Family Traveler

105THESEYCHELLES1JOINAJUNIORECO-TOURINTHECAYMANISLANDSAttheRitz-Carlton,GrandCayman(ritzcarlton.com),childrencantakepartin‘AmbassadorsoftheEnvironment’,anaturalist-ledprogrammeofeducationalactivitiesinpartnershipwithJean-MichelCousteau’sOceanFuturesSociety.Thoseaged4- 7canlearnabouttheCaymansthroughexperiencessuchas‘StingrayDetective’and‘HaveYouEverSeenABlueIguana?’(anendangeredspecies),whileover-eightscangonight-snorkellingandtakeaguidedkayakadventurethroughthemangroves.CaribtoursofferssevennightsattheRitz-Carltonfrom£1, 54 3ppbasedonafamilyoffour,room-only,withflightsandtransfers.caribtours.co.uk;caymanluxe.co.ukTHE CARIBBEANCLASSROOMSUN, SEA ANDA SPLASH OFCONSERVATIONACaribbeanfamilyholidayisn’tjustgreatfun–youcanalllearnalottoo,saysNIGELTISDALL2HELPALOCALSCHOOLYoudon’tneedmuchinyoursuitcaseforaCaribbeanholiday- sothereshouldbespaceforafewitemsthatwillbeofgreatusetoalocalschool.ThisisthethinkingbehindPackforaPurpose(packforapurpose.org),aglobalcharitythatrunsschemesin 16 Caribbeandestinations.Allyouneeddoisgoonlinetoseewhataschoolisseeking,whichcouldbeanythingfrommusicalinstrumentstoUSBsticks,thendropoffyourdonationatthehotelreception.Yourreward?Well,nowyouhaveplentyofroomtobringbacklotsoflovelyrumandspices...Tofindoutmoreaboutthelionfishthreat,seelionfish.gcfi.org;foradirectoryofrestaurantsservingit,seereef.org/restaurants.Otherusefulsitesincludewhales.org,coral.organdconserveturtles.org;formoreontheCaribbean,includinglinkstotouristoffices,seecaribbean.co.ukLEARNMORE,DOMORE...Eatupyourfish,darling,’isapleamanyparentswillrecognise,butintheCaribbean,it’snowacceptabletoadd,‘...sowecansavetheplanet.’Theregion’sfamouswatershavesufferedadevastatinginvasionoflionfish,astripedpredatorfromthePacificandIndianOceansnowgobblingupnativespeciesatafrighteningrate.Thevenomousandfast-proliferatingintruderhastobehand-caughtbyspearfishing,sotoencouragethis,islandrestaurantsnowserveitasanewdelicacy.Itsfleshiswellworthtrying–plus,yougetthesatisfactionofdevouringoneverynastycreature.Thelionfishissuereallyisfoodforthought,butit’sjustoneofmanywaysaholidaytothispopulardestinationcanintroducechildrentoenvironmentalissues.Ofcourse,youdon’twanttoturnyoursunnydaysintoagloom-fest,butmanyresortsandlocalorganisationshavegreeninitiativesandcommunity-mindedprojectsthatvisitingfamiliescanengagewith.Protectingseaturtlesisagoodexample,withmanyislandsofferingthechancetoseethemnestandhatchinthesummermonths.Boattripstoseewhalesanddolphinsareanothergreatwaytoturnkidsontothewondersofthemarineworld.TheDominicanRepublicisaleaderinthisarea.Inthehandsofagoodlocalguide,asimplelessonteachingachildnottotouchcoralwiththeirflipperscangrowintoanever-forgottenappreciationofthislivingorganism.Tripsinlandtotherainforest,meanwhile,canengagechildrenwithanisland’sbirdlife,trees,andexoticplantsandflowerswiththeirlong-cherishedmedicinaluses.ThesmallscaleofmanyCaribbeanislandsmakesiteasytoseehowecosystemsfittogether–thewaymangrovesprotectacoastline,forexample.AddalittlelearningtoyourCaribbeanholiday,anditwillfeelallthemorerewarding.caribbean‘