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What is it like to travel Thailand with a toddler in 2026? In this article we will share loads of practical tips, insights and recommendations to help you plan a trip to Thailand with a toddler. Traveling to a tropical country with a tot can feel unnerving. What can you buy? What will they eat? How will they deal with the climate? What if they get ill?
We have traveled Thailand extensively with a toddler and we’re super excited to share our insights and top tips with you. We have also published a step by step itinerary for Thailand too.
Planning a Thailand trip? Don’t miss our epic guide on how to travel Thailand for under £20 per day
Is Thailand a good country to travel with a toddler?
Yes, Thailand is an amazing country to travel with a toddler. There are of course some challenges and things you need to know. But overall we would highly recommend a trip to Thailand with a toddler. Thai culture is very warm towards children and Thai people show a genuine care for children. Overall facilities for families are pretty good.
What are the advantaged of Thailand for a family with a toddler?
1 Food in Thailand for toddlers
Food is everywhere in Thailand! And this is a huge advantage with hungry little tots. Seven eleven convince stores are widely spread around Thailand selling a range of snacks and food. There is also plenty of street food and fruit around in Thailand. This makes it very easy to just head out and grab snacks as you need them. Street side water fillers are also very common around Thailand. Fill a water bottle for 1 baht – super cheap and reduce plastic use.
2 Shopping in Thailand for toddlers
We mention the wonderful convenience stores in Thailand. They tend to sell all sorts of useful things for travel with a toddler. You can buy travel packs of nappies, wet wipes, soaps, washing powder, basic medicines, milk, baby milk, toys and more. There are also plenty of supermarkets around selling a wide range of food, drinks, toiletries and even kids clothes.
3 Laundry in Thailand for families with toddlers
Toddlers create HEAPS on laundry. How do you do that and travel??? Laundry is also super easy in Thailand. Most towns have many small laundrettes charging only 40 – 50 baht per kilo of laundry (roughly £1). You can normally get your clothes back clean, dry and folded on the following day. There are also many street side self service washing machines and small self service laundrettes. These normally cost around 30 baht to use (roughly £0.60).
4 Activities in Thailand with toddlers
Don’t miss our guide on the best things to do in Chiang Mai with a toddler
Thailand is great for kids activities. Play parks are very common around Thailand. BUT be careful. Standards of safety and maintenance may be lacking. Check play equipment carefully and keep close supervision. Thailand has many outdoor swimming pools – hours of fun for little ones. Around Thailand you can also find indoor play spaces such as Kidzoona. These indoor kids play spaces tend to charge a fixed price for a day. They are not normally day care services, so an adult does need to be present. But supervision is very low key – these indoor play space have loads of fun, physical, active and creative activities to engage toddlers. There are also plenty of amazing activities like island hopping trips, elephant sanctuaries, waterfalls to visit and beaches to enjoy. Thailand has so much to offer families.
Don’t miss these amazing things to do in Thailand with kids
What are the challenges of traveling in Thailand with a toddler?
Health – Thailand has pretty good healthcare. The main cities in Thailand have excellent international hospitals. There are also local government hospitals around the country. Foreigners are generally allowed to use these hospitals and medical care is normally pretty good. Local hospitals are affordable and most appointments are likely to be cheaper than your excess on your insurance policy. The most common health complaints for travellers in Thailand are vomiting and diarrhoea – this is common with toddlers travelling to new countries as they adjust to the new microbes.
Climate – Thailand has a hot tropical climate. It is normally hot and dry or hot and rainy and the humidity is normally high. Between 10am – 3pm the sun is high in the sky and the heat can be very intense. If you’re planning to walk around lots outside we recommend a high factor sun block (SPF50 or more) and sun hats. If you toddler is fussy about wearing hats, consider using an umbrella for shade. Also, make sure your toddler keeps drinking plenty of fluids. It’s amazing how much they need to drink to stay hydrated in a hot tropical climate.
Facilities – Ok, this is not one of Thailand’s strengths. If you are looking for places with good family friendly facilities we recommend finding malls, western restaurants and more more expensive resorts. In general baby changing facilities are not standard in Thailand. Many local cafes and shops may have a squat and drop toilet or none at all. Baby chairs are also quite rare in Thailand. For baby chairs you will need to eat at western restaurants or in resorts.
Food – Thailand has a well earned reputation for amazing food. There is an impressive street food culture in Thailand. Food is generally pretty spicy – and even when you ask for no spice – they may add some spice just for fun. Again we recommend using convenience stores and western restaurants for more toddler friendly food. You may even find the occasional kids menu.
What things can you buy for a toddler in Thailand?
Thailand is actually pretty good for buying things for toddlers. Around the country you can find supermarkets such as Lotus and Fresh food super markets (normally in shopping malls). There are also innumerable convenience stores in Thailand. Seven eleven and Family Mart are the most common. It is very easy to buy travel size packs of affordable nappies. You can easily buy snacks and drinks for kids including juices, milks, soft drinks and shakes. Many malls and supermarkets have kids clothing sections and you can often find night markets selling kids clothes too. There are also plenty of toys and gifts for kids around. Actually Thailand is one of the BEST countries for buying things you need as a family travelling around.
What is food like in Thailand for toddlers?
We already mentioned that food can be quite a challenge if you are travelling in Thailand with a toddler. Street food can be a big adjustment for little systems, so go steady especially at first. Start with a little sticky rice and build it up. Also, many Thai street food dishes are blow your head off spicy. Even when you ask for non-spicy food it may still have a distinct burn. BUT there are some great food options in Thailand for toddlers:
The best Thai street food for toddlers:
- BBQ pork
- Pad Thai (can be spicy)
- Omelette
- Tom Kha Soup – Coconut soup
- Dim Sum (steamed Chinese style snacks)
- Pau (steamed buns)
- Fried Chicken and sticky rice
- Sweet sticky rice snacks
- Fruit shakes
- Coconuts
- Fruit
- Mango sticky rice
Also widely available in Thailand (convinces stores and shops)
- Sushi and rice triangles (onigiri)
- Packaged bread, cakes and croissants
- Dried fruit and nuts
- Yogurts, musli and oats
- Boiled eggs
- Juices, milk, soft drinks and water
- Biscuits, chocolate and crisps
- Ice cream
Also remember, if you are travelling Thailand with a toddler baby seats are pretty rare. If you’re looking for a place with a baby seat try to find more expensive international restaurants.
Is Thailand safe for family travel
Yes, Thailand is a relatively safe place for family travel. The most common challenges in Thailand are health challenges. In particular, thinks like local microbes in the food can cause stomach upsets, diarrhea and sickness. It is important to take this seriously as this can lead to dehydration in the hot climate. Another big risk in Thailand is jelly fish. Sadly there are many lethal jelly fish incidents involving children every year. This problem is particularly serious on islands and beaches on the southeast coast. However, jellyfish encounters can happen anywhere. Thai people are generally gentle and hospitable, but always take precautions to protect yourself and your family.
Don’t miss our full guide on safe family travel in Thailand.
What is the transport like in Thailand for toddlers?
Transport in Thailand with a toddler can be a challenge. The good news is, for most things toddlers travel for free in Thailand – but they won’t be given their own seat. If you want a seat reserved for your toddler you will generally be expected to pay for it. If you don’t pay for a seat but a spare seat happens to be free – you should be fine to use the space.
It is rare to find toddler car seats in Thailand. If you are renting a car in Thailand check with your dealer if you are determined to have a toddler seat. Taxis also don’t generally include a baby seat. Bigger and more expensive resorts may offer taxi services that do include a baby seat.
Transport in Thailand is cheap, convenient and reasonably efficient. The best way to get around for short local journeys is to use a taxi app. The Bolt taxi app is cheapest. Grab is probably the best taxi app with more responsive and reliable drivers – but it is a little bit more expensive. You can use both apps and it is fine to cancel a ride a short amount of time after booking.
For longer journeys around Thailand we recommend using the trains. This can be lots of fun for a toddler and allows space for them to stretch their little legs. Trains are pretty cheap in Thailand and there are train lines connecting Bangkok to the north and the south of the country. Sleeper trains are a lot of fun with kids. As a family we found it worked well to book an entire first class cabin (yes very fancy!) There are 4 beds, air conditioning. Most importantly the door can be securely locked keeping your belongings and little one’s safe as you sleep. The first class beds are wide enough for an adult and a toddler to share.
If you don’t have much time and you want the convenience and speed of flying – then there are several cheap domestic airlines operating in Thailand.
What are hotels like if you travel Thailand with a toddler?
There are some amazing family friendly hotels in Thailand. Most hotels will allow you to add a toddler to your booking free of charge. Most Thai hotels also allow you to add an extra cot to your room for free for 0 – 2 year olds. However, cots are not normally available at budget hotels (£20 per night or less).
One of the best ways to get a great hotel is to use Agoda. Agoda is a very popular booking platform. Try booking a double or twin room rather than looking for family rooms to save money.
Some hotels can add an extra bed or mattress to your room but may charge for this. Normally this is not too expensive. An extra mattress is likely to cost around 500 baht depending on the hotel (roughly £10 per night). Always check when you’re booking.
TOP TIP: You can normally contact Thai hotels directly by visiting their Facebook page and sending them a message. Most good Thai hotels respond quickly to messages. This is a great way to check facilities, ask questions and see if you can negotiate a sweet deal directly with the hotel.
Many non-budget hotels in Thailand offer outdoor swimming pools. 4 star or 5 star hotels often have kids pools and may even have features like kids play areas and water slides too. Some more expensive hotels and resorts have kids play parks on site, indoor kids play spaces and they often offer kids clubs and activities for kids.
What are the best areas to visit in Thailand with a toddler?
The best areas to visit in Thailand with a toddler:
- Bangkok – big city, lots to do. Plenty of food options, big malls and some nice parks
- Phuket – great family friendly island, lots of beaches, activities and choices for families
- Koh Samui – beautiful island with beaches, waterfalls and jungle hills. Reasonably developed
- Koh Phangan – Great for a chilled beach holiday in paradise. Less developed than Samui but still lots going on and very beautiful. Nice food and still have a good range of western options and convenience stores.
- Chiang Mai – More adventurous option. Beautiful cultural city in the north. Lots of great food and activities for families. Wildlife, waterfalls, nature and nice city vibes.
