48 TRAVEL+LEISURE | APRIL / MAY 2020
C
O
URTESYOF^TOURISMTR
OPICA
L^N
O
RTH
QUEENS
LAN
DFAMILY HOT SPOTS
Even time-honored family-travel mainstays can lose their shine—in which
case, get inspired by these up-and-coming kid-friendly destinations.BEACH
Koh Mak, Thailand
In the Gulf of Thailand near the
Cambodian border, Koh Mak features
quiet, blissful beaches in a compact and
family-friendly package. On gently
inclined, car-free routes, scooters—
some with sidecars—cruise lazily from
beach to restaurant and back. The vibe
is local and laidback—the island’s
singular ATM was installed only a year
ago—with a light peppering of boutique
resorts and bungalows along each strip
of sand. The allure lies in the island’s
calm, transparent waters, its charming,
small-town feeling and its surprising
diversity of good food, whether you
want Thai street eats, vegan Buddha
bowls or house-made German spätzle.
Popular family resorts are the pier-side
Makathanee (makathaneekohmak.com;
Family suites from Bt3,000) and Koh
Mak Resort (kohmakresort.com; Family
Standard Beachfront bungalows from
Bt3,300). Pro-tip: book early and don’t
rely on OTAs for the best choice or
rates on rooms; contacting properties
directly often yields the best results.
— BEK VAN VLIET OWENCam Ranh, Vietnam
This pristine white-sand beauty has so
far flown under tourism radar, but not
for long, so now is probably the best
time to go. Clear and sunny skies from
March to September are great for island
hopping, visiting the Nui Chua National
Park and enjoying the beach. New stays
include the modern Mövenpick Resort
Cam Ranh (movenpick.com; doubles
from VND2,680,000), which features a
big ropes course, water-play areas and a
nearby golf course, and Radisson Blu
Cam Ranh (radissonhotels.com; doubles
from VND4,120,000), which has 36
private pool villas. Or stay at spa
treatment–inclusive Fusion Resort Cam
Ranh (camranh.fusionresorts.com;
VND4,650,000). Later in the year you’ll
have even more choice with Alma Cam
Ranh (alma-resort.com), which will
have three-bedroom oceanfront
pavilions and a 70-seat cinema for
family movie nights. — GRACE MANATUR E
Cairns, Australia
As gateway both to the Great Barrier
Reef and to the Wet Tropics unesco
World Heritage Site, Cairns in
Queensland has outdoorsy fun for all.
In the rainforest, take canopy walks
and learn about Aboriginal culture,
with indigenous tours and a visit to
Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. On
the reef, there’s snorkeling and
swimming with turtles and dolphins.
Climb a ropes course or cuddle a
koala at the Cairns Zoom & Wildlife
Dome. Visit Cairns Aquarium to learn
about the natural wonders at your
doorstep. Or splash around at the
Esplanade lagoons, with shallow swim
areas and playgrounds for tots. Families
have plenty of hotel choices too, with
the five-star openings of Riley, Bailey
and Flynn (crystalbrookcollection.com;
doubles from A$308, A$199 and A$269
respectively); the perennially popular
Pacific Hotel Cairns (pacifichotelcairns.com.au; doubles from A$149); and the
renovated Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort
(novotelcairns resort.com.au; A$356),
with the city’s only swim-up bar.
— KATRINA HOLDENCoron, Philippines
Coron has just the right blend of
comfort, culture and adventure for
children. In a small town of bustling
streets and friendly folks, kids will love
riding the local tricycles to the market,
the hotel and the shops. Offshore, roam
an entire archipelago of islands blessed
with powdery beaches, turquoise
waters and hidden lagoons. Day-trip to
Calauit Island, a nature reserve that
hosts African and endemic Philippine
animals—the giraffes and zebras are so
tame, you can feed them from your
jeepney window. At the new Bacau Bay
Resort (bacaubayresortcoron.com;
doubles from P44,000) children 11 and
under stay free, while the popular Club
Paradise (clubparadisepalawan.com;
villas from P16,560) has bungalows
that sleep up to four. — LESTER LEDESMAFeeding
wallabies at
Granite Gorge,
near Cairns.