Best time for a family to go to Thailand

Miss out on spending time with local people. Thailand's traditional hill tribes, including the Karen and the Hmong, speak a multitude of languages and wear colourful dress. It’s an unforgettable cultural experience for older children to stay with a local hill tribe family, helping with their conservation activities and enjoying the gorgeous mountain scenery they have called home for centuries. Conditions will be basic but provide invaluable insight into a disappearing way of life. When visiting Thailand, don’t shut yourself away at a beach resort. Sure, the cocktails, spa treatments and kids club can seem pretty appealing, but when you’re in a country as diverse and dynamic as this it would be practically criminal not to explore further. Head for the jungle, mountains and culturally rich cities, sleep in village homestays and learn more about the history. And if you do stay at the beach, opt for a locally owned hotel or guesthouse, so you can be sure that your cash goes into the local economy. It may seem like a must-do activity for kids but please don’t ride an elephant while you’re in Thailand. They're still wild animals and need to be "broken" to take tourists on rides or perform in shows. Try and volunteer with them instead. You could, for example, visit or volunteer at the Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand. This sanctuary acts as a ‘retirement home’ for rescued elephants and is considered a pioneer in the treatment of captive elephants.

Amy Poulton, from our supplier Wayfairer Travel:
“Thai people love children so if you’re travelling with your little ones you can expect to receive lots of attention from locals. Thailand is a great destination for families because there is so much to see and do, from meeting elephants at an elephant sanctuary and jungle trekking exploration in the north, to exciting tuk-tuk sightseeing tours in big cities. Hotels are very accommodating for families and many have their own activity schedule specifically for children, especially in beach resort locations. It’s also common to have children stay for free or for an extra bed to be added to a room at a small cost. Some hotels even have promotions, where if you book a second room just for your children, there is a big discount.”

Lesley Schofield, from our supplier All Points East:
“Thailand is great for families, especially when you get a bit off the beaten track and away from the main tourist destinations. It has exceptionally friendly people; wonderful food; variety of activities from canoeing and kayaking, jungle hikes, snorkelling; good weather; a very difficult culture to our own; good food hygiene if you stick to local food; good safety standards with activities.”

Amy Poulton from Wayfairer Travel:
“Teenagers will love Thailand’s national parks, which are like natural adventure playgrounds. White water rafting, jungle trekking, lake kayaking, camping and waterfall chasing in national parks such as Erawan, Khao Sok and Khao Tai are great for active teenagers.

One great thing to do for the whole family is a homestay experience. This usually involves a trekking expedition with an overnight stay with a local family who have kids of their own. This is a truly enlightening experience and another great opportunity for cultural exchange that provides a more authentic and meaningful travel experience.”

Lesley Schofield, from All Points East:
“Depending on how adventurous the children are at home, they can try local famous dishes such as Pad Thai and fried rice – Pad Kapow was my own son’s favourite as a child. Many of the beach resorts will also grill whole local fish, and French fries are usually available! We find on escorted tours the children tend to be a little more adventurous egged on by their local guides. Much easier to say “I don’t like” that to Mum and Dad than it is to a Thai national who is suggesting one of their favourite dishes. Failing that, who doesn’t like satay?!”

Amy Poulton, from Wayfairer Travel:
“Some Thai dishes can seem spicy to those unused to Asian spices in their diets, but we find that kids love to be daring and try the spiciest dishes, even if it’s just a mouthful! However, simple fried rice or noodle dishes (such as delicious pad thai) aren’t spicy at all and perfect if you’re looking for something mild.

Thai sweets are very unique, and there are lots of fruits to try that kids might not have seen before, such as dragonfruit, papaya, mangosteen, longyan, as well as fresh mango and pineapple (the smell of durian will certainly leave an impression as well!)

Street food is a quintessential Thai experience, but if you’re concerned about street food, be sure to stick to the rules to only buy from busy vendors and trust your instincts about how fresh the food is, especially if it’s not covered. Snacks such as fried banana or coconut pancakes go down great with children and are usually cooked fresh in front of your eyes.”