The True Meaning of the Holidays
The fast-approaching Christmas and Chanukah seasons are a special time, especially so for families. It is the time for giving, and you probably know that it is even better to give-back. Travel and celebrate the true meaning of the Holidays: give back and help those less fortunate on a family trip that changes lives… not just your own.
Luxury give-back getaways are awesome for families because:
- Children appreciate how fortunate they are (some have even foregone their Christmas presents so that children they interact with can have gifts);
- Families connect and grow closer together;
- Families get immersed in and gain insights into another culture
Here are our top 10 destinations where families can celebrate the true meaning of the Holidays on a luxury trip (availability is extremely limited, so hurry!):
10. Italy
Serve meals to refugees and other homeless people in Rome, gain insights into what it is like to sleep rough, and combine this with your chosen highlights, such as Florence, Sicily, Sardinia, Venice, Amalfi Coast, Puglia or Lake Como.
Luxury family volunteer vacation Italy
9. Guatemala
Lift a family out of poverty by building a home for them, and provide them with a decent place to live…blend this with hiking up volcanoes, exploring incredible Mayan ruins, colonial Antigua, and chilling out on stunning Lake Atitlan.
8. Costa Rica
Assist at a rescue center for injured, orphaned or illegally traded animals: prepare meals for monkeys, cleaning parrot enclosures, introduce new sloths to their new living quarters, and assist the resident vet on his rounds. Combine this with white water rafting, hiking around a volcano, hot springs, spot wildlife in one of the many national parks, or take in some beach time.
Luxury family volunteer vacation Costa Rica
7. Zambia
Build a house for a widow and her children, which can be combined with the splendour of Victoria Falls, white-water rafting, kayaking and ‘Big 5’ safari in South Luangwa National Park, or neighbouring Botswana.
Luxury family volunteer holiday Zambia
6. New Zealand
Help maintain the habitats of endangered penguins in the South Island, which can be combined with cultural encounters, geysers, sailing, hiking, wine-tasting, bungy jumping, zorbing, glaciers, and beaches.
Luxury volunteer vacation New Zealand
5. Cambodia
Build a house for a family in need, who could never afford to have a decent place to live to call their own, which can be combined with bike rides through the temples of Angkor, spotting Irrawaddy dolphins, and island relaxation.
Luxury family volunteer vacation Cambodia
4. Hawaii
Build a playhouse in the playground of a pre-school center in a low-income part of Honolulu, and combine this with your choice of Pearl Harbor, surf lessons, scenic heli-flights, golf, spa, and beach relaxation.
3. Australia
Celebrate the true meaning of the Holidays near Uluru by funding a scholarship for a promising Aboriginal arts student and have an exclusive encounter with an established Aboriginal artist, from whom you can commission a piece. Alternatively (or additionally), help conserve kangaroos and wallabies by assisting researchers and conducting wildlife counts. Blend this with snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, spotting koalas and echidnas (and more kangaroos) on Kangaroo Island, and soak up the big city vibe of Sydney and Melbourne, plus much more.
2. Thailand
Get up close and personal with elephants at an elephant nature park: prepare their meals, feed them, walk with them and watch them socialize and bathe, learning an enormous amount about these gentle giants as you go. Suitable from the age of 5.
Luxury volunteer vacation india
1. Belize
The long-awaited eco-luxury gem, It’zana Resort, is finally open! Located on the beach in Placencia, the resort is designed on sustainable principles, and you can use this as your base to make a lasting difference for a Mayan family by installing an eco-friendly stove in their home. These stoves are fantastic because:
- they replace open flames so reduce burns, especially with young children running around
- they have a chimney, and remove respiratory problems such as asthma
- they are much more fuel-efficient, so are more environmentally-friendly
This is a perfect activity to bring families together, as you finish with something very tangible, and there is a lot of interaction with the local children.
Luxury family volunteer vacation Belize
Interested in recovering the true meaning of the Holidays? Get in touch with one of our consultants and we will make it happen for you – there is still limited availability at most of these destinations over the Holiday Season.
