Country guide

Thailand

Golden temples, warm seas and the gentlest welcome

Thailand is the country that taught the world to travel gently — golden temples, night markets, limestone islands and a culture of kindness that extends naturally to children. It is affordable, the food is a daily joy, and the beaches are as blue as the brochures promise.

November – February

Bangkok

Gilded temples and river-city energy

Bangkok is a city of astonishing energy — gilded temples beside glass towers, night markets beside quiet canals, and the Chao Phraya river running through it all like a main street. It is hot and busy, but kinder to families than its reputation: river boats are half the fun, the food is cheap and everywhere, and a temple or a market is never more than a few minutes away.

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November – February

Chiang Mai

Temples and mist in the northern hills

Chiang Mai is Thailand’s gentle northern soul — a moated old city of gilded temples and wooden houses, ringed by misty mountains and home to a slower, cooler way of life than the south. It is the country’s best base for families who want a little of everything: temples, elephants, waterfalls and night markets, all within an hour’s drive.

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December – April

Koh Samui

Palm beaches and warm Gulf water

Koh Samui is the easy island — a ring of palm-fringed beaches around a jungle interior, with calm Gulf water, a flat coast road, and a resort for every budget. It is the most family-friendly of Thailand’s islands: gentle swimming, short transfers, and a beach for every mood, from busy Chaweng to quiet Maenam.

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November – April

Krabi

Limestone karsts above the Andaman

Krabi is the Andaman at its most dramatic — a coast of towering limestone karsts rising straight from a turquoise sea, fringed with white sand and backed by jungle. It is the jumping-off point for the Phi Phi islands and Railay beach, but the mainland coast itself — Ao Nang, Tubkaek, the mangrove lagoons — is just as lovely and far easier with children.

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