Unique Family Experiences in Thailand

Arriving in Bangkok after a long international flight from London Gatwick, I headed straight out for an evening food tour! We travelled around the city by tuk-tuk, stopping off at around six different spots, each with a new and tasty treat to try. It was a great introduction to Thai food and helped me to find places I’d like to return to over the following days. The tour ended with a refreshing drink in a local bar. The best part about the tour, aside from the amazing food, was that you get your bearings in the city as you travel between places, whizzing past highlights such as The Grand Palace, an unexpected bonus.

One of my favourite parts about this trip was that there were NO domestic flights. When I’m travelling with my family, flights can be a bit of a challenge and best kept to a minimum in my experience, so I was pleasantly surprised when I heard this trip would involve overland and ferries only. I find land-travel much more enjoyable as you are immersed in the landscapes and see so much more of the country than flying above it over the clouds. My first train experience was in Bangkok where I was impressed with the general cleanliness and efficiency of the station. Finding my train and buying tickets was super easy and, before I knew it, I was on my way to Pak Chong. The journey took around three hours and I watched as scenes of the city’s hustle and bustle transformed into lush rolling hills and small local villages.

The highlight of my entire trip was definitely visiting Khao Yai National Park. I hadn’t heard much about it beforehand, so had no expectations, but I was blown away by the amount of wildlife I saw and the experience overall was amazing. I was lucky enough to see gibbons, pigtail macaws, porcupines and snakes. After driving through the park, we took a short trek into the jungle, seeing incredible ancient trees and some huge spiders! As we were leaving the park, our guide got a call from one of the rangers saying elephants had been spotted, so we drove like the wind to get a glimpse of these gentle giants. When we arrived at the spot, we immediately saw the baby elephant and heard its mother calling out for her calf. It was a magical moment. Then, just as our adrenaline had subsided we were lucky enough to stumble upon another elephant by the side of the road! Our guide says they usually spot elephants on 60% of the tours she hosts, so that’s a fairly high chance.

The Isaan region of Thailand is known for its warm hospitality, traditional way of life and unique cuisine. As it’s relatively off-the-beaten-track, you’ll find more authentic and local experiences here compared to the more mainstream spots in Thailand. A friendly Thai lady came to collect us on her scooter with a side trailer – a super fun, authentic way of getting around this area. We travelled into the vast rice fields, passing rural communities going about their business and learning about the local way of life on a small village tour. After a delicious traditional lunch, we headed to Phanom Rung and explored its ancient temples from the Khmer era, which used to be connected to Angkor Wat.

A trip to Thailand would not be complete without some beach time so, at the end of this trip, I hopped over to the sandy shores of Ko Samet, easily accessed from Bangkok in 4-5 hours by transfer and ferry. Due to its proximity to the city, the island is popular with locals. However, it’s still possible to find little slices of quiet, untouched paradise along the white sandy beaches and, compared to some of the other more popular islands, this one is definitely on the peaceful side. Sai Kaew Beach (where I stayed) is vibrant and full of life, with buzzing restaurants and water sports activities by day and lively bars and fireshows on the beach by night. I know my family would love to stay here, paddleboarding on the crystal clear waters and exploring the island’s forested areas and I’m so excited for our next holiday together!