Thailand With Kids: Top 6 Things To Do With Family

Thailand with kids is easier than you think; in fact, this global tourist favorite is one of Southeast Asia’s most family-friendly vacation destinations! For families, Thailand is relatively affordable and easy to travel around, with excellent infrastructure, resorts and facilities, blessed with constant warm temperatures. There’s countless fun things to do that kids of all ages will love, from the beach life and theme parks to interactive cultural attractions.

Additionally, Thai people are super-friendly and adore children, warmly welcomed everywhere. Some destinations are more family-orientated than others; major tourist hotspots Bangkok, Chiang Mai and southern islands like Phuket and Koh Samui, are especially recommended. Here are some suggestions for your best family vacation in thailand!

1. A Tarzan Adventure at Flying Hanuman

if you have adventurous kids in the family, preferably 5 years old and above, who are thirsty for an adrenaline-pumping adventure. Located in Kathu, Phuket, the Flying Hanuman promises a Tarzan-like adventure as you will zipline from tree to tree in the wilderness. The eco-adventure will let you fly and feel free soaring above the trees through ziplines, different platforms, sky bridges, spiral stairways, and a sky rail. As you go along the tour, you can revel in beauty of the natural world as you watch the lush greenery below.

2. Learn to cook Thai food

After munching your way through some of the world’s tastiest cuisine, learn how to cook your favorite Thai recipes while on vacation, recreating them back home. This is the perfect activity for the family to participate in together, keeping kids enthralled for hours! Thailand has hundreds of well-run cookery classes and schools instructed by English-speaking Thai chefs, in all the main tourist destinations.

Besides mastering traditional Thai techniques and recipes, many commence with a guided tour of a local market, where kids can discover all manner of exotic, fresh produce and herbs and end with a relaxed sit-down lunch to sample the dishes. Some cooking schools are more than happy to accommodate kids, or run family-orientated classes, with small group, half-day sessions and recipe menus designed with less spicy dishes and simplified instructions. In Bangkok, try two establishments set in a welcoming, home-style environment: the acclaimed Sompong Thai Cooking School, or philanthropic Courageous Kitchen, the latter will adjust activities according to children’s ages.

3. Get up-close with the elephants

In Thailand, elephants are a revered national symbol and an encounter with these majestic yet gentle creatures is a must-do on any Thai family vacation. Fortunately, this wish is easily realized for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thailand has a good amount of ethically-run elephant sanctuaries and camps, where families can interact with elephants in a low-key, responsible manner.

These include Elephant’s World, north of Kanchanaburi and in the Phuket area, Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and a private camp within Khao Sok National Park. Some of the most popular and pioneering sanctuaries however are found in Thailand’s mountainous northern regions. Nestled in a verdant valley outside Chiang Mai, for decades, Elephant Nature Park has rescued and cared for elephants previously mistreated.

4. Game on in Phuket

In the southern Andaman Sea, Thailand’s largest and busiest island, Phuket, is a firm favorite for family vacations, a naturally beautiful island supplying stacks of things to do and activities for children of all ages, along with first-class facilities. Many of the 30 or so beaches (some lively, some quiet, so choose wisely) come fronted with excellent family-oriented resorts with pools. Here, little ones can splash in shallow waters and play on soft sand, older children can sample all the watersports and the entire family can head out on boat trips to spectacular surrounding islands.

5. Snorkel and kayak among tropical fish

Thailand boasts a dazzling array of world-renowned tropical islands, mainly located in the south of the kingdom. Here, pristine white sand beaches are lapped by crystal clear waters with bath-like temperatures that teem with multi-colored tropical fish and corals. All of which makes a fantastic natural playground for snorkeling and sea kayaking, which kids will love.

Stunningly beautiful areas, with reassuringly calm, safe and protected waters as well as hidden caves and grottoes, can be found in major tourist areas such as Koh Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay in the Andaman Sea and Koh Samui and Koh Kood in the Gulf of Thailand. Equipment is easily supplied by resorts, or on guided boat tours.

6. Go wild in a national park

Thailand boasts many outstanding national parks, perfect for kids to let off steam, encounter Asian wildlife and participate in supervised outdoor nature activities such as jungle hikes and canoe trips. Located north of Phuket, Khao Sok National Park is home to some of the planet’s oldest rainforests and guided activities covering spotting bears and tigers, bird watching and boat tours on scenic Cheow Larn Lake. If you have the time, book a multi-day jungle safari.

North of Bangkok, Khao Yai National Park makes an amazing family day out, although camping overnight is also possible. This World Heritage Site is home to one of Asia’s largest intact monsoon rainforests, mountains, waterfalls and lakes. Fantastic activities cover guided hiking or mountain biking along miles of trails, with great opportunities to spot hundreds of wildlife, bird and plant species, including some of the park’s large population of wild Asian elephants, as well as farm tours and visits to a wild-west theme park; book a private wildlife tour, which can include a night safari!