Ah, the family vacation… Ideally, it’s an opportunity for family bonding, time away from the office and lots of laughs. In reality, arranging a trip where the father, mother and kids all get exactly what they want out of it, can be an incredibly stressful ordeal – not to mention more elusive than you would like.

It starts with making the decision on where to go, and who’s in charge of making that decision?

More often than not, it’s your five year old who tries to call the shots and his curious infatuation with cartoons will most probably lead you to Disney World or some other well-trodden, sardine packed amusement park; not exactly riveting for the whole family! The kids may love you for it initially, but their appreciation will quickly wane with lengthy hours in endless queues. Serenity has gone out of the window at this point, of course and in the end you will end up with a suspiciously similar set of photos to that of your cousin Sara’s last family holiday.

Surely there must be a way around this, after all, the earth is vast and aren’t we always going on about there being so much to do and so little time? What if you could plan a fun-filled getaway without the stress of planning? Something to engage the kids, but also leave you inspired? Something active, but not make you feel like you need another holiday at the end of it? Well, we know a company that does exactly that, ever so well!

Dubai-based adventure-travel company, Wild Guanabana, designs completely bespoke trips to wild and wonderful destinations. They don’t do trips to places they have not been to themselves, so you’re sure to get the local insight you seek and they specialize in what they call Family Playcations, which means no matter what age your kids are, they will have the ultimate life-changing journey for the whole family. You’ll definitely come back with a different perspective on the traditional family vacation.

Their Costa Rica journey is the perfect example of that. You can travel for as short as a week, experiencing one of the most bio-diverse and kid-friendly countries on the planet. Here are just some highlights of what you can do there:

Fly above the rain forest

For those of you who don’t like to miss a sight, why not feel the wind in your face and gain a birds-eye view by zip-lining above and through the tree canopy? You’ll cross canyons and set sights on impressive waterfalls, all the while accompanied by the backdrop of the majestic Volcano Arenal.

Up Close and Natural

You will also get a chance to be one-on-one with nature, as you hike to the foot of the Rio Fortuna waterfall and take a refreshing dip in the natural pools surrounding it, followed by the thermal waters of the volcano. The contrast is exquisite. If you’re lucky, you may also get the opportunity to witness nature’s fireworks in the evening as the volcano spews its red-hot lava.

“Are we there yet?”

You won’t be hearing that from anyone as you journey through the spectacular canals to Tortuguero – one of the largest protected areas of tropical rainforest in Central America. The voyage is an adventure on its own – not to mention the abundance of species living in harmony under nature’s roof. You’ll meet some charming characters, including otters, howler and white-faced monkeys, iguanas, three toed sloths and birds galore!

The Crown Jewel

Corcovado is the world’s most biologically intense place, according to National Geographic and arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth! With much of this highly forested area conserved, your family’s senses will be captivated by the melodious sounds of the rainforest, sweet smells of the flora, unique touch of the trees, succulent taste of the fresh fruit and maybe even the rare sight of elusive creatures such as jaguars or tapirs. After experiencing the land’s striking biodiversity, a sea adventure will have you spotting whales and dancing dolphins as they playfully frolic in the water.

Wild Guanabana’s Costa Rica family adventure, with all the trimmings, is $2,300 for a 9-day trip and it will have the entire family in fascination throughout. There are also shorter, longer and more budget options to choose from; everything is customizable and entirely up to you. One thing is constant though; you certainly won’t need a break after your vacation, just an album big enough to place your pictures – and cousin Sara will be jealous!

Get in touch with Wild Guanabana now to start planning your own family playcation! Email GetMeOnAPlane@wildguanabana.com

Article Courtesy of Wild Guanabana