“Whoa, what even is this place?” asks my awestruck daughter as we walk past the hulking industrial remains of a grain silo on Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. “Are we sleeping in a factory?”

The short answer is yes. Well, at least it used to be. Once an ugly industrial complex of derelict concrete grain silos, the reinvented, and now entirely glamorous, structure is the home of the extraordinary Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA),

It’s also houses The Silo Hotel Cape Town, a sparkling 28-bedroom boutique beauty that inhabits its upper floors, offering visitors a unique luxury experience, and some of the most outstanding views in all of kid-friendly Cape Town.

Conveniently located in the Silo District of the V&A Waterfront, the hotel is just minutes from the area’s dining and shopping action and the Robben Island Ferry wharf, and is ideally situated to explore Cape Town’s popular attractions, including the colourful Cape Malay quarter, Table Mountain and Boulders Beach.

The striking, family friendly hotel is a five star celebration of art, architecture, sustainability and style.

Bulging, multi-panelled diamond windows invite Table Mountain and Table Bay Harbour inside, in spectacular style. And the interiors are as splendid as the views, decorated in an opulent bower bird style, with an eclectic mix of furniture and artworks adding a hefty shot of colour and warmth.

Old school chesterfields, Egyptian-crystal chandeliers and Persian rugs meet bright modern canvases, quirky African collectibles and an assortment of colourful artefacts from across the globe, to create an exciting space that the kids and I fall head over heels in love with before we even leave the 6th floor reception.

The kids have also formed a bit of a crush on the charming Irene who, hand-in-hand with her new BFF Sugarpuff (who is positively swooning with delight), takes us on a giggle-packed tour of the hotel, before escorting us to our magnificent suite.

The Silo Hotel Cape Town – Family Suites

“What is your favourite colour?” asks Irene. Luckily their answer is red, because she opens the door to reveal, our startling, stunning multi-level suite, decked out in razzmatazz shades of red and orange. “I love it,” whispers an awed Sugarpuff, who receives a delighted hug from Irene in return. I think we’re going to like it here.

Family suites, like ours, make a stay at The Silo Hotel Cape Town with kids easy. Every room in the hotel is unique and beautiful in equal measure, but we feel like we’ve won the hotel room lottery as our two-bedroom family suite is without question the most dazzling we’ve had the fortune to encounter. Located on the 7th floor,  more of those ingenious pillow-like windows offer extraordinary views out over Table Mountain and Signal Hill, and there’s a lovely balcony from which to sit and watch the sparkling city lights by night.

Part art gallery, part luxury home, the suite is packed with a tonne of personality. The first floor has a private dining area, where a big bowl of fresh fruit, berries and hand made chocolates await the kids, and an ice bucket with a bottle of chilled champagne is singing my name.

The building’s original steel industrial beams peek into the lounge, which is packed with fat sofas, inviting armchairs and original, modern artworks. Indeed, there are so many amazing artworks scattered throughout the suite that a curated art guide has been left for us to familiarise ourselves with each of the pieces on display, as well as the talented artists who created them.

A second lounge area with an equally inviting sofa has been set up for use as a media room, with a huge TV for those who can tear their eyes off stunning Table Mountain. Under the stairs is a magical mirrored cabinet filled with the prettiest porcelain tea cups, a selection of coffee and tea, and a cutting board with fresh lime and ginger to add a hint of zest. There’s also a couple of complimentary bottles of wine, a choice of spirits, and a bespoke box of house made savoury and sweet snacks, just begging us to eat them.

Upstairs are two bedrooms, the main boasting an enormous king-sized bed with an enormous textural red headboard, spunky red faux lizard skin side tables and more of those floor-to-ceiling views of the mountains and the city.

There’s also a decadent red walled dressing room with fluffy robes and slippers, and a ballroom sized bathroom with a huge free-standing tub, a sassy leopard print chaise and a ravishingly red, Asian-style side table.

The twin beds in the kids’ room also boast giant red headboards and there are gift-wrapped surprises at the foot of each… a tribal necklace for Raff, a pretty purse for Sugarpuff, and a couple of arty activity books for them both to complete. They’re suitable chuffed.

Like the rest of our suite, the kids’ room has its own eclectic collection of art, including a funky red ceramic chicken and a painting of lazy zebra lolling on a chaise lounge that the kids take quite a fancy to. They too have their own enormous bathroom, with twin sinks, a freestanding tub and the most divinely fragranced amenities.

The Silo Hotel  – Pool

I find myself wondering if there’s a hardware store nearby, so we can board up the door, because our entire suite is so perfect they may have to forcibly remove us at checkout time.  But the kids scupper that plan when they announce they want a dip in the pool.

Open only to hotel guests, this has to be one of the world’s most beautiful rooftop pools, with towering concrete columns that give off a Grecian vibe, see through glass walls, and dazzling 360-degree vistas over beautiful Cape Town.

Another stroke of genius is the Rooftop Bar, next to the pool, and a gin cocktail they whipped up is as picture perfect as the sunset views. While I sip on my drink, the kids float away on fluffy floating bean bags, giant grins splashed across their faces.

The Silo Hotel – Food

To my galloping gluttons, food is one of the most important elements of any hotel experience. Fortunately, The Silo Hotel Cape Town nails that too.  Their gorgeous Granary Café delivers modern cuisine that showcases the best seasonal, local ingredients.  Breakfast is a splendiferous thing of freshly squeezed juice made to order and an extensive a la carte breakfast menu. The kids order brioche stacked with smoked salmon and hollandaise and I opt for a vegetarian breakfast of eggs, avocado, haloumi, tomato, mushrooms and rosti potato.

Instead of the usual hotel buffet, along with our hot breakfast, a “Harvest Table” is delivered directly to us. Essentially a high tea tower, it’s stacked with local charcuterie meats and cheeses, jars of fresh fruit and berries, decadently creamy potted yoghurt and nutty granola, plus a bulging basket of pastries.

Lunch by the pool is always a good idea, and the kids pick over a cheese sharing plate and some truffle chips on the rooftop, while I devour a delightful wood roasted root vegetable salad topped with tangy labneh, almonds and honey.

At dinner I dive into a spicy Cape Seafood Curry, fragrant with coconut and lemongrass rice and served with cooling cubes of green tea- infused cucumber and a zingy lemon yoghurt. Raff goes to town on the hotel’s signature steak tartare with hand cut chips, while an exhausted Sugarpuff falls asleep in a bowl of noodles.

Every dish is such a winner that we hit repeat the following night. The kids are so happy they suggest we should extend our stay…. by at least a year or two.

The Silo Hotel Cape Town – Sustainability

The Silo Hotel Cape Town’s conversion from derelict concrete eye saw to world-class five-star hotel is the ultimate in up cycling, but the hotel’s sustainability efforts don’t stop there. The plastic-free hotel’s impressive commitment to saving energy and water is just the start.

Their sustainable business ethos is holistic, focusing not only on job creation and training internally, but looking outward to local communities, sourcing local goods and inviting guests to support community initiatives through respectful, authentic and non-invasive tours and programmes.

Produce is sourced from local small-scale suppliers, as are handmade gifts and treats, and many of the curated artworks throughout the hotel are sourced locally to further support and empower local artists and artisans.

Which is why it is the heart behind this hotel, not just its stunning style, makes it such a special place for its guests and the community around it.

The Silo Hotel Cape Town
Silo Square, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront,
Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town with kids – Need to know before you go

When to visit
Great weather makes Cape Town a great year-round destination.
Language
While English is widely spoken, especially in the city, there are 11 official languages spoken in South Africa and the most commonly spoken languages are Zulu, Xhosa, and Afrikaans.
Currency
The Rand (R)
Power
Voltage is 230V and 50Hz. Power outlets are round three pin sockets.
Visa & Passport Requirements
A South African tourist visa is not required for citizens of Australia for a stay up to 90 days.  South Africa requires that all children entering or leaving the country carry an unabridged birth certificate and parental consent affidavits if they are travelling with only one parent. All visitors will require a passport valid for at least six (6) months.
Health
Cape Town is free from malaria and safe for travellers of all age. While there are no essential vaccinations for travellers to South Africa at the time of publication, we advise visiting your family GP at least six weeks before travel for up to date advice on the latest recommendations and necessary immunisations.
Crime
Crime is an issue throughout South Africa. And in Cape Town, like any city, crime does exist but 95% of serious crime occurs in the communities of the Cape Flats area, where it is not advised to go. Pick pockets can be an issue in the city centre and muggings are known to occur in Table Mountain National Park so it’s best to go with a guide and always keep cash and valuables such as flashy jewellery, cameras and phones out of sight. It is not recommended to catch public transport or walk after dark. If you do need to go out at night, UBERs are the safest option.

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Leopard at Sabi Sabi Image © Aleney de Winter

South Africa is a nation that ignites the senses. It’s a place that you smell, taste, touch, hear, see and feel. So much so that after several visits, I’ve become somewhat hooked on South Africa.  And by somewhat, I mean I love it with a fervour bordering on the obsessive. But while I’ve explored its culture and history on previous visits, its celebrated wildlife has thus far eluded me.

This omission is not because of any ninja-like flair Africa’s critters have for hiding. It is 100% down to my offspring threatening to divorce me if I ever dared to set foot on a game reserve without them.

Once the domain of khaki-clad, pith-helmeted adventurers, more and more safari lodges are recognising the benefits of introducing children as early as possible to the natural world to foster environmental responsibility, making the safari experience a more accessible and attractive proposition for families. So, when the stars align and we find ourselves winging our way to South Africa en famille, there is no way we are going to miss getting our game on.

Loved up lions at Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve. Image © Aleney de Winter

Top of my South African safari lodge wish list is what must be the most family friendly of them all, Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge – one of four ultra-luxurious game lodges in Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, a 65,000 hectare oasis of unspoilt, wildlife-packed bush located at the southwestern corner of the Kruger National Park.

Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge. Image © Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve/Richard de Gouveia

We’d heard that a stay at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge with kids would be the ultimate introduction to South Africa’s incredible wildlife. But though our imaginations are vast, nothing in our wildest dreams could have prepared us for the true splendour of Sabi Sabi’s incredible wildlife and wilderness, or the incredible opportunities it would present for us to connect as a family through shared learning.

Here are just 9 of the reasons I’ll be returning, as soon as possible, for a bigger dose of the  wonderful Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge with kids.

1. The Big Five

Blessed as it is with a great biodiversity of habitat, and zero fences between the reserve and the Kruger National Park, Sabi Sabi’s biggest stars are the Big Five: the lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and Cape buffalo, the only member of the Big Five not endangered or threatened. Incidentally, the term Big Five is derived not from their size. It’s history is more grim, coming from19th century big-game hunters, when these animals were considered the most dangerous, ergo the most coveted as trophies.

Elephant at Sabi Sabi. Image © Aleney de Winter

Thankfully, for the past 40 years, Sabi Sabi’s strict conservation policy and dedicated anti-poaching unit have been providing protection and sanctuary for wildlife from predatory hunters. Only rangers are permitted to drive off-road here, and a strict ‘non-interference’ policy is in place, making for happy animals.

Rhino at Sabi Sabi. Image © Aleney de Winter

Needless to say, sightings of the Big Five are frequent. So much so that we’re told we have a great chance of spotting all of its members within two to three safari days.

Lions preening. Image © Aleney de Winter

But being the top shelf wildlife warriors we are, we manage it in the first two to three hours. Okay, so we can’t take any credit for this at all. Our success is all down to our safari crew, legends that they are.

Cape Buffalo. Image © Aleney de Winter

On our very first safari drive, close encounters with lions, rhino, Cape Buffalo and elephant are all ticked off in quick succession. But it is the sighting of a rather miffed leopard, watching from the trees as a pack of opportunistic hyenas devour his kill, that has us calling bingo on the Big Five, at least once we scrape our jaws up off the floor.

This winning streak continues over our next three safaris, with astounding sightings of each of the five wildlife superstars, on every safari, all thanks to the efforts of Ranger Dan and Tracker Crimson, who, according to wannabe ranger Raff, are two of the coolest dudes in all of South Africa.

Beyond the Big Five

Curly-horned Kudu. Image © Aleney de Winter

But its not all just about the headline acts at Sabi Sabi. Due to its diversity of habitats, the reserve supports 47 large mammal species, 57 species of reptile, over 300 species of birds plus a cornucopia of other critters including bats, rodents, amphibians and insects.

Waterbuck at sunset. Image © Aleney de Winter

Thanks to the eagle eyes and remarkable tracking skills of Dan and Crimson, we witness a wildlife spectacular with a cast of thousands. The Big Five may be the leads, but there’s also a constant chorus line of impala, steenbok, waterbuck, nyala and curly-horned kudu.

Twittering birds provide the soundtrack, distant vultures, eagles and raptors lending a little orchestral support, as happy hornbills dance close by.

Zebra foal. Image © Aleney de Winter

There are frequent flashy sightings of lean limbed and lovely cheetah, dazzling zebras and elegant giraffes, and a hefty dose of drama is added by a supporting cast of wild dogs, warthogs, wildebeest and snarling spotted hyena.

Warthogs by a waterhole at Sabi Sabi. Image © Aleney de Winter

A prickly porcupine and wallowing hippos peeping from a waterhole make guest appearances, while bolshy baboons and a mob of skittish mongoose add a little comic relief.

Directed by mother nature, it’s a triumph of choreography, colour and chaos.

Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge

Bush Lodge Villa Lounge. Image © Aleney de Winter

The grand spectacle doesn’t stop with the wildlife. Another highlight of our visit to Sabi Sabi  is the family friendly accommodation at Bush Lodge. Our lavish two-bedroom luxury villa elicits gasps of delight at first sight. The lounge is a confection of comfy sofas and carefully curated, and extremely covetable, collections of bush trinkets and African artefacts, all overlooked by a mammoth chandelier crafted from gnarled twigs. The dreamy master bedroom boasts an enormous canopied bed, while the main bathroom is accessorised with twin freestanding tubs, floor to ceiling windows overlooking the bushveld and a cavernous dressing room that makes our light on luggage look more than a little lost.

Luxury Villa Bathroom at Bush Lodge. Image © Aleney de Winter

There’s also an indoor shower plus an insane outdoor shower where my kids take the stage, frolicking buck naked in the spray while actual (water)bucks saunter by.

The kids’ bedroom is equally fabulous, boasting twin canopied four poster beds, an en suite bathroom and a seriously cute tee pee play space.

Watching wildlife from the villa plunge pool. Image © Aleney de Winter

But it is the outdoor lounge, with its private plunge pool overlooking a waterhole frequented by Eland and Impala, that’s our favourite spot to relax and play in our luxurious African home.  A place so perfect that we all agree we’d quite like to make it our permanent residence.

A feast of African food

Deconstructed crocodile and chicken pie at Sabi Sabi. Image © Aleney de Winter

Food is an integral part of everything my very hungry travellers do and, happily, it’s also an intrinsic part of the Bush Lodge experience. Menus curated by the brilliant Chef Wilfred Mtshali celebrate the freshest local organic produce and the best of contemporary African cuisine.

We’re served morning pastries and steaming tea, and sassy sundowners and snacks during game drives in the bush.

Afternoon tea at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge. Image © Aleney de Winter

Back at Bush Lodge, bountiful breakfast buffets, a la carte al fresco luncheons overlooking a busy waterhole, and afternoon tea towers of freshly baked cakes and biscuits, await.

As night falls, it is all about the seductively smoky braai (barbecue) in the boma and lantern lit culinary creations served under the stars.

Dining by lantern light at Sabi Sabi. Image © Aleney de Winter

But what really makes Chef Wilfred’s kitchen shine is how it gives back to neighbouring communities through a 12-month culinary programme that’s training a new generation of chefs.  For a taste of Sabi Sabi without leaving home, try this no fail recipe for mouthwatering South African melktert (milk tart) from their ‘Bringing Home The Bush’ cookbook.

The EleFun kids club

EleFun Centre Hand prints. Image © Aleney de Winter

When my kids actually ask to attend a kids’ club, you know it’s got to be good, because they usually fight going. But part of the charm of visiting Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge with kids is its EleFun Center (for kids aged 4 to 12) which Sugarpuff can’t get enough of. Even Raff has a ball at the fun and educational indoor/outdoor facility, though he is admittedly more taken with leaping around the obstacle course like an action hero and zooming Tarzan-like across the zip line while Sugarpuff bush crafts up a storm.

Obstacle course at EleFun Centre. Image © Aleney de Winter

Both kids love learning all about Sabi Sabi’s wildlife, bugs and birds in the Introduction to Junior Ranger Programme, with its ranger led walks and educational drives into the bushveld. They’re also pretty happy to leave their messy mark amongst the colourful hand prints in Bush Lodge’s take on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, like hundreds of kids before them.

The spotlight on sustainability

Zebra at Sabi Sabi. Image @ Aleney de Winter

The Sabi Sabi team’s dedication to balancing the ecological needs of South Africa’s precious flora and fauna with those of the Shangaan communities leaves us mightily impressed. Passionate eco warrior Raff makes it his mission to find out more, questioning guides, trackers and rangers at every opportunity.

Critically endangered African wild dog. Image © Aleney de Winter

What he discovers is an inspiring commitment to preserving the surrounding bushveld through dedicated Habitat Management and the work of highly trained and qualified rangers, who act as environmental educators. Sustainability efforts go beyond the protection of the park’s wildlife, with the application of environmental controls to remove threats to indigenous plant life, fire management, waste management and a clever sustainable wastewater management system that filters water to create wetlands for wildlife, all part of their continued efforts to provide an environmentally sustainable safari experience.

The connection to community

Making friends at a Shangaan community. Image © Aleney de Winter

More than 80% of Sabi Sabi Private game reserve’s employees, including our awesome tracker, Crimson, hail from neighbouring Shangaan communities. Sabi Sabi’s community efforts include hospitality training initiatives as well as development projects for education and healthcare, and cultural and sporting facilities to support the communities more holistically. We’re thrilled to be introduced to the culture and history of authentic village life by a local guide, with proceeds from the tour fee all fed directly back to the community.

The village sangoma (healer). Image © Aleney de Winter

We visit a school, dance with the local ladies gathered outside the Village Elder’s home, meet a myriad of characters with stories to share, and enjoy an audience with a village sangoma (healer) who reads “bones” – an eclectic collection of bone fragments, shells, coins, seeds and dice – which leaves the kids both bewildered and enchanted in equal measure.

The Amani Day Spa

Amani Day Spa at Bush Lodge. Image © Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve

It’s not only mum and dad who can indulge in holistic rituals, massages and treatments at Amani Spa at Bush Lodge – a tranquil haven with water features and a secluded outlook onto the bush – kids are welcome too. In fact, I barely even get a look in, though a certain 8-year old diva gets to test drive a Paw Pedi and an Elephant Foot Print Massage, which leave her floating and me just a little miffed at missing out.

The people

Ranger Dan and Tracker Crimson with the kids at Bush Lodge

You might think it would be hard to beat the wow factor of Sabi Sabi’s wildlife, but the thing that truly elevates our stay at Bush Lodge is its incomparable hospitality.

Afternoon tea at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge. Image © Aleney de Winter

From the warm and welcoming reception team, the sweet crew at the Elefun centre, the chatty barmen and waiters, and the always smiling chefs through to our brilliant ranger/tracker team of Dan and Crimson, it is the the amazing people of Sabi Sabi who truly leave us starstruck.

Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge with kids – need to know before you go

When to visit
Sabi Sabi is a year-round destination but the dry season, from May to October, is considered the best time for game spotting. It’s also more comfortably cool and the risk of malaria, slight though it is, is also at its lowest.
Getting there
South African Airways flies from Sydney to Johannesburg via Perth with easy connections available to Skukuza Airport in the Kruger National Park through South African Airways’ regional airline, Airlink.
Language
Though there are 11 official languages spoken in South Africa, including Zulu, Xhosa, and Afrikaans, Shangaan is the language of the people of the Mpumalanga province, in which Sabi Sabi is located. Resort staff and rangers are fluent in English as well as a selection of other foreign languages.
Currency
The Rand (R)
Power
Voltage is 230V and 50Hz. Power outlets are round three pin sockets.
Visa & Passport Requirements
A South African tourist visa is not required for citizens of Australia for a stay up to 90 days.  South Africa requires that all children entering or leaving the country carry an unabridged birth certificate and parental consent affidavits if they are travelling with only one parent. All visitors will require a passport valid for at least six (6) months.
Health
Mosquito borne diseases including malaria are a risk in Kruger National Park. While the Sabi Sands Game Reserve does lie in a low risk malarial zone, only one case diagnosed at Sabi Sabi since 1970, we recommend protecting your family by applying child-safe insect repellent (with no more 20% DEET) at regular intervals and make sure they are dressed in long but light clothing at all times. It is also worth up to date advice on other immunisations, including the use of antimalarials, with your family GP at least six weeks before travel.
Food Safety
Waterborne and food borne diseases are prevalent throughout South Africa. While tap water in major cities is generally safe to drink, it is best to avoid it in any rural and regional areas.
Water is provided in recyclable bottles to guests in suites, on game drives and by request in communal areas. Any unfinished water left in bottles is collected and used for laundry and watering plants, ensuring not a drop is wasted.  

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Hair blowing in the breeze, my beaming water sprite flits fairylike from rock to rock, her white dress billowing behind her as her gaze is drawn over and again to the foaming ocean lapping at the shore.

It calls her, as always, but she manages to resist giving in to her usual trick of leaping in fully clothed, the bronze-tipped kelp forest that peaks its way through the churning waters of the chilly Atlantic best left to the  cacophony of sea creatures that call it home.

Instead, she focuses on following the scuttling crabs darting in and out of the smooth boulders that form the beach, stopping only to mewl out an occasional inhuman noise, her efforts at chatting with the whales that swim into the bay to breed.

Yes, she is quite mad. And no, we wouldn’t want her any other way.

Beachside bliss at Tintswalo Atlantic 

Our whimsical wee ocean angel is in her element here at Tintswalo Atlantic Boutique Lodge, a heavenly slice of sustainable boutique luxury nestled on a pebbled beach at the foot of the fynbos-clad slopes of Table Mountain National Park, just 40 minutes from the all the action of the Cape Town CBD.

Blessed with panoramic views over the Atlantic Ocean and the dramatic Sentinel mountain peak, just 10 Suites and a two-bedroom Presidential Suite, each named and themed around iconic islands, perch on stilts under milkwood trees, just metres from the crashing ocean waves , which provide the enchanting soundtrack to our stay.

Sugarpuff sits cross legged on a lone hammock above the pebbled beach and Raff rocks back and forth on a nearby swing while I watch on from the expansive deck of our lovely Lamu suite, themed around the Kenyan island of the same name,  with carefully selected objects d’art and a fabulous vintage travel trunk that I’d love to follow me home.

Inside is an enormous king-sized bed, a seamlessly placed roll out bed and an inviting lounge space, just inside the large sliding doors, that invites the outside in.

I call out to my wildlings to see if they’d like a dip in Tintswalo Atlantic’s heated pool before dinner.

They’re through the ornate antique and in their swimming costumes before I can even finish my sentence and I’m left in the dust as they race down the timber walkway towards the pool.

“I love it here, mama” are my daughters last words as she leaps into the warm water. And I have to concur.  This is not the place for families seeking kids’ clubs, endless entertainment or white sand beaches. Visiting Tintswalo Atlantic with kids offers a more precious kind of holiday. This is a place of nature and nurture, where every pebble has a story and the fun is limited only by our imaginations.

It is a place so enchanting that my nature loving crew don’t even notice the large TV screen in our room because they’re too caught up naming every rock on the beach and dancing under the sea spray that makes its way on to our deck.

Rooms with a view

We watch the sun set from the floor to ceiling window of our enormous shell bedecked bathroom, my daughter wallowing in the large freestanding tub as she washes off the day’s adventures, my son trying to solve the riddle of the bidet, a creation he’s struggling to come to terms with.

“You do what with it?” he squeals, passing on a test run.

We head to the spacious wooden deck off the communal lounge and dining room for the signature Sundowner Cocktail of the Day and a selection of seriously tasty canapés with our fellow guests.

The space is stunning.  Rising Phoenix like from the ashes of a catastrophic fire that destroyed the main section of the lodge in 2018, the resort’s public areas have been completely rebuilt, and the iconic hotel had re-opened just a week prior to our arrival.

The result is a sparkling fusion of homely shell-strewn beach house and bejewelled mansion, with plush, frosted blue lounges, slivers of glistening silver, charming antiques, quirky seaside object d’art and diaphanous chandeliers.

Fine dining at Tintswalo Atlantic 

Just when we think things couldn’t get any more perfect, it’s time for dinner in the splendid Tintswalo Atlantic dining room.

The creative kitchen team, led by head chef and Raff’s new BFF, Thando, serve up a series of sublime culinary creations from fresh, locally-sourced and sustainable ingredients, leaving us wowed. From a gorgeous green salad with torn buffalo mozzarella to crisp skinned pork belly and perfectly pink duck, we have to resist licking our plates clean.

Lulled to sleep by the sound of crashing waves and the dying crackles of the toasty fire in our potbelly fireplace, we awake invigorated. The kids leap out of bed, rushing to get dressed. “What’s the hurry,” I ask?

Food is the answer. They can’t wait to see what magic Thando can conjure for breakfast.

Sugarpuff devours a tower of French Toast while Raff moans over a perfect Eggs Benedict and I nibble on ostrich sausage. When a tower of pastries and cold cuts appears to complement their a la carte selections, the kids politely inform me they are home. I can’t bear to remind them that we’re checking out shortly.

It is this feeling of belonging that sets this resort apart, and when it’s finally time for us say goodbye to this special place, we follow Tintswalo tradition by casting a pebble over our shoulders into the ocean and making a wish.

We all wish for exactly the same thing, a swift return to this extraordinary place.

TINTSWALO ATLANTIC
Chapmans Peak Drive,
Hout Bay, 7806, South Africa
Tel:+27 11 300 8888
W: tintswalo.com/atlantic/

Cape Town with kids – Need to know before you go

When to visit
 Cape Town is a great destination all year around.
Language
Though there are 11 official languages spoken in South Africa – most commonly  Zulu,    Xhosa, and Afrikaans – English is widely spoken in Cape Town.
Currency
The Rand (R)
Power
Voltage is 230V and 50Hz. Power outlets are round three pin sockets.
Visa & Passport Requirements
A South African tourist visa is not required for citizens of Australia for a stay up to 90 days.  South Africa requires all children entering or leaving the country carry a certified birth certificate and parental consent affidavits if they are travelling with only one parent. Visitors require a passport that is valid for a minimum of six (6) months.
Health
Cape Town is free from malaria and safe for travellers of all age. While there are no essential vaccinations for travellers at the time of publication, we advise visiting your family GP a minimum of six weeks before travel for up to date health recommendations.
Crime
Crime is high, but 95% of serious crime occurs in the communities of the Cape Flats area, where it is not advised to travel. Pick pockets can be an issue in the city centre so it’s best to visit with a guide and always keep cash and valuables out of sight. It is not recommended to catch public transport or walk after dark, UBERs are the safest option.

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Written by Raffles – Aged 11

“It’s a turtle”, I excitedly try to tell my Dad. The only catch is we are in snorkels and under the water, so I’m trying to tell him via crazy pointing and interpretive underwater dance. He looks a little shocked. I think he thinks I’m giving him the finger and he gestures back with two of his own. How rude, I think, until I realise he’s actually pointing out a second turtle! And then a third one. And I almost burst from happiness.

You see, I didn’t really know what to expect when I headed back to the Great Barrier Reef after a big break of around four years. But I did know that the vibrant, active ecosystem I’d visited three times was in a crisis. Would it be a ghostlike land of dead coral, bleached into oblivion? Or would I find a plastic strewn wasteland? I was truly terrified at the prospect of both.

What I didn’t expect was to find an an epic underwater world full of brightly coloured soft and hard coral and a bazillion busy fish. Yep, that’s right my friends. The Reef is alive and pretty darned well. Actually, it’s thriving, with rich coral growth supporting a menagerie of marine life. At least that’s the story at Agincourt Reef, a pretty ribbon reef off Port Douglas on the Great Barrier Reef, where I don’t just get to swim with my favourites, the Green Sea Turtles, but come face to face with a many a finned and flippered friend in the coral gardens.

That’s not to say the catastrophic threats to the Reef aren’t real. Thanks to climate change and pollution, over half of the corals in this awesome ecosystem have been lost or critically damaged in the past 40 years. The Great Barrier Reef is still in grave danger and if our ocean temperatures continue to rise at the current rate, the ancient ecosystem will become history within our lifetime.

I’m so lucky  to be visiting Agincourt Reef with Quicksilver, an ecotourism innovator who has helped pave the way for responsible and sustainable tourism in Australia. And they offer easy access to the Great Barrier Reef for Kids from Port Douglas, a place packed with great stuff for families.

But even better is the company of a couple of very special people. The first of these is Quicksilver’s own marine biologist, Hayley, who absolutely rocks! Not only does she know all there is to know about the marine life and health of the Reef, she guides us to all the best spots on Agincourt Reef for spotting the most insane sea creatures and guides us straight to those amazing green sea turtles, as well as massive metre long parrot fish, cute clown fish swirling about their anemone homes and even a Spanish dancer (which is less dancer and more fancy sea slug).

My other snorkelling buddy is Andy Ridley, co-founder of Earth Hour and founding CEO of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef, a program that’s aiming to get a worldwide community of regular people like you and I to support positive action for the Reef.

The best thing about Andy though is that when he’s not out saving some colossal ecosystem or doing something amazing for the planet, he’s just a straight up funny and cool dude who I reckon is about as awesome as they come

Andy has also joined forces with Nickelodeon and SpongeBob SquarePants (yeah, he’s that cool) to launch Junior Citizens of the Reef, which is all about educating children about the threats facing our reef and ocean and the everyday actions we can take to help it. Told you he was awesome.

Fifteen minutes of floating amongst a garden of turtles later and we’re back on-board Quicksilver grinning as we peel off our soggy wetsuits ready to return to town and our epic conscious hotel, The Riley Cairns.

Experiencing the reef with Andy and Hayley has been such a privilege and has left me in utter awe of the genius of mother nature.

I am now not only enchanted by this underwater wonderland but educated, knowing that while the Reef may be OK today, it is tomorrow we need to worry about. No amount of “blah blah blah” by climate deniers can change the science that proves climate change is real. And no amount of complaining by those of us who do care is going to help either, if we don’t actually DO something about it.

But when it come Great Barrier Reef for kids the big question is how?

Obviously the solution isn’t as easy as slip slop slapping sunscreen over the hole in the ozone layer. So, what can we do?

Here are my top tips for kids to reduce tehir climate impact and keep the Great Barrier Reef rocking…

1. Kids can start by joining Junior Citizens of the Reef – whether they’re planning to visit the Great Barrier Reef or are staying home – by making the pledge to take everyday actions for the environment. Make the pledge to become part of the #SpongeBobReefSquad here http://www.nick.com.au/sreefsquad
2. The biggest threat to our oceans is indifference, so visit the reef yourself because every single visitor is contributing financially to the care of the Great Barrier Reef. Just remember to only support eco certified tourism businesses so you know that the utmost care is being taken of our Reef.
3. Ditch single use plastic everything and always carry reusable bags, straws, drink bottles and utensils, including cutlery. 
4. Reduce carbon emissions by walking, scootering or riding our bikes to school, having shorter showers and switching off lights to save electricity. And if you fly anywhere, make sure your parents buy carbon offsets.
5. Choose to eat only sustainable seafood.
6. Grow your own. My sister and I have planted our own veggie garden and harvesting most of our fresh vegetables, which is not only creating a habitat for important insects like bees, it’s reducing the foot print of our food.
7. Make a whole lot of noise to help educate others about climate change and the effects on our oceans.

The post The Great Barrier Reef for Kids with Quicksilver appeared first on boyeatsworld.

Raff is extremely proud to have joined one of his environmental idols, Andy Ridley – Founder of Earth Hour and founding CEO of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef – and Bikini Bottom’s most famous resident, SpongeBob SquarePants, as an official ambassador for Junior Citizens of the Reef.  This ocean conservation program for kids has been created by Nickelodeon Australia and not-for-profit organisation Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef to help kids help our oceans.

Taking his role very seriously indeed, Raff has been out there doing his bit, loud and proud, to get other kids involved. He’s been promoting Junior Citizens of the Reef in writing in the awesome Holidays With Kids, Australia’s highest circulating (and very best) travel mag.

He’s even been spruiking the cause on live TV during a panel interview with the fabulous folks from Studio 10.

But he’s not stopping there.  He wants to shout it out right here on his own space too, so he caught up with Andy to chat about sustainability, the Reef and how your kids can do their bit for the ocean as a @Nickelodeon Junior Citizen of the Reef.

Over to Andy and Raff…

Your passion for sustainability is admirable, what inspired you to stop worrying about it and start doing something about it.
Worrying takes a lot of energy, generally doesn’t help and is not much fun. The challenge is trying to work out what to do about the things that worry you. I have found that even when you start with small steps, just making the decision to do something opens up a different way of thinking about the things that worry you.  Often the answers will evolve over time – so don’t wait for the perfect answer.
I never thought about it like that. There really is no need to wait to take positive action.

You have successfully created two incredible environmental organisations, Earth Hour and the Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef, which is so amazing. How do you balance your time between the two programs?
I ran Earth Hour for 8 years, it was an amazing experience – but I handed over the reins in 2014, now I celebrate it every year with my kids just like so many other people. Citizens of the Great Barrier Reefs project is my new venture and just like Earth Hour, we are building an amazing network of very motivated, talented people and organisations like yourself and Nickelodeon, to build a 21st century conservation organisation to help the Reef and (we hope) in the future many more reefs around the world. The key to making these projects work is getting the right people and organisations to be on the journey with you and sharing the challenges and opportunities that come with doing stuff that hasn’t been done before.
I’m so excited to be part of this Andy!

Do you think the organisations you have created have made people more environmentally conscious and aware? 
I am amazed by how many people across the planet have been inspired and motivated by Earth Hour, but it is really important to point out the organisations were created not by an individual but by a multitude of people and organisations. Citizens is still very new, but I think we are already seeing the potential of the ‘Reef community’ and what we can achieve both on the Reef but also hopefully beyond.
I think we can make a huge difference to the Reef and beyond, and I plan on doing my bit… as loudly as possible.

You first had the inspiration to start Earth Hour from an idea from an idea you wrote on the back of a drink coaster. It is now the world’s largest environmental action, spanning 7,000 cities in over 164 countries, and reaching more than 2.8 billion people globally. Do you believe world changing ideas can be found anywhere and put in play by anyone?  
There are lots of great ideas out there but to get them up and running you need to be persistent and get motivated people to help you. So, it’s all about not giving up and building the right team.
Great advice!

I first fell in love with the ocean on a visit to the Great Barrier Reef when I was five. But it was in Asia where I snorkelled through pollution and rubbish filled waters that I realised that the oceans needed our help and become a bit obsessed. Was their one moment that made you realise you needed to do something? 
Yes Indeed. I dived on the Reef for the first time back in 2002 whilst on unpaid leave from my job in London. It had been a dream of mine to dive on the GBR since I was a kid, I never went back to my job in London and instead got a role working for WWF in Australia who were working on a massive campaign to protect the Reef.
That’s so cool. I love how you’ve always followed your passion. Imagine if more people did…

Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef was inspired by a public conversation held between Sir David Attenborough and Barack Obama. They are some pretty inspirational people. Besides them, who would you say are your environmental heroes and role models? 
My wife Tam is probably my biggest inspiration, she is a zoologist and specialises in Elephant conservation. Broader than this the individuals that inspire me the most are often not the famous names, but much more the extremely motivated and fantastic people who make things happen on the ground, they are the people that made Earth hour happen and are now behind the Citizens project.
I love that you’re inspired by the everyday people who make things happen! And I love that your wife is all about elephant conservation because that’s another passion of mine.

Your new environmental initiative, Junior Citizens of the Reef, in conjunction with Nickelodeon, is educational, entertaining and generally awesome. Can you tell us about it?
This is right up there as one our favourite projects thus far, we have SpongeBob as our first kids’ ambassador, we have linked this with some of the most amazing underwater footage on the planet and are getting super passionate kids to help the Reef and the planet – it’s easy to get involved and we are going to get bigger and better every year!
I’m absolutely doing my best to make sure EVERYBODY knows about it and have loads of kids join in.

So, Andy how can kids like me become part of Junior Citizens of the Reef?
It’s super easy, kids can head to Nickelodeon Australia and pledge to become a Junior Citizen of the Reef and learn how they can help SpongeBob, through a few simple every day actions, keep our reef safe and healthy.  
That’s right it takes just a moment but could change our future forever.

Did you ever imagine in your wildest dreams you’d be partnering with SpongeBob SquarePants on a project? 
This is quite beyond my wildest dreams. We have a lot of amazing ambassadors including Swimming Australia, however SpongeBob is completely unique in the fact that he is a global icon that resonates with all generations including most importantly kids.
It is kind of cool!

Do you plan to create more environmental websites and activities targeted specifically towards kids? 
Absolutely! We are working on an in-school ocean conservation program with Nickelodeon, a marine biology experience for kids, and one of most exciting and ambitious projects yet, the development of the Great Reef Census, a project that will see the world’s largest ever census completed of the Great Barrier Reef. In fact, Nickelodeon is helping us to co-create a kids pilot Great Barrier Reef activity to test ways we can get kids actively involved in this larger project when it rolls out at the end of 2020.
That all sounds so awesome. I love that Nickelodeon shares our passion for protecting the environment and the ocean and are doing so much to promote sustainability to kids.

What are your top tips for kids to live more sustainably?
Join up as a Junior Citizen of the Reef and let SpongeBob become your guide!
Of course!

Thanks so much for you time Andy! Here’s to following our passion to make things that matter happen.

The post Raff chats with Andy Ridley about Junior Citizens of the Reef appeared first on boyeatsworld.

It is not often that a 10-year old gets to wax philosophic for an hour with one of his idols. But that’s exactly what happened when Raffles caught up with entrepreneur and philanthropist Bruce Poon Tip, founder of award-winning small group adventure travel company G Adventures.

Raffles first learned about Bruce back in 2016 when he competed in, and won, the State Final of the NSW Education Department’s Multicultural Perspective Public Speaking Competition. Some of the thanks for that must go to Bruce (unbeknownst to him) as it was through Raffles watching his TED talks, which he stumbled across while researching what great public speakers do right, he learned that passion was the key.

Not only did a then 8-year old Raffles pick up an expert tip or two on how to hold a crowd, he was intrigued by Bruce’s thoughts on sustainability and tourism. Enough so that by the time he spotted a copy of Bruce’s second book ‘Do Big Small Things’ on my desk and nicked it, my big small thing was a raving fan.

Now with Bruce in town to discuss the launch of G Adventures industry-first guidelines for child welfare, he and Raffles chat all things responsible travel. Over to them…

Hi Bruce, first I’ve got to say I think you are epic. Not just because you are so successful but because you became successful by helping the planet and the people in it. That’s the kind of person I want to be when I grow up. Now, I believe you started your first business when you were only 12. I’m 10, and I’m really inspired by that. Got any tips for a wannabe junior entrepreneur?
I think you’re doing pretty well from what I can tell. You know I was actually 11 when I started my first business, so you’ve got one more year. Seriously though, my tip is to do what you love. Because if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.
Awesome advice.

How and what made you decide to start a travel business?
It was my passion. Back in 1990 I decided I wanted to start a business. I’d already started three businesses before I turned 16 when I was still in school. But after school when I decided I was going to start a business my two passions were travel and music. I was either going to start a record label or something in travel.
I am really into travel and music too. I play guitar.
So, what’s your favourite band?
Too many to choose. I like rock music though. I break if someone plays pop music.
I was really passionate about the human side of travel and the ability to change people’s lives through travel, so I chose it.
I think that would be my choice too. Unless Green Day is looking for a guitarist. In that case…

So, I heard that on your first ever tour the tour group got arrested? That’s not a great start but it is kind of funny. How did that happen?
You’ve really done your research, I haven’t been asked this question in a very long time. Good work! On our first tour to Belize we promised a canoe trip on the itinerary but when we got there we realised they didn’t know what canoes were. We’d sold the trip saying we had them, so I had to buy canoes and drive them down to fulfil our promises. Unfortunately, when the group were going down the river in Belize, people were freaking out because they had never seen a canoe and it wasn’t a legal registered floatation device in Belize. And they arrested all of us for having these illegal floatation devices. So, it wasn’t like everyone was in big trouble, but we did all technically get arrested and the canoes got confiscated. Not a good start.
Did they ever rebook?
You know what one of the people on that tour is one of our most travelled persons and she recently took trip number 38 with us.
That’s a win.

G Adventures is all about Sustainable travel. Can you tell me some of the ways that your company helps the communities you visit?
There are different ways we help. The first is by creating a dialogue with the communities before we arrive. That makes us unique because most tour operators send tours to a destination without consulting the local people. We create a dialogue and we find out how we can work with them in partnership. We also support social enterprise businesses and give micro loans to people to help serve our companies. We create paid jobs and wealth distribution through our travels. As we become successful in a destination the community around us becomes successful and that’s really important for how we gauge the success of our business.

Your company has just announced Global Good Practice Guidelines to protect children, and to educate the travel industry and travellers on how to responsibly interact with children, which I think is awesome. Can you tell me a bit about this and some of the simple steps kids like me can make to help other kids?
Yeah. The child welfare guidelines are very important for tour operators to follow. There’s more of a demand now to visit more remote places and more fragile cultures where people have never been before, so you have to have a set of guidelines to make sure the wellbeing of the children is looked after. Very simply, the guidelines are really asking people to act like they would at home. When people travel to other countries they act as though they have certain rights. They want certain services and amenities when really, they should just respect the local traditions and cultures of that country. It covers basic things like not giving children candy or taking pictures without permission. I mean, if you saw a cute kid in a grocery store here in Sydney you wouldn’t take a picture of them without asking, so why do it in another country. It is about showing respect and making sure we set up a safe place for children as tourism pushes into undiscovered territories.
I read that you’d worked on this with ChildSafe and a range of contributors including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). That’s awesome.

My mum has been teaching us to travel responsibly since we could talk. How important do you think it is to teach kids to be responsible and sustainable travellers from an early age? What are the best ways parents can do this?
Well I think a big part is teaching our kids to live sustainably at home. We’re teaching them to respect and recycle, to eat organically and healthy. People seem to suspend their beliefs when they travel because they’re paying for a luxury holiday, but my question is why separate those beliefs when we go on holiday. What parents can do is teach their kids to be really respectful at home and take those same values when they go on vacation. It’s not a lot to ask.
That’s great advice.

I love that your company has specific family tours, so kids can enjoy more adventurous holidays too. You have kids. Do you get them to road test your family tours before you open them up to the public?
I do. It is funny you should mention that, we just did a trip to one of our local living programmes in Italy two weeks ago. And earlier this year we went camping in Namibia on a truck call The Lando that we created for touring. It’s got device chargers in every seat, water purification machines and Wi-Fi. The company has been using it for a while, but we’d never had kids on it. So, I took my kids camping for a couple of days and we tested it out and they gave it the thumbs up so now I know we can start a family programme there.
They must be the happiest lab rats in the world.

Can you tell me what the differences are between your family tours and regular tours and what kind of things do you put in place to make them memorable for kids?
The thing about family tours is bringing like-minded parents together. They want to create that community with kids while they’re travelling. It also gives parents a chance to enjoy their holiday too while the kids play and connect because when you’re travelling alone with kids, it can be hard. You may not know it Raff. But you’re hard work.
Oh, I know it!
But what we really want is for kids to learn about respecting other cultures and learning how other people live to give them a greater appreciation of where you come from and of other cultures. That’s the best gift you can ever give a kid. That cultural exchange is so beautiful and so valuable and precious. It gives you a secret weapon when you come back home. Because you have something other kids may not. Along with a greater appreciation for where you sit in the world, travel gives you the confidence to be a great student and a great kid.

Of all the destinations G Adventures visits, which do you think is the best for families?
Oh boy. I think Thailand is a great location because kids love the combination of kicking back on beaches and more active attractions. On my side of the world, Costa Rica and Peru both offer beautiful coastlines but also have great activities so get the balance right for kids.
Thailand is great. Peru is on my list

You do tours in Australia right? Do you work with Indigenous people?
Very much so. That was one of the reasons we wanted to come to Australia, which was the first developed country where we ran tours. Indigenous community development was very important to us and so we created a whole bunch of different experiences for our tour up the East Coast of Australia. When we came here and started doing research up the coast there were lots of Indigenous shows and entertainment, but we wanted to do what we do everywhere else in the world and create experiences. So, we started dialogues with Indigenous communities. We didn’t want to invade their privacy, we wanted to see what their  needs were, what they were interested in and what their comfort level is in working with tourists. Right now, we are in discussion with some Indigenous leaders to build social enterprise projects in The Torres Straight Islands and Northern QLD.
That’s so cool that you’re are investing in programmes for Indigenous people.

How do you think family travel is changing and evolving? I mean my mum says that most Aussie family holidays used to be all about visiting the Gold Coast or Fiji and they’re great, but these days kids are going to more exotic places like Chile and Morocco. What do you see in the future for family travel?
I think families are travelling younger and that they’ll choose holidays that are more defined by interests and whether that’s animals or action and sports, there will be more choices for families in the future.

I love that G Adventures take animal welfare seriously and has banned unethical animal attractions from its tours. What spurred the decision to stop things like elephant riding?
Elephant riding was the first thing to pop up on our radar. When we started questioning it and did the research about the training that was involved we realised it didn’t match our values, and once we opened that door just a crack we realised there was lots of stuff we needed to look more closely at. We talked to Jane Goodall and The Jane Goodall Society and asked for help in creating animal welfare guidelines. We evaluated all our tour hotels and activities and removed everything that didn’t fit within the guideline, like snorkelling in the Galapagos and dolphin encounters in the Caribbean. We have more than 20,000 departures a year, so it was a difficult job in the beginning, but it was the right thing to do.
That’s so great. I’m very anti elephant riding and tiger selfies, and I once swam with wild turtles off a beach in New Caledonia and some people started touching and holding them for photos. I was angry.
Animals don’t have a voice. So, when you see people act like this it’s a good opportunity for you, at the age of ten, to use yours. Not to start a fight or to embarrass people, but to say I don’t think it’s the right thing to do.

Through your work you’ve met some amazing people like Sir Richard Branson and The Dalai Lama, who are two of my biggest heroes. That’s so cool. Do you have a hero or someone you look up to as a role model?
I have many, But the Dalai Lama is a big one. He is a leader in every way, promoting the idea of infinite happiness and wellbeing. Kindness and happiness are the two greatest things that you could have a mentor on.
Your first book Looptail has a forward by the Dalai Lama, right?
Yeah. You know I’m not a Buddhist though people think I am. But I believe in his philosophy of happiness. He says, “Our only purpose in life is to achieve happiness”.  That is a beautiful statement. And when your happiness is about creating happiness for others it makes the world a more beautiful place. He inspires me to be a better person. Nelson Mandela was another great leader and the reason he inspired me is because he was a man of principal and I believe you have to be principled, if you want to be successful. These are the values that I look up to.
I think they’re both amazing and that you’re just like them. That’s why you inspire me.

You’ve obviously travelled a lot, do you have hot tips for any must visit destinations I should be ticking off?
If you’re talking about hot new destinations, Colombia in South America is such an amazing place. It has a beautiful coast, an amazing jungle, plus phenomenal music and food. The Stans in Central Asia are interesting too.  Countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan are opening up for the first time. It used to be hard to get a visa to go, but the governments have relaxed the rules. They’re pretty cool, if you go soon you’ll get to see it before tourists get there.
I’m sold. Mum, I hope you’re taking notes here.

Is there some place that is still on your bucket list?
Yes. I’ve never been to Russia because I want to do the Trans-Siberian all the way from Beijing through Northern China, Mongolia and Siberia to Moscow, but it takes a long time and right now I’m a pretty busy guy and don’t have the time to take a month or two off to do the full trip. But I will.
I’ll come with you!

Thanks for speaking to me Bruce, I really appreciate your time. You’re legit as awesome as I thought you would be and that makes me a happy traveller!

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As far as family travel destinations go it might not make it to the top of the charts, but Cambodia is the stuff of kids’ Indiana Jones and Lara Croft-infused fantasies and should definitely be on your family holiday hit list.

Not only are the people welcoming and the resorts kid-friendly, it’s easy and fun to get around (travel by Tuk Tuk is a hoot) and there are more than a few things for families to do and see, besides the epic temples in Siem Reap’s Angkor Archaeological Park.

But as with travelling anywhere with kids, it’s important to be respectful and take appropriate precautions before you go. And, given the country’s traumatic past and its current political and economic challenges, it is also best to be educated. Here are our tips for travelling with kids in Cambodia. 

19 TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WITH KIDS IN CAMBODIA

1. Doctor’s Orders

 As we haven’t spent four years studying medicine at university, we’re not the best people to dispense medical advice. Instead we suggest families visiting Cambodia, or anywhere in Asia, seek their GP’s advice on recommended immunisations at least six weeks before travel as those dudes know their shiz. You can also check out The Travel Doctor for up to date information.

2. Beat bacteria 

We’ll eat pretty much anything but still take precautions so we can eat some more. Take special care with food and water in Cambodia to avoid upset tummies. That doesn’t mean you have to avoid street food, we love that stuff, but it is best to avoid anything raw, including peeled fruits and vegetables, as well as anything reheated. The best bet to avoid vom-inducing bacteria is to choose fresh cooked, still hot foods. You can read our top tips for safe street eats with kids here.

3. Be Water Wise

While it goes without saying to drink only bottled water, don’t forget to avoid ice too. It’s made of the stuff, you know. And while you don’t want to be carrying a heavy back pack, you will need to carry plenty of water to avoid dehydration. And please BYO your paper straws to drink from cans and bottles that have been floating in ice as plastic ones are disastrous for the environment.

4. No fry zone

Don’t barbecue your kids. Apply sunscreen and then add more sunscreen. This one is a no brainer but you’d be amazed at how many parents we meet on our travels who ask to borrow ours or don’t use it at all. Pack it. Use it. Oh, and ensure the kids wear hats in the sun and cover them up with long loose, light  clothes.

5. Tuk Tuk Tactics 

Hire a Tuk Tuk and driver for the day. It’s cheap and much easier to explore the temples. Just negotiate a rate before you hop or organise a reliable driver through your accommodation – they’ll know the reputable ones. Regardless, you shouldn’t need to pay much more than USD15-20 per day.

Riding in a Tuk Tuk is loads of fun and you’ll be hard pressed to find a kid that doesn’t love it, but do make sure they hold on and stay alert becasue there are no seat belts and those things zip around at speed through the chaotic traffic.

6. Bite me

When traveling in Cambodia, mosquito borne illnesses including malaria and zika virus are a risk, though less so in Siem Reap than more rural areas. As malaria is not the kind of souvenir you’ll be wanting to bring home, dress the kids (and yourselves) in light, loose, long clothes and apply a child-friendly insect repellent (with not more than a 20% concentration of DEET) at recommended intervals.

7. Bog standards

Outside of your plush hotel, it’s all about the squat toilet in Cambodia and given that your little prince or princess will want to empty their hummingbird size bladders at the most inconvenient times, you’ll need to be prepared to enter some seriously gross throne rooms. You can read our tips for mastering squat toilets with kids here.

8. Get Riel

The Riel is the official currency of Cambodia but you’ll find most people prefer dealing in US Dollars, though you will find locals often give change in Riel. It can get confusing but I’d advise carrying a little of the former and a lot of the latter.

9. Pass out at Angkor

But to see the gobsmackingly gorgeous temples of Siem Reap, you’ll need an Angkor pass to for admission the Angkor Archaeological Park. These can be purchased for 1, 3 or 7 days (we would recommend a 3-day pass for families). Children under 12 are free with identification. Just be sure to arrive nice and early because the queues at the ticket office are not one of Siem Reap’s more appealing attractions.

10. Look and learn 

Think about hiring a guide (ask at your hotel, not on the street) to explore the temples as they aren’t clearly marked inside or out. They will be able to share the fascinating history and culture of the temples, which can’t be acquired simply by watching Tomb Raider, and add more significance to your family’s explorations.

11. Early bird catches the view

When touring the temples with kids, it is wise to stick to just a couple a day to avoid temple fatigue. It’s also a good idea to visit the more popular temples as early as possible. This is the best way to avoid the maddening crowds, and they can be maddening. At popular Ta Prohm, better known as the Tomb Raider Temple, the crowds are so thick and the heat so unbearable by lunchtime that you’ll be wanting to practise your own Lara Croft style roundhouse manoeuvres on some of the selfie obsessed posers holding up the queues.

Finishing your temple adventures before lunch also means beating the heat and you’ll be able to have the kids fed and swanning about in your hotel pool before the sun starts resembling a blast furnace.

12. R.E.S.P.E.C.T

Regardless of your own personal beliefs, Angkor’s temples are sacred sites and both adults and children should dress modestly with knees and shoulders covered. Save your bikinis and butt baring cutoffs for another occasion.

13. Don’t be an Insta douche

I need to break some news to you.  You are NOT Angelina Jolie (unless you actually are Ange…  in which case, I loved your latest flick on Cambodia and will you adopt me?). And unless you are Harrison Ford, you are not Indiana Jones. There’s also a fairly good chance you are not a super model.

While we all want to get that great shot, the temples are not your personal movie or photo set. Take your pics and move along. If you really must spend an hour and a half pouting and flouncing to get that perfect Instagram shot, at least consider the other three gazillion people who paid the same park fee and came just as far to snap a pic of the temples, without them being accessorised with your duck face. Equally, if someone is already there trying to snap a pic, be patient and give them enough time to actually press the shutter release before you go barging in front of their shots.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, after your ninetieth completely contrived yet oh-so-casually sexy change of expression, you really do look like a bit of a douche bag.

14. No means no

Please don’t grope the monks. Keep your hands to yourselves as it is considered offensive, especially for a woman, to touch a monk. And always ask first before snapping a photo.

15. Bow wow

It’s not hard to be polite. Use the traditional Cambodian greeting – your two hands placed flat together with fingertips near the chin and a slight bow of the head – when saying hi or bye. You know you want to.

16. The talk

While the country has stepped cautiously out of the shadow of its traumatic past and is moving forward in leaps and bounds, it is still visibly poor and if you are visiting Cambodia with kids in tow, it is vital to discuss this with children before, during and after visiting to help them gain perspective.

17. Just say no

While it might seem heartless to bypass a begging child on the street, it’s not a great short or long-term solution. In order to break the cycle of poverty, and parents keeping their kids out of school to beg, donate a few dollars to one of the reputable charities working to help these kids in more sustainable ways.

18. Sugar Free

Don’t give the local kids sweets. I know its seems like a kind act but in a country with poor dental hygiene and health care it’s not a great idea, because rotten teeth are not the gift that keeps on giving.

19. Don’t be cruel

Say no to riding in elephants in Cambodia. No matter what you’re told, there is no such thing as a cruelty-free elephant ride. Not only does it cause immediate harm to an elephant’s spine (which is not designed to carry heavy weights) but the excessive cruelty hidden from view causes a lifetime of misery for the animals. And no, don’t “accidentally” do it and then post a cute elephant selfie on Instagram with a token note saying how wrong it is.   Don’t do it. Don’t promote it. Don’t encourage  it.

SIEM REAP WITH KIDS – NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

When to visit
November to March is the most popular time to travel with little rain and less humidity.
Language
Kmher, though French and English are widely spoken
Currency
Cambodian Riel (US dollars are also widely used and accepted)
Power
30V AC electricity. Power outlets are two-prong round sockets.
Visa & Passport Requirements
A 30-day tourist visa is required for all visitors entering Cambodia. These can be obtained on arrival for in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Preah Sihanouk but you will require a passport sized photo. The Cambodian government website also offers e-visas, so you can apply before you leave. Visitors also require a passport valid for at least six (6) months.
Health
Mosquito borne diseases are a risk in Cambodia. When travelling with children prevention is best so apply child-safe insect repellent (with no more 20% DEET) at regular intervals and make sure they are dressed in long but light clothing at all times. While there are no essential vaccinations for travellers to Cambodia, we suggest visiting your family GP at least six weeks before travel for up to date advice on immunisations.
Food Safety
Avoid tap water, raw foods and food stalls with dubious hygiene standards, and avoid tummy bugs by following our safe eating mantra of “cook it, peel it or forget it.

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It’s hailed as Phuket’s must-see spectacular and as soon as my kids see the flashy video of Phuket Fantasea’s dazzling Thai dancers, acrobats, and magical illusions, they want a piece of the action.

At least they do until they spot the chorus line of tarted up elephants balancing precariously on each other like giant trunky dominos. It’s a surreal scene and I’m almost expecting the painted pachyderms to start moonwalking, or pole dancing, when Raffles interrupts with a hint of concern in his voice.

“Ummm, how do elephants learn how to do that?”

Good question, Raffles.

“It doesn’t look very elephanty to me” points out a very observant Sugarpuff.

She is right. It really isn’t very “elephanty” at all. And the caged tiger plonked on a stage full of exploding pyrotechnics doesn’t really look like a page out of the Jungle Book. But they haven’t spotted him yet!

Before I can answer Raffles shuts down YouTube and says that he no longer wants to see this particular show. Because it is clear even to an eight-year old boy that these animals should not be performing like this, or in fact at all.

Without meaning to offend any twinkle-toed pachyderms with dreams of being the next Fred Astaire, elephants were simply not designed to dance.

There is a lot to love about Thailand, not least the food, culture and people, but its animal attractions are just not one of them. The risk of supporting animal exploitation is just too great.

Asian elephants are endangered due to the decimation of their habitat as well as illegal capture and trade for use in tourism. Now before I come across as too self-righteous, I’m not without sin! I confess to having ridden an elephants in Thailand on my first visit, more than fifteen years ago. Mr Eats World and I were not that young but we were clearly very foolish and extremely uninformed when we agreed to an elephant encounter that was part of our itinerary on a hosted trip. But by encounter I didn’t realise they meant trek through the jungle perched like the Queen of Sheba on the back of an unfortunate elephant at what was touted as an “Elephant Sanctuary”.

I fell in love with our elephant, a sad-eyed beauty, as soon as I met her. But the ride itself wasn’t all that much fun. Especially for her. Between the mahout, Mr EatsWorld and I, she was carrying about 200 kg of human. Not to mention the massive wooden seat that would have added at least an extra 80kg of pressure to her back. Her mahout (elephant keeper) carried a bullhook to keep her under control.  He claimed it was a necessity and that it didn’t hurt the animal at all. I have to call bullshit on that, her scars told a different story.

I felt sick to my stomach that through our ignorance we, two people who claimed to love animals, were participating in something that was so blatantly cruel to this beautiful elephant. An elephant that didn’t choose this life. We cut our ride short, and explained we would sit the rest of this portion of the tour out because, even without much information, it just felt wrong.

Because it is wrong. She, like every other elephant involved with humans in any way, would have been taught to carry her passengers by having her spirit broken through repeated abuse.

To think that these elephants who paint for us, carry us, or perform onstage in sparkling tutus for human entertainment have simply been ‘trained’ like an oversized puppy is naïve. These are wild animals and have been tortured into submission. They perform only from fear of more of the same.

All elephants, even those born in captivity, undergo a heartbreakingly cruel process known in Thailand as the phajaan where they are removed from their mothers, confined, deprived of sustenance and beaten until they submit to human whim.

I cannot justify my experience, except to admit my ignorance. I had no idea that this would be anything other than the sanctuary our itinerary claimed it to be. And no idea what these elephants went through. Though I swore that very day that I would never ever support anything like this again.

Now, I hear people who do know what happens justifying their experiences by saying that the animals ‘look’ happy. Seriously! What exactly does a happy elephant look like? I’m tipping its not carrying 280kgs of tourist or getting bedazzled and balancing on a tiny box.

The elephant tourism industry thrives because tourists just like you and me let it. And, tempting though it may to climb on the back of one of these magnificent creatures, we need to ask ourselves if an hour or two of fun, or a cool snapshot of our kids, is really worth a lifetime of pain for these creatures.

I’m happy to say that my kids have already worked out that it’s not.

If you’re an animal lover and want to experience an elephant encounter, there are ethical options, but these are few and far between.

Instead of riding elephants in Thailand, or watching one dance or paint, do your research and volunteer for a day at an elephant rescue and rehabilitation centre like Elephant Nature Park, The Surin Project or Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation in Northern Thailand. These all employ sustainable methods and instead of watching them perform visitors can watch the elephants doing what they do, naturally.

There’s so much more beauty in that.

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Raffles is pretty excited when we tell him we’re going to explore a real fort. When we add the bit about him making his very own weapon while he’s there, he’s just about ready to sign up for a job with Border Protection. I’m not sure he’d last long in the job though as he shares his  mama’s “bleeding heart hippie” ideals of equality and offering refuge, and rather than “stopping the boats” he’d more likely be whipping up the hungry passengers an omelette and a nice cuppa before joining them for a bit of a chin wag. I so like this kid.

Given our penchant for sipping on the aforementioned hippie juice, one might consider it odd that I’m actively encouraging my child to make a weapon, but the weapon that Raffles will make today is a very special one that has more to do with self-respect, responsibility and connection than with violence. But more on that in a sec…

We’re at Bare Island in Sydney’s La Perouse, named for Comte de La Pérouse, a French navigator who rocked up here just a few days after the first fleet of convicts had arrived in Botany Bay. Luckily for both him and the convicts there was no Border Protection around in those days otherwise they would all have been unceremoniously turfed out on their arses… given their watery arrival.

But I digress, we’re not here to discuss border policy, the arrival of the First Fleet or the fact that had the French only turned up a few days earlier we would all be running around singing Edith Piaf songs, eating croissants for breakfast and wearing Chanel thongs. Bugger. Je ne actually do regrette rien that. I’d quite like a French accent.

Bare Island is both a historic military fort and the host of the wonderful Blak Markets, a monthly market dedicated to Aboriginal crafts, skills and culture. The market raises funds for Aboriginal community programs to assist youth at risk and I implore you from the depths of my soul to take your children. It is fun, entertaining, unique and provides an unsurpassable opportunity for our kids to be exposed to and learn about local indigenous culture while helping Aboriginal youth become proud and resilient through that culture.

Beyond great market stalls showcasing everything from Aboriginal art and handicrafts to homewares and fashion, visitor’s can enjoy mouth-watering bush tucker inspired food, Indigenous entertainment and witness a traditional smoking ceremony where native plants are burnt, producing smoke to spiritually heal, purify and ward off negativity.

If you like things more hands on, there are bush tucker tours, a Catch N Cook kids fishing tour and great workshops with traditional Aboriginal teachers who’ll pass on the knowledge that has been passed on to them for generations.

Raffles is fairly preoccupied with eating his way through every one of the amazing food stalls in the courtyard. He goes back for seconds of the “deadly dumplings’, delicious chicken dumplings with warrigal greens served in a bowl of chicken broth, and the barbecued Kanagroo skewers.

But it’s time to make that weapon I mentioned at the beginning of my ramblings… a spear to be precise. The Spear Making workshop with Dean Kelly of Warada Kinship is not only hands on but quite spiritual. Dean takes his culture very seriously and loves to share a way of life he says “was given to him by the old people”. Dean explains the spear’s history and how it has evolved. How the knowledge of this ancient technology was shared with him by the old people and how it can set the direction for life’s journey.

The spear Raffles will create will uniquely represent him and the hard work is not done for him. Raffles will need to make his spear from scratch. When choosing the trunk of a Gymea Lily (also known as spear lilies) he must choose the one he feels most connected to, the one that fits. Raffles must do the same with the timber spear head (these have been carved already) and he carefully picks each up and studies it until he finds the one that speaks to him.

And then it’s off to work. Manually removing the remaining leaves from the trunk and sanding it back. Painstakingly putting the pieces together and tightly winding twine around his spear-to-be.

While Raffles (and his dad, who is also making a spear today) work away, I take Sugarpuff off for some lemon myrtle lollipops and Davidson plum sherbet and we find a great mini cultural workshop where she too can make something of her own. She chooses to paint and decorate a set of clapping sticks with the lovely local ladies. The hot pink theme she goes for isn’t very authentic but she’s pretty chuffed with her handiwork, as are the lovely ladies who assist.

When we return we find the boys scooping up handfuls of orange goo, made from crushed rock and tree resin, taking only what they need to seal and paint their spears by hand.

All in all they spend two painstaking hours working on their spears. Listening, learning, sharing and connecting.

My son is taught about the importance of taking only what he needs not what he wants from the land. To Aboriginal people, the land has a spiritual connection. It is their mother and they believe that everything is born from her and will return to her. It represents everything that is needed for living and they take from it only what they need to survive… a kind, responsible and sustainable way of living that I’m thrilled my son is being exposed to.

Raffles, who I swear is about to actually burst with pride, is now the owner of his very own handmade spear and generations of knowledge that has been passed on to him by Dean.

My little boy has learned so much more than just how to make a weapon, he has learned respect, patience and responsibility and he will take that with him along with his spear… which he can use to stir the next batch of mama’s Kool Aid.

Blak Markets at Bare Island is open 10.30am-5pm on the 1^st Sunday of every month. Workshops and tours range in price and entry to Bare Island, usually only open for tours, is $2 per person, with children under 5 free. http://www.sydneyaboriginaltours.com.au

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