Thailand with kids: what to bring, where to go, what to do

Thailand is a perfect destination for family with kids. The country’s culture and value support family relation which makes Thais can’t help but adore every kid they come across.

Don’t be panic when you walk down the street with your kids and suddenly everyone start smiling and talking to your kids. They mean no harm: it is just the way they show affection to the little ones.

Even Thailand is a kid-friendly destination, there are still some other things that need to be considered and known before heading there. Here are some tips of where to start from what to pack to where to go during the holiday in Thailand.

What to bring to Thailand?

Don’t stuff your suitcase, leave some space for the souvenirs! Photo by Highways england

Packing for yourself for your trip to Thailand should be light, because you should make room for your shopping spree. However, when it comes to packing for kids, you shouldn’t take the same principle.

The trick is always double the amount of stuff that you actually need. For example, diapers, baby formula and kids’ clothes should be prepared in double amount of what you need because you will never know when the unexpected incidents might happen.

Clothes

For children’s clothes, consider light and comfortable fabric with long sleeves so that it will help protect sunlight during the day and mosquitoes during the night.

Insects protection

Bare in mind that Thailand is a tropical country where humidity and sunlight are plenty. This also applies to all kinds of insects. To make your trip smooth without sunburnt and mosquitoes bites, here are things you should not forget:

• Mosquito repellent: kids have a very sensitive skin; especially, to the insects. There are many brands of repellent available in convenient stores in Thailand, but you can bring your own if you are used to some specific brand.

Others repellent related products that you should consider bring along are:

• Cot bed insect net
• Plug-in repellent diffuser
• DEET-free repellent wipes

You can also buy those products on Thailand on convenient stores and shopping malls. It is up to you and how you manage your schedule.

Sun protection

When someone say it is burning hot in Thailand, they don’t exaggerate. Thailand enjoy 365 days of sunshine and sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming, specially during summer. You can find many sunscreen products in Thailand from international brands, but bringing one with you is always useful – especially, the one for kids.

Others sun protection products, you should bring along are:

• Kids’ hats
• High SPF, water-resistant sunscreen
• Kids’ sunglasses

Toys

Toys keep kids happy and when they are happy they tend to behave. That’s why a rucksack filled with toys, goodies or a colouring book is a real lifesaver for every parent.

Don’t forget specific toys like inflatable pool floats to ensure kids’ happiness in the swimming pool.

Medicines

Prescription medications and electrolyte replacement solution: Different places with exotic food and drinks might cause unstable stomach for children and adults, especially in Thailand where the food is rich in tastes and exotic ingredients.

Therefore you must remember to bring some related prescribed medication your kids might need as well as an electrolyte replacement solution.

And now that we are on the topic, remember that the water from the tap in Thailand is not really safe to drink.

Others

Some other things to consider bringing when travelling to Thailand are:

• Bean bag travel pillow/ baby cart: They are always useful when you hit the road.
• Baby wipes: It comes in handy for your restroom business as well as when you need to refresh your kids after a long day.
• Snacks: Similarly to toys, snacks also work like magic when it comes to kids. Try to pack up some dried fruits or any kind of light snacks to keep your kids entertain during the trip.

Where to stay in Thailand?

The beach is always a winner choice when it comes to kids… and many adults.

It depends on what kind of holiday you would like to have. Whether it is going to be a beach holiday, an adventure trip or a joyful shopping spree, you could have them all in Thailand.

If you would like to have a beach holiday, Phuket, Samui and Krabi are the best three you shouldn’t miss.

Otherwise, Bangkok is also a good place for family vacation as it has a lot of family-friendly attractions to offer. For those who love mountains and refreshing weather, the northern part of Thailand like in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are great places to go.

Kid-friendly Accommodation

It is very common for accommodation to have a small pool for kids. Photo: Vogue Resort, Krabi.

Basically, all the luxury brands, both international and Thai, accommodation in Thailand are well-equipped with kid-friendly facilities such as babysitting service, kids club, kid’s pool and many more. Other kids facilities such as baby cots are available upon request in most of the properties.

For instance, Marriott Sathorn Vista in Bangkok offers free children’s club supervised childcare and activities. Otherwise, Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa and Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa on Koh Samui also offer babysitting service.

Just make sure to check the accommodation information or contact with them by mail or phone to make sure the place will be suitable for your little ones. If you don’t know where to start, here you have a list of hotels near the BTS stations in Bangkok.

Private villas for rent in Thailand such as in Phuket and villas for rent in Samui can also cater to kids and parents’ needs. They are equipped with private cinema room, kids playroom, kids pool, and gardens or outdoor spaces for kids to play around.

Recommended activities with kids

Siam Ocean World’s location makes it a great choice to bring your kids

Kids love swimming, so one of the top activities you could do with your children is to swim in the pool or in the sea. However, if you are looking for more activities to do with your kids, attractions like Kidzania and Siam Ocean World in Paragon are more than just enough to make your kids happy. For entertaining and educative attractions in Bangkok you can also check Ancient City and Queen Saobha Snake Farm.

In Samui, attractions such as Samui Aquarium & Tiger Show and Samui Snake Farm are also great places for a day trips with them.

For Phuket, it has more attractions that kids will love such as a water park at Splash Jungle Water Park in Mai Khao Beach or an adventure day at Dino Park Mini Golf in Kata Beach. You can also find more attractions and activities for kids in Phuket by clicking here.

If you know any other attraction or tip for travelling with kids, share it on the comments!

Main photo by Henry Burrows