Thailand With Kids：The best family-friendly places to visit in Thailand
Thailand has been working hard in recent years to shed its reputation as a backpacker party hub, and reinventing itself for families and more discerning travellers.
You're probably familiar with the country's main tourism hotspots; Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the more famous islands. But there’s much more to Thailand than makes it into the travel brochures, and venturing just a few steps off the well-trodden path can be hugely rewarding. What’s more, Thailand is a wonderfully family-friendly place to visit, making escaping the crowds easy and fun – even with kids in tow.
First tip: Be selective. Don't try to squeeze the entire country into one trip; all the more so when travelling with the kids. For example, try a five-day jaunt to the mountains up north, followed by five days of beach time in the south and a few days exploring the capital, Bangkok. Or, if you’ve got the time, try an overland loop through several regions. Alternatively, relax on a single island – or an archipelago.
Where to go with family & kids in Thailand
Well-known centres like Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket are popular for good reasons, but don’t overlook the many other possibilities. Here are some family-friendly spots that deliver your family vacation to thailand .
This scenic and historic town on the River Kwai, is only 130km west of Bangkok, offers families a chance to learn Second World War history between visits to some of Thailand’s most impressive waterfalls.
Highlights
A host of museums in the provincial capital cover the history of the Thai-Burma Railway and the roughly 100,000 Allied prisoners and forced labourers who died during its construction overseen by the Japanese Army in 1942-43. One highlight is the rail bridge that inspired the 1957 film, The Bridge on the River Kwai. Visitors can ride on part of the railway built atop trellises high above the river.
Kanchanaburi’s most riveting Second World War site is Hellfire Pass, a memorial where you can hike a portion of a now-closed stretch of railway that was extremely gruelling for the malnourished workers to build.
This sobering history is balanced by fabulous natural attractions, including the popular Erawan waterfall and the more remote Huai Mae Khamin waterfall. Bring swimsuits. If you have more time, consider venturing to the misty lakeside town of Sangkhlaburi or the border outpost of Pilok, both in the Tenassarim Mountains near Myanmar.
Need to know
Most of Kanchanaburi town is family friendly, but you may want to avoid accommodation in the nightlife area at the south end of Mae Nam Kwai Road. For a quieter setting, stay towards the north end of this road or on the west side of the river. The nearby countryside also has quality resorts set in quieter areas along the River Kwai.
Khao Lak
On Thailand’s southwest coast north of Phuket, Khao Lak has just the right balance of quietude and action for families. The area covers several miles-long expanses of soft sand rimmed by terrific family resorts and restaurants offering Western and Thai menus.
Highlights
The most popular beach is Nang Thong, where an offshore light tower often features in sunset photos. Nearby beaches – Bang Niang, Pakarang, Maphrao, Pak Weep and Bang Sak – each have resorts of their own; the scene gets sleepier the further north you go up the coast.
Khao Lak’s Thap Lamu Pier is the jumping off point for day trips to the Similans, a chain of nine protected islands with powdery white-sand beaches and some of the finest diving and snorkelling in Thailand. There’s no shortage of boat tours and diving excursions on offer.
Need to know
The 2004 Asian tsunami hit Khao Lak hard and museums and memorials are dedicated to the roughly 3,000 people who died locally in the tragedy. Khao Lak now has several tsunami shelters and an early warning system in place.
Thailand’s northernmost province is often overlooked by travellers assuming that Chiang Mai is the must-visit destination up north. Both are worth a visit, but Chiang Rai is hard to beat for vistas of layered mountains and one of Asia’s grandest rivers, the Mekong. And there are several tour outfits offering jungle trekking to villages that are home to hill tribes, such as the Lahu.
Highlights
Start with three of Thailand’s most imaginative structures: Wat Rong Khun (White Temple), Wat Rang Suea Ten (Blue Temple) and Baan Dum (Black House). Designed by two Thai artists, they feature creative interpretations of the country’s spiritual themes in art and architecture.
Then there are great options in the countryside. Soak up Mekong River views in relaxing Chiang Khong; observe 700-year-old ruins in Chiang Saen, an early capital of the Lanna kingdom that predates Chiang Mai; gaze at the Golden Triangle, where Thailand meets Laos and Myanmar in an area that was once notorious for drug smuggling.
Need to know
Destinations like the ones above can each be visited on an overnight basis or as day trips from the provincial capital. For an adventure, take a bus to Tha Ton in northern Chiang Mai province and then catch a longtail boat down the Kok River to Chiang Rai.
Krabi
At the centre of the southwest coast on the Andaman Sea, Krabi is often cited as Thailand’s most visually impressive province. Islands, mountains, waterfalls, limestone massifs and mangrove forests blend together in an area that, while popular, offers quieter alternatives to nearby Phuket.
Highlights
Close to Krabi town, hop in a longtail boat and climb into the caves at Khao Kanab Nam before taking a spin around the pastoral island of Ko Klang with its mosques, water buffalo and batik workshops. Outside the town, the viewpoint at Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple) is breathtaking, but try climbing the 1,237 steps only if the whole family is in good shape. Other options include hiking to the 11-tier Huai Toh waterfall, or along the scenic Dragon Spine ridge known as Khao Ngon Nak.
On the mainland, but only accessible by boat from the Ao Nang area, is Railay, a peninsula with top-notch beaches framed by vertical karst cliffs that are well known to rock climbers. While Railay has several resorts, many visitors drop by on a boat tour that also covers the islands of Ko Poda and Ko Gai – Chicken Island because of its hen-like shape. Further north, Ko Hong rewards day trippers with a viewpoint set near a jade-hued lagoon.
Need to know
Krabi province also includes the islands of Ko Phi Phi, Ko Jum and Ko Lanta, among others. Day trips are possible from Krabi town and Ao Nang, but most visitors treat these developed islands as separate destinations, opting to spend several nights on them.
Founded in 1350 and destroyed by invading Burmese in 1767, the once-glorious city of Ayutthaya preceded Bangkok as the capital of Siam, as Thailand was known before 1939. Its ruins are extensive and easier to reach than those of Sukhothai.
Just 70km north of Bangkok, it’s perfect for a day trip or stays of a night or two. A further 60km up the Northern railway line is Lopburi, another historic centre.
Highlights
The UNESCO-listed historical park in Ayutthaya covers part of an island rimmed by a canal and three rivers. Here you’ll find Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, the former royal temple with slender bell-shaped chedis and the remains of a once-ornate palace. Many of the ruins here dot the city to form a contrast between modern and ancient. There are many noteworthy historical sites on the outskirts of Ayutthaya, accessible by longtail boat or the area’s signature frog-shaped tuk tuks.
The Million Toy Museum is a hit with kids, while adults appreciate the remains of settlements built by Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese and other foreign merchants who once prospered in the city. You can climb the towering chedi at Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon and imagine the approach of the Burmese invaders.
A highlight of Lopburi is Phra Phrang Sam Yod, featuring a trio of corncob spires built by Khmers in the 12th century and later embellished with Thai artistry. Another is Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, a 17th century palace that’s now an excellent museum.
Need to know
The thousands of monkeys at Lopburi can be brazen, sneaking up to snatch food or even cameras and wallets before scampering away. Though mostly harmless, they do sometimes bite. Don’t let kids pet them, and keep a tight grip on your valuables.
Prachuap Khiri Khan
This hourglass-shaped province, Prachuap for short, bridges the southern and central regions of Thailand. It has a coast studded with beaches, national parks, hilltop temples, golf courses and many other attractions.
The beach towns range from the heavily touristed to the downright sedate, and the lengthy coastline is perfect for a road trip alongside the sea.
Highlights
The most popular tourist destination is Hua Hin, a well developed city with plenty of family resorts overlooking miles of beaches. The centre is cramped and noisy, but the southern part of town is a relaxing base for attractions such as the Black Mountain Water Park and Wat Khao Takiab, the Chopsticks Hill Temple, where you can meet monkeys and enjoy the sea views. Hua Hin is also a golfing centre and tour companies offer club rental and transport to any one of 10 courses, some very scenic.
Further south, Pranburi is a more laid-back seaside city with a mangrove-forest walkway and some of the best wind and kite-surfing in Thailand. It’s also close to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park with quiet beaches, magnificent limestone caves and a wetland rich in birdlife.
Prachuap town is a terrific destination in its own right. It has a monkey-filled hilltop temple at Khao Chong Krachok, a family-oriented beach at Ao Manao, and a seafront walkway where fishers offload their catch. And within striking distance are the refreshing Huai Yang waterfall and the Kui Buri National Park, the best place in Thailand to spot elephants in the wild.
Need to know
To the south of the province are several beach towns – Bang Saphan Yai and Ban Krut, for example – which are small resorts with attractive beaches. If you don’t need many attractions, they are ideal places to lie back and watch the little ones build sandcastles.
Ko Mak and Ko Kood
With dazzling beaches, these two welcoming islands in the Ko Chang archipelago near Cambodia, are ideal for families.
Highlights
On star-shaped Ko Mak you can rent bicycles to explore the gently rolling terrain blanketed in pineapple and rubber farms, and Ko Rang, the prime snorkelling and diving destination in the archipelago, is easily reached.
There are islets accessible by kayak or private boat tour, the largest of which is Ko Kradat, where herds of deer roam freely. The white sand of Ko Kham is also a hit near Ao Suan Yai, one of Ko Mak’s two main beaches.
Ko Kood is a larger island with more than a dozen beaches that are among the finest in Thailand. When not relaxing seaside you might kayak the mangrove-draped rivers, cool off at one of three waterfalls, and marvel at 500-year-old macca trees that tower amid the mountainous interior.
Need to know
Ko Mak is easy to get around, but some of Ko Kood’s beaches are remote and traversing the island can be expensive. Sand flies become a problem on both islands at times, especially on Ko Mak. In the dry season, you could first head to the larger island of Ko Chang and then catch up with island-hopping ferries that stop at Ko Mak and Ko Kood, as well as the smaller island of Ko Wai.
Sukhothai and Kamphaeng Phet
Founded in the 12th century, Sukhothai (Dawning Lotus) was the first Thai kingdom to conquer most of the land within modern Thailand’s borders. Guided by leaders like Ramkamhaeng, now a revered figure, this was the kingdom where the Thai script was created and where a distinctive Thai culture first emerged.
What remains of the original capital of Sukhothai, featuring some of the most impressive ruins in Thailand, can be appreciated at the UNESCO World Heritage park that bears its name. And 75km to the south, the related ruins at Kamphaeng Phet (Diamond City) take you off the tourist trail and into a languid Thai city spread out along the Ping River.
Highlights
Sukhothai Historical Park’s three zones can be explored in a day. One key site is the former royal temple Wat Mahathat, with its lotus-shaped chedi spires and exquisite carvings. Another is a seated 11-metre wide Buddha image at nearby Wat Si Chum which is hidden by a brick enclosure accessed via a narrow passageway, which makes for a dramatic approach.
A third is the meditation monastery at Wat Saphan Hin set on a wooded hill, to which King Ramkamhaeng once rode on a white elephant. The atmosphere is serene even today.
Kamphaeng Phet’s ruins are less extensive than those of Sukhothai, but the reclining Buddha image at Wat Phra Kaeo and dozens of 14th century elephant statues at Wat Chang Rob are no less captivating. Away from the historical sites, Kamphaeng Phet’s riverfront makes for a relaxing sunset stroll followed by a search for tasty Thai treats in the night market.
Need to know
Compact layouts and plentiful tree cover make the historical parks in Sukhothai and Kamphaeng Phet great for bicycles, which can be rented. If your family has a keen interest in history, consider another historical park, Si Satchanalai, set in a rural area 50km north of Sukhothai.
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