Ideas for travelling with a toddler

Looking to go on a holiday with our 13month toddler since they get free flights to 2yrs old (correct?)

We're looking for an overseas trip, possibly to Japan or Hawaii - we'd like to relax a bit but it's going to be tough with a kid - no chance of going on hikes and any other activitites of course.

Any recommendations? and any tips on travelling with a young one (furthest we've travelled with him is gold coast lol)

 

I have no recommendations, but I remember my brother's ex-girlfriend took her daughter with her to a Bali resort which she was investigating (she was a travel agent) and the staff were all over the kid like white on rice. They loved her and looked after her. (although I think it was off-season). The little girl got used to having "servants" and would stomp up and go "coke!" whereupon they'd all think she was so cute and take her off for spoiling and cuddles.

A formal resort-type accommodation might have childcare services/creche that could give you some opportunities to sightsee?

EDIT: could you spring for another airfare? Take an au-pair.

 

I've got Friends who have gone to Japan with their ~12 month old babies and they say its really great. Apparently the people are great with kids and very accommodating etc.

Our friends who went recently told us they were on the Subway in Tokyo and their baby started to get a bit upset. A random Japanese dude pulled out a puppet and started entertaining their kid!

 

I've done Japan with a 2 year old, and also Hawaii (Honolulu) with a 3 and 1 year old and both countries have been really easy to navigate

I would definitely say Japan is easier with a baby (in a stroller). Probably the hardest part was catching trains, when it was crowded but we tried to avoid that as much as possible (get a compact stroller!)

Just a heads up that if you go to a doc in Hawaii, prepare to pay out your butt. My 1 year old got gastro and we went to a local GP, cost us over $200AUD (after travel insurance, we got like $10 back)

 

Free domestic, but we had to pay tax for OS trips.

We did Hawaii when our first was 12 months old, absolute blast. Only headache was he was a FOMO and didnt sleep on the flight. Worst plane ride of our lives!!! UGH! He also developed gastro in the first couple of days but was fine.

We recently over xmas did a 6 week around the world trip with our 2 boys. Oldest was 5 years old and the other was 8 months old. Had a great time although my wife had REALLY bad gastro in San Fran. Cost us $4800 for 1 injection of antibiotics and a 3 day course....yeah....travel insurance pays off!

You can still hike with a baby/toddler, just cant do the more challenging trails. you can wear a baby carrier or one of those hiking backpacks. I wore the carrier for a little bit of hiking in Yosemite.

Just dont overpack! portacot, pram etc

We made that mistake in Thailand and looking back, it was just ridiculous how much we packed for a family of 2 adults and a toddler.

Most hotels will have a baby cot you can use and a cheap umbrella stroller will suffice for getting around and bashing around in the plane.

 

haha sorry monk just picking myself up off the floor


The best way i found with the kids under 2 was to go somewhere that had a kids club that you could dump em at and have some adult time during the day

 

Only places that really have kids clubs, is places in Fiji and Bali. The ones in Fiji were pretty good, every evening all the little kids in the club would put on these Fijian dancing outfits and they would sing and dance and light these fire torches.

 

We’re planning on doing a trip next year when our little guy is around 18 months. I’m from Central QLD so we’re looking at doing a trip over to Perth.

Ideas for things to do? We were just going to do what we normally do on holidays, lots of eating, lots of sight-seeing, visiting some national parks and whatever else we can get ourselves into.

The only thing, we were considering going to some wineries and probably a brewery. Takes a bit of the fun out of it, not being able to get completely tanked while touring, but one of us can do the winery and the other can do the brewery, take turns at being DD for the little guy.

I don’t know hey, we really haven’t changed our life much for this kid, we make plans around us not him.

 

Did Cairns when bubs was 8 months and it was a breeze. We are heading to Italy later this year when bubs will be 17 months, it will be interesting to say the least. We made sure we have a full day stop over on the way over and back. We are going to try and go a bit slower (less traveling around and less tourist sites) in Italy than we did pre baby, but this should be nice to give us time to slow down and enjoy life how the locals do.

 

I don't get it, you know the kid won't have any memory of the trip. It's not like they'll enjoy it, or even realise it's on holidays.

you'll be dragging the poor thing around everywhere annoying everyone else with crying and bad smells for no good reason.



imho babies plane tickets should be 10x adult tickets.

/may have just done a europe trip surrounded by crying babies for all 40 odd hours of plane time. so inconsiderate.

 

not everyone. I am not annoyed by the existence of children in my world.

 

If you think you had it tough with crying babies, the parents had it tougher x 1000

 

Its not always about the kid having memories. After kids people just dont stop wanting to experience new things, travel or visit family.

 

So true,

Every plane flight is a constant hive of activity to stop a child from getting bored or upset. More often the biggest issue is take off and landing and getting a child to "pop" their ears. Which is normally snacks or milk during take off and landing.

Japan is awesome for children, it can be tough and easy with a pram. Tough because not everything is designed for a pram, but easy because at least they are in the stroller not wanting to run around touching everything.

They are pretty accommodating probably the only sensitive issue is if your child is old enough to walk just watch having them "walking" on seats with dirty shoes.

 

Get a tablet with great battery life and train your kid to wear headphones.

Download these from youtube:

Little baby bum
Chu Chu TV
Dave and Ava

They all do long compilations (1 hour plus), so hook up a playlist and let them at it. My 2 year old loves em.

 

Fijian ladies loooooooove kids, in particular the older females working at resorts.

I'd be considering that as a real option as you can get into some really nice resorts, even go on beach picnics or sight see, and they'll look after your baby while you are away.

Outrigger on the Lagoon is a really popular one for travellers with babies. Vomo (iirc) also has dedicated babyminder.
Jean-Michel Costeau Resort does as well from memory.

Plus plenty more.

 

not true . many chains such as club med also have kids clubs all over the world

 

And Centara / Centara Grand resorts in Thailand (which are lovely, btw)

 

Make sure you've got a big enough suitcase to pack 'em into

 

We took our then 13 month old son with us on a 9 night Pacific cruise and associated flights from Melbourne to Brisbane and back.

The flights were pretty difficult as he got very bored and frustrated with sitting in the one spot, so had to wander up and down the plane a few times and find videos and toys to entertain (fortunately we brought with us a collection of small toys such as some little books, cars and four or five mega blocks).

The cruise side was interesting too, as when it was nap time, it was nap time wherever we were, generally in the pram either wandering around the boat, or while onshore. Night time lead to someme (me) having to hang back at the room while he slept. We were fortunate to have assistance from my wife's parents who were cruising with us, but it was still a lot of work and I missed out on many of the fun evening entertainment. We also took a baby monitor so that we could sit up in the atrium area and enjoy the entertainment while he slept.

Probably wouldn't suggest anybody do that with such a young child, as there just isn't enough for them to do, and you end up spending much of your time watching after them; but I also wouldn't take it back, it was an experience that we've never had before. First time out of the country.