I may not have the funds to travel as much as I’d like with Lucas, but it doesn’t stop me from 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 lined 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 found a beautiful Villa Sabai Jai Jung near Bang Tao Beach, which sleeps up to 10 people across five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, air conditioning and private terrace. It has a private swimming pool surrounded by tropical greenery, a spacious garden, sun loungers, a shaded gazebo, outdoor dining space, and BBQ facilities. Inside, an open-plan living and dining area and a fully equipped kitchen give you plenty of room to relax and enjoy meals together. It’s also particularly appealing for families, with pool toys, a baby cot and a high chair available, plus a personal guest assistant who can help arrange activities, transport and other extras. You can even enquire about hiring a private chef or arranging babysitting, making it a lovely option for a family holiday where you can enjoy your own space without having to organise everything yourself. 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 Asia’s first clockwise cable wakeboarding park. Nestled in a huge freshwater lake and surrounded by natural, mountainous terrain, this cable park has 6 pylon towers and 8 carriers running along a 12-meter-high cable track measuring 650 meters long.
The main cable runs at 29 km/hr, and the playground features 11 home-built obstacles around the circuit, suitable for beginners, avid riders, and professionals looking for 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 for ages 4 to 70.
Phuket International Riding Club
How amazing would it be to ride along the waves, the vast stretch of white sandy beach fringed by the bluest sea and the fresh aroma of 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 while 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 gold-coloured Buddha statue, though it’s actually made of brass. Several much smaller statues of Buddha and revered monks also stand nearby.
Phuket elephant sanctuary
Rather than seeing elephants perform in shows or riding on them, visit them in the Phuket elephant sanctuary. The elephants here were rescued from the tourist industry and logging businesses. Here, you can walk with them, briefly interact by feeding them, and watch as they roam, forage, bathe, 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
