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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

New Zealand, Thailand or Vietnam?

20 replies

DisneyBaby · 18/04/2023 14:27

Really cannot decide between these places for a 3.5 week trip over NY and early Jan...

This is the last year to go away before my daughter starts school next year so we want to escape the winter for one last time while we can!

All 3 are expensive, New Zealand most expensive then the other two similar and a little cheaper, but I'm concerned about safety etc in the two Asian destinations. Also tempted to add a second place as it's quite a long duration, like maybe NZ and then a few days in Fiji or Vietnam & Cambodia or Thailand and Cambodia.

What would you do? Literally can't decide and we need to pick asap as the prices are still going up...

Our 2 kids will be nearly 4, and 21 months...

OP posts:
Ems369 · 18/04/2023 14:33

We've been to Thailand with our son when he was 18months, went for 2 weeks so only did Bangkok and Phuket. Felt extremely safe, he did get lots of attention! Hopefully going to Vietnam next year with our 2 who will be 6 and nearly 2! Will only have 2 weeks though so debating which bits to do!

YearoftheRabbit23 · 18/04/2023 14:41

Thailand is very safe in terms of crime etc, my only concern would be road safety but provided you don't ride motorbikes (especially without helmets like most tourists!) you should be ok. However be aware that the air quality can be quite bad in Jan, especially in Bangkok. But if you are looking for beach time you should be ok and the Thais are great with children.

In Vietnam, air quality is terrible in Hanoi in the winter due to the coal burning (it's colder there - in Thailand the smog is due to agricultural fires). Shouldn't be so much of an issue in Central and Southern Vietnam. Pickpockets are renowned in Vietnam.

YearoftheRabbit23 · 18/04/2023 14:43

You could easily combine Thailand with Cambodia (Angkor Wat is a must see - there are direct flights from Bangkok to Siem Reap, possibly also from Phuket or Samui). Or combine Thailand and Vietnam, similarly lots of flights between Thailand and major tourist destinations in Vietnam.

spring78 · 18/04/2023 15:19

New Zealand and Fiji- perfection

Wavinggoodbyetoo · 18/04/2023 17:21

I think NZ isn’t going to be as great with small kids in tow. We did lots of adventure stuff and had a blast, I’d wait until they are older and go for SE Asia

Ontheup75 · 18/04/2023 18:21

At those ages any of your options would be good - we've done all 3 with little kids.
They don't need 'activities' as such - tuk tuks in Thailand and Vietnam, train travel in both, My Son ruins makes a giant playground, beaches in all 3, forest walks in NZ, boat trips and cable cars in NZ. Felt safe in all.
Go for the one you are most interested in.
For me it would be Thailand or Vietnam - cheap eating meant no cooking so much more of a holiday. NZ was almost all self catering.
If you go for NZ, stop over in Singapore or Malaysia for a few days. Flying straight through is a total killer with kids (and without to be fair).

dadan · 19/04/2023 05:46

Where do you really want to go? What makes your heart sing?
Angkor Wat could easily be done as a weekend trip. I've never felt unsafe in Asia. Smaller kids are easier to entertain with playgrounds etc, but I found it much harder to cover any significant distance when sightseeing etc. Much preferred places with better public transport eg. HK, Singapore. And maybe I'm overly fussy but I worry about street food in Vietnam or Cambodia, fine with Thailand.

cariadlet · 19/04/2023 06:12

They're all really safe. We often go away for 4 weeks in the summer and continued to do this when dd came along, from the time she was a baby.

You can do a lot in that time.

One year we did Malaysia (mainland and Borneo, Singapore and Brunei).

Another year, we went to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

South East Asia is beautiful and very child friendly.

cariadlet · 19/04/2023 06:14

Damn! I put a closing bracket in the wrong place.

We went to Malaysia (mainland and Borneo), Brunei and Singapore.

BritInAus · 19/04/2023 06:30

If you're going from the UK, I'd be tempted by Thailand or Vietnam as the total journey time will be about half that of NZ. Not fun doing super long haul with little ones.

However, it is still totally do-able, so if this is the last time you can do a holiday longer than 2 weeks (unless August) for a while, then maybe use that as a reason to go to NZ. Thailand and Vietnam would be much more achievable in a 2 week school holiday... so could do that next time.

CallItLoneliness · 19/04/2023 06:51

I've not been to Thailand or Vietnam, and I am from NZ (full disclosure). If you were thinking about NZ, I would actually consider late Feb/early March, schools have gone back after the long summer holidays and places are quieter, accommodation much cheaper. Depending on what you want to do or see, 2 weeks could be more than enough in NZ or not quite enough. Things that are definitely worth doing include Rotorua, Waitangi, Farewell Spit/Nelson/Abel Tasman, Wellington. I'm told the southern alps and the fjords are great, but I've never been. I love New Plymouth, on the west coast of the North Island--it's a well kept secret in my opinion. Don't waste any time in Auckland, it's a big city like any other in the world, only dirtier and with less public transport. The beaches are lovely at that time of year, but can be dangerous for small people. The idea of a flight that long with two tinies, rather than half that long as you would have to Asia, does my head in.

My stepsister did a ton of travel when my kids were your kids' ages, she said that even back then (6-7 years ago) Vietnam was starting to become a family destination.

palelavender · 19/04/2023 06:56

Often the weather in New Zealand and, more particularly, in Wellington is more settled in February.

dinhoecotour · 15/07/2023 10:31

Vietnam, Cambodia and/ or Thailand in a 3.5 week trip.

Planetegg · 30/07/2023 12:46

Have you decided/booked? For that length of time I would do Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, plenty of time and lots to do and see! You’l have a blast!

TizerorFizz · 30/07/2023 18:01

@DisneyBaby Travelling to NZ with young DC would be awful for them. Thailand is easier by far.

Original poster
DisneyBaby · 30/07/2023 20:06

Planetegg · 30/07/2023 12:46

Have you decided/booked? For that length of time I would do Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, plenty of time and lots to do and see! You’l have a blast!

So we still haven't booked but we can only go for 2.5 weeks now and NZ was working out too expensive so we have ruled that.

We think we are going to go to Thailand now for the full 2.5 weeks and travel around a bit. I have also thought about going to Cambodia for a few days in between but I'm unsure as I'm worried about safety for my young children and also

OP posts:
Original poster
DisneyBaby · 30/07/2023 20:11

Whoops pleased post by accident then.

Im worried with Cambodia about safety for my young children and also I would mostly want to go to Ankor Wat which isn't geared towards children so I think that's a long way for something they won't enjoy.

So yeah most likely Thailand I think for 2.5 weeks with roughly
2 nights Bangkok
5 nights Phuket
4 nights Krabi area
5 nights Koh Samui
1 extra night Bangkok

OP posts:
SGsling · 30/07/2023 20:14

I was in Krabi a looong time ago when it was undeveloped. There was a thread recently where someone said they went out for a walk on the beach and the hotel came out to bring them back inside because it wasn’t safe to be out after dark.

Planetegg · 30/07/2023 20:40

Fab itinerary, you will have a great time!! Thailand is an amazing country! So many beautiful places and things to see/do!
ahh I’m so jealous!!

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