To take my two dc to Thailand for a month this summer?

[Littlefluffyclouds81]

I've been looking into summer holidays, which started with looking at week at eurocamp in France (1k plus the cost of getting there, and activities while we're there). Then I started looking at flights, and realised that for £1600 I can fly me and the dc to Thailand, and go for a month.

I travelled around thailand 14 years ago as a yoof, and just winged it, staying in cheap guesthouses and beach bungalows. I'm thinking that if I go with the dcs (age 4 and 10), it might be harder as I don't recall there being a whole heap of options for 2 bedroom accommodation. My bf might come if he can get time off work. Am I mental for even considering it? The kids are very keen on the idea. Has anyone got any experience of Thailand with kids? I have been looking at villa hire on the gulf coast (to avoid the rainy season) and its quite pricy, I'm wondering if I should book accommodation beforehand or turn up and wing it (and probably pay a lot less). Ko sumui seems like the best option to visit.

Sounds amazing. Go for it!

I live in Thailand, you can't avoid the rain! It will rain over the summer even in Samui. It will be fun though. Do your children like a Thai food?

I wouldn't wing it with kids. However, there's plenty of bigger rooms in hostels that sleep about 3-6 and can be booked. If the 10 year old doesn't mind sharing some of the time.

I wouldn't have the kids away from me in a hostel. I never found one with reliable doors! Also, keep an eye on fire safety. If you are planning on super-cheap.

A friend of mine and her dh took their two children out to Thailand, when the youngest was a similar age to your younger one, and the older one was about 7, iirc. I think they went to Koh Samui, and had a wonderful time.

I would book some accomodation beforehand - but you could book just a week's worth, and then look around when you get there, if you are comfortable to do that.

Do you need someone to carry your luggage for you? I am available all summer!!

We took four dc a couple of years back. We spent a week or so in Bangkok, a week in the jungle and a week in Koh Samui. We had an amazing time - and actually, because we had to be price sensitive (four dc does add up) we had even more fun.

We used the 'local train' (to everyone's vast amusement) to take us to the Bridge over the River Kwai. We used the river taxi to cross Bangkok. We had a fantastic time storming round the jungle (we got a guide for this, who was madly apologetic that we didn't see any exciting animals - but actually the children were utterly thrilled with the distinctly second rate rain forest offerings they saw). In Koh Samui a taxi driver found us a lovely, and very quiet, section of beach...

Go for it.

Ive taken my DC to Thailand a few times, but not in Summer.

Two words; rain, humidity.

yes if you know the place winging it will be fine.
I have 'winged it' down in Greece many times which is fine as I know the place really well.
Just one thing - pack what u think you need then remove half of it.

Samui is hot in summer but not rainy or humid. My villa is available if you're interested....

Ooh is that right?

I had assumed the rainy season started in August. No?

You may have just given me an idea for what to do post GCSE this Summer!

Butterflies I may become a customer!! Looks great.

Only thing for me is spiders. How bad is it??

Last year we had to wing it with dc's (Europe though,not Thailand) and it dispelled my worries that it wasn't a responsible thing to do.

In fact,I realised both they,and us,had a better experience for it -so much more exciting and fluid,and the experience of having to work through any little glitches added to the adventure.
Be confident in your abilities to make it work,and have a great time!

butterflies do you need a housekeeper?

My youngest will be in food heaven, she loves rice, noodles and chicken, so she'll be fine. My eldest is fussy but she likes pancakes, fish and fruit so she won't starve, and you never know she might actually get into eating some different things. From what I've read there are western chain restaurants on Samui so maybe I'll take them to Pizza Hut as a weekly treat if they are struggling.

Sounds like winging it may be ok then, although butterflies villa looks amazing! Unfortunately it's about double what I was thinking of spending. You don't do special mumsnet rates, I rented it for 3 weeks do you, butterflies?!

Mrsflorrick - last time I was in Thailand I only saw one huge scary spider, and that was in the toilet of a hill tribe in the middle of the jungle up north, they don't seem to be too much of a problem.

Thailand has funny rainy seasons. The gulf side (Samui, Koh Phagnan etc) has rainy seasons in May and November, which is different to the rest of the country. We don't really get bugs, few mosquitoes from time to time but that's it, and I haven't seen a spider, snake etc on Samui. We built our villa in 2011 when we lived in Singapore but now we live in USA so don't get to go so often. Luckily we have a great housekeeping and maintenance team. Thailand is great with kids - it has a bit of a reputation for full moon parties, ladyboys and drunk sunburned tourists but Thai people are so gentle and kind, they adore children, healthcare is second to none, there really is something for everyone. When we built our place, dd2 was 2 years old, we were there every month.....

Ko samui is not a nice island. It is a bit like magaluf rather than the other very beautiful islands. It's quite tacky and there are lots of older orange European men there. I found the whole atmosphere very different to everywhere else in Thailand when I was travelling around last year.

Thailand with kids is a great idea, the people love children, everywhere is pretty child fried sly. But I would definitely choose any of the other islands. Ko Tao is great, more chilled, lots of divers/ opportunities for the kids to learn to snorkel.

You could easily island hop between samui, phag nan(sp?) and ko Tao. The ferry is cheap and quick.

Clouds, pm your dates, we can look at discounts but not sure I go for 50%... Samui had an influx of German backpackers in the 1970s, many of whom stayed and married Thai ladies. Lots of the beach restaurants therefore serve Thai food (we always ordered fried rice with no chilli for our kids when they were small) and German food so lots of schnitzel, sausages and German noodles, so easy with kids!

Watching with massive, massive interest. I am planning on taking DD (5) for a fortnight to Thailand - haven't been for about fifteen years and was a grungy old idiot back then. I remember Ko Chang being aces but is a long boat ride, also island hopping round Krabi. I am hoping to avoid rainy season by going in October but still planning everything. Good luck OP!!

Butterflies that's lovely.

Needabumchange, I know exactly where you were on Samui - Chaweng, right? It's the armpit of Samui, like Benidorm, where lots of tourists end up. It has Pizza hut and egg and chips, fake bags and tattoo shops. But it's only one town.

There are many parts of the island that are gorgeous and unspoiled with tiny temples down tracks, water buffalo wallowing in rice fields, houses selling fiery salty sweet Thai dishes direct from their kitchens, jungle spas with granite steam caves, boat trips to uninhabited islands with white powder sand and water clear as glass, noisy smelly markets with freshly picked mangoes and bananas for sale ... I could go on....

sounds wonderful I wish I was doing the same maybe next year

I would book the first night in a hotel online and arrange a taxi I think you will easily find places to stay and could probably book even small guesthouses online and they will arrange taxis etc. Look on travelling on shoe string or lonely planet website

Thailand is so well prepared for the traveller (as you know). I bought train tickets, booked taxis and hotels/guesthouses/beach bungalows on the islands from little travel agents that you find in hotels or down and around koh san road (cheaper rates) it is so easy to travel around, everything is so well organised and I as far as I remember they are very welcoming to children and what you ask for they will do their best to accommodate. I met many travellers who were travelling with young children all seemed to be have the adventure of a lifetime and I always thought I want to do that one day

the food is amazing banana and nutella pancakes and whatever cuisine you want they have perfected it

I love Thailand it is my favourite country

Wow butterflies your place looks lovely! I've emailed it to dh

Why would you be being unreasonable to do that? Go for it. Kids travel quite well really. Have a great time.

I've pm'd you butterflies.

take out really good health insurance

I have done quite a bit of travel with my toddlers, and not to put a dampener on, but we did end up in hospital or at doctor's every now and then. Especially be careful with the 4 year old as they still get dehydrated very quickly at that age (just 24 hours of serious food poisoning gets them very limp and unwell).