A popular travel destination in Asia is Thailand. Formerly called “Siam”, Thailand is a nation filled with exotic wonders and interesting culture. Most people associate Thailand to its temples and floating markets, but there is more to this country than these cultural sites. Likewise, there is more to Thailand than just Bangkok, which is the most famous of its cities. Hence, if you are travelling to Thailand with the family, especially if you have little children who are just starting to explore the world with you, we suggest going outside of Bangkok for more unique family bonding moments. On top of our list of choices for cities in Thailand you should explore are Chiang Mai, Ko Chang, Phuket, Andaman Coast, the Eastern Seaboard, and Ko Samui. Each area has its distinct charm guaranteed to make your stay memorable. From snorkeling, racing, riding, shopping, and flying experiences, kids are sure to find Thailand a place of wonder and amazement. Below is a list of the best things to do in Thailand with kids to help you plan your vacation itinerary in this lovely country.
Cost: $72 to $110
The first activity on our list is best 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. This adventure actually aims to position Phuket not only as a beach destination, but one with an impressive forest environment as well. This 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 the beauty of the natural world as you watch the lush greenery below. The site of the Flying Hanuman hasn’t been harmed when the adventure was built. Up to this day, there are still a wide variety of trees and small animals living in the 80,000-square meter location of the eco-adventure. The price of each adventure varies according to the journey package you want to avail. For example, Journey A is worth $110 and includes the following: 28 platforms, 15 ziplines, 2 sky bridges, 2 abseil points, 3 spiral stairways, 1 sky rail, 20-minute wilderness walk, a t-shirt, and a meal. Journey B has the same activity set, excluding the meal, and costs $102. On the other hand, Journey C is the cheapest option priced at $72 and includes the following: 16 platforms, 8 ziplines, 2 sky bridges, 1 abseil point, 2 spiral stairways, and a 20-minute wilderness trek. So, what are you waiting for? Pump up your kids for an exceptional outdoor adventure at the Flying Hanuman!
Cost: $30 to $60
Besides temples and floating markets, Thailand is also famous for being home to the majestic elephants your kids would certainly love to see. In Thailand, there is only one real and natural elephant sanctuary where you can interact with these huge creatures – the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai. At the Elephant Nature Park, you can find rescued elephants roaming freely inside the park. You are also allowed to feed them some lunch and bathe them. At this sanctuary in Chiang Mai, your kids will learn all about these giant adorable creatures, how they should be cared for and protected, and how they became a significant part of the country. Do note, however, that the Elephant Nature Park does not allow visitors to ride the elephants for ethical purposes.
Kok Chang Safari is also a popular elephant trekking park in Thailand, although it is a commercial entity. At Kok Chang, you and your kids can experience riding on the back of elephants, with a guide of course, and admire the views of the ocean and the Thai jungle. Elephants at the Kok Chang Safari are well-treated. The kids can feed and bathe them after the trek. Also, Kok Chang Safari features several demonstrations, including rubber tapping, cooking Thai curry, and coconut demonstration from the locals, which parents would surely love.
Cost: $1 to $2
This activity doesn’t require you to go to overcrowded shopping centers or temples or floating markets. Instead, it allows your whole family to have a relaxed afternoon together at the Wachira Benchathat Park. Also known as Suan Rot Fai and Railway Park, Wachira Benchathat used to be a private golf course for use of State Railway employees. However, it was then turned over to the city to be transformed into a public park. Now, it is one of the most visited parts in the city whenever locals would want to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life for a while. The Wachira Benchathat Park has 150 acres of large grassy areas, pathways, tennis and basketball courts, and a 3-km winding trail where your whole family can bike quietly together on a fair day in Thailand. You can rent bicycles at the park’s entrance for less than a dollar per day. There are bikes for kids, adults, and even bicycles with baby seats for the little ones. There is also an insectarium and butterfly garden, the only one in Bangkok, which the kids would love to explore. Lastly, you can all ride a canoe or a paddleboat and explore the lake. The rate per hour for canoeing is $1.45. The Wachira Benchathat Park is open for everyone at any day, from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $15
Let’s go back to Chiang Mai where most of your family nature trips in Thailand are most possible to happen. In Chiang Mai’s Mae Wang District, your whole family can try a unique type of water adventure. It is similar to kayaking, except that this time, you’ll be using a bamboo raft. The district of Mae Wang is known for its clear waters and high mountains. It is also the best place in Thailand to do bamboo rafting as you will get the tranquility you’re looking for, while floating on the clear river of Wang and being surrounded by trees. Bamboo rafting in Mae Wang can be done either with a guide or without. If you’re a family, you can probably try to do this on your own. Paddling the bamboo rafts is just the same with paddling a kayak, so it’s really easy to navigate. The size of each bamboo raft is 25 feet long, and made of several thick bamboo stalks bound together by rope and strips of rubber. Also, this is an affordable adventure you can do together as the price is per bamboo raft. Each raft can accommodate a maximum of 5 persons, and costs $15. You can enjoy bamboo rafting on the Mae Wang River for an hour or so.
Cost: $132.5
Thailand is a place of striking rainforest areas. Thus, eco-tourism has found its way to several of Thailand’s major cities. We already included Flight of the Haruman in Phuket in this list of recommendations, but we’re suggesting another one in Chiang Mai in case Phuket seems distant for your family travel. The Flight of the Gibbon in Chiang Mai is regarded as the best zipline tour operator in Thailand since its establishment in 2007. It is located through the rainforest of Khao Kheow, and runs via 26 platforms. A day tour at Flight of the Gibbon will include a jungle obstacle course and a visit to the zoo. What’s better about this eco-adventure is it allows little children to join the fun. Little ones can go with the adults while doing the activity. Meanwhile, those whose height are 1 meter and above can do the zipline on their own. The Flight of the Gibbon boasts of the highest safety standards and expert “Sky Rangers” to help you and your kids throughout the trail. Besides gliding through the forest via ziplines, you will also conquer sky bridges, abseils, and do some nature trails in the Thai rainforest. The tour also includes a Thai lunch as well as hotel transfers. By the way, in case you’re wondering, the site is named Flight of the Gibbons because you’ll have the chance to spot and hear wild gibbons in the treetops while you whizz your way through the forest canopy. It’s really a magical experience to interact with these creatures up close in their natural habitat. It’s something you can’t let your kids miss. A zipline experience at the Flight of the Gibbon costs $132.5.
Cost: $20 to $25
Located at Bueng Yitho in Thanyaburi, the Dream World theme park should be a no-brainer in your list of activities in Thailand for the kids. This popular amusement park near Bangkok lives up to its name as a venue for kids’ imagination to become valid. At Dream World, children of all ages can have an entertaining day doing various activities and letting their imagination run wild. They can meet their favorite cartoon characters at Dream World. For instance, they can dance with Cinderella and snap a photo with Pocahontas or Rapunzel. They can also enjoy thrill rides like the roller coaster, antique cars, and bumper boats. Dream World also has unique rides which the kids will definitely want to try, such as the Skycoaster, Viking, Hurricane, and the Flying Carpet. They can imagine as if they’re in a movie or an animated film getting chase by dragons or as if they’re princesses waiting to be saved by their handsome princes. Oh, and don’t forget to bring extra clothes with you because there are water rides at Dream World, and kids would certainly splash and play at the Grand Canyon and the upper Splash. But the highlight of coming to Dream World in Thailand is letting the kids experience real snow at the Snow Town. They can play with snow, lie down on the snow, sled down the hill, or even build snow angels and snowmen. You can visit Dream World at any day. It is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends. Entrance to the amusement park costs $20 and an additional $4.7 for Snow Land.
Cost: $6 to $8
Toys are special parts of every child’s life. When we were kids, toys would bring us so much happiness, too, and we could play all day and meet new friends with all those toys. In Thailand, you have the chance to reminisce your favorite toys and feel like a child again. Likewise, you can treat the kids for a special entertainment as they check out the toys they love. Located in Bangkok just a short ride from Novotel Bangkok Impact, the Tooney Toy Museum lets you and your kids have a playtime experience together with its stunning collection of more than 100,000 antique and modern toys displayed across two floors. The Tooney Toy Museum is actually a private collection of the owner Somporn Pho. Since his collection grew and grew, he decided to make it public to inspire the imagination and creativity of both children and adults, and eventually built an 800-square meter facility to house all his toys. Some of the most popular toys you will see at the Tooney Toy Museum are the adorable Minions, Elsa from Frozen, Woody and Buzz from Toy Story, Barbie, and Batman. Your kids can also enjoy learning about the toys we used to play in the past. The Tooney Toy Museum is easy to explore because toys are displayed according to their classification. You can take the kids here from Fridays to Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays are solely for group visits by appointment only. Admission tickets to the museum cost $6 per child and $8 per adult.
Cost: $10
Muay Thai is a popular sport not only in Thailand but around Asia and the world. Originally from Thailand, Muay Thai comes from the word “Mavya” in Sanskrit, which means “to bind together”. This action-packed combat sport is also known as the “art of eight limbs” because one needs to use his fist, elbows, knees, and shins apart from using the four limbs in doing Muay Thai. Muay Thai is also a form of Mixed Martial Arts, so if your kids are encouraging you to enroll them for this kind of sport, you have come to the right place. Muay Thai may also be used as a form of self-defense in case children are in some form of emergencies . There are many training centers in Thailand which offer Muay Thai short training for kids. They believe that Muay Thai is a sport for everyone to help build strength, agility, discipline, and mental focus. Our recommendation is the Jun Muay Thai camp located on the island of Koh Samui in Lamai. They have two training sessions every day, one at 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and another at 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. They welcome kids and adults alike who want to know all about Muay Thai as a combat sport. Throughout the two-hour training, your kids would do a 30-minute warm-up activity and then get trained on punches, kicks, elbows, and different combinations. For tourists like you, the price of each training session is $10. However, if you are staying in Thailand for a longer visit, you can also avail of a whole week pass for $60 which includes an unlimited training session.
Cost: $12.98
The craving for speed and active adventure is something we can’t make our kids outgrow. Rides which seem dangerous or scary for us actually excite them, regardless of how small they are. Fearless – this describes what kids are. They aren’t easily scared like us and they’re in for almost everything which makes their heart thump wildly. At EasyKart in Thailand, you can let the kids satisfy their craving for speed and adventure. As a family, you can all go race karting together at the track. EasyKart has several branches in Thailand. You can go to their branch in Bangkok, in Pattaya, and in Koh Samui. The two latter branches even have more options available, like the EasyFly (an indoor skydiving activity). For EasyKart, there are three sizes of karts according to experience level. There are 100CC to 270CC karts which can run to up to 60 kilometers per hour. You can all race together or you can compete with the children on who can finish the track faster. You’ll be surprised at how competitive the kiddos can be when it comes to racing. Or if you’re content with just watching your kids do racing, you can head to the observation deck for a nice view of the track. Each race lasts for about 8 minutes, and consists of turns and stretches. EasyKart is open daily, from 1:00 p.m. to 12 midnight. Entrance to the facility costs $12.98.
Cost: Free
Let’s return to Bangkok since this city is undoubtedly a gem in Thailand no matter how crowded it gets. Plus, the only place in Thailand which has this kind of attraction is Bangkok. Established in 1957 by the late Khunying Tongkom Chantha Wimol, the Bangkok Doll Factory and Museum has made a mark as a gallery for traditional Thai dolls and dolls from across the world. This museum has more than 400 dolls collected and handcrafted by the owner, including representations of classical Thai dancers, Khon mask miniatures, and dolls from Hungary, poland, Russia, and Greece. Most dolls are handcrafted by the owner and made to sport national costumes from around the world as well as costumes from Thai mythology and history. Your kids, especially the little girls, will surely appreciate their dolls even more after a tour of the Bangkok Doll Factory and Museum. Aside from this, they can also watch professional doll makers crafting and designing new dolls which are also available for purchase should the kids want them. The Bangkok Doll Factory Museum is open daily, except Sundays, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free for all.
In November each year, the skies of Chiang Mai lights up with golden lanterns in a festival called Yi Peng (or Yee Peng). Celebrated on the full moon of the 12th lunar month annually, the Yi Peng Lantern Festival is part of the wider Loy Krathong celebration. Lanterns are lit to wish for a good fortune in the New Year, since locals believe that this time of the year is when the rivers are filled to their fullest and the moon is at its brightest. Your family can partake in the celebration, light your own lanterns, wish for good fortune for the family, as well as watch dance shows and listen to live music.
Cost: $19.7 to $40.9)
Thailand has a tropical climate, but more often than not, you’ll experience a sunny day. To at least counter the heat, take the kids to the Splash Jungle Water Park in Thalang, Phuket. Its location is conveniently located near the airport, so you can find it easily. The Splash Jungle Water Park features various water rides which will keep kids amused for hours. It also has a play pool for the younger kiddos, a wave pool, a cafe, deli, pool bar, and a lazy river for all ages. The Splash Jungle Water Park is open daily, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tickets cost $19.7 per child (ages 5 to 12) and $40.9 per adult (ages 13 and above).
Cost: $62 to $69
If you are looking for an activity to keep the kids occupied at night-time before bed, take them to the Fantasea Park Phuket — a 60-acre cultural theme park inspired from Thailand’s exotic heritage. The Fantasea Park boasts of a 3,000-seat theater which showcases productions on culture, magical illusion, acrobatics, animal performances, pyrotechnics, stunts, aerial performances, and special effects. There is also a 4,000-seat dining facility where you can enjoy a sumptuous buffet of Thai cuisine. Once you’re here, you should purchase a combo ticket to see a show and sit on a buffet dinner. The Fantasea Park is open daily, except Thursdays, from 5:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. A show-and-dinner ticket costs $62 per child (ages 4 to 12) and $69 per adult.
Cost: $5.6 to $7.5
In Thailand, kids can have adventures of a lifetime. At the Dino Park Mini Golf, they will be able to experience a different kind of fun playing golf in a Flintstone-themed park. The mini golf course inside the Dino Park Mini Golf has 18 holes with various prehistoric animals in the gardens of each hole. The kids will not only strive to shoot every ball in the holes but also overcome the obstacles, traps, volcanoes, and caves. The park also features a dinosaur-themed restaurant where you can grab snacks after the thrilling adventure. The Dino Park Mini Golf is open daily, from 10:00 a.m. until midnight.
Cost: $2.5 to $3.7
Mango sticky rice is a traditional Thai dessert you should not miss while in Thailand with the kids. Made with glutinous rice, fresh mangoes, and coconut milk, the mango sticky rice may be bought in restaurants inside shopping malls or even on the street stalls. A mango sticky rice costs $2.5 to $3.7, a fairly reasonable price for such a sumptuous traditional delight.
Have a memorable adventure in Thailand with your little darlings!
Twitter
Add a Comment
Please do not post:
Thank you once again for doing your part to keep Edarabia the most trusted education source.