Family vacation to the tropics?

[Marlin65]

Originally Posted by Treebeard

We are hoping to hit Cozumel for a couple of days too, although from what I have researched it is a little more expensive.

It's worth the extra in my opinion especially if you dive.
I was told there is no crime. The last kid that stole a purse was beaten. This is from the tour guide though.
Lots of time share though.
I saw schools of bait fish Mai Mai Barracuda and lots more just off the beach.
Diving I say a huge nurse shark a grouper that his eye was the size of my fist a 4' turtle and much more.

[dsaundry]

Some great advise on places to go and see, but I wonder if the other members are seeing 2yr old travelling...I repeat 2 not 6 or 8 or 10..
How many parents have travelled with a 2 yr old and had time to relax, snorkel, dive, oh and did I say RELAX?? Nuff said I hope...Go with the grandparents......I repeat I have 4 great kids, but I have travelled with them when they were 2 and you DONT relax.......

[Marlin65]

Originally Posted by dsaundry

Some great advise on places to go and see, but I wonder if the other members are seeing 2yr old travelling...I repeat 2 not 6 or 8 or 10..
How many parents have traveled with a 2 yr old and had time to relax, snorkel, dive, oh and did I say RELAX?? Nuff said I hope...Go with the grandparents......I repeat I have 4 great kids, but I have traveled with them when they were 2 and you DONT relax.......

I better not tell you where I have taken my kids then you would crap yourself.
Most resorts have a kids club and he said his wife wanted to go somewhere warm. The last place we where at on one of the tours there was a two year old in the boat with us and there was 4" rollers and we were jumping waves. It was all fine they always have kids live jackets, and take extra care for you.
There is lots of small kids on resorts and its only 5hr to get there.
Ohh and he can snorkel or dive while his wife sits on the beach and his two year old plays in the sand.
My 2 Cents

[Marlin65]

Just so you don't think I am full of s**t.


Cape Scott Northern tip of Vancouver Island right after the hurricane.
The ocean protein skimming.

The Lions at 9 years.

[Delphinus]

Is that second photo Salt Spring? It looks familiar to me.

I dunno, maybe it's the old lifeguard in me speaking ... maybe it's the fact that I once, as a kid, nearly got lost ashore off Manly beach off Sydney after being caught in a riptide ... I wasn't in distress in the least, but I suddenly found myself 1 kilometre ashore. I sort of looked up and saw how far out I was ... sometimes the currents you get caught in are so gentle that you can't perceive that you're being carried off.

(I got back to shore with the help of a surfer who went out looking for me when my dad realized he couldn't see me anymore.)

I just think it's better to have a swim buddy out there with you (ie., not sitting at the beach), whether you are 7 or 37... Just my $0.02. Thus if you can go with some buddies or grandparents or other family ... it will just be better. But yeah, I realize that's not always possible. Let's face it, whatever you can do, is obviously going to be better than sitting at home staring at the snow.

[Marlin65]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Is that second photo Salt Spring? It looks familiar to me.

http://www.clubtread.com/Routes/Route.aspx?Route=239

No its on the north shore its the two bumps just to the left the ones that look like lions.

[Snappy]

Greg if you want great diving try Roatan in Honduras or Ambergris Caye in Belize. You need to decide exactly what kind of holiday you want and how3rd world you're willing to go. If you want great diving but a little more upscale try the Caymans. Jamaica is beautiful but the people are very pushy and I didn't care for it. You are welcome to call me for more details.

[mark]

Enjoyed Varadero Cuba. No complains for the hotel, beach, pool etc. and could call kid friendly.

Thing is there's no snorkeling from the hotel, just great white sand beach, and where they take you for SW snorkeling was really no hell (the FW cave was neat though).

[Delphinus]

Have you thought about Hawaii? If this is the first time you're going on a trip it might be a little more stress-free. Nonstop flights, no language barriers, etc. And tropical

When I was in Mexico the resort I went to had a decent kids place (I went before I had kids though), so some all inclusives might be worth checking into, if going to the Carribbean is still your first choice.

Snorkelling ... well .. I'm not sure what to suggest here. You won't really be snorkelling a lot if you have small kids with you and you're just going by yourself (ie., just your family). Snorkelling alone isn't responsible, my suggestion, don't do it - you need a dive buddy. Even in a crowded area like a beach, if nobody is actively actually watching out for you (and you back at them in return) then it's possible to slip into trouble without anyone noticing. Especially things like riptides, you don't know what hazards exist in an area you haven't swam before.

Although another option is booking yourself into a dive group done through a local dive shop.. sort of takes care of that issue.

When I went to Maui with Nathan in 2006, he was 1, but we were there as a family reunion so I had lots of family onhand to help watch over him when we wanted to do something like snorkel. Having said that, we still had to miss out on a lot of things that the famdamily could do just on account that you can't haul around a 1-year old or 2-year at a pace that you can do with older kids (or no kids). So it definitely takes some planning.

Personally, I suggest seeing if you can talk the grandparents, or an aunt or uncle, or friends who have kids too in similar age, in going with you at the same time. For one, it's funner with a small group, and for two, you can at least trade off the parenting duties so that you can do things like snorkel and whatnot. Just make sure that the parenting duties are equally shared because it's no fun for the one parent who is constantly "left behind" to tend to the wee ones.

[Patrick1]

My Vote,

Huatulco, Oaxaca

Beaches everywhere, calm & peaceful. They have just started to open up major tourism. Take a private boat tour and check out India bay. Our guide took us to 9 beaches 5 of them we were the only ones there.

Amazing weather all year round