Family trip to Thailand

We were dubious about taking a twelve hour flight with our six-year-old, the overnight portion wasn't too bad as we slept the majority, but the return journey was a day flight, so we needed a lot of distractions in the form of activity books, downloads and an endless supply of snacks! The nature of long-haul travel can't be altered until time machines are invented but what we rediscover each time we travel is it's ALWAYS worth the long flight to get to your destination! The sights and smells of a different continent are what makes a holiday exciting for us.

Thailand offers families an easy introduction to Asia. Thai's are smiling, gentle, friendly people and are eager to start up conversation being excellent English speakers (I'm not endorsing only traveling to English speaking countries, just stating that it means the children can easily converse with locals). It's easy and relatively cheap to travel around, from Chiang Mai in the North to the plentiful islands in the South, domestic flights are abundant. There are temples, street food, power-white sands, wildlife, rainforest, the dynamic city of Bangkok and floating markets, what isn't to love!?

As Thailand’s weather is tropical it helps to know which destination to choose and what time of year to go. As we were travelling in our English summer it meant that the island of Koh Samui located on Thailand's East side had less rainfall than the West side.

We chose to split our stay to enable us to maximise our experience (despite it being my fifth time there!). We spent the first three nights in the bustling metropolis of Bangkok and chose the calm atmosphere of the Shangri-La hotel. It has lovely large rooms with river views, meaning you can watch the world go by from your balcony - a perfect way to get over jet-lag! We travelled around the city using river boats, the metro (which is super easy to use and gets you around quicker than waiting in traffic) and no trip to Thailand would be complete without a ride on a Tuk-Tuk, our six year old was in his element! We visited China-town where street food was aplenty - they've been selling food on the street here long before the craze came to the UK. But the choice of the menu (fried insects) isn’t quite what it is back home! We settled on noodles and pancakes!

We visited the Grand Palace which glitters and nearby Wat Pho where you can see the 46 metre long reclining Buddha- all surrounded by street food vendors and markets selling amulets. We took a trip to the Snake Farm which is run by the Red Cross where they run breeding programmes and do the important work of producing anti-venoms. They run daily shows where you can see the venomous snakes in safety. The staff tell you interesting facts and are experts in handling these amazing creatures.

We then flew down to Koh Samui and stayed 4 nights at the Ritz Carlton located on the north of the island, our room had a huge outdoor terrace from where we had a spectacular view from the hillside setting. They have a Muay Thai gym so our six year old had a lesson! The staff were brilliant and gave you rides up and down the hillside in golf buggies. The food was incredible, they even made a cake for my husband who was celebrating his 40th Birthday whilst we were there.

We then took a local speedboat over to the neighbouring island; Koh Phangan, made famous by the Full Moon parties, but we planned our trip outside of this to avoid the crowds. There are secluded bays and a lush interior to discover, a perfect tropical escape! We stayed on Thong Nai Pan Yai beach in the north in a locally owned hotel, it was basic but all we needed as the destination speaks for itself. We spent our days kayaking and swimming and playing football with the locals. Oh and a Thai beach escape wouldn’t be the same without a Thai massage!

We left the best until last and spent another four nights back on Koh Samui in the Six Senses hotel. We love this brand for it’s understated luxury. They build their properties to blend in with the surroundings, never high rise or glitzy. But in the middle of rainforests like this one! They have won several sustainability awards and have a farm on the property, where they run educational events with local schools. They not only teach waste reduction and promote use of natural chemicals they walk their talk and convert waste into power! Their attention to detail and laid-back but attentive customer service tells you it’s run by professionals. From the turn down service where they leave you little inspirational quotes to letting the children go collect the eggs for their breakfast, it’s perfect!

We visited local markets in Fisherman’s village and tried plenty of local restaurants along the beach and a highlight of our stay was the visit to the ethical Samui Elephant Sanctuary, where they home rescued elephants, it was a privilege to meet these amazing animals and watch them bathe and to feed them. What an experience!

If you want to know more about Thailand or let me book your Thai adventure then get it touch!