Author of
The Global Guide to Divorce
These suggestions for great holidays after divorce are from a kid’s point of view. Shop around for holiday destinations for children with an affordable deal and have a fantastic adventure.
Singapore is clean, easy to get around with a plethora of attractions for children and adults.
The world class zoo has a unique night safari with low lightening for easy viewing of nocturnal creatures. I enjoyed having breakfast with an orang-utan and walking around the lush grounds.
The Botanic Gardens are immense with diverse vegetation, including orchids.
Having tea at Raffles was a highlight for the boys with dishes from many cultures. Sentosa Island can be reached by cable car and is packed full of amusements. My sons particularly liked Underwater World which consists of walking under a tunnel and viewing marine life swimming around you. I liked the WWll and Maritime museums.
My sons were three and seven when I started taking them to Morocco. The people are warm and welcoming – even to naughty little boys. I recommend watching the Alfred Hitchcock movie, “The Man Who Knew Too Much” which was partially filmed in Marrakesh. When we were in the Djemaa El-Fna square in Marrakesh, my three year old asked if we would be seeing a man killed there, like in the movie.
This exotic, non-stop action place is teeming with snake charmers, story tellers, musicians, and venders. Getting lost in the souk (market place) in Marrakesh only adds to the excitement and mystery. Even walking around looking in shops is an adventure.
Yves Saint Laurent donated the small, but exquisite Jardin Majorelle garden to Marrakesh which is near a nice museum – both keeping the attention of young boys. Marrakesh is a great base for taking jaunts outside of the city.
One morning we took an easy hike in the foothills and one son hitched a ride on a passing donkey. Another option is taking a hot air balloon ride and ending up having mint tea with a family in their home. On the way to the lovely nearby coastal city of Essaouira, you will see goats in trees.
Sri Lanka is a great family-friendly country with beaches, tea plantations, and temples.
We stopped at the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage where there is bathing time for the babies and feeding time for all. Kids can see the elephants up close.
Kandy is in the hill country with easy walks around the lake within the city. The Temple of the Tooth contains Buddha’s relic and sometimes has elephants participating in festivals at this interesting site. The nearby botanic gardens includes royal palm trees and orchids, but my sons liked the bats hanging from the trees best. We toured a spice farm and at another stop saw the process of making tea. There was a cultural show that included fire eaters which was a hit with the kids present.
In Dambulla, the Cave Temple consists of five caves containing many beautiful statues of Buddha. My boys liked the cheeky monkeys trying to con tourists out of food.
Polonnaruwa is a temple complex which is nearly a millennium old. The Buddha statues and buildings were an easy walk for little ones and we saw a lot in two hours. My sons liked the beach in Negombo, but I thought it was a bit rundown and would advise going elsewhere. Friends recommend Galle and surrounding areas for beach life.
Luang Prabang in Laos is a UNESCO city that is small, charming and easy to navigate with a stroller. There are gorgeous temples with intricate ornamental details and an informative museum. My sons also liked the palace. The beauty of the buildings with inlaid designs combined with French influenced Asian food is a treat which gets repeat visitors. The monks stroll the streets in the early morning and receive rice from the townspeople. My sons enjoyed taking a boat ride to caves which have thousands of Buddha statues, some with semi-precious stones.
Croatia is near the top of my sons’ list of great places.
In Dubrovnik they enjoyed walking on top of the city wall and just exploring this lovely city. In Split, the Diocletian’s Palace is a magnificent Roman ruin that was modified in the Middle Ages and shows everyday life. The small Town Museum was a hit with the weaponry and 14th Century coins and other artefacts. They liked the small market place with local vendors. The big draw for kids in Split is that they have re-enactments of battles from the Middle Ages and other entertainment from that era in the small town square. Split is buzzing with energy and excitement with lots of kids around.
One can lose money, but never travel experiences that are life changing. Budgets are tight after divorce, but travelling with my sons is my most important investment.
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ABOUT WENDI
Wendi Schuller is a nurse, hypnotherapist and is certified in Neuro-linguistic Programing (NLP).
Her most recent book is The Global Guide to Divorce and she has over 200 published articles.
She is a guest on radio programs in the US and UK. Her website is globalguidetodivorce.com.