Thailand is a great country to travel to with your family. The people are so friendly, and children are a beloved part of their culture. Traveling to any international location can be a scary prospect for parents though, it’s only natural. Your mind races with things that can go wrong. Read on for my easy tips for traveling to Thailand with kids, and you can rest easy knowing you’ve packed and prepared for your upcoming trip as best you can.
Where to Visit
I can only comment on the parts of Thailand I have been to, which include Bangkok, Khao Sok, Khao Lok, Chiang Mai and Pai. We spent a total of 28 nights combined, traveling between each area.
Bangkok is a busy city. Traffic can be intense, and during the work week the transit system is chaotic. We spent 5 nights in Bangkok, but we felt it was much too long, and 3 nights would have been sufficient. There are many kid friendly places to visit including temples, shopping malls, restaurants, parks, and even the night markets were child friendly.
Lumphini Park is beautiful, set in the middle of the city, and full of paved paths to follow, benches by the water, and Monitor Lizards around every corner. When you first set eyes on the Monitor Lizards, they are admittedly terrifying. As you spend some time in the park, you get used to sharing it with them, and some time can be spent just watching them swim the canals and bathe in the sun on the grass.
If you feel like a day trip away from Bangkok, the temples at Ayutthaya are a recommended sight to see. A tuk tuk driver can take you around from temple to temple.
Read my Stories from Bangkok with a Baby post here.
Khao Sok National Park has many jungle camps where you can stay in a tree house like Our Jungle Camp. This can be great fun for kids, and there are many options to book a whole house for a family. The National Park is easy access from all the camps in the area, and many excursions can be booked from each hotel directly.
Khao Lak has a wonderful beach. There are many resort style hotels in this region. If you’re looking for more of an all inclusive feel, Khao Lak is a good choice. We enjoyed booking some time here between other busy cities. It was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and the hiking and heat of the jungle.
Chiang Mai is a very friendly, less busy city to visit than Bangkok. It has smaller streets, and is more walkable. We found some great restaurants here, and again many excursions available to book. We visited Chiang Mai during the Lantern Festival which takes place yearly on the full moon of the 12th lunar month, which means it is usually mid way through November every year. This festival is child friendly, however it is a very busy time. There are packed streets full of people and crowds can get dense. We were able to find many spaces that were less crowded, and could even sit to enjoy the sights. Definitely purchase a couple of lanterns to send into the air and join the festivities.
Pai was a much more laid back town. Slow moving, filled with hostels and young back packers. The night life was vibrant, but still safe for young eyes. Night markets open up in the streets in the evening, and trinkets and handmade clothes can be purchased. There are many good day trips worth looking into as well.
When to Travel
Be careful in choosing when you want to travel. Each month is not created equal inThailand. March through to June are the hottest months, with April being the hottest on average. I wouldn’t recommend bringing children to Thailand during this time of the year.
June to October is the rainy season. This time of year, the temperature is still warm, but you are more likely to get rained on. Don’t shy away from traveling this time of year, just be prepared to get wet.
November to February is the cooler season. Cooler still meaning highs of 90°F (32°C).
We personally traveled in November and into December. We had very pleasant temperatures, with the northern provinces being slightly cooler. We also encountered some rain, but when it’s 90° out, a little rain is welcome.
The full moon party takes place every full moon on the Island of Koh Phangan. If you are heading to this region with kids, it would be a good idea to plan your trip around the full moon. I have heard of people taking kids to the early festivities of the party, and going back to their hotel before the party gets too rowdy. Any accommodations in the area at that time of the month, are likely to be loud though.
What to Wear
Your best option for any season when traveling in Thailand is single layer outfits. For babies and toddlers, romper style outfits work best. Short sleeve or cut off sleeve style with shorts. Some have button up fronts, and offer button up bottoms for easy diaper changes.
Kids and adults would be comfortable in shorts and tanks or t-shirts. Try to stick with lightweight fabrics, and stay away from jean shorts. A good pair of walking sandals for city stays, or flip flops for the beach. Short or long lightweight dresses are also a great option.
Hats are a must, especially recommended for kids, toddlers and babies. And of course lots of sunscreen.
What to Pack
Clothes obviously, but how much? There are lots of options to do laundry in most cities in Thailand. This is an important ability when traveling with kids. I wouldn’t recommend over packing your bag with clothes. The cost to do laundry is very little, often charged per pound for full service laundry, or per load with do it yourself laundromats. The full serve establishments all did an excellent job, and gave it back folded.
The fact that it’s always warm, no matter the time of year, you don’t need many heavy clothes. Wear your heaviest clothes and light jackets on the plane, and keep your lighter summer clothes in your check in luggage.
If you’re traveling with a baby or toddler, bring just enough diapers to last your travel day and about 2 extra days while there. You can purchase diapers when you’re there. Don’t waste suitcase space on diapers. Do bring diaper cream even if you don’t use it often at home. The heat and humidity and being carried around in a carrier in the heat, can increase the chance of diaper rashes. Diaper creams harder to find at stores in Thailand.
Toiletries like toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant, soaps and shampoos can all be bought while there, if needed. A good thing to make sure you bring is first aid supplies. Lots of options can be purchased while there, but it’s not easy. Only pharmacies sell things like topical antibiotics, and they aren’t labeled as we are used to. They are also only available over the counter, and not on the shelf, so you need to ask. Bringing it all with you is easier, and you’re sure to have it when or if you need to.
Bandages, Isopropyl Alcohol, Polysporin (or another topical ointment) and tweezers are a good start. If you or your kids need medications, be sure to bring extra. Bug spray will come in handy, be sure to use kid appropriate spray without deet for any little ones. When we traveled with our infant, he was still new to solid foods. We bought an epi pen to bring with us just in case he tried something we didn’t know he was allergic too. We didn’t end up needing it, but I felt better knowing it was there just in case.
Depending on the age of your kids, you may want to bring a carrier or stroller. If you baby or toddler is small enough to be carried in a carrier, I would highly recommend bringing one. A carrier gives you the freedom of going anywhere, and keeping you little one safely on your chest or back. A stroller will work in some cases, but you will have a lot less freedom, and may not be able to use it depending where you plan to go in the country. In Bangkok the sidewalks have very large curbs in some places, and the sidewalk is very narrow and sometimes non existent. They can also be very bumpy and full of cracks. The same can be said for Chiang Mai, although I found the sidewalks a little more stroller friendly. You find many attractions that are not stroller friendly, as there are lots of stairs in and around temples as well.
My carrier of choice is the Babybjorn One Mesh (BABYBJORN). It is lightweight with mesh fabric, so it’s great for humid climates. The buckles and straps are easy on and off, and can be quickly changed to fit different people. My husband and I would often switch midway through an outing.
Toys or activities are a must for kids. For small babies, a few teething toys or easy to carry items that can be clipped onto a bag, carrier or stroller. Toddler and young kids may need a few more toys, or perhaps a tablet. You will especially need something to occupy them during transit times on airplanes, cars, trains and buses. Older kids may make due with a book to read. It’s helpful if lightweight toys are chosen.
I highly recommend a travel high chair for your infant or toddler. In Thailand most hotels and restaurants don’t have high chairs. If you don’t want to be stuck eating hot food over your baby or taking turns eating, bring a chair with you. I usually don’t recommend bringing travel gadgets on long haul trips, but I found this travel highchair (Summer Pop and SIt) by Summer Infant. It folds up into it’s own carry bag with shoulder strap. It was very convenient for eating out and at the hotels for breakfast. When traveling I would usually just leave the tray at home and just pack the chair to keep it lighter. The chair has safety straps to secure it to any chair, and then we would just push it up against the table.
In Thailand, custom is for the waitresses to hold your baby while you eat at restaurants. We were weirded out by this at first as this is far from the custom in North America. The more we traveled the more we met staff and locals who would ask to hold our baby.
Invest in a good backpack for each person. While walking around any town, you will want to be able to carry things you may need for your outing. Water is a must, sometimes a few bottles depending where you are going and if stores are nearby. Extra sunscreen to re-apply while you’re out. A camera if you travel with one. Change of clothes for babies, toddler or even young children. As well as diapers and wipes.
To Do Before You Leave Home
Check your vaccines. Many countries require or recommend travel vaccines. You can book an appointment at your local travel clinic and enquire what will be needed, and book everything through them. Thailand recommends you are up to date on your routine vaccines, such as MMR, Tetanus, Chicken Pox, Influenza and Polio. Hepatitis A and B are recommended for all aged travelers. Depending on te area you will be traveling to, Malaria medication may be recommended. For our areas of travel, we did not need this prophylaxis. Yellow Fever vaccine is also recommended. You will get a Travel Vaccination Passport, this should be brought with you when you travel. Keep it with your passports.
Will you be renting a car while in Thailand? If so, you do need an international drivers license. These are easy enough to get. You need a passport photo, and you just pay and apply for one. You will have to google where to get one in your hometown, as each place will be different.
Download google maps on your phone. I don’t mean download the app, I mean download actual maps. You can download specific maps of regions, so that while you are traveling, as long as you have gps enabled on your phone, you don’t need wifi or data to see where you are on the map.
I would still look into getting a SIM card when you arrive in Thailand, or checking out the international plans that your cell provider can offer. I’ve always found that the cell providers are more expensive than purchasing a SIM card when you arrive. We paid around $40USD for a SIM card with a few gigabytes for 30 days. You can get many size options once you’re there, and they will install the card for you. Make sure to keep your SIM card in a safe place while you travel, or leave it at home.
Perhaps purchase a book of Thailand before you go. It can be a great resource to read on the plane, or while you are at an attraction or in a certain area. You can also highlight things you’ve seen, or done, and checking it off in the book can be fun for the kids. We have the Lonely Planet book (Lonely Planet Thailand). It was easy to read, and easy to look up what you want each time.
Print out your travel documents. We always travel with a folder full of our reservations and bookings. We print a hard copy of everything and order it in chronological order for easy reference. When we arrive at every hotel, for every flight, or when we check in at a prebooked attraction, we have the ability to pull out our reservation number, dates and how it was paid. This way you don’t have to rely on having the internet to access email, or dropbox, and you just ensure a quicker check in process with no hassles.
Transportation
If you are comfortable driving on the left side of the road or are wanting to learn, renting a car is a great option for families. You don’t have to worry about bus schedules, and hailing taxis. There are taxis available, and they can be flagged down rather easily, however the language barrier can be an issue. There is an app called ‘Grab’. This app is the Southeast Asian version of Uber. It is very convenient, as you just enter where you want to go on the map, and payment is all taken care of. You don’t have to carry around taxi money with you either. Trains are a good option for going between cities and can be quite cheap. Flights are available in many larger cities to be able to quickly travel between provinces. Be sure to take a tuk tuk at least once while in Thailand. The kids will love it as well.
Thailand does not have car seat laws, so be prepared to have your small children sit in your lap, or on their own seat. If you’re renting a car you can bring your own car seat from home, or most car rental companies will offer you one for an added fee.
EDIT: Since writing this article Thailand has actually added car seat laws to the entire country. Now all kids under 6 years old need to be placed in a car seat that conforms to Thai standards set out by the government.
Summary
You will have an amazing time in Thailand with your kids. Take some time to research what parts of the country you want to visit and think about what you and your family’s hobbies are. There is so much to do and see and many activities and excursions can be booked directly from your hotel. Or they can direct you to a travel company that can take care of it for you. We found we were able to book all these activities while there, so we didn’t have to plan and book these before we left.
Double check your packing list, but if you do forget anything, don’t worry, you can buy what you forgot while there.
If you like what you read, or have any comments or your own tips to share, please leave a comment below.
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