Don’t be put off by the tropical location and long-haul flight: Thailand is a fabulous place to bring your family. We asked the i-escape team and some of our favourite hoteliers for their tips on exploring the Land of Smiles with kids in tow.
Childcare
“The Thais are universally brilliant with kids: gentle, smiley, and inventive in terms of games and activities. Most hotel staff will play with your child (for free) while you go off for a swim, and babysitting is cheap. Our babysitter at Metropolitan by COMO Bangkok had Oscar tamed and lapping her up within minutes of her arrival (despite him being fractious when she arrived).”
Michael, i-escape Editor-in-Chief
“Thai women absolutely adore farang children and are as a rule very good and endlessly patient with them, so they make great formal and informal babysitters.”
Nicolas, Koh Pha Ngan Pool Villas
“The babysitters were amazing. We had one every night in Bangkok and Pimalai, and they looked over her cot from the moment we left the room until our return. One was called Dream and she lived up to her name!”
Nikki, i-escape co-founder
Coping with the heat
“The sun is MUCH more powerful than it would be in similar temperatures further up the globe, so put hats on the kids.”
Nicolas, Koh Pha Ngan Pool Villas
“Keep hydrated, and always go around with a bottle of water. My kids use factor 50+ sunscreen. And always wear a surfer shirt when swimming, especially up to the age of 10 – they dry quickly, so if your kids run between the heat and air-conditioned rooms they won’t have a wet T-shirt and catch a chill.”
Anchalika, Aleenta Phuket
Where to stay
“It was handy being in a pool villa at Pimalai, because there was a mini kitchen with a microwave – great for sterilising bottles – and we could laze by our own pool while she was having her naps.”
Nikki, i-escape co-founder
“Golden Buddha Beach Resort is great for adventurous kids – the journey is long (break it in Phuket, ideally in one of Aleenta’s larger family units), but you are amply rewarded with a long beach and excellent kayak trips (each seats 3). The yoga groups are usually so small that you can bring your kids, and the teacher will welcome them. Best of all, staff will look after your kids for free while you eat or do yoga (all come from the local village, and therefore speak little English, but they’re very friendly).”
Michael, i-escape Editor-in-Chief
On the beach
“Let the kids run loose at Aleenta Phuket or Aleenta Hua Hin – the beaches are quiet and safe, so there’s no need to worry about them. You can laze on your sun lounger and still keep an eye on them, stress-free.”
Anchalika, Aleenta Phuket
Food
“Most kids love Thai street food (not the soup so much, but the grilled fish, chicken and noodles). But teach them to recognise a red chilli – Oscar learned the hard way and was seriously out of sorts for an hour or 2!”
Michael, i-escape Editor-in-Chief
“Start introducing them to spicy Thai food little by little. But there are also plenty of Thai dishes that aren’t hot and so are great for kids. Moo Ping (pork BBQ on a stick), satay and BBQ chicken are my kids’ favourites, and healthy too.”
Anchalika, Aleenta Phuket
Travel tips
“Samui airport is brilliant for kids – it’s like a theme park, with a free games area and free snacks/drinks, plus a little “tourist” train instead of a bus to take you to the plane. Get air-conditioned vehicles for your land transfers.”
Michael, Editor-in-Chief
“Don’t drink the tap water, but don’t worry about brushing your teeth with it.”
Nicolas, Koh Pha Ngan Pool Villas
Boat trips
“Always do some research to find a reputable operator – look at the state of the boat, and make sure there are life vests that fit kids. Boat trips along the canals in Bangkok are great fun.”
Anchalika, Aleenta Hua Hin
“Consider taking your own life jackets for kids – longtail boats won’t have any. Upscale hotels might for their speedboat guests, but there are no guarantees about their size or newness.”
Michael, i-escape Editor-in-Chief
Activities
“Avoid tiger zoos and anything with dancing dolphins. If you’re visiting an elephant camp, do some research to see if it’s got a pond for the elephants and claims to be responsible. If not, avoid.”
Nicolas, Koh Pha Ngan Pool Villas
“There are so many waterparks in Bangkok, Hua Hin and Phuket now. In Bangkok, Bounce (which has trampolines) is a great place, and my kids absolutely love it.”
Anchalika, Aleenta Hua Hin
And finally…
“Make the effort to tuck your kids’ mozzie nets in properly every night, and show them how to do it themselves if they go to the loo in the night.”
Michael, i-escape Editor-in-Chief
Browse our full collection of family-friendly hotels in Thailand.