Travel Overseas Or Explore Local Experiences With Your Family
Now that travelling is back on the cards for most countries after two years of pandemic restrictions, you may be thinking of where to visit with your loved ones.
The adults probably seek relaxation, while the kids want fun and adventure. Finding the best option that could please everyone without burning a hole in your pocket can thus be quite challenging.
To help you arrive at a decision, we’ve picked five fun and family-friendly destinations and found some things to do there that everyone will love.
1. Sydney
Well-known for its fresh local produce, coffee, and world-class cuisine, Australia has always been a favourite pit-stop with Singaporeans.
At hip, ultra-modern Sydney, it’s not just about alfresco dining. Board the Jerry Bailey vessel with multiple outside viewing areas and see majestic whales up close from your vantage point at Eastern Pontoon, Circular Quay, along Sydney Harbour.
Brace yourself for huge splashes as a whale swims a few feet in front of you and possibly breaks the water surface, making for epic photographs you’ll look back at for years to come.
Once the action winds down, dig into refreshments on board the boat while learning more about the underwater mammals through an informative commentary.
After spending time in the sun, retreat to the air-conditioned interior of Madame Tussauds where you can pose with celebrities — or rather, very realistic wax figures of them.
Take as many shots as you want and get as close as you wish to footballers, politicians, Hollywood movie stars, and more.
2. Bangkok
Families who are raring to travel but don’t wish to venture too far may want to consider visiting Bangkok, a bustling city like Singapore with its own distinct quirks that’ll leave everyone in wonder.
A walking tour in Chinatown amid the LED signboards and beeps of passing tuk-tuks will surely mesmerise the little ones as they take in the unique sights and sounds.
Mums can do their rounds of shopping there while everyone else indulges in yummy street food that defines the nightlife buzz of the Thai capital.
For a more relaxing weekend, escape the city centre and take a stroll from Trok Leng Moi Eia to Talad Kao. Bask in the sunshine as you watch locals selling fresh produce like herbs and even flowers at the markets.
Delve deeper into the rural side of Bangkok aboard a longtail boat that takes you down a network of canals offering a glimpse of how locals live.
The houses on stilts and shops lining the waterways will be a refreshing sight, especially if the family is only used to seeing high-rise flats and skyscrapers.
3. Bali
While having the city within reach is convenient, fully getting away on an island might do everyone some good, and there’s no place more idyllic than Bali, Indonesia.
You’ve probably seen enough photos of their beautiful beaches, so why not enjoy a panoramic view of the island from a hot air balloon while admiring the Ubud sunset instead.
Hold your breath as you witness the vast fields below bathed in the sun’s afterglow from your lofty perch, and you’ll see why this is a worthwhile experience.
After gaining a newfound experience in nature, spend a morning with some elephants by getting a chance to wash, bathe, and ride on the back of these gentle giants.
At the end of all the rugged adventures, treat your family to a well-deserved buffet breakfast with the elephants keeping you company.
4. Malaysia
Beyond weekend trips to Johor Bahru (JB), Malaysia has tons to offer families, be it those who appreciate familiarity or seek new experiences.
For starters, visitors can get a bit of both at the Penang 3D Trick Art Museum, which, unlike its Singaporean counterpart, has over 40 optical illusion paintings depicting rural and urban life in Malaysia.
Pretend you’re falling out of a sampan at a fishing village as the kids hang on to mum and dad for dear life.
Though real-life versions of these Malaysian experiences may not be on your itinerary, getting a sense of them through 3D exhibits is close enough.
City-dwellers who can’t seem to stray too far away from the urban lifestyle would probably have Kuala Lumpur (KL) in mind.
Instead of simply shopping till you drop there, take a peek at the quaint side of KL at Kampung Baru, a charming village in the heart of the city.
Believed to be the last Malay enclave, this is the perfect spot to catch your breath and recharge your spirits without feeling the urge to scroll through your social media feeds.
There’s no better way to immerse yourself in this slice of paradise than by learning about its history from a local who grew up in the area while sampling delicious dishes like grilled fish.
Round off the experience by bringing home souvenirs like Malaysian textiles and produce, which you can get at the nearby Chow Kit Market.
5. Singapore
Planning an overseas trip with the family can be a hassle. From packing the kids’ things to booking a suitable hotel and getting everybody on board a flight, there’s so much trouble you can avoid by staying in Singapore.
But that doesn’t mean depriving yourself of a good time, as you can find that here at places like the Singapore Zoo.
Well-known for its open concept, our world-famous zoo brings you up close to more than 2,400 animals that live there.
Besides learning more about the animals through interactive exhibits, the fam can explore the 26-hectare space in a tram ride to save yourselves the exhaustion of walking in Singapore’s heat.
When the humidity gets a little unbearable, make a trip to Universal Studios Singapore (USS), where you can experience the adrenaline rush of going on theme park rides.
With seven movie and television-themed zones packed with entertaining attractions, you may need to devote an entire day just to check out everything.
Book your next family adventure with Pelago
Now that more leisure activities and travels have resumed, there are so many places you can bring the family to for a getaway or bonding experience.
Thankfully for folks who can’t seem to narrow down the options, Pelago collates all the best lifestyle experiences, with detailed breakdowns by country or city.
Pelago not only serves as a useful travel and experience guide but is also a comprehensive platform for you to book activities both locally and internationally. To see what they have in store, visit their website here.
Families on a budget need not worry about prices as there are attractive discounts to look forward to. Siam the exorbitant June to July peak period prices on Pelago, which is offering S$40 off S$100 on all experiences sitewide with the promo code ‘GOTRAVEL40’. Apply this code upon checkout from now till 31 Jul 2022 to enjoy the discount.
Since the platform is an extension of Singapore Airlines’ services, you get to earn KrisFlyer miles whenever you book travel experiences on Pelago. This also means you can redeem KrisFlyer miles whenever you book with Pelago.
For the month of June, KrisFlyer members stand to get 33% off their total bill when they pay using their miles. Every 100 miles are worth S$1 on Pelago (usually 150 miles = S$1), so the more you have, the more savings you’ll enjoy.
Start planning for some beautiful memories now
After two years without leisure travel, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed with the number of options you have now.
Having some points of reference and recommendations will certainly help you to tailor your travel plans to fit your family’s needs.
Planning your next holiday need not be headache-inducing anymore now that you have endless activity and location ideas that you can book at your fingertips.
This post was brought to you in collaboration with Pelago.
All images courtesy of Pelago.
