Hi Richard. Lake Balaton, also known as 'Hungary's playground', is Europe's largest lake [77km x 6km!] and is only 3m [10ft] deep, has no currents, and should be lovely and warm (ish) during August [21C]; Perfect for Sailing, Swimming or Windsurfing and a host of other leisure activities, both water based and shore based. You could also try horse riding, cycling lakeside or why not pamper yourselves in the thermal spa waters at nearby H?v?z or Zalakaros? The southern shore of the lake is mostly high rise hotels and beaches; Si?fok is the largest resort. The north side is much less built up and has historic towns, museums and mountain trails. Balantonf?red on the north shore is the oldest, most sophisticated resort on the lake, and Tihany village is said to be the cultural star of Balaton. To the east, the Badacsony is a region of striking scenery, hiking trails and extinct volcanoes. Also during August are some Hungarian festivals, that you may like to get involved in: August: Folk Arts Festival - a fascinating collection of folk arts, in Nagykallo. August 20 : St Stephens Day - a nationwide celebration, especially lively in Budapest, with parades, folk singing, fairs and fireworks. August 20 : Flower Carnival - a huge and kaleidoscopic event, in Debrecen. On the language side, German is the Hungarian second language, English third, so it's worthwhile learning some basics even if it takes three weeks to learn three words, though on the plus side 'hello' can be the same as 'goodbye'! Some phrases that may come in useful are:- Do you speak English? - Besz?l angolul?, Please - K?rem, Thankyou - K?sz?n?m, Yes - Igen, No - Nem Currency: Hungary uses the Forint, and currently ?1 = 399.376 Hungarian Forint. Tipping in Hungary: Use 10% to taxi drivers and waiters as a guide. Do note that if you say thank you when you pay the bill you may not get any change! It may also be useful to know that electric sockets are 230v and take 2 round pin plugs. And yes, as well as many other visitors, Lake Balaton also has many visiting mosquitoes particularly in late summer - So remember to take some insect repellent! We have no doubt that you and your family will have a great holiday in Hungary, and wish you all a happy and fun family break. Regards - The Take the Family Team