Family holiday - where? Please inspire me:

[CNXBKKMAN]

Check out G Adventures small group tours all over the world. Some amazing stuff you have never even considered. Prices are reasonable too. Always wanted to do their traditional Dhoni boat cruise around the Maldives.

[soihok]

Pattaya

Family holiday in Pattaya?

Why not.

Spent many a family holiday there (Jomtien actually).

Mainly due to location though

When I say family I mean about 10 of us.

[mjakob007]

south africa: cape town, wine farms, sea, mountains, great food, excellent value for money, or up in the drakensberg and kruger

india: only certain states/ its a big country. kerala, rajastan, Maharashtra, karnatakatake one of those 5* train tours (some 3k/pax for a week, all in)

[Alwyn]

NZ south island already suggested. If it was me I'd go to Israel. Great beaches, great food, great people and you could sight seeing in Jerusalem everyday for a month and still have more to see! Dead sea and Massada is awe-inspiring but maybe not good to visit right now but if the locals are visiting it's okay to do so. It's a brilliant country to visit.

[stevensg]

The Seychelles, nice ocean view.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Lots of people are mentioning NZ south island but it is the middle of winter in July and August. Freezing cold. Does the op want to go skiing?

[mango66]

use the chance of the low Euro, you get currently 30% more !

Royal thai people, princess, and memebers I met in a plane,

like Austria, a lit bit culture in Sazburg - mozart - or Vienna,

and some days in the mountain in Tirol -

or combine with south Germany - Garmisch - Munich !!

Switzerland is 40% more expensive,

so your 5kUS$ would not be sufficient !!

For a beach holiday you dont need to go to Europe, Greece, Spain, Turkey -

they are terrible crowsded in July - August - main school holidays in all EU countries,

but Mountains and cities free !!

Enjoy EU !!

[mango66]

Take Kenya Air direct to Nairobi, get an airport transfer direct to the Maasai Mara to avoid staying in Nairobi and enjoy a spectacular safari. Consider timings if you want to see the Great Migration as an added bonus.

Safari is never going to be more than a week so take a short flight to Zanzibar for a beach break.

safari in august ? check the weather -monsum time,

safari : no culture, no good food, no walk - just husty jeep rides on hot sun and dust !

a month back 2 tourists were killed in 2 diff cases in safari by animal hitting the jeep !!

[mjakob007]

well a few hundred perish when a plane goes down. stats show less people get hurt on safari than plane rides on a percentile basis.

most safari accidents occur, when lead by amateurs. if you go with any resort in mara they have masai riding your 4 x 4. they have and still live in the forest and know the animals better than any others

http://www.sarovahotels.com/maracamp/

http://www.serenahotels.com/serenamara/default-en.html

http://www.fairmont.com/masai-mara-safari/

book with a good resort (there are many of them) and food is just outstanding.

wake up in the morning in a serene jungle breathing unpolluted air. nothing like that...

yes the weather in august in not the best.

[cyberholz]

Again, thanks everyone for the valuable information in here. Personally I'd like to do the India trip, but guess for the familiy it will either be Australia or, well, Germany!

Those familiar with Australia, what route would you recomment for, say, three weeks with a rental car, sleeping Airbnb- or B&B-style.

Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide?

We really love nice food and nature!!

And July being winter/low season, can one just drive and book places on the spot? Are A$100 a night reasonable for three (two adults and 16-year-old boy)?

With Europe and Germany I'm familiar, Australia's still a black hole!