Diving without kids

[Nevil Adkins]

My wife and I are looking to go on holiday with friends of ours in the summer (mid-August) for a week. Between the two families we will have a four year old, a three year old and a two year old (ahhh!) so does anybody have any suggestions for locations / operators who can provide kid's clubs for this age range?
For further clues: we are looking for somewhere within say 4 hours flight, that's nice and warm and with activities/interests for non-divers. Maybe Greece, Turkey, Canaries, Med islands?

Cheers
Nevil

[alison boler]

Nevil
Have a look at any of the following:
1. Mark Warner Club Holidays
2. Sunsail Club Holidays
3. Iberotels anywhere

All of the above have absolutely brilliant childrens facilities, generally with fully qualified nannies/helpers and provide full programmes. They also offer great facilities for the adults too - lots of sporting activities etc. Sunsail and mark warner have their own brochures - Iberotels are in many mainstream ones or you can book direct. They all offer kids teas as well as evening sitting/activities so you can enjoy your own dinner in peace.
With children this age you want to find sandy beaches with gently shelving water - Spain and the islands - Minorca, Ibiza, Majorca, Turkey, careful with Greece - Corfu would be ok but some places are pebbly. Re suncare: we use P20 or Transderm brand on the kids. Both sorts are applied about one hour before going into the sun and don't need replenishing all day - saves a lot of struggling with thick creams and unwilling small children!!
Hope this helps. Don't be afraid! You'll all have a great time.

Allie

[alison boler]

Nevil
Have a look at any of the following:
1. Mark Warner Club Holidays
2. Sunsail Club Holidays
3. Iberotels anywhere

All of the above have absolutely brilliant childrens facilities, generally with fully qualified nannies/helpers and provide full programmes. They also offer great facilities for the adults too - lots of sporting activities etc. Sunsail and mark warner have their own brochures - Iberotels are in many mainstream ones or you can book direct. They all offer kids teas as well as evening sitting/activities so you can enjoy your own dinner in peace.
With children this age you want to find sandy beaches with gently shelving water - Spain and the islands - Minorca, Ibiza, Majorca, Turkey, careful with Greece - Corfu would be ok but some places are pebbly. Re suncare: we use P20 or Transderm brand on the kids. Both sorts are applied about one hour before going into the sun and don't need replenishing all day - saves a lot of struggling with thick creams and unwilling small children!!
Hope this helps. Don't be afraid! You'll all have a great time.

Allie

[Nevil Adkins]

Nevil
Have a look at any of the following:
1. Mark Warner Club Holidays
2. Sunsail Club Holidays
3. Iberotels anywhere

All of the above have absolutely brilliant childrens facilities, generally with fully qualified nannies/helpers and provide full programmes. They also offer great facilities for the adults too - lots of sporting activities etc. Sunsail and mark warner have their own brochures - Iberotels are in many mainstream ones or you can book direct. They all offer kids teas as well as evening sitting/activities so you can enjoy your own dinner in peace.
With children this age you want to find sandy beaches with gently shelving water - Spain and the islands - Minorca, Ibiza, Majorca, Turkey, careful with Greece - Corfu would be ok but some places are pebbly. Re suncare: we use P20 or Transderm brand on the kids. Both sorts are applied about one hour before going into the sun and don't need replenishing all day - saves a lot of struggling with thick creams and unwilling small children!!
Hope this helps. Don't be afraid! You'll all have a great time.


Allie
Thanks for your reply - we had already checked out both Mark Warner and Sunsail. I also contacted Aquatours and they have a couple of hotels with kid's clubs, although mid-August in Egypt is probably a bit too hot. As it now happens we are looking at renting a villa in one of the places you mention - Majorca or Menorca are my favorites since there are caves there!
On the sun care front - I couldn't agree with you more! Having lived in the Middle East for five years we still can't get over the sun attitudes of many people. We are currently living in Japan and move to Sakhalin (a Russian island just north of Japan) in September. I really should pull my finger out and write up some of the amazing trips we have done for the web-site!
Cheers
Nevil

[alison boler]

Nevil
Glad you are getting somewhere!
As it now happens we are looking at renting a villa in one of the places you mention - Majorca or Menorca are my favorites since there are caves there!

Either would be ideal, beaches are just right. Actually with that little group they will just about amuse themselves given the chance with a bucket and spade and a fishing net! Sometimes the villa company can help with a nanny or babysitter - we've done that quite successfully in the past in all sorts of odd places!!!

On the sun care front - I couldn't agree with you more! Having lived in the Middle East for five years we still can't get over the sun attitudes of many people. We are currently living in Japan and move to Sakhalin (a Russian island just north of Japan) in September. I really should pull my finger out and write up some of the amazing trips we have done for the web-site!

You should, you REALLY should! As you will have noticed we have a promotion on for trip reports at the moment. It would be great to hear about diving in the Far and Middle East, especially off the usual beaten track. It would also be good to hear about how you all cope in the summer as a reference for others who want to plan an enjoyable holiday - with some diving - and the family in tow! Its a common question to be asked.
We've just come back from Florida and that's a great place for such a holiday. Plenty for everyone to do both in and out of the water. Trip report(s) on its way!

Look forward to hearing from you - all the best

Allie
Cheers
Nevil