary, timing and the properties you choose within them can make the difference between a good trip and an exceptional one.
If you're thinking about a long haul family trip and want something tailored rather than templated, we'd love to help you design it.
