School holidays are just weeks away, but it’s not too late to plan a family getaway. From the Drakensberg and Umhlanga to Phuket and Hong Kong Disneyland, these holiday packages are still up for grabs.
The school holidays are weeks away – and these family holidays are still up for grabs
If you haven’t booked your getaway for the upcoming school holidays yet, you’re probably feeling mild panic that arrives every year right about now. The good news is that it’s not too late.
“Some of the most popular options, like peak-week accommodation at the big coastal destinations and certain flight combinations do go quickly, but there’s still great value out there if you know where to look and you move soon,” says Antoinette Turner, GM of Flight Centre South Africa.
And given that 66% of South Africans say spending time with their partner or family is one of their primary reasons for travelling, according to Flight Centre’s Global PR survey, this is not a discretionary item on the family calendar. It’s the thing everyone has been looking forward to after a long year (and it just might be the break you need to get you through to December).
LOCAL DEALS
For the family that needs to breathe: Little Switzerland Resort, Drakensberg
**2 nights | From R2,487 per person (R9,945 total for a family of four) **
The Drakensberg delivers space and scenery that makes the school run feel like a distant memory within about 20 minutes of arriving.
Little Switzerland Resort takes that formula and wraps it in an all-inclusive package that removes the mental load entirely. Daily breakfast, light lunch, afternoon high tea, and themed dinners are all included, plus selected beverages from 10am to 10pm. Two children under 10 share a Garden Family Room at no extra cost, and a selection of complimentary onsite activities means you’re not constantly reaching for your wallet.
When you’re ready to venture beyond the resort, the Royal Natal National Park is nearby, with hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, fishing, and birdwatching available for families who prefer their downtime to involve a bit of movement.
Available for travel on selected dates from 6 August 2026 – 31 January 2027. Return flights available via enquiry.
For the family that wants five-star by the sea: The Oyster Box, Umhlanga
**2 nights | From R6,842 per person (R27,365 total for a family of four) **
The Oyster Box is one of those South African hotels that needs no introduction.
In this deal, alongside daily breakfast, the package includes a welcome drink on arrival, kids’ goodie bags waiting in the room, complimentary scheduled transfers to Gateway Theatre of Shopping, and children’s screenings in the hotel’s own 24-seat in-house cinema, complete with treats. The family sea view room accommodates two adults and two children under 12, with the Indian Ocean and the iconic bay lighthouse as your permanent backdrop.
The vervet monkeys who live around the resort are, according to most children who have met them, the highlight of the entire trip. The fresh oysters harvested daily from the resort’s exclusive oyster bed tend to be the highlight for their parents.
Available for travel on selected dates from 24 July 2026 – 31 January 2027. Note: advertised pricing applies to selected dates between 26 August – 1 October 2026 and 10 October – 15 December 2026. Return flights available via enquiry.
**INTERNATIONAL DEALS **
For the family ready to go further: Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa, Thailand
**8 nights | From R7,182 per person (R28,725 total) | With flights from R18,835 per person (R75,339 total) **
If the October holidays feel like the right moment for a proper international trip, this Phuket package is worth serious attention.
The Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa sits metres from Patong Beach in the heart of the action, and the package is stacked with inclusions that add up to real value: daily breakfast, a family pass to the Andamanda Waterpark (a Thai heritage-themed water park that opened to considerable excitement), return private airport transfers, and a Dine Around Privileges Card offering 25% off at select restaurants across the island. Flight Centre is also offering savings of up to R10,340 per couple on this package.
“Phuket remains one of the best-value long-haul family destinations available to South Africans, particularly when the rand is performing well against the baht,” says Turner.
Available for travel on selected dates from 1 August – 26 October 2026. Fly and stay price based on flights departing OR Tambo International Airport.
For the family that wants to make real magic: Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Hong Kong
**5 nights | From R13,775 per person (R55,099 total) | With flights from R27,897 per person (R111,585 total) **
This package includes five nights at the Disneyland Hotel itself, two-day Hong Kong Disneyland Park tickets for two adults and two children aged 2 to 11 and return private airport transfers. The hotel sits within the resort, which means the magic doesn’t stop when you leave the park for the day – it’s a round-the-clock experience by design.
“Hong Kong Disneyland is one of those experiences that truly delivers on its promise,” says Turner. “Children are completely absorbed from the moment they arrive, and parents tend to find themselves more swept up in it than they expected. For a family looking for an October holiday that will be talked about for years rather than weeks, this is it.”
Available for travel on selected dates from 5 August – 5 October 2026. Fly and stay price based on flights departing OR Tambo International Airport.
“My honest advice to any parent who’s reading this and still hasn’t booked is not to wait for the perfect plan. Get in touch with a Travel Expert, tell them your budget and what kind of holiday your family actually needs, and let us help you find the best of what’s still available,” Turner concludes.
