Thailand Family Suggested Itinerary

Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai

It’s hard to think of a more long-lasting legacy of a trip to Thailand than being able to recreate some of its best-loved dishes back home. On this half-day cooking class, you’ll begin with a visit to the local produce market to learn about the key ingredients - from herbs and spices to vegetables and roots - and how to choose the best.

From here, you’ll head into the kitchen where a professional chef will teach you how to prepare three classic Thai dishes, which you’ll enjoy for lunch.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 9am to 3pm
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Group experience

Good to know
Suitable for children over 12. The cost includes private transfers to and from Chiang Mai, but the class itself is shared with other participants.

Back to itinerary

Chiang Mai Street Food

Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai

Northern Thailand’s distinctive food culture is a product of its history and geography, with influences from Laos, Burma and the Khmer Empire. On this gastronomic evening tour, you’ll learn all about its most typical dishes from someone who grew up eating them, and discover Chiang Mai’s laidback nighttime vibe at the same time. Your foodie experience will kick off with a starter at a small restaurant that specialises in the local Lanna cuisine, as it's called. Afterwards, you’ll continue on to the nearby night market - a hive of activity after dark - where stall after stall serves up irresistible street food and drinks of every kind. You’ll learn how each is made and, of course, sample more than a few. Rounding things off in style, the tour concludes with a nightcap at a hip riverside bar.

• Duration: evening
• Time: 6pm to 10.30pm
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
The tour is not suitable for under 18s. Local beer is included, but there’s a surcharge for the optional craft-beer tasting.

• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
The tour is not suitable for under 18s. Local beer is included, but there’s a surcharge for the optional craft-beer tasting.

Back to itinerary

Chiang Mai Old Town Walking Tour

Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai

Thailand’s second city is an engaging place to spend a few days, and it’s not short on must-see sights either. On this half-day adventure, you’ll take one of the distinctive red local taxis, or songthaew, to a laidback guesthouse by the main entrance to the moated old quarter. From here, a short walk will take you across the moat to Somphet, a typical small food market packed with stalls piled high with fruit, vegetables and more. Next, you’ll wander along atmospheric alleyways to Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai’s oldest temple. After a visit to the fascinating Folklife Museum, where you’ll learn something of the local Lanna culture, you’ll explore two more ornate temples: Wat Phan Tao and Wat Phra Singh. Finish with a taste of local street food for lunch before another songthaew whisks you back to your hotel.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 8.30am to midday
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
The tour is mainly on foot, so parents should ensure their children will be fine with walking or able to be carried if necessary. As the itinerary includes several temples, you’ll need to dress appropriately: long trousers, below-the-knee skirts and covered shoulders.

Back to itinerary

Koh Samui Jeep Safari

Koh Samui

See a side of Koh Samui that most visitors don’t even know exists on this adventure-filled safari by all-terrain 4x4. The imaginative itinerary includes a mix of headline destinations and off-the-beaten-track gems that even the locals rarely get to. You’ll stop to admire the 12-metre-high gilded statue of Buddha at Wat Phra Yai - a real island landmark - and the mummified body of a monk in a glass display case at Wat Khunaram. But you’ll also make two visits to the majestic waterfalls at Na Muang - once to splash in the pools at the bottom and later to take in the striking outlook from the top - and follow sandy tracks to a stunning viewpoint only insiders know about. You’ll discover a verdant secret Buddha garden high in the hills, from where you can see for miles, and find that even lunch comes with stunning views.

• Duration: full day • Time: 8am to 4.30pm • Operates Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• Operates year round
• Group experience

Good to know
The trip is suitable for all, but the path to the waterfall is quite steep, so wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and carry your belongings in a backpack to leave your hands free.

Back to itinerary

Koh Samui's Highlights In A Half Day

Koh Samui

There’s more to Koh Samui than its gorgeous beaches as you’ll discover on this half-day journey around the island’s best-known sights. Top of the list is Wat Phra Yai, also known as Big Buddha Temple, on its own little island reached by a short causeway. Its star attraction is its impossible-to-miss 12-metre-high golden statue of Buddha, in a seated pose that represents purity. Take in the hilltop view over the sparkling sea and marvel at one of natures peculiar wonders - Grandma and Grandpa Rocks. Finally, you’ll visit Wat Khunaram and its slightly macabre claim to fame: the mummified body of a monk who died there in 1973, displayed in a glass case, and have some time to do some shopping in Nathon, the island's capital.

• Duration: half day
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
Bring plenty of cash, as the prices at Nathon’s market are good value compared to those in the main tourist areas.

Back to itinerary

Bangkok Street Food

Bangkok

Thailand is known for its delicious street food, and one of the best places to sample it is in Bangkok’s historic Rattanakosin district, also known as the Old Town. On this four-hour tour, you’ll head off on foot with a local English-speaking guide to explore the narrow streets and alleyways of this atmospheric area, stopping at family-run shops, tiny cafés, street vendors and market stalls to sample their wares and learn about how they’re made. Sip a cup of old-style coffee, the thick and sweet kafae boran; feast on Chinese chive dumplings and succulent roast duck; and try typical sweet treats such as sticky-rice dumplings filled with mung-bean paste. Be sure to leave room for some coconut ice cream, handmade by the same family for generations.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 8.30am to 1pm
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Group experience

Good to know
Suitable for children aged 12 and upwards. The tour includes visits to a temple and shrine, so dress appropriately. Transfers not included

• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Group experience

Good to know
Suitable for children aged 12 and upwards. The tour includes visits to a temple and shrine, so dress appropriately.

Back to itinerary

Bangkok Your Way (Private Driver and Guide) - Half Day or Full Day

Bangkok

Whether you know precisely what you want to see or are looking for some suggestions from someone who knows the city like the back of their hand, there’s no better way of exploring Bangkok at your own pace than with a private guide and chauffeur. With the help of their insider tips, you’ll be able to get unique insights into the city’s most famous sights, discover hidden gems you’d never have stumbled upon on your own and learn about the country’s culture along the way. With stops wherever and whenever you want, and the ability to change course on a whim, it’s a superb option for those travelling with children and those who want a tailor-made immersion in the history and culture of Bangkok.

• Duration: half day or full day
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
You’ll have to pay locally for parking fees and tickets to any attractions you visit, and for any refreshments.

• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
You’ll have to pay locally for parking fees and tickets to any attractions you visit, and for any refreshments.

Back to itinerary

Bangkok's Highlights in a Day

Bangkok

For those who like to pack the maximum into each day, this trip will take you to some of Bangkok’s most famous sights in comfort. The first stop of the morning is Wat Traimit, home to a three-metre-high statue of a seated Buddha made from solid gold; from here, you’ll travel to another temple, Wat Pho, with another statue of Buddha - this time reclining - that’s a massive 46 metres long. Next on the itinerary is the Grand Palace, a former royal residence, and the temple of the Emerald Buddha, though the statue is actually made of jade. After lunch, you’ll board a traditional boat to cruise along some of the city’s canals, taking in the sights of daily life along the way, before disembarking at your final temple of the day: the riverside Wat Arun, known for its distinctive multicoloured spire.

​

• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
You’ll need to dress appropriately for visiting the various temples: that means long trousers - not leggings - or skirts below the knee, and covered shoulders. Carry a lightweight, though not see-through, cover-up if you want to be more casual the rest of the day.

Back to itinerary