Time for a getaway

Every morning Mums and Dads around the country awake to yet another 24 hours of decision making – who is taking which child to sports training, who is buying milk on the way home, does that cough really need a visit to the Doctor, who is buying Aunty Rita her birthday present, who is paying the Visa bill that was due two days ago...????

How good would it be to swap these day to day/ week to week decisions for ones like:  do I have a mimosa with breakfast or just straight champagne...do I swim or kayak before lunch...should we prise the kids from the scavenger hunt to make them have lunch with us...do I have dessert with both lunch and dinner...?

So if you’re looking for a relaxing holiday, a holiday that everyone enjoys then you cannot beat going to an island resort (more than likely on a lush, warm, tropical island). Then for a truly great family holiday, choose one that offers an all inclusive package. 

With the whole stay paid before you even arrive at the reception desk, you will not have to think twice if the kids want another drink. You won’t get annoyed at lunchtime when the kids don’t end up eating it – and all you can think about is that’s another $12 that you needn’t have spent.  Someone invented these packages very definitely with parents in mind!

We recently had a family holiday to Club Med at Cherating Beach in Malaysia.  It was a first time foray into the Club Med concept and if you haven’t gathered already, I am converted! Now when we say kids, we mean kids all ages from 0-18, not just the young kiddies. Mine are teenagers now and they enjoyed themselves immensely, got involved in the shows and really enjoyed the freedom and interaction with the G.O.’s (guest officers)

From the moment we drove up the long jungle-lined driveway to be greeted by Club Med G.O.’s to the moment we drove out the long jungle-lined driveway being bade farewell by the staff, we didn’t put our hands in our pocket once (okay, you caught me out – the spa treatments were extra...but oh so worth it!).

Everything is included – all meals, all drinks (including cocktails and alcohol for us), all day snacking, kid activities – you get the drift – absolutely everything is included. Club Med even guarantee an interconnecting room for the kids, which is something special. We have booked a few trips and have faced the dilemma of not having an interconnecting room guaranteed. When this doesn’t eventuate, the family has to split to two rooms, meaning the parents aren’t together - no fun on holiday!

As adults, we had never had such a relaxing and enjoyable holiday – we did really have to beg the kids to come and have lunch with us. As for the kids, they loved it (not sure whether having their own grown up kids (G.O.’s) at their beck and call all day had anything to do with it? The G.O.’s at Club Med are young, fun, energetic staff from all around the world.  I admit, I gave up counting how many languages they learnt to say hello in after the first 5.

Young guests at the resorts are placed in age appropriate groups and dependant and get to try every sort of activity – from learning local songs and dances, to craft that might involve anything from hand painting to painting silk scarves. They also have circus school so everyone (adults too) learn to master acrobatic turns on the giant bungy trampoline. They also can learn any watersport – wind surfing, kayaking and sailing were all on offer. 

Club Med Cherating Beach, as I mentioned, is surrounded by dense jungle and the resort itself is situated on a thin sliver of cleared land between the jungle and a glorious beach.  The local monkeys can been seen swinging in the trees (on your balcony and on the roof tops) all day and night...After a few sessions on the giant trapeze, most children at the resort think they could teach the local monkeys a thing or two!

Club Med has resorts all around the world (including ski resorts), but for us here in Australia, certainly their family orientated resorts in Indonesia (both Bali and on Bintan Island), Malaysia, Thailand (Phuket) and Mauritius are easily accessible and offer great all inclusive deals from Australia. 

Tina Lazell.

Helloworld Everton Hills.