The kids are back at school and Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye.
Where will your family spend the festive period?
For this year, our family festive holiday ideas are a mix of classic beach destinations, snowy wonderlands and exotic city and beach combinations in Asia. And of course, these ideas are just a starting point. Your travel designer will provide personalised travel ideas and planning.
Finnish Lapland
Finnish Lapland is a real winter wonderland, with endless snowy landscapes and exciting experiences for kids. At Christmas time there are only a few hours of daylight per day, but it’s a magical place for children and parents alike. And it’s not far from home.
Is Santa Claus in Rovaniemi Worth It?
Santa Claus famously comes from Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland. You can’t miss him. He’s seen at every lodge and hotel in the area, often multiple times per day. It’s a destination and experience many children dream of, even if they don’t know where it is.
However, Rovaniemi is a very touristic destination, dominated by budget charter tourism from across Europe. It’s accessible and fun for kids, but definitely not exclusive and not so tranquil either.
Surprisingly, snow is a challenge too. It’s arriving later in the season and Santa’s park and home wasn’t covered in snow last Christmas. We typically suggest visiting Rovaniemi in February instead.
In Rovaniemi our top recommendation is the Arctic Treehouse Hotel, which benefits from a location outside the town. It opens onto a wilderness where most the classic Lapland family experiences are possible (see below).
It’s also incredibly stylish and the floor-to-ceiling windows offer warm northern lights viewing. For families we usually recommend the Arctic GlassHouses, which can comfortably sleep six. Treehouse suites can be interconnected for families too.
You can do this holiday in four days, although you can stay for a week and still have fresh experiences each day.
More Exclusive Finnish Finland
For a more exclusive experience we suggest travelling deeper into Lapland. Flights to Finnish Lapland from Central Europe go via Helsinki, so it’s not necessarily more difficult to go even further north, although there’s even less daylight.
Go further north and it can feel like you have the entire Arctic Circle to yourself. It’s vast, wild, beautiful and a very unique way to spend the festive holidays.
Santa comes here too. There’s not a lodge in Finnish Lapland he doesn’t visit on a daily basis, so your kids will still enjoy Santa arriving by reindeer to give out presents in a white wonderland. And this part of Finland has some superb accommodation.
Octola Lodge consists of three exclusive-use lodges in a huge private reserve, ideal for larger families seeking complete privacy.
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is a large winter resort. If you typically enjoy going to a busy beach resort in summer, where there are endless activities and programs for kids, then this resort would suit your style. Although it can get busy, it’s very spacious in the resort and you leave people behind the moment you leave on an activity.
The glass igloos are really cool and are amazing for witnessing the northern lights. The four-person igloos can suit families, although they’re not so spacious. We usually recommend staying in a log chalet, which range from one to ten people,
Experiences in Finnish Lapland
Dog sledding safaris are brilliant as a family. You have time to interact with the dogs before and after the drive. And it’s magical to cruise across the frozen wilderness.
Reindeer safaris are equally entertaining and very much Santa’s vibe. It’s not boring to do both, on separate days.
The northern lights are a huge attraction. They are spectacular and sporadic, as you won’t have a show all night every night. Glass igloos are great because you can watch the sky for hours, without getting cold.
Snowmobiles (like quad bikes for the ice) are good fun for adults but not an activity for kids. Your best option will be a nighttime ride in search of the northern lights, with a babysitter back at your accommodation.
Singapore + Langkawi / Bawah Reserve / Desaru
This is a wildcard entry compared to Lapland, but this is a great option if you’re seeking something different over the festive period. A vibrant city experience plus a week on a tropical beach.
Singapore
Singapore will be your Christmas base. It’s a warm, tropical and entertaining city, where the Christmas lights shine and there are lots of experiences for kids.
This city-state offers all the facilities and options of a big and very modern city, just 30 degrees warmer than home in December. Theme parks, aquariums, beaches, restaurants, golf, light shows and much more. Singapore celebrates Christmas too and it is a public holiday, but just about everything and everywhere stays open throughout the holidays.
Fly into Singapore and spend a few days exploring the city. There are good two-leg flights from across Central Europe, with Emirates, Qatar, Swiss, Lufthansa and other airlines.
This is a wealthy city with many exclusive experiences. But we also like how you could spend the afternoon drinking tea in a temple and enjoy an evening dining on street food in Chinatown.
Don’t go for long, it’s not that big a place. Our travel designers will help plan a three- to five-day itinerary with experiences that suit your family.
After the city experience you can easily retreat to a great beach for a week of relaxation and activities. We suggest one of three options:
Singpore + Desaru Coast
Malaysia’s Desaru Coast is two hours by road. Even during the peak festive season there’s still a lot of space on the beach here.
We recommend staying at the excellent One&Only Desaru Coast, which has a prime beachfront location and is one of the best One&Only properties we know for children (although, it’s definitely better suited to kids aged over four rather than babies and toddlers).
Desaru is a nice option because of its ease and convenience, the great quality and a relatively low price point of this One&Only, plus the quiet nature and beach location.
Singapore + Bawah Reserve
We’re huge fans of Bawah Reserve. From Singapore you are escorted on a short ferry north to Batam in Indonesia. Then it’s a short seaplane flight or yacht transfer to the reserve.
It’s more than a remote private island resort. It’s a collection of six private islands spread around an atoll, making up one resort with 13 beaches and only 35 villas. Bawah is boutique and rustic chic, in a wonderfully natural location in the middle of the sea.
If you are put off the Indian Ocean or Caribbean because you fear it will be too busy during festive, Bawah Reserve is a superb alternative.
Even at full occupancy it’s so quiet here. Activities can take you all across the entire atoll. It’s good for snorkelling, diving, water sports, hiking, or just hanging out and doing nothing.
While the vibe feels grown up, Bawah does have a lot to offer children aged five and over. And with so much space your kids can run and shout and do what they want, without bothering other guests. We recommend a multi-bedroom beachfront villa.
Singapore + Langkawi
Langkawi is Malaysia’s best known beach destination, an island in the far northwest of the country, very close to Thailand. There are many direct daily flights from Singapore.
It’s an island of well preserved jungle, impressive rock formations, excellent beaches and many attractions for kids. While Bawah is the private family getaway, Langkawi is more of a resort destination with a wide choice of things to do inside and outside the resort.
The Datai Langkawi is nestled in an island rainforest, a short journey uphill from the beach and its own beach club. Originally created as an adults-only property, it now accepts children of all ages and is good with older kids.
Ritz-Carlton Langkawi is directly on the beach and more children orientated, a great-value option for a multi-bedroom villa with private pool on the beach, in a stunning location.
Indian Ocean During the Festive Holidays
Of course, you may be thinking about Maldives or Seychelles for Christmas and New Year. You may have already even booked. It’s a very popular choice with our clients.
The great advantage with the Indian Ocean is choice. There are over a dozen amazing island resorts for families. These articles will provide you with detailed inspiration:
- Maldives: Our Winter Recommendations
- Indian Ocean Resort Recommendations for 2024-2025
- Latest Resort Inspections from Maldives
- Indian Ocean Recommendations 2024
Christmas is one of the busiest times to travel and resort occupancy is high. Most resorts provide special programs over the festive period too. Our travel designers will advise you personally on the best resort and villa for your family, so you have the complete privacy you need.
Don’t discount the Seychelles either, where the best resorts are certainly on par with the Maldives. You don’t get overwater villas and there’s less choice of drinking and dining in the resorts. However, the islands are bigger, the resorts take fewer guests, and the Seychelles is a more active destination.
We’d avoid Anantara Maia and Six Senses Zil Pasyon, which are fantastic resorts but much better suited for couples.
Families can enjoy a great festive experience at the new Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island. We were impressed with the service during our inspection and really like the different nature activities, especially for children: even five year olds can safely encounter baby reef sharks and rays.
More Exclusive Indian Ocean Festive Holidays
For heightened privacy and exclusivity we suggest some of the more remote islands in the Indian Ocean, where it’s rare to even come across other guests.
These are larger islands with only a handful of villas, so it’s a completely exclusive experience even when the resort is at full occupancy.
EliteVoyage CEO Petr Udavsky inspected Miavana earlier this year, a vast natural island with so much space to relax and explore. Travel logistics mean this isn’t a great choice with young kids, but it would be amazing as an active holiday with teenagers.
Soneva Secret is the newest resort from the Soneva brand and it’s located far to the north of the Maldives. From the villa you don’t see other islands or boats. You’re likely to see dolphins and possibly whales instead. It’s extremely boutique, with only 14 villas, and everything tailored during your stay. The resort is designed so that each client has a private holiday experience.
It’s getting late in the year to book an exclusive-use Indian Ocean island, like Thanda Island. However, we do know a couple of options if that’s the festive holiday you want.
North Island in the Seychelles is superb for families, because there’s so much space to run around and play. It’s definitely not a resort where you need to stress about your children screaming or making a lot of noise.
The villas are very spacious, the vibe is rustic, and the all-inclusive program includes so many activities and experiences. If you want a week of relaxation plus doing fun experiences together, in complete privacy, then North Island is one of our top recommendations.
Where are you spending the festive holidays?
Maybe you plan to drive to the Austrian Alps for a few days. Or you’re inspired by some of the winter options in the Caribbean.
Wherever you want to spend the festive holidays, our travel designers will tailor a holiday that excites and relaxes everybody in your family.
