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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

Thailand with 4 y.o and 2 y.o!!??

15 replies

opeysmum · 09/03/2009 12:52

Help! We are due to go to a family wedding in Thailand next year with our 2 kids in tow - are we mad? Has anybody done it before? Would welcome any recs esp re Phuket accommodation? What's a sensible holiday plan with just over 2 weeks to spend there? What about Bangkok - can't even begin to imagine but would love to spend some time there...

OP posts:
lionsandtigersandbears · 09/03/2009 16:15

Good for you....I think its fab to expose kids to these sort of different cultures. I'm a long haul hostie so spend a lot of time in Bangkok. Firstly I would say IF you can spend time in bangkok it is an AMAZING city though people tend to fall into 2 camps and either love it or hate it. Depending on time of year it can get very, very hot and sticky (and smelly)! I would stay in hotel around Sukhumvit/Siam which is more the business end of town but hotels are generally of high standard, make sure you have pool! You are bit closer to the airport and there are some big, very modern shopping centres nearby with your usual western fayre...maccyd's, starbucks etc. Go and have a look at places like Khao San road but you are in backpacker territory...hostels, noisy, lots of drinking. Definitely look at Grand Palace (amazing) and maybe do river cruise. Buy a rough guide...think they are great. oh...and go to a restaurant called 'Cabbages and Condoms'...its fab. I havent been to Phuket, tend to stay on other side of island, but I would research hotel as some areas can be seedy. Again though...its very touristy (nice hotels/clean restaraunts etc).Beware of the driving...it can be hairy. Although you have to be aware of scams the people are wonderful and I suspect will be smitten with your kids. I am on mat leave at the moment but intend to take my DS to places like this as soon as sterilising isnt an issue!!!

Ivykaty44 · 09/03/2009 16:20

I stayed in the riverside marriott, it is lovely. We got the river boat and monorail into saim squre. dd's were 3 and 9 and I travelled alone with them. It was fab and would do it again.

I had been to thailand before, dd's got a lot of attention as one is blonde and very fair skin so they wanted to touch and take pictures of her.

I did the grande palce with a taxi and it was really cheap, the taxi drivers get in free so he stayed with me the whole moring and three hours of the grande palace and the big buddha was a total of £15 for the three of us including the taxi.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 09/03/2009 16:22

you'll have a fantastic time, everything is cheap so stay in a nice hotel, Bangkok can be little overwhelming but you would be crazy to miss it, make sure you get to the grand palace and the floating market, have a fantastic time.

Original poster
opeysmum · 10/03/2009 08:26

thanks for all suggestions so far. Phuket is a fixed bit of the trip, any thoughts on good accommodation with kids?

OP posts:
rosbif · 11/03/2009 06:55

Le Meridien Khao Lak is fab, about an hour's drive from Phuket

JESSINBOOTS · 12/03/2009 19:06

I've been to Thailand lots with my kids and they LOVE Phuket.

Best places are on the south west of the Island like Kata and Karon. Lovely beaches (especially Kata) and the people are great. Nice hotels for families include Thavorn Palm Beach (5 pools) and Centara Kata.

Whatever you do, keep away from Patong!

hifi · 25/03/2009 11:10

we stayed at the meridien. some issues but a reasonable family hotel.

ilovepeppapig · 04/05/2009 11:49

hi i have been to phuket twice with my children and they loved it. We actually liked Patong beach as it has a lovely playground set right on the beach. Also plenty of restuarants on the beach. my kids also liked the odd trip to Mcdonalds there! we did a few touristy things like rode on elephants and saw a snake show! We also hired a boat and boatman to take use to a private/deserted island for the day where the fish ate bread from your hand,

my dad lived there so we didn't stay in any hotels but visited a lovely one at Cape Panwara for the day.

sheba2288 · 08/05/2009 12:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

sunnydelight · 29/05/2009 05:58

We stayed at the Lebua in Bangkok a couple of years ago with our three kids and it really was the last word in luxury (without the price tag). It's an "all suite hotel" - basically we had a 2 bed apartment with two living areas, kitchen, two bathrooms etc. though most of them are 1 beds. The younger two (4 and 8 at the time) found Bangkok a bit too full on, our 13 year old yearns for the day when he can do the traveller thing on the Kho San Road [grin} I think it's definitely worth a couple of days. Can't help with Phuket as we went to Kho Tao - a LONG trip, but worth it.

daisysue2 · 22/06/2009 18:07

I have travelled to Thailand lots and lots with my children. It really is so easy. Did it when one was only 6 months no problems at all. Amari in Phuket is very good, probably the best is the Lagoona Beach Club, at the top end of the island near to the airport. We go to Koh Lanta and stay in Relax bay in beachfront bungalow. Great fun, fires on the beach at night all that sort of stuff.

I would avoid Bangkok if you haven't been to Tahiland before as it can be overwhelming and not sure how old your children are. Stick to the islands and it's a really easy trip. Getting around is very easy as well. We tend to do two to three nights on each island and then move on. Our last trip was Amari to Zeavola on Phi Phi, to Relax Bay on Koh Lanta, to Koh Hai and then topped it off with two nights at the Rayavede in Krabi.

PDR · 29/06/2009 12:47

opey we are also going to a family wedding in Thailand next year with an almost 2 yr old!

We're only staying for 1 week though as doing it as part of a longer trip to visit other friends in Perth.

Although not strictly necessary as DS will only be about 20 mths we have booked him a seat for the whole trip. I could not imagine having him on my lap for more than about 15 minutes (bad mother?) and plan to take his car seat on board. I guess as yours are older you don't have a choice!

Wedding is on Koh Samui so transitting straight through BKK. Staying at a lovely place called Tongsai Bay and it seems really child friendly and relaxed.

Hope you have a really lovely time!

posieparker · 29/06/2009 12:50

I stayed in Bangkok and down to Hua Hin over the summer with 5,6 & nearly 2 yr old and pregnant. Bangkok is great, good air conditioned skyrail to get places....we stayed at the landmark which was just gorgeous.
As for what to do whilst there, pool, pool, pool is what we did everyday, all day. My oldest dcs came home being able to swim very well and dd (nearly 2) could swim using armbands!!!

HKmama · 18/02/2010 02:35

It will be great apart from the flight and jet lag! We live in Asia and have to do lots of long haul flying to come home. Another place to stay in Phuket which is very child friendly is the JW Marriott. Some people like the Indigo Pearl (a bit near the airport though). Laguna Beach Resort also gets the vote. Have fun.

whooosh · 18/02/2010 03:57

Bangkok is fab!!!
Just spent 4 days there prior to coming to Melbourne.DD (4) loved it and keeps saying she wants to go back.So much so,we are cutting short the Sydney stretch of our trip to go back to Bangkok.Such wonderful people,easy to navigate-we had no issues at all and it was just DD and me.
We stayed at the Chatrium Suites-right on the river,shittle ferry to skytrain,huge rooms/bathrooms and a great breakfast.If you don't go,you will regret it!

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