Long haul with kids: the flight, the jet lag and the first two days

Short-haul sun is easy: two hours, no time change, a nap in the car. The Indian Ocean and the Caribbean are different, and the fear of the flight keeps many families on the Mediterranean for years longer than they need to. Here is the plan I give friends, built on a simple idea: the flight is one bad day, the jet lag is a choice, and the sun does most of the work.

Choosing the flight

Direct beats a connection with children, even if it costs more, and an overnight departure beats a daytime one for anyone under ten: they sleep through most of it. Book seats together as soon as the booking opens, request the bassinet row for babies, and choose an aisle plus window for two adults and a child so nobody climbs over a stranger.

The bag that saves the flight

One small bag per child that they pack themselves with three things they choose, plus your additions: a tablet loaded with downloads and cheap headphones that fit, a new small toy they have not seen, snacks that do not melt, a change of clothes for everyone including you, wet wipes, and a sticker book. Do not rely on the airline for children’s meals; bring what they actually eat.

Jet lag: the sun is the medicine

Body clocks reset on light. On arrival, no matter the local time, get outside. If it is daytime, stay outside until the local evening, ideally on the beach with a swim. If it is night, dim the room and sleep, then be outside by nine the next morning. Eat meals at local times from the first day. Children reset faster than adults if you do this; they will be on local time by day two, day three at most.

Eastbound is harder than westbound. Flying east (Europe to the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand) you lose hours, and the first evening comes early; keep them up until at least eight local time with a long beach afternoon. Flying west (Europe to the Caribbean, Costa Rica) they will wake at four for a day or two; take that as sunrise on the beach, which is the best hour anyway. The time zone planner shows the offset and the direction for every destination on the map.

The first two days

Book nothing. No boat trips, no excursions, no dinner reservations. Day one is the pool and the beach in short sessions with sun protection and shade; day two is the same with one small outing. By day three the family is on local time, everyone has found the beach bar and the holiday starts.

Where the long haul pays off best

Mauritius for the lagoon and the resorts built around families; Aruba and Curaçao for the calm water and hurricane-free calendar; Koh Lanta for the price and the food; the Maldives for water so safe it is a swimming pool with fish. All four are in the family beach finder with their scores.