Charlotte and Lola playing with the local kids
My family and I recently returned from a fabulous 10 day holiday at Papatura Island Retreat. Travelling with our 6 and 9 year old daughters is something that my husband and I have waited to do until now, because we wanted to enjoy our time away, and we wanted them to enjoy it too. For those parents out there, travelling with a family comes with many considering factors. For us, The Solomon Islands ticked all of our boxes. Our children had such a ball being able to experience a 3 hour plane ride, taxi, small plane, then boat ride all in one day! What an adventure! We left our home on the Gold Coast that morning, and by the afternoon we were swimming in the warm, crystal clear waters in what can only be described as paradise!
Our hosts Marg and Pete were so welcoming and made us feel at home instantly. They have grandchildren themselves, so understand what holidaying with children is all about. They were able to cater for the kids food choices, as well as our own. The girls absolutely loved hearing the lunch and dinner bell ring and excitedly running down to see what was in store for them with each meal. On the tropical rainy days we enjoyed many card games and lots of reading from the books in the Retreat’s library. On the sunny days we enjoyed the walk to the water fall, squid fishing on the jetty, trekking over to dolphin cove, snorkeling at the blue lagoon and out the front of the resort, dolphin boat rides, jumping off the jetty, watching daddy surf, lots of swimming and MANY hours of fishing! For all of us I would have to say that our visit to the local village was a highlight. Meeting the Solomon Island people and seeing how they live was eye opening and extremely enjoyable. They welcomed us with open arms and we will always remember this very special day. We were also lucky enough to visit ‘Honeymoon Island’ and enjoy being marooned in tropical paradise for the afternoon!
Our family would highly recommend Papatura Island Retreat as a wonderful and unforgettable family getaway. We have come back feeling very connected to nature and super relaxed and happy. Here are a few tips for families enjoying their time at Papatura:
· Pack some activity books, drawing, colouring-in and books to read for the plane as well as for rainy days on the island.
· Bring along snacks for in between meals for the family to enjoy. We found our kids got super hungry in between meals due to all the physical activities, swimming and sun.
· Zinc was priceless.
· Take along beach towels that are thin and easy to dry. Due to additional moisture in this tropical environment, it can take a lot longer for towels and clothing to dry out.
· The retreat has a clothes washing service, and this was great to use about half way through our stay to enjoy fresh clean clothes – especially our flying home outfits.
We enjoyed island life so much and we will definitely be returning to this beautiful getaway.
Happy travelling!
Jasmin Wickham
Gold Coast, Australia