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Thailand is one of the best countries in the world for family travel. So what are the best destinations in Thailand for family travel in 2025?
If you’re planning a trip to Thailand with your kids, you may be trying to work out the best family-friendly destinations in Thailand. Choosing the right destinations is the first step in planning any epic travel itinerary. If you’re planning to travel with kids, you need to get it right – especially if you are investing a lot in a once-in-a-lifetime family trip.
Traveling to a new country is both exciting and challenging, especially if you are bringing kids along for the ride. Picking the right destination can be the difference between a dream family holiday and a family holiday flop. And Thailand really does have such an impressive variety of destinations – it’s hard to know where to start!
We have lived in Thailand with our kids and traveled the country extensively. We absolutely love Thailand for family travel; it really does have a lot to offer. In this article, we’re going to reveal the absolute best destinations in Thailand for travel with kids. So that this article is helpful to as many people as possible, we have selected a range of destinations for different trip types and different families. Please read this article carefully, because we really do have a lot of top tips and experience to share. Hopefully, this article will be your first step in planning a dream family holiday to Thailand.
Summary – Best Destinations in Thailand for Family
| Type of Family | Type of Holiday | |
| Phuket | Young kids, First time in Asia | Beach, Luxury Resorts, Nature, Culture, Island hopping, Surfing |
| Koh Phangan | Young kids, Some Asia Experience, Adventure lovers | Beach, Island life, Trekking, Nature, Adventure |
| Krabi | Active, Adventure lovers, Nature lovers, New to Asia | Beaches, Trekking, Hot spring, Mangroves, Viewpoints, Jungle Lagoons & Island hopping |
| Bangkok | City life, Culture & food lovers | Culture, Markets, Street Food, Malls & connect to other destinations |
| Chiang Mai | Adventurous families, Families with teens | Waterfalls, Jungle, Hot springs, Wildlife, Temples, Culture, Markets, Street Food |
Why is Thailand a Good Destination for Family Travel?
Thailand is one of the best countries in the world for family travel. It is beautiful, affordable, and packed with natural beauty and adventure. There are loads of amazing things to do for families, and some amazing destinations. Here are a few reasons that Thailand is so good for family travel:
- Low prices – Many things in Thailand are delightfully cheap (including accommodation, food, and transportation).
- Plenty of kid-friendly food – Although Thailand has a reputation for super spicy curries, you can also find plenty of kid-friendly food around. It is very easy to find bread, snacks, sticky rice, fruit, coconuts, fish, chicken, and non-spicy noodle dishes.
- Family-friendly accommodation – Thailand has an abundance of affordable, family-friendly accommodation with excellent facilities and amenities for families, and plenty of family rooms and suites.
- Plenty of convenience stores – Thailand is the land of 7-Elevens. You can almost find a 7-Eleven on every street corner. In Thailand, 7-Elevens are very well-stocked with everything you need for kids, including small travel-size nappy packs, snacks, drinks, and even toys.
- Lots of swimming pools – According to my 4-year-old, one of his favorite things about Thailand is the number of swimming pools. Almost every hotel and guest house has an outdoor swimming pool, so if your family loves to take a splash, you will love Thailand.
- Warm, welcoming culture – Thai people have a reputation for being warm and welcoming. This is particularly true for families. We have found local Thai people to be remarkably friendly, welcoming, and hospitable with our children.
Work out Your Goals and Priorities
So what are the best Destinations in Thailand for Family? Before you commit to a specific destination in Thailand, it is worth working out your goals and priorities. Are you looking for a relaxing beach holiday? Are you interested in embracing street food and culture? Or are you looking for an adventurous trip with active teenagers? In this article, we will suggest a range of destinations so that you can find the perfect place for your family. We also recommend that you consider specific activities or attractions.
Consider the experiences that you and your kids dream about. Have you always hoped to visit an elephant sanctuary? Are you interested in seeing some intrepid jungle waterfalls? Would you like to learn to dive or freedive? What about trekking to see hill tribes? Thailand really does have so much to offer. Start with the experiences that you dream about and work backwards. For each of the destinations that we share in this article, we will also share some of the best things to do in the area.
What is it Like to Travel Around Thailand with Kids?
When it comes to travel in Thailand, you really are spoiled for choice. Thailand has so many epic destinations to choose from. You may want to visit everywhere. Ultimately, you will need to balance your trip and pick a suitable pace for your family. For example, if you have two weeks in Thailand, you don’t want to lose more than a day or two to transit around the country. Not only is it more expensive to transit around the country, you will also lose travel time, and it can be particularly tiring doing a lot of travel with kids. If you have two weeks in Thailand, we recommend picking one or two destinations for your trip (in our opinion, trying to see more destinations than this would detract from your experience and be tiring).
Travel between destinations in Thailand is relatively cheap and easy. If you’re traveling on a low budget, we highly recommend the night train. Not only is this a fun and unique experience, it is also relatively affordable. Taking a night train also saves the cost of one night’s accommodation in a hotel (because you sleep on the train – they have beds and private cabins available). Taking a night train also saves precious travel time in Thailand (completing your journey in night hours rather than daytime). If the night train is not for you, you can also take relatively affordable domestic flights around Thailand; watch out for cheap flights on budget airlines like Scoot and AirAsia.
Here are the BEST Destinations in Thailand for Family Travel…
1 Phuket
Here is a picture of Black Rock viewpoint at the south tip of Phuket. Even though Phuket is popular you can still get off-the-beaten-track and find tranquil beauty spots like this…
FIND A PLACE TO STAY Don’t miss some of these Amazing Phuket Hotels with Private Swimming Pools
Phuket is a very popular and iconic destination in Thailand. There are so many great things to do in Phuket with kids. This is one of the safer options for families. Phuket is relatively developed; it has plenty of shopping malls, coffee shops, western food restaurants, and family-friendly activities (this includes water parks and indoor play spaces). There is also a lot of great family-friendly accommodation here across the full budget range. In our opinion, Phuket is a great option if you are traveling with younger kids. It is also a fantastic option if this is your first visit to Thailand (or to Asia). Phuket is one of the best destinations in Thailand for a luxury family holiday.
There are some amazing luxurious family-friendly resorts in Phuket (especially in the northwest of the island). If you are a nature-loving family, there are also some beautiful waterfalls, fantastic trekking, and you can visit an ethical elephant sanctuary. We also highly recommend a visit to the Big Buddha statue; from here, you can enjoy breathtaking views over the south of the island. Phuket is also a great destination for a beach holiday. There are plenty of family friendly beaches to choose from; each beach has its own vibe and advantages. We are particularly fond of Kata Bay; this is a great spot for surfing, snorkeling, and sea kayaking. We also love the Nai Han beach area (this is a particularly popular destination for families and it has a lovely chilled-out vibe).
If you’re looking for a quieter and more remote beach, then check out Freedom Beach or Banana Beach. If you are looking for something adventurous, you can also take an island-hopping trip to Phang Nga Bay and visit the iconic James Bond Island. Phuket is also great for surfing and snorkeling (depending on the season). If you’re looking for some culture and street food, don’t miss Phuket Town (in our opinion, Phuket Town is massively underrated).
As a popular destination, Phuket is also a great place to meet other families and travelers; it has a sociable, good vibe and there is plenty of nightlife (especially around Patong Beach). Phuket is also a great destination if you are hoping to visit Krabi or the Khao Sok National Park. As a relatively popular hub, Phuket is easy to travel to and from; it has a relatively large airport (domestic flights and international flights from the airport).
Be aware that there are some risks in the water around here; there is a risk of jellyfish encounters throughout the year, and the waves can also be very strong, especially along the west coast. Watch out for strong ocean currents. If your family loves to swim, then we recommend booking a hotel or guest house with a swimming pool (many places to stay have an outdoor swimming pool). Hopefully you can now see why we think Phuket is one of the best destinations in Thailand for Family holidays.
2 Koh Phangan
Looking for a splash of paradise, check out Bottle Beach. This lovely beach swing is situated on Bottle beach. A trip to Bottle Beach is a great adventure with kids….
FIND A PLACE TO STAY Don’t miss these Amazing Luxury Resorts in Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan is one of our favorite destinations for family travel (not just in Thailand but anywhere in the world). We love this island so much we can’t stop going back. Koh Phangan is best known for its full moon beach parties. So you may suspect that this is not the best destination for families. However, Koh Phangan is an absolute hidden gem in the world of family travel.
As a small and beautiful island, Koh Phangan has stunning scenery, beautiful beaches, amazing food, and lots of things to see and do. Koh Phangan is not as developed as Phuket. However, you can still get lots of things on the island; there are several big supermarkets and plenty of 7-Eleven convenience stores. You can buy everything you need (including snacks, drinks, toys, nappies, baby wipes, baby milk, and much more). There are a lot of excellent attractions for families in Koh Phangan. On this island, you can see wild monkeys and visit an elephant sanctuary.
If you’re traveling with younger kids, there are several play spaces around the island (don’t miss the play spaces at Big C and Messy House close to the pier in Thong Sala). We also love the weekly Night Market. On Saturday night, you can go to the night market in the main town (Thong Sala), and on Sunday night, you can go to the Night Market on the pier in Chaloklum (which is situated on the north coast of the island). There is plenty of fresh, tasty, affordable, kid-friendly food in the Night Market, and you can even do kid-friendly activities such as painting sculptures.
Koh Phangan is a relatively popular destination and it is very easy to meet other families (although it is worth pointing out that Koh Phangan is not as popular or busy as Phuket). If you are an adventurous family, we highly recommend trekking to Bottle Beach (if jungle trekking is not your thing, you can also take a taxi boat).
There are also a couple of epic waterfalls on the island: Phaeng Noi Waterfall and Paradise Waterfall. Koh Phangan also has plenty of epic restaurants; you can find lots of delicious, affordable local food and plenty of international cafes and restaurants in Koh Phangan. It is very easy to find kid-friendly food around. Koh Phangan can be a little bit expensive and awkward to travel around; there are not any buses, and the Grab taxi app does not work in Koh Phangan. Don’t miss our guide to getting around in Koh Phangan.
Therefore, you will need to rely on Songthaews (taxi buses); these are relatively expensive. Alternatively, consider car rental on the island. You can find deals starting at around 600 baht per day (roughly £12 or $15). Unfortunately, there are a lot of very dangerous jellyfish in the waters around Koh Phangan. You can have a jellyfish encounter at any time of year, and there are several fatalities a year in the waters around Koh Phangan. If your family loves to swim, make sure that you book a hotel with a swimming pool. Koh Phangan is also slightly tricky to reach.
The nearest international airport is situated on Koh Samui (a neighboring island). If you’re traveling from Bangkok, you will need to take a night train and then take a boat from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan. This can be a challenging and tiring journey, especially if you are traveling with young kids. Koh Phangan is a great destination for diving and freediving. It is also relatively easy to travel to Koh Samui or Koh Tao. In our opinion Koh Phangan is one of the most under-rated destinations in Thailand for Family travel!
3 Krabi
Take a taxi boat to Railay beach – this is a spectacular ride for kids and they use the iconic longtail boats as a standard so you can get your classic Thailand family travel pics!
FIND A PLACE TO STAY Don’t miss The BEST Family Hotels in Krabi
BEFORE YOU READ ON – Krabi is both a town and an entire province. We recommend staying in the Ao Nang area (close to Krabi town). Find out more about the best areas to stay in Krabi.
If you’re looking for a combination of beautiful beaches, stunning scenery, and amazing activities, we highly recommend Krabi. This beautiful town is situated on the southeast coast of Thailand. As a destination, Krabi combines many of the advantages of North and South Thailand in one location. South Thailand has a reputation for beautiful beaches; Krabi has stunning beaches surrounded by dramatic, steep limestone cliffs. The north of Thailand is well known for jungle wildlife, natural beauty, waterfalls, and trekking. Krabi also has all of these things. So, if you’re planning a family holiday to Thailand and you want to tick all of the boxes, Krabi really does have a lot to offer.
Here are some of the best things to do in the area. Make sure that you take a taxi boat to the Railay Beach area. The taxi boats are the iconic long-tail boats (so you can get that awesome Thailand family holiday photo). This is a very beautiful beach area to explore. Princess Cave is a particularly nice spot for families. If you’re traveling with active and adventurous teenagers, you can go rock climbing in the area, and you can also take an intrepid jungle trek to a hidden lagoon near Railay Beach.
You can also take an island-hopping trip in Krabi. This is great for kids of all ages. If you are looking for an adventure, then we highly recommend a visit to Tiger Cave Temple (a challenging steep up hill trek), the Emerald Lagoon, and the Krabi Hotspring. You can also find some stunning places to go kayaking around Krabi. If you’re visiting Krabi with kids, don’t miss the epic Jungle Treehouse Cafe (this is very unique and a lot of fun). There is also an elephant sanctuary in the area. Krabi is a popular tourist destination. There is plenty of family-friendly food around. As ever, there are also plenty of convenience stores around.
You can also find a lot of family-friendly accommodation in Krabi. (Although if you are looking for luxury resorts with amazing family-friendly facilities, we recommend Phuket over Krabi.) There really is a lot to love about Krabi. However, there are a few disadvantages to this area. Krabi is a very popular tourist destination. It is busy throughout the year and can feel overcrowded.
What’s more, the popularity of Krabi results in higher prices and a less authentic local experience. It is hard to find authentic local food in the area (most of the local food in Krabi is overpriced and is made for a Western palate). Overall, Krabi is very beautiful with lots of things to see and do. However, it is overcrowded and overpriced compared to other areas of Thailand. Krabi is a great destination to visit Khao Sok National Park, Koh Phi Phi, Phuket, Koh Lanta. You can also travel to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, or Koh Tao in a day.
4 Bangkok
Exploring temples in Bangkok is a great activity for families….
FIND A PLACE TO STAY Don’t miss these Fantastic Family Hotels in Bangkok
Almost everyone who visits Thailand spends at least some time in Bangkok. Generally speaking, it is cheapest to fly into Bangkok (compared to other destinations around Thailand). What’s more, Bangkok is an excellent hub for connecting to other destinations around Thailand. You can take cheap domestic flights, or you can take buses and night trains from Bangkok. Bangkok is a large city. It has plenty of shopping malls and an excellent infrastructure with an extensive subway system.
There are also lots of great activities and attractions for families in Bangkok. Bangkok is particularly good if you want to explore markets, visit temples, and connect with the culture. Here are a few of our top pick activities for families in Bangkok: Wat Saket (beautiful temple with a great viewpoint), the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, The Children’s Discovery Museum (there’s a lot to see and do here, and entry is free), and the Kidzoona Indoor play space. If you’re looking for shopping and malls, don’t miss the Sukhumvit district. If you’re looking for culture and street food, we highly recommend Chinatown Bangkok.
Although we recommend spending a few days in Bangkok, we do not recommend spending your entire trip there. Thailand has so many epic destinations, unique experiences, natural beauty, and adventure. If you’re just arriving in Thailand, we recommend planning an open-ended day where you can rest, get your bearings, and set yourself up for your trip. For example, you may need to pick up a local SIM card (Mobile data is very affordable and fast in Thailand).
However, there are some challenges of exploring Bangkok with kids. Ultimately, Bangkok is a big city, and big cities are not a great environment for younger children. There are a lot of roads, a lot of grime, and it is not safe for kids to run around and explore. Bangkok does have a few inner-city parks. So if you are desperate for a green space, you can find some places for kids to burn off some beans. In recent years, accommodation in Bangkok has become relatively expensive.
It is tricky to find places that can accommodate larger families, especially if you’re traveling on a low budget. Don’t miss our full guide to the best Family Hotels in Bangkok. We recommend looking around the Chinatown area and the Khaosan Road area (which no longer has the vibrant Backpacker vibes it used to). Alternatively, consider one of the suburbs like Pinklao. As a general rule, you will need to be more open-minded and flexible about your exact destination if you are traveling on a tight budget.
Top tip: In Bangkok, you can use the Grab taxi app or the Bolt taxi app to order taxis online. This can be a very affordable, fast, and convenient way to travel around Bangkok. However, some areas of Bangkok get very congested, especially around rush hour. If you’re traveling a long distance across the city at rush hour, we recommend using the metro system.
5 Chiang Mai
Here is a picture of Sticky Waterfall. Our kids LOVED climbing this waterfall…
FIND A PLACE TO STAY If you’re visiting Chiang Mai with kids – you will love these Awesome Family Hotels in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is one of the best destinations in Thailand for family travel. You could easily spend two weeks in Chiang Mai and struggle to fit everything into your itinerary. Chiang Mai is particularly good for families with older kids (although there is also a lot for younger kids too). Chiang Mai is a relatively big city, and it is well-developed. It has plenty of supermarkets, convenience stores, and a few shopping malls. On average, Chiang Mai is also cheaper than the south of Thailand. It is very easy to travel around the city. There are plenty of very affordable Songthaew taxi buses. You can easily travel around the city for 20 – 30 baht (although drivers may try to charge more). You can also use the Grab and the Bolt taxi apps in Chiang Mai.
If you are visiting Thailand with active, adventurous teenagers, Chiang Mai has a lot to offer. In the area, you can visit jungle temples, waterfalls, and elephant sanctuaries. You can do white water rafting and trekking. Don’t miss the Grand Canyon Water Park (this is particularly good for older and more active kids). We also highly recommend a visit to the Pong Yang Adventure Park. It has an aerial obstacle course and a jungle roller coaster.
Sticky Waterfall is also a super fun and totally unique attraction. You can actually walk up very steep sections of this waterfall due to the high friction. We particularly loved visiting Sticky Waterfall with our kids. Chiang Mai also has plenty of amazing food to enjoy. We particularly recommend North Thailand barbecue food for kids. Make sure that you take some time to explore the small streets of the Chiang Mai old city. There are plenty of amazing coffee shops and hidden gems around town. Don’t miss the amazing night markets. Chiang Mai really is one of THE BEST destinations in Thailand for Family Travel!
You could also consider a trip to the Doi Inthanon National Park with the famous Royal Twin Pagodas (these are the iconic Chiang Mai temples on the mountain). Actually this is pretty tricky to organize – so you may just want to book a tour for Doi Inthanon.
And you can even stay in a mountain nature lodge where you can even get a wake-up call from elephants and share breakfast with them! (You can book This Elephant Lodge on Agoda) Chiang Mai really does have everything for a dream family holiday. If you have time, you could also spend a few days in Pai (This is a very beautiful and peaceful town known for its waterfalls, hot springs, and night market).
