Family Holidays for Water Babies

Arthur Ransome’s Swallows & Amazons may be a classic we associate more with our parents’ generation more than that of our children’s, but there’s no denying that kids, boats and island-hopping are a trio made in heaven - what better way to spend your family holiday. Throw in a spot of fishing and the occasional plank walk, and there’s a holiday recipe for success. With over 60 islands dotted around the gin-clear waters of the British Virgin Islands (including Norman Island, supposedly the original Treasure Island) you can’t go wrong with a family sailing holiday, especially when your yacht comes with a full complement of crew to help you master your sailing skills in between a spot of lazy fishing.

Fancy something a little more exotic on your family holiday? Island hop through the Seychelles where the glamour of Mahé is in stark contrast to old-fashioned La Digue, a step back in time, and even more so on Denis Private Island, with its free roaming giant turtles. For the ultimate ‘show and tell’ back at school, push the boat out on a family Dhow safari along Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago. A professional skipper guides you along one of Africa’s least developed and most beautiful stretches of coastline, where you can explore ancient forts and ghost towns and sleeping in mobile eco-camps on uninhabited tropical islands.