of unusual vehicles – from rickshaws and bikes to sleeper trains. The Harbin Ice Festival on New Year’s Eve also features spectacular ice sculptures. Parents will love... The cultural feast where you’ll witness the delights of ancient dynasties, such as the 9

, children can enjoy a host of games at the villa, from volleyball to cricket, take a bike ride to the village of Aranwella or get close to nature with whale watching. Animal lovers can also visit the Udawalawe elephant park, the Kalametiya bird sanctuary

and water sports. Tennis, waterskiing, mountain biking, sailing, windsurfing and volleyball will help calm any pre-Christmas over-excitement. A seven-night stay in a Deluxe Christmas Room for a family of four, including flights, transfers, children’s clubs

about desert flora and fauna, plus they will get to meet falcons and indigenous owls at the world-class falconry centre, The Mews. Guests can participate in a multitude of activities, including horse riding, camel safaris and bike trails. Meanwhile

, giraffes and cheetahs, children can enjoy a broad range of family-friendly activities, including horse riding, mountain biking and visits to Masaai villages. Prices start from £1,590 for a family of four in a two-bedroom family home with pool through Brown

The feeling is familiar: you’re sitting in the departure lounge waiting to board that long-haul flight, watching your fellow travellers milling about, hoping, praying, that the two small children screaming and climbing over the seats