There is no shortage of beautiful places to stay in the Seychelles. Boutique beach hotels, private island retreats and luxury resorts all promise picture-perfect beaches, warm Indian Ocean waters and spectacular suites.

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Inside Saint-Anne Marine National Park, just a short boat ride from the Seychelles’ main island of Mahé, is a place that feels a world away from modern civilization. There are no busy roads; in fact, there are no roads at all, and there certainly aren’t any shopping centres or crowds. Instead, there is thick vegetation, rocky headlands, small beaches and just a handful of small accommodation options. This is where we recently discovered L’Habitation Cerf Island, perhaps the most surprising delight of our recent visit to the archipelago.

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Family travel often involves compromise. Parents sacrifice relaxation for entertainment, children tolerate sightseeing for ice cream, and often, everyone collapses with sheer exhaustion sometime soon after the sun goes down. Royal Madikwe Safari Lodge somehow manages to remove that compromise, creating a safari experience that feels genuinely enjoyable for everyone. Discover why this destination quicklyy became one of our favourite family holiday spots, and why our daughter has been begging to go back ever since.

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There’s something about a safari with children that quietly humbles you. And I’m not just talking about the feeling you get when you watch your children see wild dogs for the first time or the way your heart bursts when you hear your daughter whisper “I can hear Simba talking” when a lion cub starts calling to its mother. There are other moments that also work to bring you back to Earth, whether that’s negotiating snack treaties every 11 minutes, realising that your carefully packed safari wardrobe is now mostly being used as a napkin or blanket or realizing that thrilling sounds like a lion roaring or hyena whooping at night are actually quite scary for young ears and could end up in sleepless nights for the next 3 weeks.

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When we first started planning a family holiday to St Lucia in KwaZulu Natal, I’ll admit I wasn’t sure what we would do. I found it incredibly difficult to find up to date information about the area online or details on what we could do with children. But then we discovered The Little Bush Baby Company, a husband-and-wife-run safari company, and their assistance transformed the entire tone of our trip.

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Recently the world lost one of its absolute legends, Jane Goodall. Meeting her remains one of the highlights of my career and one short evening listening to her talk changed my outlook on conservation forever. As an animal-lover, scientist, researcher, activist and people-person, she says that in order to save our animals we have to start with the people.

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There’s something magical about driving the Garden Route; the ever-changing scenery, the farm stalls filled with homemade treats, and the promise of beaches at the end. Add a toddler (or two) into the mix, and it becomes a whole new kind of adventure. With the right planning, though, the drive can turn from daunting into memorable. Here are some of my top tips (and places to stop) that will turn the drive from something dreaded into one of our favourite parts of the trip.

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If you’d asked me a couple of years ago if I’d willingly pay to lock myself in a paddock with a bunch of hungry turkeys, one crazy emu and some miniature horses, I might’ve raised an eyebrow. But fast-forward to these past school holidays, and there I was, cappuccino in hand, giggling as my little girl ran wild (in the best possible way) surrounded by all of the above at the new Farmyard Experience at Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary, just outside Plettenberg Bay.

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Packing for a holiday with kids is like playing Tetris while blindfolded. You know it can be done, but it requires lists and the question of how to fit everything in. There are often a few tears (probably mine), things that have been forgotten, and a few regrettable choices that sit unused in the bottom of the bag.

On our most recent staycation, we based ourselves at the President Hotel in Sea Point, and while packing the car, I second-guessed myself on more than one occasion if the effort was really worth the reward. But once we were there, the stress was all but forgotten. This is the kind of place that makes travelling with kids feel like a holiday for the adults too. There’s a pool with an ocean view, a jungle gym, and enough space in the family rooms to avoid stepping on Legos in the dark (yes, you know the pain). Plus, it’s walking distance to the Sea Point Promenade, which quickly became our daily ritual: coffee in hand, unridden bicycle in the other, pram in front, and at least one child yelling about ice cream before 9am.

more “What to pack for a family holiday in Cape Town” …