Family Travels
Do Bali In Style
The Travelers
Charlie & Josephine Dang and their twin daughters Lauren & Megan (6)
The Plan
The Dang family planned a two-week holiday split between Hong Kong and Bali. They used Beijing Li Heng Ticket Service (6591 7997) to book their Beijing to Hong Kong roundtrip tickets, but went online to book their Cathay Pacific roundtrip flights from Hong Kong to Denpasar, Bali. Once in Bali, they chose to stay at The Laguna Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua. The family had three things in mind when traveling to Indonesia – sun, sand, and spas.
European Holiday
The TravelersNenad and Danijela Pavic, and their children Dane (12), Mila (then 9), and Maksim (7).
The Plan
The Pavic family left Beijing for a three-week European tour encompassing three countries and seven cities. Danijela organized the entire trip with some help from Tripadvisor.com.
They began by flying Air China to London. The family stayed in a two-bedroom serviced apartment called Dolphin House, located in Pimblico just three metro stops from city center. The Pavics recommend a ride on the Original Tour bus as the best way to take in all the tourist sights. The kids loved visiting the London Dungeon, walking across Abbey Road (made famous by The Beatles), seeing The Lion King in the West End, as well as the Jack the Ripper walking tour.
From London, the family flew Easy Jet to Santorini, Greece, where they stayed at Hotel Kamari.
From Rice Paddies to Alleyways: A foodie’s tour of Vietnam
Travelers Steve Morison, Emily Allen, and their daughter Talia (9)
The Plan
The Morison/Allen family flew China Southern Airline to Hanoi, Vietnam. Upon arrival they checked into the Thu Giang Guesthouse in the Old Quarter. The guesthouse was clean and airy and set them back a mere USD 15 a night. After a few days of soaking up the local culture, the family purchased three berths on an overnight train and headed to the central Vietnamese cities of Hue and Hoi An. During their train trips they were treated to views of rice paddies and water buffalo. Once in Hue, they visited the walled remains of the old imperial compound, called the Forbidden Purple City, located just north of the Perfume River. While in Hue the family stayed at the Halo Guesthouse, they loved how welcoming the owner was. The room, which had a spacious bathroom and a comfortable balcony, cost USD 15/night.
The Best Part
The family loved all of the amazing food.
Beach Holiday for Three
The Travelers:
Veronica Neresoff, Daniel Urdaneta, and their son Andres (1).
The Plan
This family of three was in need of some serious R&R, and a sunny beach in Thailand sounded like just the tonic. They flew from Beijing to Bangkok, and then to Phuket, an island in the south of Thailand. In total the trip took approximately eight hours. Upon landing in Phuket, the family stayed at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa located on beautiful Karon Beach.
On the Beach in Boracay
The Travelers:
Christopher Lay and Savvy Him with their daughter Reina (2.5 years).
The Plan:
When family friends shared their Boracay itinerary for the
October holiday with Christopher and Savvy, they decided to join in the island excursion with only a week to book the trip. The day before departure, their friends had to cancel due to illness while typhoon Parma was bearing down on the Philippines. Undaunted, Chris and Savvy packed their bags and headed to the airport. Nothing short of flight cancellations would deter them from spending a week on an island where Reina could dig in the sand and frolic in the surf. They managed to just miss the storm and only suffered a two-hour flight delay.
Village Bliss
The Travelers:
Dominic and Laura Johnson-Hill and their family: Rosie (2), Winnie (4) and Prudence (9).
The Plan:
Fly from Beijing to Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province, then drive three hours to reach their destination: the bucolic village of Qingyuan.
Accommodation:
They stayed with a family in the guesthouse of a 400-year-old residence. “We basically moved in with them,” says Dominic. The family spent five days in the village enjoying three square meals a day for a grand total of RMB 1,200.
Food:
The food was seasonal and spicy. The Johnson-Hill family ate fresh fish caught the same day.
The Best Part:
Dominic raves that the village was absolutely beautiful. “We arrived at night. There was a beautiful river where fish come up and nibble the vegetables that you’re washing in the river and there are water buffalo having a rinse. It was idyllic,” he says.
Family Travels
Trekking in Thailand
The Travellers: Jens and Cordula Von Greunigen with their daughters Hanna (4) and Luise (14 months).
The Destination: Koh Samui, Thailand
The Plan: The Von Gruenigens wanted a relaxing seaside holiday with a dash of excitement, so they chose Thailand because of its pristine beaches and delicious food. While in Koh Samui, they stayed at the Thai House Beach Resort, approximately 30 minutes from Koh Samui airport. At the resort, they swam in the children’s pool and lounged in the Jacuzzi, but the Von Greunigens made sure they spent plenty of time away from their hotel. With a taste for adventure, they packed in elephant trekking, road trips around the island in their rental jeep, and plenty of beachside fun.
Chishui
FlightChina Eastern Airlines operates one daily flight aboard a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 to Luzhou (泸州), Sichuan, which despite being in a separate province is just two hours away from Chishui by car. A wider and cheaper range of flights serves Chongqing, five hours away, and Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou - an arduous eight to ten hour drive away.
