October is moving time in the animal kingdom, with Africa’s predators on the prowl and turtle hatchlings crawling out from their nests on the shores of the Ionian Sea, while humans hold lavish festivals to honour the dead. There’s also sun to be found and the chance to see the aurora light up northern skies. These half-term trips will thrill, amaze and inspire children.
1. Sri Lanka’s beaches, temples & jungle
Average temperature highs: 30°C
Flight time from the UK: 10h45m
Few countries cram as much into as small a space as Sri Lanka. The island’s interior is home to ancient cities such as Anuradhapura and Dambulla, and lush green jungle. There are roaming elephant herds island-wide and a thriving leopard population in the south. Palm-fringed curves of sand cover the coastline, close to which mighty blue whales ply plankton-rich channels and dolphins spin in the waves. Travelling between places is half the fun — kids will love buzzing around in colourful tuk-tuks and riding the rails along the southwestern coast with the spray of the Indian Ocean flicking at the train’s windows.
2. Splashing about on France’s canals
Average temperature highs: 20°C
Flight time from the UK: 2h
Take to the water and navigate the Canal du Rhône à Sète, a waterway that runs parallel to the Mediterranean coast east of Beziers. Piloting and sleeping aboard a boat is all part of the adventure, but families will also love the region’s water parks, mini-golf and the dinosaur park at Le Cap d’Agde. Days spent lazing on the region’s large, uncrowded beaches, such as Mèze, Vias and La Grande-Motte, are another highlight. Or challenge the kids to be the first to spot flocks of flamingos and the Camargue’s native packs of wild white horses.
3. Christmas comes early in Lapland
Average temperature highs: 3°C
Flight time from the UK: 3h30m.
Autumn nights offer the best chance of seeing the Lapland sky shimmer purple and green in Finland, and there’s no better place for kids to view the aurora than the remote, glass-roofed woodland cabins of the Arctic SnowHotel just north of Rovaniemi. Late October also provides a good chance of seeing snow around Rovaniemi, but by heading deeper into the Arctic Circle, you can find activities guaranteed to thrill children whatever their age, such as husky sledding through the forested wilds of the north. Father Christmas can always be found at Santa Claus Village, but receives far fewer visitors than in December. Nordic Visitor’s five-day Northern Lights Lapland Adventure costs from £1,050 per person, excluding flights.