4 active family adventures in the Indian Ocean

Hiking in volcanic Réunion, getting to grips with animal tracking in Sri Lanka, learning forest survival skills straight from the Antandroy tribe in Madagascar — an adventurous Indian Ocean break can easily capture the imaginations of the whole family. Here are the best options, with trips to suit pre-schoolers to teens.

1. Riding a submarine, Mauritius

Best for: pre-schoolers
Dive to the depths and cruise over coral — without even getting your feet wet. A ride through the waters of northwest Mauritius in Blue Safari’s 10-seater submarine gives children (aged nine months and up) the rare chance to explore beneath the surface to a depth of 35 metres. Everyone gets their own porthole to peer through, while handy ID cards make it easy to tell your snappers from your grouper.

Or try: Close-up views of the reef around the Seychelles’ Mahé island in a semi-sub, which gives children a window to the underwater world without descending into the depths.

2. Marine conservation, Maldives

Best for: tweens
The Maldives is feeling the impact of climate change — as such, it’s a good place to inspire young minds to dig deeper into the subject. At Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, in the Baa Atoll north of Malé, your young charges can learn what is happening and why, and also help a scientist to create new reefs by attaching live fragments to a coral frame; back home, they can watch their reef flourish online. 

Or try: The Junior Ranger programme at Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Sri Lanka, which teaches animal tracking around Yala National Park. 

3. Cruising the backwaters, India

Best for: primary-schoolers
The rivers of the southern coastal state of Kerala are an ideal introduction to India for young imaginations: lush and vibrant, but without the hubbub common in other parts. Set sail on a kettuvallam, a repurposed rice barge that functions as a fully fledged houseboat. Kids will find village life along the waterways fascinating, and they can play a part in it on trips to local markets to pick up souvenirs (guided by houseboat staff).

Or try: A trip on a wooden dhow (boat), infused with the spice-trading history of Zanzibar. The high likelihood of spotting pods of leaping dolphins on Menai Bay is as much of a draw.

4. Hiking, Réunion 

Best for: teens
Shrouded in green, with plunging waterfalls and black-sand beaches, petite Réunion is not your typical Indian Ocean island. The hiking here is superb, with over 600 miles of trails to occupy adrenaline-pumped teenagers: trek up to the crater rim of Piton de la Fournaise, if conditions allow, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, or ‘aqua hike’ the Langevin River, which involves a mix of canyoning and whitewater swimming. 

Or try: Getting your wildlife kicks in Madagascar. Options at Mandrare River Camp include learning the forest survival skills of the Antandroy tribe.