Kangaroo hopping near the surfing beach at Lucky Bay, Australia. 

Kangaroo hopping near the surfing beach at Lucky Bay, Australia. 
© Shutterstock

Six of the Best Family Wildlife Holidays

Animal lovers of all ages – but especially young travellers – will be wow’ed by these wildlife-focused breaks.

Whale-watching in Canada

When it comes to must-see animals, Canada nails the brief. Whisk the fam off to the west coast, spotting bears, moose and whales at British Columbia’s verdant Vancouver Island. Hop aboard a three-hour cruise along rippling Pacific Ocean waters, scanning the horizon for angular black orca fins, waving gray whale tails and breaching humpbacks. The best time to visit is from May to October, when migrations make for plentiful sightings. That’s also, handily, the best time to explore Canada’s nearby west coast city, Vancouver – home to kid-friendly golden beaches and sprawling parks.

Whale-watching in Canada

When it comes to must-see animals, Canada nails the brief. Whisk the fam off to the west coast, spotting bears, moose and whales at British Columbia’s verdant Vancouver Island. Hop aboard a three-hour cruise along rippling Pacific Ocean waters, scanning the horizon for angular black orca fins, waving gray whale tails and breaching humpbacks. The best time to visit is from May to October, when migrations make for plentiful sightings. That’s also, handily, the best time to explore Canada’s nearby west coast city, Vancouver – home to kid-friendly golden beaches and sprawling parks.

Safari in South Africa

Spot all the characters from the Lion King on a safari in South Africa, the most family-ready of African getaways for Big Five sightings. Sabi Sands Game Reserve warmly welcomes tots, with lodges kitted out with spacious rooms and engaging guides that help little ones learn about the surrounding wildlife. Your crew will have to wake early to make the most of the game drives, spotting the likes of Simba, Timon and Pumbaa in their natural habitat just after dawn. But afternoons spent bobbing around the pool make up for it with their laziness.

Kangaroos in Australia

There’s just something about kangaroos that capture kids’ imaginations. To see the bouncing marsupials in the wild you’ll have to head to their home turf Down Under, where you’ll spot them everywhere from vineyards to roadside brush. Want a guaranteed sighting? Visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary just outside of Brisbane, where you’ll can get up close to families of ‘roos. As the name suggests, the sanctuary is also home to that other kiddie fave creature – koalas.

Tropical fish in Mexico

It is famous for its soft golden sands and warm waves, but Mexico’s Caribbean coast has brilliant reefs for snorkelling too. When you make for the string of beaches between Cancún and Tulum, you can introduce children to a rainbow of fish species as bright as any seen in Finding Nemo. Akumal, a beachfront cluttered with bobbing green turtles, is the perfect stop off for families, while reefs off the island of Cozumel have angelfish, parrotfish, barracudas and the unique splendid toadfish – stripey, blue and bearded.

Elephants in Thailand

Africa isn’t the only place to spot elephants. Tie in a visit to an ethical elephant sanctuary on your beachy holiday to the island of Phuket, and children will have the chance to meet Asia’s largest land mammal – as well as get time in the sun and surf.

You’ll want to head to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, a vetted outfit where elephants roam and bathe freely, and tourist interaction is limited to certain times of day. One of the island’s best resorts, COMO Point Yamu, with its dramatic views overlooking the Andaman Sea, is conveniently set just around the corner. 

Primates in Malaysia

Shaggy haired orangutans, fat-nosed proboscis monkeys, wide-eyed slow lorises – Borneo has a rollcall of fascinating primates to send your children bananas. You can see them all – and support conservation projects while you’re at it – when you book with an ethical operator such as Responsible Travel. You’ll bed down to the sounds of the jungle in remote lodges accessed by boat, then rise to early hikes where macaques call across the skies.

Hidden Proboscis monkeys in Borneo.
© Shutterstock
Hidden Proboscis monkeys in Borneo.
Alicia Miller
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