This will be our 10th visit to Goa and 4th with our 5 yr old I personally find it alot easier that travelling Europe with her. The flight is obviously long but we have always found she has slept the majority of the time and we took lots of colouring and reading etc.

The first time we went I took everything but did pay great attention to what I could have saved taking, which was basically everything!!

I now only take the basic essentials that we would take for ourselves and buy everything else there, I do take a bottle of cordial to dilute although I found some in a supermarket last year, but buckets and spades medication etc we buy there (even t shirts for covering up in the sun)

Food wise she has tried most things but if we have found to be stuck we have just asked and the restaurant or beach bar and they will come up with something, be it grilled chicken and vegetables or dippy egg!!

Everything else has been common sense we take high factor sun cream and I also take a uv sun suite which I put on her mainly around midday.

She really enjoys all the fuss she gets there and we have been on some good trips....recommend the jungle safari where you get to wash and ride elephants great fun.

WE have just returned with our two aged 2.5 and 4.5. The kids have travelled lonh haul before and once there it doesnt make much different if ur in Goa or in the UK. The important thing we found was to be sensible and ensure they have the rest they need and not to keep them in the sun too long.

We also ensur4ed we chose a hotel with a kiddies pool, hopwever, only used it once as they prferred a beach.

We took two buggies with us, as they tend to sleep quite early, and this could be hard work as there were few pavements where we were staying, but we still managed, and even took it to Mackies market.

The ardest thing for us was the flight. Charter flights are cramped and uncomfortable and we had booked with Thomas Cook on the basis that this was a night flight, leaving at approx 1.30am, however just before we were about to leave flight times were changed toi the afternoon. This proved to be the most difficult thing to handle and perhaps why will probably return to the Far East ahead of Goa unless we go scheduled via Mumbai.

Thank you both for your comments. What hotels did you both stay in?

I think in my heart of hearts I'd have no problem going again with my daughter, it's just lovely to hear your comments...especially the comment about night flight changing to afternoon flight! What a nightmare.

Out of interest Gooner, whereabouts in Far East have you been with children? Again, my husband and I have travelled extensively around Thailand, before our daughter, and would certainly go there again.

Thanks

i been take the kids to goa for the last 3 years and the youngest is now 6 the plane not that bad once you have comics and colouring books sweets and drinks but i buy some travel sickness med called phenergan which makes the children drowse and then they sleep all the way though the night flight brill

HI Stinky,

stayed at the Kamat in Goa, not bad if u manage to get a room in phase 2, and they have a great restaurant.

My daughter was 8 months when we took her to Bagkok and then Hua Hin for two and a half weeks. WE then went on a tour of Rajasthan in India when she was one and a half and then went to KL and Penang when she was twoi and a half and my son was 6 months. That was a long flight but we loved Penang, as we had a great hotel. Last year we went to Orlando which was only a 8 hour flight but as I said have been put off Goa with their daytime flights so planning a trip back to Thailand, but have to see how it goes.

Found both the Thais and Malays really into kids and hotels in Hua Hin and Pengang really child friendly.