Thailand is a dream destination for travelers, but what’s it like to visit with a child? Many parents wonder whether Thailand is a suitable place for little ones. The answer is: absolutely! However, good preparation is key. Below, you’ll find 10 helpful tips to make organizing your trip easier and ensure that your adventure in Thailand with a child is truly stress-free.
Why travel to Thailand?
When we first started traveling ten years ago, we set off to Thailand with our student budget and backpacks for three weeks. It was love at first sight. Thailand is an incredibly beautiful country, with stunning sandy beaches, the vibrant city of Bangkok, lush green Chiang Mai, and warm, welcoming locals. Since that first trip, we’ve explored different parts of Southeast Asia nearly every year, falling deeper in love with the region’s unique blend of culture, tradition, and natural beauty.
Thailand: Railay beach
When Jon joined our family, choosing our first overseas destination was easy – Thailand. And for good reason. Thailand isn’t just a top travel destination; it’s also incredibly family-friendly. It offers easy accessibility, safety, and hospitality – all crucial factors when traveling with a child. The country is easy to explore, has plenty of family-friendly accommodations, and provides cultural experiences that are both educational and fun.
1. Thai people love children
Thai people are exceptionally friendly and hospitable, especially toward children. Expect smiles, greetings, and even small gifts at restaurants. They have a very positive attitude toward kids, and locals are often eager to help or entertain them.
Before traveling, we had read that locals could sometimes be a bit “overly affectionate” with children—picking them up or carrying them around. However, our experience was entirely positive and never intrusive. People would wave at Jon, chat with us, or occasionally tickle his tiny feet. Everywhere we went, we encountered kindness: locals helped carry our stroller up stairs, brought Jon bananas, and held doors open for us. Such hospitality is something we could easily get used to back home too!
2. The best time to Vvisit Thailand with a child
The dry season, from November to April, is the best time to visit. There’s little to no monsoon rain, temperatures are more pleasant, and the sea is calm. It’s best to avoid the hot summer months and the rainy season, as heavy downpours can limit outdoor activities. However, don’t let the rain discourage you—it usually lasts just an hour or two before everything goes back to normal.
3. What to pack?
You can find almost everything in Thailand, but some baby essentials are either expensive or hard to find. It’s best to bring enough diapers, wet wipes, baby creams, and emergency medications. Diapers and wipes are available in nearly every 7-Eleven, but if your child has sensitive skin, bring your own. We never had issues, but we always packed diapers just in case. Also, don’t forget high-quality sunscreen (expensive in Thailand) and mosquito repellent.
4. Food and drinks for kids
Thai food is amazing and perfectly suitable for kids. While Thai cuisine is known for its spiciness, most restaurants offer non-spicy options. If you like spicy food, you’ll find chili sauces on the table, but always specify “no spice” when ordering for children.
Popular kid-friendly dishes include rice and noodle-based meals with chicken or other meats. There’s also an abundance of fruit, smoothies, fruit salads, and egg-based breakfast options. Tap water in Thailand isn’t safe to drink, so always stick to bottled water.
We follow a simple food rule: eat where the locals eat. This guarantees fresh and tasty meals. So far, we’ve never had any stomach issues (knock on wood!). We avoid fancy restaurants and instead seek out street vendors preparing delicious Pad Thai, which we enjoy on plastic chairs in the middle of the street.
For younger kids, consider bringing fruit pouches and instant baby cereals. While available in Thailand, they’re pricey (about €2–2.5 each), and baby food jars like purees are hard to find.
5. Health and safety
Thailand is a safe and well-developed country, so there’s no need for extensive preparations. However, travel insurance is a must since medical services for foreigners can be costly. Always carry a basic medical kit for both you and your child.
I always pack painkillers, throat lozenges, band-aids, tweezers, and aloe vera. In our child’s medical kit, we bring fever-reducing suppositories, a thermometer, saline solution, cough syrup, and a nasal aspirator. Medicines in Asia are generally cheap, and many can be found in regular stores.
6. Transportation in Thailand
The most convenient way to get around cities is by taxi or the Grab app, though most taxis don’t have car seats. This is something to keep in mind when traveling in Asia. For short distances, tuk-tuks are a fun option, while for longer distances, domestic flights are quick and affordable.
7. Best Beaches for kids
Some Thai beaches have strong currents, so it’s important to choose family-friendly locations. The best options include Kata Beach (Phuket), Ao Nang (Krabi), and the beaches on Koh Lanta, where the sea is calm, and there’s plenty of shade.
We always look for hotels with pools since it’s often more convenient for splashing around than the beach.
Thailand: Phuket
8. Activities for kids
Thailand offers many family-friendly activities, including aquariums, water parks, temple complexes, and ethical elephant sanctuaries like the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai.
Although Thailand has plenty of attractions for children, sometimes the best entertainment is simply playing on the beach. Bring a small bucket and shovel for sandcastle fun! If you forget, you can easily buy them in Thailand.
9. Protection from mosquitoes and the sun
Mosquitoes can be a nuisance, so use repellents and dress children in light, long-sleeved clothing. Thailand’s sun is intense, so proper sun protection is essential—use high-quality sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses.
For adults, I recommend Autan Tropical repellent with a high DEET percentage. For kids, the milder versions available back home work well. That said, we only encountered mosquitoes in one location and didn’t even need repellent for most of our trip.
Thailand: Phi Phi
10. Flexibility is key
Traveling to Thailand with a child can be an amazing experience, but it’s important to adapt your plans to your child’s rhythm. Allow for rest and don’t try to visit too many places at once. Less is more when it comes to stress-free travel!
We spent 16 days in Thailand and changed locations five times. That may seem like a lot, but we’re not the type of family to stay in one place for long. We initially planned everything in detail, but soon realized that rigid itineraries don’t work for us. Instead, we prefer to “go with the flow” and decide as we go.
Every parent, child, and family is different
What works for us might not necessarily work for you. One thing we always stick to on every trip is making sure our child gets his sleep when it’s time. Sleeping in the stroller wasn’t ideal for him—there was simply too much going on to keep him interested—so we always planned nap times in the hotel room, where he could rest peacefully. This meant we saw a bit less than we might have otherwise, but when traveling with a child, adapting is essential.
For the same reason, we avoided full-day excursions. A long boat trip with hours of swimming under the scorching sun, with nowhere to take a break, wouldn’t have been enjoyable for us or our child. Instead, we chose to pay more for a private boat tour, allowing us to start early in the morning and return before the peak heat of the day—just in time to cool off under the air conditioning (like our trip to Phi Phi Islands).
… our conclusion
Our experience traveling to Thailand with a child was amazing, and we highly recommend it as a great destination for a first trip outside of Europe. Thailand is easy to explore, family-friendly, affordable, and, most importantly, safe. With its paradise islands, rich culture, delicious food, and welcoming locals, it offers an unforgettable experience for both little and big travelers. If you’re considering traveling with a child, Thailand is truly a fantastic choice—we’ll definitely be back (hopefully soon!).
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