Thailand with a Toddler: What It's Really Like (And Why I'd Do It Again)
In January 2024, my husband and I finally made our 17-day journey across Thailand. This trip had been a long time in the making. We actually started planning it 3.5 years ago, initially intended to be a big family trip. We had everything planned and pulled the trigger... until I found out I was pregnant! My sister-in-law coincidentally found out she was also expecting, and alas, the trip was cancelled. We then decided to go it alone, but COVID had other plans for us. Fast forward 2.5 years, and we were finally ready to tackle taking our toddler on a long-haul, overseas trip.
I would be lying if I said I was not extremely nervous. I consider myself an experienced world traveler, but bringing a small child along adds a whole other element. In my past life, I’d never worried about things like:
Bringing medications with me when I traveled.
How I was going to carry a stroller, car seat, AND luggage through the airport.
What kind of food would be served and whether a picky eater would find it acceptable.
This time around, we had a little person whose needs would require consideration… and what if there were unanticipated needs that would become clear to us only while traveling with her for the first time? We were extremely fortunate that our daughter is generally very happy and agreeable, so we had that going for us. But ultimately, her easygoingness had yet to face the ultimate test of long-haul travel.
Was Traveling to Thailand with a Toddler Worth It?
Absolutely. Our 17-day trip was fantastic, and our daughter was amazing. Watching my 3-year-old feed an elephant and become a world traveler was so special, and we now have so much more confidence to keep taking her with us.
The real secret? Determined to make this trip a proper vacation (as opposed to the more typical scouting or educational trips I take as part of my job), we decided to rely entirely on the assistance of one of our trusted local partners at Craft. I’m SO glad I relinquished my travel advisor cap for once: it was so great not having to figure anything out, knowing our needs and interests had been fully considered, reliable suppliers were used, and we simply had to show up at the right place and time. With kids, taking any guesswork out of traveling is priceless.
The Long-Haul Flight: Our "Non-Negotiable" Splurge
We flew Cathay Pacific, the amazing and highly awarded Hong-Kong-based airline. You quickly see the major differences between Middle Eastern and Asian airlines when compared to their North American counterparts, and the contrast is even more apparent when traveling with a child.
The service on our flights was simply amazing; the flight attendants were warm, friendly, and went over and above to make sure our daughter was happy. Admittedly, we flew business class, accepting the reality that for us it wouldn’t feel like much of a vacation if all three of us needed to adjust to jetlag without lay-flat seats. To us, it was a non-negotiable splurge, and we were willing to cut costs on the hotels and experiences if needed to stay within budget. After a long 22 hours of travel, we arrived in Bangkok at midnight exhausted but relatively unscathed—a testament to how valuable the investment in business class was.
Stop 1: Bangkok (Anantara Riverside Resort)
We spent our first 4 nights at Anantara Riverside Resort, a super family-friendly resort in Thailand’s capital city on the Cho Pharay River. We chose Anantara because I wanted a real resort; somewhere easy to keep kids entertained with a beautiful pool, several restaurant options, and a fantastic kids club. Anantara checked all the boxes and—the cherry on top—was at a great price point.
Fairly last-minute, we ended up traveling with another family who we are friends with, and they also brought their five-year-old daughter, who was the perfect travel companion to our child. We met them upon our arrival in Bangkok.
I quickly realized how important it was to have kid-friendly amenities at our disposal. We had a few private tours booked, and again, I can’t stress how easy the trip was because we knew all of our transfers, guides, hotels, vehicles, etc., had been vetted and used many times before. We were simply told when we were being picked up, dropped off, what we needed to bring, and any other information. With kids, you want to take any guesswork out of traveling; it is just one less thing to worry about.
Stop 2: Chiang Rai (Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp)
I think the highlight experience for us was in Chiang Rai. We stayed at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp, a lodge-like resort set in the jungle at the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet.
The main experiences at this hotel are those that bring you close to elephants. The resort is home to 20 rescued elephants and encompasses 120 acres for them to roam. These elephants have been rescued from lives of street tourism, and the foundation the resort started brings them and their mahouts (handlers, friend, keeper) and the mahout’s family to live at the resort. The foundation supports the mahout and their families until they are grown and on their way. It’s a pretty amazing concept.
We got to:
Make their food
Feed them
Pet them
Walk with them
Watch them swim
Getting that close to those big, gentle creatures is something etched in my mind. Watching my 3-year-old daughter pick up fruit and feed it to an elephant was so special and just so cool. I can’t wait to do it again sometime soon.
Stop 3: Phuket (Banyan Tree Resort)
Our third stop took us to the south of Thailand to Phuket. We stayed at the Banyan Tree Resort and had the most lovely accommodation I’ve ever stayed in.
The Accommodation: A Floating Villa
We booked a double pool villa, and it was so worth the upgrade from the single pool villa. Not only did we have a massive house with 2 full bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, 1 half bath, and 2 sitting areas, but we also had an amazing infinity-edge pool and hot tub, as well as a second pool surrounding our bedroom. The master bedroom was all glass, and you felt like you were floating in the pool when we laid down to sleep.
We also had a dedicated butler that we could call on WhatsApp throughout our stay for anything we needed. This included room service, a golf cart ride somewhere on the resort, fresh towels, restaurant reservations... Mo literally was amazing. The resort was huge, and that’s usually not my style, but having our butler made it so much simpler to navigate.
The Downside: Not-So-Kid-Friendly Dining
We did a lot of swimming, went to the beach (which is across a small road from the resort but very easy to get to), went to a night market in Old Phuket, and did some island hopping, all of which were great. Our daughter used the kids club a ton and was in our pool pretty much all day.
The resort was a bit tricky in that restaurants did not open until 6:30 pm. Had I known this, I probably would have chosen somewhere else to stay with small kids. We had 24/7 room service which made it doable, but definitely having kid-friendly, easy-access food while traveling is important.
Phuket is also extremely commercial. While it was nice to see and our hotel was gorgeous, I don't think that it's somewhere I would need to go back to. I think it's a "one and done" destination.
Stop 4: Krabi (Banyan Tree Resort)
Our final stop was on the opposite side of Phang Nga Bay in Krabi. We stayed at another Banyan Tree resort, but this one was much more boutique-y and intimate. It is a new resort, only built 3 years ago.
Our ocean-view room was gorgeous, and the views from the resort were to die for. I said on numerous occasions how looking out at the islands in the distance didn’t even seem real. This resort totally catered to families, although it had that romantic vibe for couples as well. The main pool area was gorgeous and right down by the water, but we spent 100% of our time at the kids' pool! It had a water slide and a nice sitting area for parents, and it kept the kids busy all day! There was also a great kids club at this resort, which the kids spent countless hours at.
There were 2 restaurants on-site, although we only ate at one, as the second one was upscale and we usually ended up going to eat in bathing suits. They had a huge menu and a good kids' selection. Krabi itself was a lot quieter than Phuket and really gave that island vibe. This is definitely a resort and place I would easily go back to again, as well as recommend it to many people.
Ready to Plan Your Own Family Adventure?
Overall, we had a fantastic trip. Our daughter was amazing. There was not one tantrum, no crying, she slept amazing (she just came out of a crib a week before we left!), and had the time of her life. We had the time of our lives watching her become a world traveler, and we now have so much more confidence to keep taking her with us on our travels.
I truly realized, from being fully a client on this trip, that I would never do a big trip without working with a travel designer. There are so many moving parts and so many opportunities for things to de-rail. I want to know the vendors being used are trusted and vetted, and I’m not getting some random driver no one has ever heard of or showing up to a hotel that isn’t what it had seemed.
Bringing kids along adds a whole element of complications, but man, is it worth it. I encourage everyone to share these memories with their kids, no matter how young.
About the Author
Elissa Reisman is a travel advisor and partner at Craft Travel. While she often scouts destinations for work, this 17-day trip to Thailand was a personal vacation with her husband and 3-year-old daughter. She used this trip to experience travel from a client's perspective, reinforcing her belief in the value of expert planning, especially when traveling with children.
