Bangkok (3 nights): Tuk Tuks, Temples & River Life

We started in Bangkok, arriving in the evening after a 7-hour flight from Tokyo. To recover from the journey, we took it easy the next day, exploring the area near the hotel and spending the rest of the time by the pool.

On our second full day, I organised a family tuk tuk tour, which turned out to be one of the highlights of Bangkok. We started at the flower market, which was busy, colourful, and full of energy. From there, we took a long-tail boat along the Chao Phraya River and through the canals, which gave us a completely different view of the city.

One of our stops was The Artist’s House, a traditional wooden house along the canal. The kids made a small craft while we enjoyed fresh fruit smoothies and watched the river traffic go by.

We then stopped for lunch at a local restaurant before continuing on to the Wat Saket (Golden Mount). The climb was easy enough with kids, and the views over the city at the top were rewarding. From there, we carried on to Wat Pho, home to the reclining Buddha. There the kids received blessings from a monk, which made it a memorable experience.

We made our way back to the hotel on the metro, which was clean, easy, and surprisingly straightforward.

Chiang Mai (3 nights): Markets, Farms & Elephants

From Bangkok, we flew north to Chiang Mai. We checked into our hotel and headed straight to the pool (the waterslide made up for the fact the water wasn’t heated and was freezing)!

That evening, we walked over to the Night Bazaar area. We explored a little and then headed to the food stalls for our dinner - there was a really good mix of local and tourist-friendly dishes, so there was something for everyone.

The next day we visited Ginger Farm and took part in their rice planting workshop. We started by learning about the different types of rice, and the kids then went around collecting blue flowers, which was later used to naturally colour the rice. From there, we got into the water to try planting rice ourselves, which quickly turned into one of the kids’ favourite parts of the day. They also had fun going down a makeshift slide into the mud, which added a bit of chaos to the experience!

After cleaning up, we met some of the farm animals before sitting down to a really good farm-to-table lunch, including the blue rice the kids had helped prepare earlier.

It was New Year’s Eve, and we finished the day (and the year) at the hotel’s evening celebration.

The following morning we were picked up early and drove about 1.5 hours to Chang Chill to observe retired elephants in their natural environment – there was no riding, bathing, or direct interaction with the elephants. We learned about conservation, helped prepare their food, had lunch, and then watched the elephants have theirs. It felt very respectful and thoughtfully done.

That evening, we walked to Khlong Mae Kha - a restored canal area with lights, small bridges, and food stalls. It made for a really nice and calm way to end our time in the city.

Phuket (5 nights): Beach Time at Club Med

We finished our trip in Phuket, and this was all about enjoying some proper downtime after a busy first week.

We stayed at Club Med Phuket, which worked really well for a family holiday. Everything was included, from meals to activities, so there was no pressure to plan anything day to day. The resort had plenty going on for the kids, including kids’ clubs, pools, and activities like muay Thai boxing and trapeze, which they loved.

It was our fourth time staying at a Club Med resort, and it really delivered what we expected - easy, relaxed, and very family-friendly.

Final Thoughts

It wasn’t my first time in Thailand, but it was the first time travelling there with kids, and it turned out to be one of the easiest and most rewarding countries to explore as a family. Everything felt straightforward, the people were welcoming, and there was a great mix of experiences that worked well for everyone.

This 12-day itinerary gave us a really nice balance - city and culture in Bangkok, nature and a slower pace in Chiang Mai, and then a relaxed beach finish in Phuket.