I may not have the funds to travel as much as I like with Lucas but it doesn’t stop me researching places I would love to take him one day. One place I would love to visit is Phuket, Thailand’s largest island. With fine white sandy beaches aligned with palm trees and glittering seas it looks like paradise as well as the abundance of temples and cultural trips we could have.
If we were to visit, I think I would book a villa. I like that we have our own space in a villa and Lucas has more area to run around and play; I also don’t need to worry about people in the next hotel room being noisy when Lucas is sleeping or Lucas disturbing them early in the morning. Everything can also be arranged to our needs whether we fancy a BBQ party one day, tour arranging for us, pool toys or a fence around the pool to make it safer for when Lucas is outside. I have seen a beautiful Villa Paloma which sleeps 10 people and is located near Bang Tao Beach, has a pool and a private FIFA approved mini-football 5-a-side pitch, perfect for families wanting to get away together! If your budget doesn’t quite stretch to a villa, you can always look at the many hostels in Phuket. If you have a huge budget, you may even want to rent an island.
Anthem Wakepark
Anthem Wakepark is the first clockwise cable wakeboarding park in Asia. Nestled within a huge fresh water lake, surrounded by natural and mountainous landscape, this cablepark has 6 pylon towers, 8 carriers running along a 12 meter high cable track measuring 650-meter long.
The main cable runs at a speed of 29 km/hr and this playground has 11 home-built obstacles positioned around the circuit suitable for beginners, avid and professional riders to garner that adrenaline rush.
Next to the main cable, they installed a system 2 training cable to help beginners learn this exciting sport quickly and safely. You can also take lessons between the ages of 4 and 70 years old.
Phuket International Riding Club
How amazing would it be to take a horse ride along the waves, the vast stretch of white sandy beach fringed by the bluest sea and the fresh aroma of the salt on the gentle sea breeze? What an incredible experience it would be for the children to tell their friends when they return to school. The Phuket International Riding Club has a variety of horses and ponies. They have horse riding activities suitable for nervous beginners through to advance riders.
Yoga retreat
I would love to go on a yoga retreat in Thailand and I know many do now offer various different sessions so where some may be for adults only, you can also find ones suitable for children and the whole family.
Phuket Big Buddha
Phraphutthamingmongkhol-akenagakhiri Buddha, “Happiness on Top of Nagakerd Mountain” Contemporary art. Seated Buddha statue in Subduing Mara. The reinforced concrete structure is adorned with stunning white jade marble and offers a 360-degree view of the island, with sweeping vistas of Phuket Town, Kata, Karon, Chalong Bay and more. Next to the main Phuket Big Buddha is a smaller Buddha statue, which is gold in colour, though actually made of brass. There are also several much smaller statues of Buddha and of revered monks.
Phuket elephant sanctuary
Rather than seeing elephants perform in shows or riding on them, visit them in the Phuket elephant sanctuary. The elephants that live here have been rescued from the tourist industry and logging businesses. Here you can walk with and a brief interaction feeding them and watch as they roam, forage, bath and play in a natural 30 acre environment. The money raised from the tours goes straight back into the sanctuary, providing food, care and medicine for the elephants. They also have electric golf cars with drivers for families with young children, and a nursery at the Tree Top Reception to play and relax.
Gibbon rehabilitation project
Settle in a very rich ecosystem of the last remaining rainforest of Phuket. A great place to learn about Gibbons in a conservation way. The Gibbon rehabilitation project rescues, rehabilitates and releases gibbons back to the forest. Visitors can see the gibbons that cannot be released as they want to limit human contact with the ones that will be released into the wild again.
If you liked these ideas, make sure you check out my posts of visiting Singapore with children and Hawai’i with children
