Depending on where you are in the world, Thailand may seem like a distant destination too inconvenient and too expensive to visit as a family, especially if you have young children. Isn’t Thailand just for solo backpackers and digital nomads?
Thailand is a great family travel destination, with many natural wonders, beautiful temples, great food, and plenty of family-friendly activities that won’t break the bank.
There are many reasons why you should take your family to Thailand. Here are 10 of them!
1) Thai people love children
In some countries you might get stared at if you walk around in public with loud kids, but not in Thailand. Thai people love children and they will coo to your child as if your child is part of their family.
Children and pregnant women have priority seating on public transport. If you seem to be having trouble pushing a stroller or carrying too much with your child, Thais will be eager to help you.
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Although the United States and Canada have Children’s Day, in most of Asia, including Thailand, it has a much greater significance. Celebrated on the second Saturday in January, Children’s Day is a huge event with plenty of activities for children in malls, parks and museums. Children can also ride the MRT subway and BTS Skytrain for free on the day.
2) Thailand is cheap
Flights here may not be cheap, but once you’re here, you’ll find things like food, hotels, spas and transportation cost a fraction of what it would cost in North America or Europe.
Imported goods may be more expensive than domestic ones due to high import taxes, but if you buy locally, you’ll live better for less.
Simply put, you can get a one-hour Thai massage for 300 baht, or $8.89. Prices for street food range from $0.89 to $2.96 per snack or meal, depending on what you get. Taking a taxi in Bangkok will cost about the same, depending on traffic conditions and where you’re going.
A lovely boutique hotel in Thonglor, Bangkok’s affluent district, filled with trendy shops, bars, restaurants and cafes, will cost about $43.90 a night for a family of three. You can easily find cheaper hotels in other conveniently located neighborhoods.
3) There are 1,430 islands
Thailand is full of beautiful islands that are cheap and easy to get to. If you want to go somewhere near Bangkok, you can go to Koh Samed which is about 3-4 hours drive away. You can get there by bus, van or private taxi with prices starting from $10 per person. From the pier, you can take a regular boat or a speedboat, which costs about US$6 and up.
Samed is a small island with white sandy beaches, beautiful bungalows, snorkelling and good bars and restaurants. This is a favorite weekend and holiday getaway for expats and locals living in Bangkok.
If you’re willing to travel a little longer, you can check out Koh Chang, which is about a 6-7 hour drive from Bangkok. “Chang” means elephant in Thai, so there are many elephants there. Unfortunately, the elephants are forced to carry tourists on their backs. It is cruel. Please avoid it. The island itself is modest in size and full of quiet and bustling beaches, giving you the complete tropical island experience.
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You can also hop on a plane and head to southern Thailand for $40-$100 a ticket, visiting the southern islands with their prettier beaches and amazing wildlife, including sea turtles and whale sharks.
You should check out Koh Phangan, it’s the full moon party island, but it also has a nice wellness and yoga community in the west called Srithanu. The sunsets are stunning and you can hike to two different waterfalls which are more of a cascade but still beautiful.
For snorkeling and diving, head to Koh Lipe where you can spot sea turtles and whale sharks.if you want to feel like leonardo dicaprio beach, and then head to Maya Bay on Phi Phi Island where the movie was filmed. It has become a popular tourist attraction and a perfect IG photo op.
These are just a few of the many cool islands in Thailand that are worth visiting.
3) Traveling around Thailand is cheap
Bangkok has cheap public transport such as the BTS Skytrain and the subway system MRT. Taxis are also cheap. If you want to travel around Thailand, you have options such as vans, trains, buses and private taxis as well as cheap domestic flights.
4) You can travel around Southeast Asia for less than a Disney trip
At over $1,000 a day for a family of 4, Disneyland is ridiculously expensive right now! From Thailand, you can fly to another country in Asia for $40-200 per person. You can book cheap flights to countries like Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia, China and Malaysia. You can check AirAsia and NokAir to see prices.
5) Your kids will love celebrating Thai festivals
Thai culture has a rich history dating back thousands of years. Since the Thai people were never colonized, they are able to keep their ancient traditions alive and celebrate many beautiful festivals throughout the year.
If you can be here during the hottest, most humid time of the year, your family should experience Songkran, the Thai New Year, usually celebrated for 3-7 days sometime in April. Dates vary by Gregorian calendar.
Songkran is celebrated by going to Buddhist temples to pour water on the Buddha. A nationwide water war ensued using buckets, water guns and hoses. In the country’s tourist hotspots, such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai, there are usually big street parties, music and lots of water. There’s also a lot of boozing and craziness, but there are also family-friendly celebrations.
6) Thai food is incredible
Thai food is a popular cuisine around the world, and for good reason. It is very tasty and delicious. Interestingly, even though Pad Thai is the most popular Thai dish outside of Thailand, you won’t find much outside of tourist areas, as Thais rarely eat it.
Some must-try dishes include som tam (papaya salad), tom yam soup, khao soi (a delicious curry noodle soup from northern Thailand), pad see-ew (fried flat rice noodles with your choice of protein vegetables) and mango sticky rice.
99% of Thai food is spicy, so if you can’t take spicy, be sure to say “mai ped”.
7) Your family can go on a real jungle adventure
If you have adventurers in your family who enjoy trekking, zip lining and rafting, or you just want to hike and see some cool tropical animals, you can go trekking in Chiang Mai or visit places like Kui Buri National Park Such a natural park is a great place to watch wild elephants.
There is also a national park in Kanchanaburi province along the famous River Kwai. Kanchanaburi has family-friendly attractions like visiting temples, hiking waterfalls, shopping at night markets, and visiting various historical sites.
8) There are many cheap outdoor and night markets
Despite the heat most of the year, outdoor markets are very popular in Thailand. In Bangkok, you can visit Chatuchak Weekend Market, the largest weekend market in the world. It’s the perfect place to buy cheap clothes, souvenirs, toys, handicrafts and just about anything else you could ever need.
Night markets are common throughout Thailand and are a great way to experience Thai culture. Bangkok has many great night markets selling everything from food to cheap children’s toys.
Fresh markets are also popular, offering cheaper and fresher produce than supermarkets. There are also many cheap street food stalls. If you’re in Bangkok, you can visit the large fresh market in Klong Toei, or just walk around any neighborhood in Thailand and find one.
9) The mall is amazing
When you live in a hot country, the mall is your best friend! Not only is it air-conditioned, Bangkok also has some incredible high-end malls that are perfect for families.
You can take a free ferry across the Chao Phraya River to Icon Siam, the best mall I’ve ever seen. There is a large Thai handicraft area on the first floor, which has many good places to take pictures.
EmQuartier is a luxury mall with a free indoor water garden leading to the best Starbucks ever. You can enjoy the city view right in front of Starbucks.
10) There are activities for kids everywhere
No matter where you are in Thailand, it’s easy to find activities for kids.Your kids can explore nature, hang out at the beach, have fun at the water park, head to the Dreamworld theme park or relax at the Unicorn Cafe In Bangkok.
If you want some much-needed air-conditioned time, take the kids to Bangkok’s Children’s Discovery Museum or Pattaya’s Art in Paradise.
Whether you want relaxation or adventure, you can find it in Thailand and create great memories with your whole family.
