These kids’ clubs and programs provide younger resort guests with immersive experiences that are both educational and entertaining.
Home to some of Australia’s most dazzling beaches and oldest rainforest, Fraser Island off the Queensland coast is the ideal base for nature-loving families. At its Kingfisher Bay Resort, the island’s bounty is revealed through an educational Junior Eco Rangers program. The newest addition to the roster of experiences is a stargazing beach walk, spotlighting for bats and frogs along the way. Other activities include workshops on caring for the environment, campfire songs, and canoeing.
A cooking class at the Jiimba Club. Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay.
In neighboring Indonesia, the Jimba Club at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay changes the theme of kid-friendly activities daily—think “Pirates of Jimba” or “Castaway” beach days. Interactive experiences vary as a result, and might include Balinese dancing with local children, crab hunting, coconut bowling, or making Indonesian sweets. Teens are not forgotten, with surfing lessons and tennis classes among the offerings.
There’s also plenty to keep young travelers entertained at Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo, from waterslides to batik painting and scavenger hunts. But the real reason to check in here is for the informative Little Ranger Experience run from the kids’ club. Adventurous children accompany the resort’s own rangers exploring the property’s 26-hectare wilderness reserve, feeding animals, monitoring flora and fauna, planting a tree, and learning about the life cycle of the forest along the way.
From guided rain forest walks to learning jungle survival skills, Soneva Kiri on Thailand’s Koh Kood island aims to educate children on local Thai culture. The eco-luxe resort’s Den is crafted from bamboo to resemble a manta ray; inside, activities range from playing musical instruments to designing clothes and jewelry from recycled materials. Kids can also sign up to visit a nearby fishing village, stilted over the water, where they’ll have the chance to talk to students at a local school.
Meanwhile, on the shores of central Vietnam, Project VN might sound serious, but it’s actually a slick, private teen center at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort. The club, exclusive to young adults, comes with black marble floors, a pool table, Wii facilities, and an age-appropriate library. There’s also Planet Trekkers for children, where activities include yoga, kite flying, and a mini-trek through the resort’s rain forest, decoding plants and animals along the way.
This article originally appeared in the April/May 2017 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Join the Club”).
