Taking your children away for the first time on an overseas holiday is an exciting time for both parents and children – but which destinations are a good idea for a first trip abroad?

A survey undertaken by a British insurance company reveals that by the time children today are eleven years old, they would have travelled to as many places and flown as many miles as their grandparents have during their entire lifetimes.

Even more astonishing perhaps is the revelation that one in four babies in the UK have been on an overseas holiday by the time they are six months old, with this figure rising to over sixty per cent by the time children reach the ripe old age of three years old.

In contrast nearly a third of Britons over the age of sixty had never been abroad, while seventy per cent wished they had travelled more and seen more of the world.

One British company who run a series of European travel sites suggests that for baby’s first holiday overseas, Malta could be a good choice of destination.

Golden Bay in Malta courtesy of http://www.yourmalta.com

‘The important thing for a first holiday abroad when a baby is so young is that should the baby become unwell that you are in a country with good hospitals and staff, of the popular holiday destinations Spain is very good.’ They say.

‘But Malta is just a three hour flight from the UK and Malta has equally good hospitals and staff, but critically while most Spanish doctors speak good English – they all do in Malta, as do the nurses and all the staff – there just wouldn’t be language difficulties in the same way as there could possibly be in some non English language nations.’

They further add that wherever that first holiday is, keep close to medical facilities, so not too rural, a cottage a few hours away from the nearest big city hospital isn’t recommended for example.

And finally, try to avoid going to Spain or Malta in July and August. Heat can be oppressive in much of mainland Europe, with temperatures in Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Malta often in the mid 90’s, quite a change from the UK that is more often in the 70’s, and can be uncomfortable for a baby and the transition within a few hours quite a bit to take at that age.

As a possible destination Malta has a lot to offer UK tourists with a young family as well as the common language bond and driving on the same side of the road as in Britain – a legacy of when Malta was part of the British Empire, and quite a few people from the UK have bought Malta property.

St. Paul’s Bay for example is the holiday spot for tourists who like some variety. Whether they want to take a meandering stroll around the harbour and look at the Mediterranean, to indulge in a coffee and something sweet, or simply to relax and take in some rays, St. Paul’s Bay is a good Malta holidays area and has a range of hotels.

For eating out, St. Paul’s Bay has a good choice of restaurants. The area is well appointed by many tourist and child friendly cafes and restaurants. For a taste of more upscale dining there is Old St. Paul’s Bay, where there are generally upmarket eateries, and all around the bay there are many good fish restaurants that serve up some of the best fish that Malta has to offer for the adults. For a little window shopping, tourists can take a stroll around the many shops located in the old village.

Malta is also very rich in history, with some artifacts pre-dating Egypt’s pyramids. History buffs will enjoy the variety of treasures and artefacts on display in Malta’s museums. But perhaps not the best place to head with a young family in tow!

But overall, for families wondering where to head for their first overseas holiday, a holiday in Malta could be a good choice if 2009 is to be the year to start family holidays abroad.