Top tips for solo parents taking the kids on holiday overseas

Family travel blogger Evie Farrell, right, says travelling the world solo with her daughter Emmie has been rewarding for them both. Photo / Supplied

Thinking of holidaying solo with the kids? Evie Farrell has all you need to know.

“Where is your husband? Why isn’t he with you?” The confused driver watched my daughter and I climb into his tuk tuk, concerned we’d forgotten part of the family. After years of this perennial question I have my responses: he is at a conference or resting at the hotel, serving a jail sentence or missing after a yachting incident. This time I shared that I don’t have a husband, because I knew the driver was simply curious - he hadn’t seen a mum and daughter travelling alone together before.

Solo parent holidays aren’t the norm, but they should be, because travelling alone with kids is a joyful escape that is achievable as it is rewarding. You only need one pair of adult hands to zip up luggage, hail tuk tuks or rub in sunscreen, and little fingers are often just as capable as big ones. Plus, every destination in the world has kids too so there will always be parks, kids meals and children to play with, no matter where you are. And yes, of course there can be tantrums and fussiness, but you get them at home anyway. They’re just much easier to manage when you’re staying in a little hut on a tropical island or playing in the snow at a ski resort.

I know this because I left home in 2016 to travel full-time with my then 6-year-old daughter, Emmie. Not only did we survive, I had some of the best years of my life, and we created a library of precious memories that will be with us forever. Backroad journeys on ailing public transport, a sleepless night in a gruesome, windowless hostel and questionable overland border crossings are equally as beloved as our five-star-resort holidays and the magical moments that brought us even closer.

We often talk about waking up together on the Great Wall of China after camping overnight on a watch tower, swimming in sparkling phosphorescence in the shallows off an island in Cambodia, and sitting in the doorway of Sri Lankan train as we passed tea plantations and waterfalls, sunshine on our bare legs and feet. These moments are ours, stronger because they were just between us, undiluted by the presence of another.

If you have younger kids and you’re seeking respite, Fijian resorts and their famous kids’ clubs can be your salvation, and we are huge fans of Club Med and its all-inclusive lifeline for solo parent holidays. I started bringing my daughter to Club Med Tomamu in Japan when she showed an interest in skiing, and I was too clueless to help her. The team at Club Med organised everything for Emmie’s skiing, and we still return each year to this resort that is so special to us it feels like home.

Cruising is fabulous for kids of all ages, but it’s a lifesaver when you’re risking your sanity embarking on a solo parent holiday with tweens and teens. On the first night of our Royal Caribbean cruise, Emmie made friends at the organised teen meet and greet, and since everyone on a cruise is there for the same duration (unlike resorts where friends can come and go according to their holiday timetable) she had buddies for the entire cruise. While this is fabulous for kids, it’s even better for parents who, like me, can then spend their time in silence, drinking cocktails in the hot tubs or even joining in the onboard solo meet-ups and activities.

While resorts and cruising are safe and easy options, jumping into a more adventurous holiday isn’t as risky as it may seem. We are so connected these days you’re never really far from home and you can always pick up anything you’ve forgotten to pack.

Emmie and I backpacked for years, and it remains our favourite way to travel. We take a small pack each (preferably carry-on), have flexible plans (if any at all) and a relaxed attitude, and in return we get an unrivalled sense of freedom. This is how we feel most connected to destinations and communities - sharing public transport with locals, staying with families in guesthouses, and learning about life outside the bubble of suburbia.

Family travel blogger Evie Farrell with her daughter Emmie at the Great Wall of China. Photo / Supplied

Children are adored all over Asia and we find it safe and easy to get around. Sitting under palm trees, sipping a coconut (or cocktail) and watching your littlies play on a white sand beach in the Philippines or Thailand is what dreams are made of.

Safety is, of course, a big concern when travelling solo with kids, but you can’t close off your heart or you may miss out on the beautiful connections and local experiences travel is all about.

Make sure you have a family safety plan to follow if kids get lost or there is an emergency; write your phone number on their arms when you’re out in crowds, point out landmarks, keep hotel cards on each of you in case you are separated, and don’t spend time in unfamiliar places after dark. Do what you do at home to stay safe in an unfamiliar environment.

The rewards of solo parent travel are not just for the kids. The sense of achievement you’ll get from showing them the world will change you and how you see yourself, and the special bond that develops when you travel closely and share experiences together for the first time can’t be replicated.

So please don’t spend time wondering if you should set off on an adventure alone with the kids. As cliché as it sounds, there are experiences to have and memories to make before they grow up – and not only will you treasure them for the rest of your life, your kids will too.

Tips for solo parent travel

• Always buy travel insurance as soon as you book
• Make sure everyone knows your family safety plan
• Pack lightly
• Backpacks are best as they are handsfree
• Make sure to plan some time for yourself

Evie Farrell is a solo parent who spent years travelling the world full-time with her daughter, and still takes off as often as she can. Follow her adventures at Mumpack Travel or Instagram at @mumpacktravel