Thailand for Families: Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Krabi

1. Jour 1 : Arrive in Bangkok

   Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang airport to your hotel by the Chao Phraya River

   • Environ 1 h de route
   • Welcome dinner
   • Nuit : Bangkok
   Détail du jour 1

   Fly into Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi (BKK) or Don Mueang (DMK) airport. A driver meets your family in the arrivals hall with a vehicle big enough for everyone's bags and takes you to the hotel near the river, about 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. The hotel has a pool and your room is a family, triple or connecting room. Plan to land by mid-afternoon so children can swim or nap before the evening. At about 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group in the lobby for a short briefing: how temples ask you to dress, how the boats work, what to pack in a day bag, and the plan for the next nine days. Then we walk or ride a short way to a family-friendly restaurant for a welcome dinner of mild dishes to share, such as chicken satay, fried rice, pad thai without chilli and mango sticky rice, where the children meet each other. Back at the hotel by about 8:30.

   Compris

   • Pick-up at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) or Don Mueang (DMK) airport
   • Welcome briefing with your guide
   • Welcome dinner at a family-friendly restaurant

   Temps libre : Free until the evening briefing

   Activité : If your flight lands late, your guide briefs your family at breakfast. Arriving a day early to recover from the flight is easy to arrange.

   

2. Jour 2 : Wat Pho, the canals and a cooking class

   Wat Pho, a longtail boat through the Thonburi canals, then a children's cooking class

   • Environ 1 h de route
   • Petit-déjeuner, repas du midi et repas du soir
   • Nuit : Bangkok
   Détail du jour 2

   Jet lag tends to wake children early, so we use it. We leave at about 7:30 and walk through the gate of Wat Pho as it opens at 8, before the tour groups. The reclining Buddha is 46 metres long, covered in gold leaf, with mother-of-pearl patterns on the soles of its feet; children drop coins into the 108 bronze bowls along the wall for luck. From the pier beside the temple a longtail boat takes us across the Chao Phraya into the canals of Thonburi, about 90 minutes past wooden stilt houses, temples, monitor lizards on the banks and families feeding catfish from the steps. Lunch is at a canal-side restaurant, then we head back to the hotel for a rest and a swim through the hottest part of the day. At about 3:30 pm we go to a cooking school that teaches children: a short look at the herbs, then everyone makes a spring roll, a mild green curry or pad thai and a dessert at their own station. What you cook is dinner.

   Compris

   • Wat Pho and the reclining Buddha at opening, with your guide
   • Longtail boat through the Thonburi canals, about 90 minutes
   • Lunch at a canal-side restaurant
   • Thai cooking class for children, with dinner of what you cook

   Option plus facile : Stay at the hotel pool after lunch and join the cooking class only, or skip it and eat at the hotel.

   Temps libre : Rest from about 1:30 to 3:30 pm; evening free after the class

   Activité : About an hour at Wat Pho, 90 minutes on the boat and about 2.5 hours at the cooking class. About 3 km on foot. Cover shoulders and knees at Wat Pho.

3. Jour 3 : Wat Pariwat, then fly to Chiang Mai

   Bangkok to Wat Pariwat, Suvarnabhumi airport, a flight to Chiang Mai, then the old town and the night market

   • Environ 1.5 h de route
   • Petit-déjeuner
   • Nuit : Chiang Mai
   Détail du jour 3

   Breakfast early with bags packed. At about 8 am we drive to Wat Pariwat, south of the old city, a temple whose white ordination hall is covered in carved figures. Look closely and the carvings hide characters children know: superheroes, cartoon figures and, under the altar, a footballer. Your guide sets a spotting game, then explains why a temple has them: the abbot wanted to show that the world keeps changing. The guide fixes our departure time from the flight time, leaving at least two hours for traffic and check-in; from the temple it is about 40 minutes to Suvarnabhumi for a late-morning flight north, about 1 hour 15 minutes, with lunch on your own at the airport or on board. Chiang Mai airport is ten minutes from the old town, and we check in to the hotel by the moat by mid-afternoon for a swim. At about 6 pm we walk to the night market with your guide: the Night Bazaar on most evenings, or the Saturday or Sunday walking street when your dates fall on a weekend. Children can try grilled sticky rice, coconut ice cream and roti, and dinner is what you choose from the stalls.

   Compris

   • Wat Pariwat with your guide
   • Flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
   • Night market walk with your guide (the Night Bazaar, or the Saturday or Sunday walking street)

   Option plus facile : Stay at the hotel in the evening and let your guide point you to a restaurant on the moat.

   Temps libre : Afternoon free at the hotel; dinner on your own at the market

   Activité : About 45 minutes at Wat Pariwat and about 90 minutes at the night market, on foot on flat streets. Hold small children's hands in the market crowds.

4. Jour 4 : A morning with elephants

   Chiang Mai to an elephant sanctuary in the hills and back

   • Environ 2.5 h de route
   • Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
   • Nuit : Chiang Mai
   Détail du jour 4

   We leave at about 8 am for the hills outside Chiang Mai, about an hour by road, to an elephant sanctuary that does not offer riding or shows. We name it when your dates are confirmed, because we check its welfare record in person each season. The staff introduce the herd and tell each elephant's story, many of them retired from logging or trekking camps. Children help chop and bundle sugar cane and bananas, then hand the food to the elephants and watch how they use their trunks. We walk with the herd along a forest track as they graze and, when the sanctuary's rules allow, watch them wallow in the mud or the river. Staff decide how close we stand, which is usually close enough to hear them breathe. Lunch is a Thai meal at the sanctuary. We drive back to Chiang Mai, arriving at about 2:30 pm, and the rest of the day is free for the pool.

   Compris

   • Half day at an elephant sanctuary that does not offer riding, with its own guides
   • Preparing and giving food, and a walk with the herd
   • Lunch at the sanctuary

   Option plus facile : Stay at the shelter while the group walks with the herd; the elephants pass close to it.

   Temps libre : Afternoon and evening free

   Activité : About 3 hours at the sanctuary, mostly standing or walking slowly on uneven forest ground. Wear clothes you do not mind getting muddy and closed shoes; bring a change of clothes.

5. Jour 5 : Doi Suthep and the umbrella village

   Chiang Mai to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, then Bo Sang, and back

   • Environ 1.5 h de route
   • Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
   • Nuit : Chiang Mai
   Détail du jour 5

   We leave at about 7:45 and climb the mountain road above Chiang Mai, about 16 km and 30 minutes of bends, to reach Wat Phra That Doi Suthep at about 8:15, ahead of the tour buses. A stairway of about 300 steps rises between two long naga serpents with mosaic scales; children count the steps while anyone who would rather ride takes the funicular. At the top a gold chedi shines in the middle of the temple courtyard, and on a clear morning the terrace looks over the whole city, about 700 metres below on the plain. Your guide shows how to walk around the chedi three times, clockwise, and children can ring the rows of bells. We drive down and east to Bo Sang, the umbrella-making village, where craftspeople make paper umbrellas from mulberry bark and bamboo. Each child paints their own small umbrella or fan to take home. Lunch is khao soi, Chiang Mai's curry noodle soup, with a mild version for children. We are back at the hotel by about 2 pm.

   Compris

   • Wat Phra That Doi Suthep with your guide, entry and the funicular
   • Umbrella-making workshop in Bo Sang, with a small umbrella or fan painted by each child
   • Khao soi lunch

   Option plus facile : Ride the funicular up and down Doi Suthep instead of climbing the steps.

   Option plus active : Walk down the stairway after the visit while the rest of the group takes the funicular, about 10 minutes.

   Temps libre : Afternoon and evening free

   Activité : About an hour at Doi Suthep, including the steps, and about 90 minutes in Bo Sang. Cover shoulders and knees at the temple. The mountain road has many bends: travel-sickness tablets help.

   

6. Jour 6 : Fly south to the Krabi coast

   Chiang Mai to Krabi by air, Krabi Town, then a beach hotel at Klong Muang

   • Environ 1.5 h de route
   • Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
   • Nuit : Krabi
   Détail du jour 6

   A morning free in Chiang Mai to swim, pack or walk the old town lanes. Around midday our vehicle takes the group to Chiang Mai airport, ten minutes away, for the flight south to Krabi. We fly nonstop when a direct service runs on the day, about 2 hours; otherwise we change in Bangkok and the journey takes about 5 hours door to door, with lunch at the airport. On the nonstop, we land in time for a late lunch in Krabi Town, about 15 km and 20 minutes from the airport, by the river with its view of the mangroves and limestone peaks. Then we drive about 35 km and 40 minutes to Klong Muang, a quieter beach north of Ao Nang, where the water is shallow and the hotel faces the islands. Check in, change and go straight to the sand or the pool. Your guide hands out the plan for the next three days, which can change with the tide and the weather. The evening is free; the hotel and a few restaurants along the beach suit families.

   Compris

   • Flight from Chiang Mai to Krabi (direct when one runs on the day, otherwise via Bangkok)
   • Lunch in Krabi Town, or at the airport when the flight goes via Bangkok
   • Transfer to the beach hotel at Klong Muang

   Temps libre : Morning free in Chiang Mai; late afternoon and evening free on the beach

   Activité : Mostly seated in the vehicle and on the plane. The day is longer if the flight goes via Bangkok; we tell you which when we confirm your dates.

   

7. Jour 7 : Railay by longtail boat

   Klong Muang to Ao Nang, by longtail boat to Railay and Phra Nang Cave Beach, and back

   • Environ 1 h de route
   • Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
   • Nuit : Krabi
   Détail du jour 7

   Railay sits on the mainland but has no road in, so the only way there is by boat. We leave at about 8:30 for Ao Nang beach, about 25 minutes, and board a longtail boat for the 15-minute ride round the headland, landing on Railay West before the day boats fill it. The beach sits between limestone cliffs where climbers hang on ropes above the sand, and children can watch them from below. A shaded path along the foot of the cliffs leads to Phra Nang Cave Beach, about 15 minutes' walk, with a cave in the rock and islands just offshore. The water here is shallow and calm in the dry season, so this is the place to swim and build sandcastles for the morning. Lunch is at a restaurant on Railay, then the longtail takes us back to Ao Nang in the early afternoon and our vehicle returns to the hotel. Watch for the monkeys along the path: keep food and bags closed.

   Compris

   • Longtail boat from Ao Nang to Railay and back
   • Railay West and Phra Nang Cave Beach with your guide
   • Lunch on Railay

   Activités en option

   • Beginner rock-climbing session on Railay for children and adults, about 3 hours with a local climbing school (price confirmed at booking)

   Option plus facile : Stay on Railay West's sand and in the shade while the group walks to Phra Nang.

   Option plus active : Join a beginner rock-climbing session on the cliffs, booked as an option when you confirm.

   Temps libre : Afternoon and evening free

   Activité : About 2 km on foot on a flat path, and time in the sea. Boats land on the sand, so wear sandals you can wade in. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and hats.

8. Jour 8 : Snorkelling in the Hong Islands

   Klong Muang to the pier, by boat to the Hong Islands and back

   • Environ 30 min de route
   • Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
   • Nuit : Krabi
   Détail du jour 8

   The day the children talk about afterwards. We leave at about 8:30 for the pier, about 20 minutes, and a boat takes the group out into Phang Nga Bay to the Hong Islands, about 30 to 40 minutes. Koh Hong hides a lagoon inside a ring of cliffs, which you enter through a gap in the rock; when the tide is right we paddle in by kayak, with a guide for each boat. Then we stop at a reef in shallow, clear water to snorkel among parrotfish and sergeant majors, with masks, snorkels and life jackets sized for children. Non-swimmers can float in a life jacket next to a parent or watch from the boat. Lunch is on the beach of one of the islands, with time to swim and look for hermit crabs. The order of the stops follows the tide table, and if the sea is rough your guide moves the day to day 9. We are back at the hotel by about 3:30 pm.

   Compris

   • Boat day to the Hong Islands, with national park fees
   • Kayak into the Koh Hong lagoon when the tide allows
   • Snorkelling, with masks, snorkels and children's life jackets
   • Beach lunch on the islands

   Option plus facile : Stay on the beach or the boat while the group kayaks and snorkels.

   Option plus active : Swim further along the reef with the boat crew while the group stays in the shallows.

   Temps libre : Late afternoon and evening free

   Activité : About 5 hours on the water, with time on a beach. Snorkelling is in calm, shallow water; children wear life jackets throughout. Bring a rash vest and reef-safe sunscreen.

9. Jour 9 : A free day on the beach

   Klong Muang, at your own pace

   • Petit-déjeuner et repas du soir
   • Nuit : Krabi
   Détail du jour 9

   A whole day with nothing planned, because families on the longer competitor trips asked for one. Stay on the beach in front of the hotel, where the sea is shallow enough for small children at low tide, or by the pool. Your guide is at the hotel through the morning to book anything you would like to add: a beginner climbing session on Railay, the Emerald Pool and the hot springs in the forest inland, a sea-kayak trip through the mangroves, or the 1,260 steps of the Tiger Cave Temple for older children who want a challenge. Each is an option at its own price, shown before you book it. If the Hong Islands day was moved by the weather, it happens today instead. In the late afternoon the group gathers on the beach to watch the sun set behind the islands, then sits down together for a farewell dinner at a restaurant by the sea, where your guide and the children say their goodbyes.

   Compris

   • Farewell dinner by the sea

   Activités en option

   • Beginner rock climbing on Railay
   • Emerald Pool and hot springs
   • Mangrove sea-kayak trip
   • Tiger Cave Temple steps

   Temps libre : Free all day until the farewell dinner

   Activité : Your guide books optional trips the evening before or in the morning; prices are shown before you book.

10. Jour 10 : Depart from Krabi

    Your hotel to Krabi International Airport

    • Environ 1 h de route
    • Petit-déjeuner
    Détail du jour 10

    A last swim before breakfast, then check-out, usually by 11 am or noon. Our vehicle takes the group to Krabi International Airport (KBV), about 40 km and 50 minutes, with your See Sight Tours guide to the check-in desk. Most families fly home through Bangkok, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur: book a flight from Krabi leaving after about 12:30 pm, or a connection in Bangkok that allows at least three hours between flights if you change airports there. If your flight leaves later, the hotel can usually keep your bags and offer a late check-out room at extra cost, and we time the transfer to your flight. If you would like to stay on at the beach or fly home from Phuket, tell us when you book and we will arrange the extra nights and the transfer to match. Children leave with a painted umbrella, a recipe they cooked themselves and photographs of elephants and islands.

    Compris

    • Drop-off at Krabi International Airport (KBV)

    Temps libre : Morning free until check-out

    Activité : Book a flight from Krabi leaving after about 12:30 pm.

Faune et météo : November to February is the dry, cooler season: warm days around 28 to 32°C in Bangkok and Krabi and cool mornings in Chiang Mai, sometimes below 15°C. From late February to April the north is hotter and smoke haze from agricultural burning can hide the views from Doi Suthep. The Andaman Sea is calmest from December to April; in November a late shower or swell can move a boat day. Songkran, the Thai New Year water festival on 13 to 15 April, turns every street into a water fight. Monkeys at Railay and on some islands snatch food and bags: keep snacks out of sight.

• Bangkok2 nuits
• Chiang Mai3 nuits
• Krabi4 nuits