Thailand With Family: 10 Lessons From Our Trip

The journeyFamily travel tips

Thailand had come up in our holiday discussions many times, and we kept dismissing it as a crowded beach destination. Well, we were wrong. Here are the things we learnt once we finally went.

These notes are from our 2018 family trip. Check current visa rules and prices separately.

In this article

• Thai Sojourn: Top 10 things to keep in Mind
• Item 1: Visa
• Item 2: Transportation
• Item 3: City hopping
• Item 4: Food
• Item 5: Money Exchange
• Item 6: Thai Massage
• Item 7: Dressing
• Item 8: Shopping
• Item 9: Kids
• Item 10: Beaches

A note on this archive story

From the travel archive, first published 22 Nov 2018. This is our experience at the time, not a current price or booking guide. Check opening hours, access, fares and services before making your own plans.

Thai Sojourn: Top 10 things to keep in Mind

There were many times when Thailand came in our vacation plans but somehow we always thought of it as a mere overcrowded beach destination. This time though as we were planning one of my friends said Thailand and I thought well let’s explore the place. And boy oh Boy (not the Bangkok one.. ahem ) was I in for a surprise. Quite unknown to most of the tourists especially from Indian sub-continent Thailand is a land of Temples dotted all along the northern side. Nature has endowed the place with pristine beaches on southern side but has also provided amazing hillocks up north much like India. The place is suited for all kind of budget travellers and can be customized to suit all. Every travel website thus is full of a variety of packages to Thailand. But having gone through all of them and after completing this trip I can guarantee about one thing, the best part of our vacation were places which were not part of any such packages.

Let me take you to Top 10 things you must know while planning for a Thai Vacation

Item 1: Visa

Entry rules were different when we made this trip in 2018. I have removed the old visa fee and queue instructions: check the Thai embassy or official immigration guidance for your passport and travel date before booking.

Tips:

Keep the documents required for your own entry category accessible on arrival.

Check the current document checklist rather than using our old one.

Ask airport staff which queue applies to your family.

Item 2: Transportation

Taxis and tuk-tuks were easy to find on our trip. We agreed the fare before getting in and did not have any major fare disputes. That is the part of the experience I would repeat; I would not assume every vehicle, driver or payment arrangement works the same way.

Tips:

1. Google Maps work like charm in Thailand to ensure your driver is sticking to the correct route.

Ask whether tolls and any surcharges are included in the quoted fare.

3. Always keep a buffer time whenever you are travelling on the road as the traffic is really bad and prone to long jams.

4. Always carry your hotel address in the local language as many cab drivers do not respond to the English addresses.

Confirm the meter or agreed fare before the journey begins.

Check the accepted payment method before setting off; do not assume a card will be accepted.

Airport pickup arrangements and surcharges can change. Use the current official airport instructions.

Item 3: City hopping

Although all the major cities have international connectivity but an equally impressive is connectivity amongst the cities. For easy travelling, there are a plethora of flights and it easy to plan ahead and save a lot in air travel. Major cities are also connected via Trains and make a great companion especially if you are travelling towards the northern Hill area of Chiang Mai and Rai. Selection of flight was a bit of challenge with the majority being low-cost carriers with one or another. For ease of reference see the following list -

Tips:

• Check the airport code on every booking: Bangkok flights may use Suvarnabhumi (BKK) or Don Mueang (DMK). Our old statement that all domestic flights use Don Mueang was incorrect.

Item 4: Food

Vegetarian food took more planning for our family. Asking only for 'no meat' was not precise enough for what we wanted, so I would spell out the ingredients to avoid, including fish sauce, seafood and meat stock. I also ate non-vegetarian food: one roadside chicken-wing stop, at 5 THB a piece on that trip, was spicy and moist just the way I liked it.

The one item not to be missed here are pancakes, keep looking for the stalls where they have an unlimited variety of fillings ranging from Nutella, chocolate, banana, coconut etc. They are literally mouthwatering and cost only 50 Baht or less. Another dish to try on is Mango sticky rice costing around 50 Baht and is made of sweetened rice and served with fresh mango slices on top of it. I bet you can’t eat just one.

Noodle Curry

Tips:

• Explain your dietary requirements and ask about sauces and stock as well as the visible ingredients.
• Try all fruit options here they are really very juicy and sweet.
• Must try local Thai cuisine there are some absolutely wonderful, they also have cooking classes for visitors.

Item 5: Money Exchange

We checked two exchange counters close to each other and found a difference of 300 baht for the same USD 100. Same money, same area, quite a different amount coming back. Glad we checked the second one before handing over the dollars.

These were the rates on our trip, not today's. Still, compare what you will actually get after any fees. It only takes a few minutes.

Item 6: Thai Massage

There were so many massage places that choosing one felt like its own research project. The prices I noted then were 300-500 THB, not a current quote. I would choose carefully rather than treating the cheapest sign as the deciding factor.

Item 7: Dressing

One friend arrived at a temple in a sleeveless dress and had to buy a T-shirt to enter. An extra layer in the day bag would have been a much simpler souvenir. Check the dress requirements of each religious site and follow the staff's guidance.

Item 8: Shopping

Convenience stores were useful for our everyday purchases. I liked being able to pick things up without turning every small errand into another stop on the itinerary. Store names, services and payment policies can change, so the old shopping notes are not a guarantee of what is available now.

For souvenirs, you can always visit Night markets of Bangkok, Krabi, Chiang Mai which have an amazing collection of clothes and accessories as well to really make it a great place to buy things. Bangkok on other hand has proper shopping malls like Siam Paragon etc. which suits the brand-conscious crowd as well.

Tips:

• We enjoyed browsing the markets. Leave enough time, take breaks and check opening days before making a special trip.
• For a weekday shopping plan, check the current hours of the specific market you intend to visit.
• The much publicized Khlong Lad Mayom Floating Market is good only if you have free time and for the experience of it only. You will be taken in a boat where vendors will have wooden boats filled with goods & souvenirs for sale.
• Do bargain in street markets, everything is open to your negotiation skills.

Item 9: Kids

We were warmly treated while travelling with our child, especially in Chiang Mai. That welcome is one of my strongest memories of northern Thailand. It does not mean every family day will go smoothly, but it certainly helped ours.

For a family trip, sort out your child's usual medicines and any medical questions with your clinician before departure. I have removed my earlier blanket claim about what Thai pharmacies sell for children.

Item 10: Beaches

Mind it if you really want to enjoy the beaches do not go on a package tour because that will mean thousands of boats all at the same time spoiling the beauty of the place. There are two types of boats which ply here one is Speedboat which will be bigger and faster and another will be Long Tail boats which will be slower. Depending upon your budget try booking the entire boat so as to enjoy beaches or snorkelling joints without the crowd.

If that is too much to ask then look for boats to lesser-known islands like Koh-Mood, Koh-Tao, Hong Island, Ko Nagai, Koh Chang, Koh Lanta etc. Most of these places have hotels to stay as well and will be really worth the time and effort in getting there. The difference will be clear when you see the colour of the water at these places as compared to Ao Nang or Phi Phi Island. 

What I would keep in mind

• Check the airport code on every flight, not just the city name.
• Agree the full price and inclusions before a taxi ride or excursion.

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