These Are the Best Countries to Vacation With Children

Travel can be a life changing experience for children, helping them to grow into adults who have a global outlook.

A child’s academic performance also benefits from travel experiences, according to a study from the Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA),  which found that kids who travel do better in school.

And that’s not all.

Travel helps children “build self-esteem, independence, tolerance, and cultural understanding, while breaking down barriers to a child’s personal, educational and social development,” according to the SYTA research.

Given all of these reasons to travel with your children, your next question might be: Where should we go?

To help answer that question, African safari experts Go2Africa recently conducted a study of the best countries to visit with kids, which involved analyzing 365,969 family-friendly hotels, attractions, and restaurants.

Using this data, the travel company created a ranking of the countries globally that have the highest percentage of highly-rated and family-friendly places to eat, sleep and enjoy.

And drumroll please….The most family-friendly destination in the world, according to Go2Africa is…The Seychelles.

Per the study’s measures, 36 percent of hotels in the Seychelles were found to be family-friendly. In addition, 20 percent of the country’s attractions are considered to be family friendly, as are 36.7 percent of its restaurants.

That gives the Seychelles an overall family-friendly rating of 29.73 percent, the highest of 20 countries ranked by the report.

“Numerous bays in the Seychelles are shielded by offshore reefs, which not only offer protection from the open sea but also create shallow waters ideal for children,” says the report of the country’s top ranking. “It’s also incredibly safe with no vaccination requirements, no dangerous animals and an absence of natural disasters.”

But a trip to the Seychelles isn’t exactly budget-friendly, depending on where you’re traveling from.

Not to worry, there are plenty of other family-friendly destinations identified by the ranking as well. Here’s a closer look.

Top 10 Family-Friendly Destinations Around the Globe

1. Seychelles: family-friendly rating of 29.73%

Working down the list beyond the number one-ranked Seychelles, the Go2Africa report identifies the following destinations as additional global leaders for travelers with children in tow.

2. Samoa: family-friendly rating of 28.53%

The small Polynesian island of Samoa was found to be the second best country to visit with children. According to the study, 30.13 percent of the country’s hotels are family friendly, as are 21.36 percent of its attractions. In addition, 35.14 percent of restaurants also earn this distinction.

“One of the key features that make Samoa family-friendly is its welcoming and warm culture,” says the report. “Samoan people place a high value on family, and this is evident in the way visitors are treated. Families can expect to feel at home, with locals often going out of their way to ensure everyone is comfortable and enjoying their stay.”

3. Costa Rica:
family-friendly rating of 28.33%

Costa Rica has long had a reputation for being one of the top family friendly destinations in the world. And Go2Africa’s data cements that status.

The Central American country’s percentage of family-friendly hotels is among the highest in the world at 44.93 percent. The country also boasts 21.76 percent family friendly attractions and 24.41 percent of its restaurants are cater to families.

“The country is family-friendly due to its diverse natural attractions,” says the report. “Families can explore lush rainforests, stunning beaches, active volcanoes, and abundant wildlife.”

National parks meanwhile, like Manuel Antonio and Tortuguero offer safe, accessible trails where children can see monkeys, sloths, and colorful birds up close.

Costa Rica’s beaches are also perfect for families, with calm waters on the Pacific coast and gentle surf ideal for swimming and water sports.

4. New Zealand: family-friendly rating of 27.92%

A stellar 56 percent of New Zealand hotels were found to be family friendly and 26.77 percent of restaurants earned this distinction. Attractions came in a little further behind at 20.04 percent.

5. Luxembourg: family-friendly rating of 26.13%

The tiny, northwestern European country of Luxembourg rounds out the top five family-friendly destinations around the world. About 27 percent of the hotel accommodations in the country are considered family friendly and 33.99 percent of restaurants also earn this distinction.

A mere 11.51 percent of the country’s attractions however, are deemed family friendly

6. Iceland: family-friendly rating of 26.10%

Known for its glaciers and ice caves, it’s hardly any surprise that Iceland is among the top 10. About 30.83 percent of hotels in the country are viewed as family friendly and 38.64 percent of restaurants are also in this category.

Surprisingly, just 19.09 percent of Iceland’s attractions were ranked as family-friendly by the Go2Africa research.

7. Belize: family-friendly rating of 25.85%

Moving over to Central America, the tropical paradise of Belize offers another destination for travelers with children in tow.

Most notably, about 29.20 percent of restaurants in Belize are deemed family friendly, followed by 26.75 percent of hotels and 24.78 percent of attractions.

8. Montenegro: family-friendly rating of 25.35%

Located along the mediterranean in Southern Europe, Montenegro is another destination that family travelers may want to set their sights on.

According to Go2Africa’s data, 38.93 percent of hotels in the country are family friendly, as are 27.18 percent of restaurants. But not so fast, just 12.55 percent of attractions were found to be family appropriate.

9. Vanuatu: family-friendly rating of 25.34%

Given its remote location in the South Pacific Ocean, Vanuatu is probably not one of the most common destinations for family travelers. But Go2Africa says it should be on your list – especially if your main gauge of family travel decisions is food. About 52 percent of restaurants in the country are family friendly.

As for hotels, that figure is 22.01 percent and attractions trail behind at 20.62 percent.

10. Ireland: family-friendly rating of 25.08%

Rounding out the top 10 is perennially popular Ireland, a destination already beloved by more than a few family travelers.

When it comes to hotels, Ireland is a global leader at 53.33 percent being family friendly. The country’s restaurants, meanwhile, were found to be 30.80 percent family friendly.

And in a stat that is a little surprising, given all of Ireland’s fascinating kid-friendly castles to explore, just 15.26 percent of Ireland’s attractions were considered family friendly.

This article was originally published in TravelPulse.