Residents of leafy South West London might have noticed that buggies have been cleared for landing in trendy Northcote Road. A steady flow of Mamas and Papas have beating their way towards the new Turquoise Holidays Shop in Battersea, lured by the talk of the most exciting range of family holidays to ever hit the high street.
Word on the street says we haven’t disappointed you either. A quick flick through our new family holiday brochure gives more than a tantalising taste of what all the chatter is about. From wildlife adventures in Borneo to island hopping in the Seychelles and cycling through Cambodia, we have found the answer to those three little words, the age-old bane of every parent on the long-awaited, much anticipated annual family holiday: “I’m bored, Mum” need never be uttered again. We can even take the pain out of the most stressful part of your holiday, thanks to the team of in-flight nannies on every Etihad flight over six hours. At long last you really can sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. We are here – for your comfort, your safety and primarily for your children!
The Maldives has long been one of Turquoise’s most popular destinations, not least for its wonderfully romantic allure and its qualities as one of the Indian Ocean’s most outstanding honeymoon destinations. But at Turquoise, we are firm believers that romance is far from dead once the honeymoon is over, so we were particularly delighted to hear that one of our favourite Maldivian resorts, Soneva Fushi, has just announced its brand new summer 2014 Children’s Camp.
As kids’ clubs go, The Den, which opened at Soneva Fushi, after rapturous reviews of the first ‘Den’ kids’ club at sister resort Soneva Kiri on the Thai island of Koh Kood, is in quite simply in a league of its own. The largest and most creative ‘Kids’ space’ in the Maldives (and if there is a better one in the world we have yet to find it) The Den at Soneva Fushi is an amusement park, eco-pod and theatre of dreams all rolled into one. With a 130 metre pool and slide, a zip line through the jungle, a 14 metre tunnel linking The Den from the gardens, and a real-life Treasure Trove, this quite literally redefines the concept of a kids’ Club. And did we mention the Lego Room, DJ Corner and Mocktail Bar? Yes, those clever people at Suneva Fushi have thought of it all. In fact, in a stroke of complete brilliance, the creative input was provided by the very children who played at The Den at Soneva Kiri. The team of architects and builders just made it happen.
Learn more about holidays in the Maldives
At this point we are obliged to mention that this blog carries a serious warning of pester power. If you have any children reading over your shoulder, log off now or be prepared to book your summer holiday without further ado.
The brand new Soneva Fushi Children’s Camp kicks off on 15 May and runs to 31 August. Like The Den, it brings with it a whole new world of children’s entertainment. A jam-packed schedule from morning to evening and even overnight provides an astonishing array of activities and entertainment from Olympic Fun to Survival. Budding beauticians can learn the secret of nail art, yoga and massage. Would-be Olympians will throw themselves into the Triathlon and Sailing Regatta. Bear Grylls fans will love the Survival classes – once they’ve learnt how to BBQ and make their own tent, they are all ready to set sail for Pirate Island where a night time sleep out under the stars awaits. (We reckon Mum and Dad, left to their own devices, will favourite that one too). From kite-making to cooking and film-making to dance, life has never been so good for our young travellers this summer.
Soneva Fushi is the original desert island dream come true. A true castaway island, the resort is on the deserted Kunfunadhoo island in the North Baa Atoll, at 100 acres one of the largest islands in the Maldivian archipelago. With its jungle clad interior ringed by white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, the island is a drop of emerald green in a lagoon of pure turquoise. Luxury and eco have been married in true harmony to create a resort of rustic perfection where every possible creature comfort is provided, yet the overwhelming sense of nature and tranquility prevails. On stepping down from your 25 minute seaplane flight from Malé, the first thing you will be handed is a bag for your shoes. Even the management goes shoeless on Soneva Fushi. This is the epitome of barefoot elegance. We love it – and so will you.
