How to determine the best baby or toddler travel destination: 8 tips

When choosing a travel destination for your next trip with a baby or toddler, it’s essential to consider more than just the sights and activities. From health precautions to baby-friendly accommodations, picking the right travel destination can make all the difference for your baby or toddler. Whether you’re looking to determine the best destination for your little one or seeking baby-friendly travel spots, these 8 tips will help you plan a smooth vacation with your baby or toddler.

#1: Are vaccinations necessary?

When choosing a distant destination with a baby or toddler, it’s wise to check if vaccinations are required. For many countries outside Europe, a Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended. The virus can be present on items such as door handles, towels, and in food and drinks, leading to a Hepatitis A infection. The Hepatitis A vaccine might not be given to children under 1 year of age in all countries. This is because children under 1 are often still protected by the mother, they don’t suffer much from a Hepatitis A infection, and they don’t yet eat the same foods as their parents. They also do not consume foods cooked in restaurants. Once they turn 1, it is more common to administer this vaccine to young children.

In some countries, vaccines are also required for Yellow Fever or Typhoid Fever. Yellow Fever is a virus transmitted by tropical mosquitoes. This vaccination is often recommended or even required in countries where Malaria is also present. It’s typically not given to babies younger than 6 months old. The side effects of this vaccine can also be more severe. The Typhoid Fever vaccine is only administered from the age of 2. Therefore, I would not travel with a baby or young toddler to destinations where this vaccination is recommended. To understand which vaccines are recommended for babies and toddlers, it’s advisable to consult the Public Health Service or your doctor.

Ultimately, we decided to travel to countries where the Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended. We’re avoiding countries with recommendations for Yellow Fever or Typhoid Fever for now, while traveling with a baby or toddler. Fortunately, in many countries, only the Hepatitis A vaccination is required. Always consult with the Public Health Service or your doctor: when traveling with a baby under 1, they sometimes choose to bring forward one of the vaccinations. For example, Luca received an additional MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccination at 11 months before we traveled to Malaysia.

#2: Check if Malaria is present

Before you determine your destination for a trip with a baby or toddler, make sure to check the Malaria map. As mentioned above, some distant destinations have Malaria. Malaria is particularly dangerous for young children. This disease, caused by a bite from an infected mosquito, can have severe effects. There is no vaccine for Malaria; the only way to prevent it is by taking anti-malarial tablets. However, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to administer these tablets to a baby or young child. Moreover, the side effects of anti-malarial tablets can also be quite severe.

There are other measures to prevent Malaria, such as sleeping under a mosquito net with air conditioning, wearing protective clothing, and applying DEET to exposed skin. However, toddlers and babies should not use products with a high concentration of DEET.

Therefore, traveling to a country with Malaria is strongly discouraged. You simply cannot guarantee that your child will be safe from this disease, and you can’t subject them to the side effects of the tablets. Check this map for an overview of Malaria-prone regions.

#3: Check the status of hygiene & healthcare

Another important factor is to find out about the hygiene and healthcare situation in the country you plan to visit. You obviously don’t want your little one to get sick due to poor hygiene, and when healthcare is needed, you want it to be of acceptable quality. Quick access to well-equipped hospitals is essential when traveling with young children.

Something else to consider when traveling with babies: they can become dehydrated more quickly, and they don’t always regulate their temperature well. Their immune systems are still developing, and they can’t always tell you when they’re feeling unwell, or when they’re too cold or too hot. Choose a country where you can maintain their temperature and rely on good healthcare in case it’s needed.

#4: Check if altitude sickness might be an issue

When choosing a destination for a long trip with a baby or toddler, make sure to check the altitude of the places you want to visit. For example, some cities in Peru or Bolivia are located over 2500 meters above sea level. Some people develop altitude sickness when they first arrive at a high-altitude destination. Symptoms of altitude sickness include shortness of breath, headaches, nausea, dizziness, or feeling weak. If severe and untreated, altitude sickness can result in coma or even death.

It’s not that young children are more prone to altitude sickness, but the problem is that they can’t communicate their discomfort as well. When children suffer from altitude sickness, they may become fussy, whiny, lethargic, and may eat or sleep poorly. As a parent, you might mistake these symptoms for tiredness after a long journey. It’s advisable to avoid high-altitude areas with young children. If you do go, make sure to first visit destinations that are higher but still below the 2500-meter threshold, so the entire family can adjust to the altitude.

#5: Are baby products easily available?

Another requirement for a baby-friendly travel destination is whether diapers and baby food are available. Diapers are usually not a problem, but baby formula can be harder to find in less developed areas. The biggest challenge arises with fruits and vegetables if you’re traveling with a baby who is not yet eating solid food.

From our experience, it’s not possible to buy baby food in all countries. In Malaysia, for example, we found only limited availability of jarred vegetable purees, so Luca (who was 11 months old at the time and had not yet received the Hepatitis A vaccine) often ate with us. This can be risky in some countries, so be extra cautious when choosing a restaurant. Fortunately, fruit jars were still available in Malaysia, but another couple we met, who had a 9-month-old daughter, spent an entire afternoon in Langkawi searching for a jar of vegetables.

#6: Are there enough child-friendly accommodations?

When traveling long distances with a baby or toddler, you’ll need to find child-friendly accommodations. While you might have stayed in a hostel or a small budget hotel room before, you’ll now need to pay more attention (and likely spend more money) on finding suitable accommodations. Keep in mind that during a trip with children, your accommodation is more than just a place to sleep. You’ll actually spend quite a bit of time there. The pace of travel will be slower, and your child will need some time to play. Also, young children tend to go to bed earlier, so you’ll spend more time in your accommodation in the evenings than you did when you didn’t have kids.

We often look for apartments, ideally with multiple bedrooms. This way, you have enough space for all the extra items you bring, and your child has room to play. When your child is already in bed, you can still sit in the living room. Hotels are also an option, but make sure the room is large enough. It can also be tricky if your child is sleeping in the evening or during the day.

#7: Consider the local transportation

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a destination for a long trip with a baby or toddler is local transportation. The best option is to rent a car. This way, you can choose your departure time, make more frequent stops, and take shorter trips than if you were traveling by bus. With a rental car, you can adapt the travel schedule to your child’s rhythm. It’s also very practical: you can carry more items and leave what you don’t need in the trunk. A rental car makes travel much more relaxed. You don’t have to worry about your child crying during the ride while everyone else on the bus gets annoyed.

Unfortunately, renting a car is not always possible in many distant countries. Often, road quality is poor, or it simply isn’t safe for a Western tourist to drive on their own. In some countries (mainly in Asia), you can only drive with a chauffeur.

Traveling by plane, bus, or train within the country is also an option, but you’ll be dependent on departure times and will have to wait a lot. Additionally, you’ll need to bring a lot of stuff with you, which can be quite a hassle. Consider the infrastructure in the country before you determine your final destination for your next trip with a baby or toddler.

#8: Check the local distances

When choosing a destination for a long trip with a baby or toddler, also consider the distances you’ll need to travel locally. Babies can’t sit in a car for hours, and toddlers usually don’t want to either. It’s also not comfortable for you to travel long distances with a small child. In the end, little ones are happiest when they can play or swim. Try to limit travel to a maximum of 3-4 hours on travel days, and spend a few consecutive days in one place. Traveling every day is also not ideal for a little one, so take this into account when you determine your next destination with your baby or toddler.

For example, Namibia meets most of the requirements. You can drive yourself, you need relatively few vaccinations, the country is fairly modern, and it has good hygiene standards. The downside of Namibia is the long hours you spend in the car. This doesn’t mean Namibia isn’t a baby-friendly travel destination, but it might be more enjoyable when your child is a bit older and can appreciate the safari experience more.

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