Are you planning a trip to Australia or New Zealand together with your baby or toddler? Travelling to the other side of the world with young children may seem scary at first, but it doesn’t need to be. Start your dream family holiday with a relaxing flight and enjoy a well-organised holiday. At TravelEssence, we offer specialised advice and arrange a relaxed travel schedule. And be sure to ask us about our exciting stopover locations for families.
"I lived in Australia and New Zealand for several years and I love to share my local knowledge and experiences. I am looking forward to getting to know you better and making your dream holiday to Australia and New Zealand a reality!"
Contact IlonaExperience these awe-inspiring countries together with your family. Explore bountiful nature, and have close encounters with unique and rare wildlife. Marvel at endless coastlines and beaches, and discover fascinating cultures. A well-organised family holiday, soaking up the Aussie and Kiwi ‘no worries’ lifestyle.
Australia and New Zealand are both family-friendly destinations with many new and unforgettable experiences on offer. With a galore of outdoor activities to indulge in, it is perfect for the whole family. With countless beaches, a huge assortment of playgrounds, and so much nature, there is plenty of entertainment for your little one to enjoy.
Whether you require a pram, car seats, or easy access to cooking facilities, we will ensure you have everything you need. We can advise you on the best regions, scenic drives, and climates and match you up with the most suitable hosts.
With a little planning and preparation, a holiday with your young child to the other side of the world will be smooth and successful. You don't need to be afraid of the long flight with a baby or toddler either. To save you hours searching for the right information, we have put together some tips based on our own experience for you here.
The days of boarding your plane relaxed and enjoying the onboard entertainment may feel like a thing of the past, now that you have an infant. However, you can still enjoy a trip to Australia and New Zealand even while you are on holiday with a baby or toddler. You may no longer be able to have a candlelit dinner or take a romantic sailing cruise over the Great Barrier Reef, but there are still plenty of wonderful things to discover with your loved ones.
Travelling with young children may be a different travel experience but it often brings new advantages. Waking up earlier with your kids means you can beat the crowds at many attractions. Meeting the locals by the beach while your kids happily dig in the world’s greatest sand pit. Keeping calm and going with the flow means you are more relaxed, the kids are happy and the expectations are not too high.
If you are travelling to Australia or New Zealand, you have a long flight ahead of you. Your sleeping rhythm may change completely once you board your flight. Your child will sleep, laugh, cry, and wake up happy on the flight but may also be dissatisfied and whinge. The best thing to do is to take all these phases calmly. You won't be able to change anything anyway. And your child will be able to feel your stress.
If you are flying with your baby or toddler, we will reserve seats for you in advance and book the cot for the long-haul flight in advance. For a long flight, a stopover of one or two days is recommended for parents with young children. This is a great way to relax a little in between each flight and enjoy a new change of scenery.
There are extra changing rooms and play areas at the airport for mothers with babies and families. Be sure to take advantage of these facilities! Also, if you check in online the evening before, you only have to drop off your luggage at the airport.
“For me, a day flight was always better because I had more energy and strength. Personally, I find it much more important to always plan enough buffers for arrival, check-in, and walking to the gate. There should always be enough time to be able to quickly change nappies and clothes or to breastfeed if necessary.”
Travel Specialist, Veronika
No matter where you stay together with your little ones, we highly recommend a separate bedroom. Whether it's an apartment or holiday home, this will be highly appreciated during your stay.
Our TravelEssence hosts often provide a homemade breakfast or breakfast basket as well. Wake up each morning and enjoy a full breakfast without having to shop or cook for it yourself. For the breakfast basket, you can decide what time you would like it to be. Whether you’d prefer it at 5 am or at 11 am, it’s entirely up to you!
For every trip with a baby or a toddler, it is worth making a packing list, especially for a longer trip to Australia or New Zealand. This will ensure that you have everything you need and don't make the mistake of packing too much. The following things are really useful for a trip with a young child.
A travel buggy - Ideally, bring a model that can be folded up and is compact so that you can take it with you on the plane as hand luggage. There are already models that are both robust and suitable for off-road use.
A travel cot - Not essential for a trip to Australia or New Zealand as most accommodations will provide cots. If you still want to take your own with you, make sure that it does not weigh more than three kilograms.
A packing cube set for luggage - saves space and makes packing and unpacking easier. Well sorted, you can quickly find what you are looking for.
A baby carrier (or a Kraxe for slightly larger children) - This means you are independent of using a buggy and always have your hands and arms free. It is also easier to get around on the beach or on hiking trails than with a buggy or pram.
Buggy Shade Sail and Rain Cover - This doesn't take up much space and protects your baby from too much sun or moisture.
First-aid kit - Prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario. For babies, you should have a clinical thermometer and a small bottle of fever and pain medication in your luggage. It is best to buy sunscreen and insect repellent for babies locally.
Toys - Don't take too many with you! There is always something to play or distract yourself from on the go. Drinking bottles, disposable cups, helpful fellow travellers, other children, the friendly cabin crew or the pots and pans in your vacation rental are probably more interesting than what you're struggling to carry with you.
Passport (even if the baby is only a few weeks old)
Buggy
Stretcher
Enough milk powder (if necessary) for the flight
Drink bottles for water and milk
A dummy
Cuddly toy and/or snuggly blanket
A beanie and a sunhat
No matter how well prepared you are, or how strong your nerves are, there will come a point during your trip where one of you will lose your composure. If everyone is feeling tired and stressed from the long journey, even a missing wet wipe can cause a total freakout. Try to prepare yourself mentally for such situations in advance, take a deep breath and remain as relaxed as possible.
A long-haul flight with a baby can definitely be mastered with a little preparation and the right attitude! And after your arrival in Australia or New Zealand, you will always be compensated for the stressful moments during the journey - We promise!
"Our flight from Melbourne to Hong Kong was a day flight. We travelled with our two children - two and three years old at the time. The two spent the first ten hours of flight time watching TV and eating and were actually quite satisfied.
Shortly before landing in Hong Kong, the little one had to vomit. But of course not properly in the bag, but directly on mummy! Unfortunately, the seat belt signs were already on and we were no longer allowed to go to the toilets. So the scent stayed with us for another 30 minutes until we landed.
In Hong Kong, I took my child straight to the bathroom and changed us both. While waiting for the next flight, the pretzel sticks ran out, which led to a nervous breakdown and screaming fits from our older child. Thank goodness our flight was called! While we were getting ready to board and already feeling pretty annoyed by now, my eldest child told me that he had a weird feeling in his stomach too.
As soon as he said this, he vomited. Not on the floor - but once again on mummy! That was the point where I wanted to have a screaming fit too. Instead, I sent my husband to the washrooms to freshen up our son, and I went to the souvenir shop to buy an "I Love Hong Kong" t-shirt. With that, I started the next 12-hour flight."
Travel Specialist, Veronika
Bring a few changes of clothes for the whole family for the flight.
Find out what additional baggage is allowed for babies on the plane.
Do you need help on the plane? Ask the cabin crew who are always happy to help.
A baby carrier/carrier makes a lot of things easier.
Plan enough time for EVERYTHING - "Less is more" - short journeys, fewer regions but more time in one place. Don't take on too much and take it easy. And take it easy if a day doesn't go as you planned.
Enjoy the moment and experience the holiday through the eyes of your children from time to time.
Bring a bucket in the car in case of sudden car sickness. Generally, your insurance does not cover accidental car sickness.
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As a specialist in travel to Australia and New Zealand, we can offer you the best route options, airlines, seats onboard, connections and time to travel for young families.
Depending on your child's age, they may fly for free
You can bring your buggy to the gate
Skip the lines when boarding
If you require a bassinet, enjoy the extra space in the front row
Experience world-class service and extra support from the team of air hostesses
Comfortable chairs, sitting together
Endless movies, games and music
The best flight schedule
The most spacious seats in each class
Guaranteed seats next to each other
A good assortment of food and drinks for the journey
The best price
Carbon-neutral flights each time
Take advantage of our local knowledge, and together we will create your unique, personalised holiday that is significantly yours. Get in touch with us here.
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Questions? Speak to one of our specialists by phone Mon - Sat 9am until 6pm. You can discuss your travel plans in detail where and when it suits you, also in the evenings and on weekends on a no obligation basis.
020 36 95 95 69
