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Which should you visit in 2025 – Cambodia or Thailand with kids? Which country is best for family travel? How do you weigh up which country to travel to?
It can be hard planning a family holiday, especially if you are unfamiliar with a foreign country and have never visited before. May be you are trying to work out whether to visit either country? Or How long you should spend in each country?
We have visited both Cambodia and Thailand many times (solo and with our kids) and we have a lot of information and advice to share on both of these countries. In this article, we will help you weigh up Cambodia versus Thailand with a specific focus on family travel.
We will explore different areas of your experience, including facilities for families, food, accommodation, the cost of travel, and activities. Ultimately, the best choice for you will be personal to you and your family; however, we hope that we can inform you and equip you with the knowledge to help you make the best decision for you and your family.
Travelling with a baby? Don’t miss the full guide:
SOUTHEAST ASIA WITH KIDS – Which country in Southeast Asia is best with kids?
CAMBODIA WITH A BABY – Things to know before you travel Cambodia with a baby
THAILAND WITH A BABY – Things to know before you travel Thailand with a baby
Summary – Thailand & Cambodia for families
| Thailand | Cambodia |
| Wide range of activities (wildlife, elephants, jungles, waterfalls, beaches, islands and temples) Some kid friendly facilities (baby changing & baby chairs) Easy to find products for kids. Lots of 7-eleven stores. Plenty of international food options and lots of kid-friendly affordable local food. Good budget accommodation for families Amazing luxury resorts – great for families | Amazing iconic temples (Angkor Wat) Rare to find kid friendly facilities Good budget accommodation for families Street food is cheap with a few good options for kids. Plenty of international food in tourist locations. Hard to find products for kids. Few convenience stores around. |
What type of trip are you organizing?
If you are trying to work out whether to visit Thailand or Cambodia with kids, we would encourage you to spend some time thinking about what type of trip you are planning. For example, are you looking for a relaxing luxurious holiday? Are you looking for an adventurous and in-traffic trip, or are you hoping to have a trip that enables you to access and experience history and culture? Spend some time thinking about your goals and desires for your trip, and this will help you decide whether Cambodia or Thailand is the better choice for you.
1 Food and drinks
Food in Thailand is genuinely very affordable, creative, fresh, tasty, and healthy. There are a wide range of options, and it is very easy to find kid-friendly food in Thailand, even if you’re traveling on a budget. Thailand has such an impressive range of street food; you can find things like Sticky Rice, barbecue chicken, omelette, and you can even find kid-friendly Thai soup; this is called Tom ka (non-spicy tasty coconut noodle soup with seafood or chicken). You can also find tasty treats around Thailand such as Fried Chicken, brownies, and fresh fruit shakes.
There are plenty of markets selling a wide range of local food. In our opinion, Thailand is much better for food compared to Cambodia. In Cambodia, the street food is very affordable, but the variety, creativity, and taste are not as good as Thailand. If you’re traveling in Cambodia, you can find plenty of international food available in tourist hotspots, so you should be able to find cafes and restaurants offering dishes like pancakes, omelets, continental breakfast, burgers, chips, pizzas, and Italian food. International food in Cambodia is more expensive than local food; however, it is still relatively affordable. Most international dishes in Cambodia cost between $3 and $6. If food is a big part of your consideration, we recommend visiting Thailand with your kids.
2 Facilities for families
Cambodia is a developing country with very limited facilities for families. It’s very rare to find baby changing rooms in Cambodia, and it’s also rare to find cafes or restaurants with baby chairs. Although Thailand has better facilities and amenities for family travelers, Thailand also presents its own challenges. For example, it is rare to find baby changing rooms in Thailand (even though they are more common than in Cambodia). Baby chairs in cafes and restaurants are more common in Thailand; however, they are by no means available in every cafe and restaurant.
3 Shopping for kids
If you are traveling with kids, you may need to buy things along the way. For example, if you’re traveling with a baby, you may need to buy wet wipes and nappies. If you’re traveling with young kids, you will probably need a consistent and sufficient supply of snacks and drinks on the go. Thailand is a lot better for convenient stores compared to Cambodia. 7-Eleven convenience stores are extremely common in Thailand, and you can practically find a Seven-Eleven on every street corner.
The Seven-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand are also excellently stocked with family essentials such as nappies, wet wipes, toiletries, drinks, snacks, and even toys. In Cambodia, you can find some convenience stores; for example, there are even the occasional 7-Eleven convenience stores around. However, these are much less widespread, and they are also more expensive, so in general, it is a lot harder to find family-friendly products when you are traveling around Cambodia. It is still possible to buy things like nappies and wet wipes in Cambodia; you will just need to search a little more to find them.
4 Family-friendly accommodation
Thailand and Cambodia both offer great value for money when it comes to accommodation. It is possible to travel both countries on a low budget with kids. In both countries, you can find cheap guest houses with double, triple, and quadruple rooms. In both countries, rooms start at around $10 to $20. At this price range, you can generally get a room with a private bathroom and air conditioning. If you are looking for a more luxurious family holiday, we recommend Thailand.
At the luxury end, your money really does go a long way in Thailand, and you can find some very impressive resorts and hotels for kids. In Thailand, it is much more common to find luxury resorts offering club services, kids swimming pools, and kids playrooms. These types of facilities are much harder to find in Cambodia. So if you are planning a luxury family holiday, then we recommend Thailand rather than Cambodia.
Example: Compare The Best Family Hotels in Siem Reap VS Family Friendly Resorts in Phuket
5 Transportation for families
Transportation in both Thailand and Cambodia is relatively cheap and pretty convenient. However, in our experience, transportation in Thailand is a little bit more developed and, therefore, more family-friendly. Thailand is a larger country with more transportation options. You can also use taxi apps in Thailand (Grab and Bolt are the best taxi apps in Thailand). If you are taking short journeys in Cambodia, the best way to get around is by tuk-tuk; this is a cheap, fun, and family-friendly option. You can negotiate a price with a local driver and enjoy exploring. Find out more about tuk tuks in Cambodia.
6 Family-friendly activities
Thailand and Cambodia both have their fair share of epic and amazing activities. If you are interested in exploring the iconic Angkor Wat temples, then you will need to visit Cambodia. However, Thailand is a much bigger country with a much broader range of activities. Whether you want to explore the intrepid Hill Country of the north or enjoy the beautiful beaches and islands of the south, Thailand really does have a lot of unique destinations and amazing activities to offer. Thailand also has a larger range of activities and attractions directed towards families. For example, you can find Adventure parks, theme parks, and indoor playrooms throughout Thailand. In contrast, kid-friendly activities are much less common and harder to find in Cambodia.
Don’t miss these Epic activities in Thailand with kids. ALSO get a feel for the type of activities you can do with kids – check out our full guide on the best things to do in Siem Reap with kids.
Summary: Which country is better for family travel?
Thailand is a better country for family travel. It is more developed, there is a wider range of activities and attractions, and it is easy to find kid-friendly food and buy stuff for kids. The overall family travel experience is a lot nicer in Thailand. Thailand does have the disadvantage of being very popular, and therefore, it can feel crowded and intense at times. In contrast, Cambodia is more challenging for family travel. However, Angkor Wat may well be worth the visit alone. If you do have the opportunity, we do recommend visiting both Cambodia and Thailand. It is possible to travel between Thailand and Cambodia overland in one day, and this is a relatively cheap journey. So if you get the chance to travel both Cambodia and Thailand then we highly recommend this.
