I don’t think we could ever get bored of visiting Thailand and its tropical beaches, lush rainforest, bustling cities and magnificent temples.
There are so many places to visit, things to see and do and it’s perfect for families with kids of all ages. This 2 week Thailand itinerary gives you a good mix of adventure, culture and relaxation.
Thailand is the perfect destination for kids
Known as ‘The Land of Smiles’, the Thai people are so friendly and absolutely love children. Our kids were 4 years old and 11 months old when we visited and the Thai people made such a fuss of them. It felt like we were travelling with celebrities!
Thailand really is a perfect destination to take kids and this 2 week itinerary allows you to explore by staying in four different places, without spending too much time travelling.
It’s also super cheap! Our total cost including flights, accomodation, travel, food and spending money came in at less than £3000 for our family of 4!
A quick look at our Thailand itinerary…
- Days 1-3: Bangkok
- Accomodation - Novotel Bangkok Ploenchit Sukhumvit
- Days 4-6: Sam Roi Yot
- Accomodation - Oriental Beach Pearl Resort
- Days 7-8: Hua Hin
- Accomodation - Asira Boutique HuaHin
- Sleeper Train to Surat Thani
- Days 9-15: Koh Samui
- Accomodation - Airbnb (Bophut Beach)
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Planning your 2 week Thailand itinerary
Let’s rewind 10 years when we first visited Thailand on our honeymoon (yes, no family, no kids). I wanted to move away from walking into a travel agent and booking a package holiday.
I wanted to plan my own travel and be in control of creating a bespoke itinerary within an affordable budget (plus I knew I could be travel savvy and save loads on the costs).
At the time, I was scared about booking things individually, I worried about missing something and had so many questions. I soon learned that research and planning makes it easy to plan your own travel.
You may want to plan your perfect Thailand trip but have questions like….
- Where do we go?
- How do I find good accommodation in a good location?
- How do I get to my accommodation?
- How do we get from A to B?
- How do I know all of the options and the costs?
- What do we do?
- How do I do all of this with kids?
And the list could go on!
If you want help planning your trip, use this 2 week Thailand itinerary to help with booking your flights and accommodation. Use our recommendations of things to do and advice on how to travel around in Thailand. Although this Thailand itinerary is brilliant for families and kids, it’s also an itinerary that would suit solo travellers, couples etc.
I want more families to explore this beautiful country with their kids. If you still have questions, please comment at the end and I will help as much as I can.
Getting to Thailand with kids
There are 6 international airports in Thailand but the majority of travellers fly into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Like most people’s journeys, this 2 week Thailand itinerary starts in Bangkok.
I always start my travel planning by searching for and booking my flights. There is always an abundance of accommodation (unless there is some kind of event taking place). But there is a limited supply of flights to any destination.
Quite often, I’ll have inspiration for a holiday destination but find that the flights are too expensive and so choose an alternative destination. Flight prices also vary considerably, so try and be as flexible as you can.
If you are flying from the UK, flight duration will be just over 11 hours. However, don’t let this put you off if you are travelling with kids.
For many kids, the flight is one of the most exciting parts of their family adventure!
We actually enjoy longer flights because you get more leg room, food and drink and most importantly (well acording to our eldest daughter), amazing in flight entertainment! Here’s some top tips for surviving long haul flights.
Our youngest (11 months at the time) slept for most of the flight in a basinet. And our eldest (4 years old at the time), we barely heard a peep out of as she made her way through the Disney films on offer!
Days 1-3: Bangkok
Where to stay in Bangkok with kids
There is certainly no shortage of accommodation in Bangkok and there is something to suit everybody and all budgets.
Covering an area of nearly 1,600 square kilometres, figuring out where to stay can be a huge job in itself. I spent a long time researching the different areas in Bangkok before deciding which would suit us best.
If you want to learn more, Nerd Nomads have written an excellent post on ‘Where To Stay In Bangkok’
We stayed for 3 nights in the family-friendly Novotel Bangkok Ploenchit Sukhumvit and found it an excellent choice for both comfort and location.
The hotel itself provides modern, comfortable rooms with amazing views across the city. There is a gym and an outdoor swimming pool (which is most refreshing after a busy day in the city and of course the kids loved it) and the breakfast buffet is incredible! My husband enjoyed eating curry and dim sum for breakfast and there is lots of choice for kids.
The hotel location was a huge benefit for us with the kids and a stroller. It is conveniently situated next to the BTS Skytrain – Ploenchit Station. Within walking distance, you can reach Sukhumvit’s popular shopping, restaurants and bars. Or if you are looking for Bangkok’s ‘Green Lung’, Lumphini Park is also close by.
What to do in Bangkok with kids
Most people only spend a few days in Bangkok but there is so much to see, it’s impossible to fit everything into just a few days.
Popular things to do include…
- Visit the dazzling Grand Palace (former residence of the Thai monarch) and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
- See the city’s largest Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho
- Visit Wat Arun, some may say the city’s most stunning temple
- Look around the elegant Thai style house that formerly belonged to the famous American silk entrepreneur and art collector, Jim Thompson
- Take in the magnificent sights from the river by riding the Chao Phraya Express Boat
- Browse some of the country’s artistic riches at The National Museum
- Pick up a bargain from one of the thousands of stalls at Chatuchak Weekend Market
- Enjoy traditional Thai food at the Central Embassy shopping mall
- Treat your senses to the delicious smells and tastes from Chinatowns street side cuisines
- Hang out at the trendy Siam Square and treat yourself to some retail therapy at Siam Paragon shopping mall
- Escape to the shade and greenery of Lumphini Park
- Embrace the backpacker’s paradise of Khao San road
- Enjoy a cocktail at one of the many rooftop bars overlooking the vibrant city
The list really goes on and on, so if you research anything, make sure it’s what you want to get out of your time in Bangkok.
We crammed lots into our few days in Bangkok, ticking many of the above off our list. And everything is suitable for kids, even cocktails on the rooftop bars!
If you’re wanting to take things slower then check out this more relaxing 3-Day Bangkok Itinerary.
Is Bangkok suitable for kids?
Some people love Bangkok, some people can’t wait to get away.
We personally love the fact that you can spend a few crazy and diverse days in a vibrant city, then escape to the beaches, jungle and islands where the buzzing city seems so distant.
Bangkok is full of colour, culture and excitement for kids. It’s easy to get around with a stroller and exploring the city is simple using the BTS Skytrain and MRT underground (although it may be a good idea to avoid at rush hour when it gets very busy).
They’ll also love a tuk-tuk ride or cruise on the Phraya River Express boat.
The great thing about Thailand is that it’s cheap, so all of these amazing things to do are affordable.
Just remember to take plenty of cool clothes, hats, sun cream and water as it can get very hot and humid.
Day 4-6: Sam Roi Yot
Getting to Sam Roi Yot
The cheapest, easiest and most fun way of getting to Sam Roi Yot is to take the train from Bangkok to Hua Hin, which takes approximately 4 hours. The kids loved it and we were even able to make the bed up above us for our youngest to have a sleep on.
We bought our tickets from Hua Lamphong Station the day before we travelled, whilst exploring Bangkok. You can easily get to Hua Lamphong Station via the MRT underground.
You can also buy tickets online but we preferred to discuss the options at the main desk in Hua Lamphong Station before buying our tickets.
You can check out the train times from Bangkok to Hua Hin here.
From Hua Hin, you can get a taxi to your accommodation. If you are staying at the Oriental Beach Pearl Resort, they can arrange a transfer for you (ours was waiting when our train arrived at Hua Hin Station).
Where to stay in Sam Roi Yot with kids
We stayed for 3 nights in a luxurious villa at the family-friendly Oriental Beach Pearl Resort, approximately 240 kilometres south of Bangkok.
Located in a beautiful and tranquil area close to the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, Sam Roi Yot is the complete opposite to Bangkok. Here you really appreciate Thailand’s natural beauty with surrounding wildlife and a dramatic backdrop of lush green mountains.
This was probably ours, and most certainly the kids favourite accommodation of the trip.
The spacious villas offer up to three bedrooms, kitchen/living area and rooftop terrace with outdoor kitchen and private spa pool.
The best thing about the Oriental Beach Pearl Resort has to be its swimming pool, which is one of the longest in Thailand. The villas line the swimming pool so you can walk out of your villa doors and jump straight into the pool.
They also cook amazing pizzas in their authentic outdoor pizza oven, which can be washed down with a glass of wine from their 500 bottle wine cellar.
What to do in Sam Roi Yot with kids
Located so close to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, there are plenty of things that you really must see to appreciate the natural beauty of Thailand. We did everything listed below with our kids and we had so much fun!
Popular things to do include…
- Climb the 430 metres up to Phraya Nakhon Cave and be rewarded with the spectacular sight of the Kuha Kharuehat pavilion, showcased by the sunlight that cascades through the open ceiling of the cave
- Explore Thung Sam Roi Yot Freshwater Marsh and the mangrove forests in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park
- Hire a scooter and sidecar and explore the area – this is so much fun!
- Treat yourself to an amazing fruit smoothie or Thai toast, banana, honey and ice cream at Sweet Honey cafe
- Visit nearby Pranburi village for traditional local Thai culture and authentic markets
- Relax on the beach or back at your accommodation, let the kids have fun in the swimming pool and enjoy the peaceful and beautiful surroundings
Is Sam Roi Yot good for kids?
If you are looking for some family adventure and outdoor activity that shows you the natural beauty of Thailand, then you’ll find it here.
Sam Roi Yot is a peaceful haven and change for the kids after the hustle and bustle of Bangkok.
There are plenty of beaches and few tourists, so you’ll often find you have places all to yourself.
Strollers are fine unless you want to trek or climb the mountains. We are adventurous and were not going to let the reviews of Phraya Nakhon cave put us off (stating that it is unsuitable for kids). I’m not going to lie… it was hot and hard work but I climbed all the way with our 11 month old in the Baby Bjorn harness and our 4 year old managed the whole way.
The kids were very red but we took plenty of water and it was definitely worth it when we reached the cave (and of course they got an ice cream to cool down with).
We love the Baby Bjorn harness and have carried both our girls miles in it.
BabyBjorn Carrier
If you are looking for the perfect stroller for travelling with kids, take a look at the Baby Jogger City Mini.
Day 7-8: Hua Hin
Getting to Hua Hin
We took the daily shuttle bus from Oriental Beach Pearl Resort in Sam Roi Yot to Hua Hin, which takes about half an hour.
If you plan to stay somewhere else, they will be able to arrange transportation to Hua Hin for you or you may choose to have car hire.
Where to stay in Hua Hin with kids
We stayed for 1 night in the family-friendly Asira Boutique HuaHin and wished we could have stayed longer.
Located just a short walk away from the beach, shops and restaurants in the centre of Hua Hin, Asira is a beautiful modern and chic boutique hotel.
The rooms are bright, airy and comfortable with a mix of features – our room had a private sala (gazebo) on the balcony for relaxing on.
The staff are so friendly here and can’t do enough for you and were really good with the kids.
Things to do in Hua Hin with kids
- Join the locals and eat delicious, fresh fish for super cheap prices at the Hua Hin night market
- Support rescued elephants by visiting Hutsadin Elephant Foundation – this was one of our highlights and a great experience for kids.
- Climb the steps up to the Buddhist temple, Wat Khao Takiap and see the monkeys
Is Hua Hin good for kids?
Hua Hin is another great place for kids, with plenty of beautiful and modern hotels but less touristy than other popular beach resorts in Thailand. This means you get to experience real Thai culture and amazing food at really cheap prices.
Everywhere we went was stroller friendly apart from Wat Khao Takiap where there are lots of steps. We had a drink in the air-conditioned café at the bottom and they let us leave our stroller there whilst we climbed up to the temple.
Day 8: Overnight Train
From Hua Hin, we took the overnight train (approx. 7 hours) to Surat Thani, followed by the ferry over to the island of Koh Samui.
We booked our train tickets at Hua Lamphong Station whilst we were in Bangkok and I would highly recommend doing this (make sure your tickets also include the transfer to the ferry port and ferry over to Koh Samui). The sleeper trains often get booked up, especially if you want a first class cabin. The staff at Hua Lamphong Station will help you find the right tickets.
We shared a first-class sleeper cabin. Yes, it sounds very upper class but it really isn’t. It’s practical, private and comfortable enough for the journey but that’s about as luxurious as it gets. We top and tailed in bunk beds and slept fine, but if you’d rather have more room you can book two adjoining cabins and have a bed each.
The thing I love about the overnight sleeper trains is that they are cheap, you save on a night’s accommodation and you sleep whilst you travel.
The kids found it so exciting and the motion of the train actually helps send you off to sleep.
Top Tip – don’t forget to set your alarm, although the attendants will give you a knock half an hour before you arrive
Day 9-15: Koh Samui
Getting to Koh Samui
You can fly or get the ferry to Koh Samui. If you are travelling alone, flights may be a cheap and a quick form of travel. For us (travelling as a family of four with checked luggage), flights worked out more expensive.
If you are following this itinerary, you will have taken the overnight sleeper train from Hua Hin to Surat Thani. For ease, I would recommend buying your combined ticket for transfer to Donsak pier and ferry to Koh Samui at the same time as buying your train tickets. If not, you can buy them from the agents at Surat Thani train station.
Once you arrive at Surat Thani train station, you may have to wait for the bus transfer to Donsak Pier, which takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. Surprisingly, our wait went quickly and the kids (who didn’t seem affected by their lack of sleep), were running around and fussing a puppy that belonged to one of the café owners.
The bus transfer will drop you at Donsak Pier, where you will then take the 45-minute ferry journey over to Koh Samui.
I would recommend arranging a transfer in advance from the pier in Koh Samui to your accommodation.
Where to stay in Koh Samui with kids
We stayed for 7 nights at an Airbnb apartment 10-minute walk away from Bophut village.
Similar to Bangkok but on a much smaller scale, there are different areas to stay in Koh Samui that suit different travellers and budgets. To learn more about the different areas, Travelling King provides a great post on ‘Where to stay in Koh Samui’.
We chose to stay in Bophut because it is well suited for families. It’s busy but not overcrowded with tourists. There are beautiful beaches and it has a Fisherman’s Village that turns into an amazing night market in the evening. Bophut has a good nightlife, with plenty of nice restaurants and bars but isn’t full of noisy nightclubs and Go-Go bars like other areas of the island.
If you haven’t tried Airbnb yet, sign up through our link and get £25 off your first booking.
Our Airbnb apartment had 2 bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and a kitchen, living area and utility area downstairs. It was a great space that we really made our own whilst we were there.
We had a shared swimming pool right in front of the apartment, which the kids made good use of (and most of the time it was just us in the pool).
The other great thing about our apartment was that it had two bikes and helmets. Although we didn’t have bikes and bike seats for the kids, we took it in turns to explore the island whilst our youngest was napping.
What to do in Koh Samui with kids
Everything about Koh Samui is perfect for kids. There are picture perfect beaches and cilled out vibe. Yet, there is still plenty of exploration, culture and adventure to keep the kids busy.
- Explore Bophut’s Fisherman’s Village night market and try a selection of the amazing food it has to offer
- Use the songthaews (a cheap pickup truck with two benches in the back) to get around the island
- Spend a night out in Chaweng – we found it suitable for children and although there are Go-Go bars, the ‘workers’ pulled curtains to as we walked past and the children were completely oblivious
- Hire a car to explore the island
- Chill out and enjoy delicious cocktails and amazing fire shows on the beach at Coco Tams (my favourite beach bar! EVER!)
- Take a trip to the beautiful Na Muang waterfalls and climb up to the different tiers
- Watch the sunset at Hin Ta and Hin Yai (rocks that resemble the male and female genitals)
- Head into the mountains to take in the incredible views whilst enjoying a coffee or cocktail at the Jungle Club
- Swim in the clear blue water and enjoy the powdery sand beach at Crystal Bay
- Visit the magnificent Wat Plai Laem and The Big Buddha
- Relax with a full Thai body massage (ok maybe not relax but Thai massages are so good!)
Is Koh Samui good for kids?
I’ve said it about every location but Thailand really is great for kids and Koh Samui certainly doesn’t break that rule. The last part of this itinerary allows you to base yourself somewhere, explore the island but also relax. We purposely chose an Airbnb with a swimming pool for the kids. After lots of hot busy days seeing and doing as much as we could, we thought we owed them some time to chill out and have some fun in the pool.
Having a bit more time allows you to get out and do something in the morning, let the kids play in the pool in the afternoon, then go out for the evening.
Time to head home
The same as getting to Koh Samui, leaving can be done by either flying or taking the ferry back to the mainland. It would have been cheaper for us to return to Bangkok by ferry and train, but for ease and to save travelling time, we chose to fly. From Bangkok, you can then catch your international flight home… or if you are lucky enough, continue your travels.
I hope this itinerary has inspired you or even helped you to plan a trip to Thailand. Just writing this post has made me want to go back and do it all over again!
I could have written lot’s more so if you need more tips and advice, leave me a comment. Or if you decide to try out the itinerary or visit some of the places I’ve suggested, let me know how you got on.
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This is an amazing blog post, so informative, I would love to visit Thailand but I know how important it is to do the research beforehand, I feel like all I’d need to do is to read this post again when I’m planning it! I’m glad you had a nice time though, I’ve heard how amazing the beaches are! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Chloe x
http://www.chloechats.com
Chloe, thank you so much much for commenting! It’s so nice that you feel my blog post would give you all of the information you need to visit Thailand – makes me feel like I have accomplished my mission 🙂 The beaches are absolutely stunning. In Koh Samui, they are postcard perfect! Would love to help with the planning if you do decide to go 🙂
Wow- excellent travel guide! I love that you listed everything we’d need to know in each location! Looks like you had a great time!
Thanks so much for reading and commenting 🙂
Great to get feedback on the content, I really want people to read my posts and feel confident about visiting. It was amazing the first time we went but taking the kids was even better!
Wow! Beautiful pictures. Looks like a fun time. I would love to visit.
Thank you so much! You must visit if you can, we can’t wait to go back but there are just so many other places to go too 🙂
I have always wanted to visit Thailand, and this makes it feel much less daunting. Thank you!
Thanks Hannah, Thailand definitely needs to be on your bucket list! It can be very daunting thinking about how to get to places and what to do so research is key. Instead of piecing lots of research together, I hope that people can get everything they need from my blog to help them visit places they may not have had the confidence to go to before 🙂
Brilliant post, Although I’ll have an 8 and 17 year old you’ve given me some great ideas ! Random question – sleeper train, is the bed area tiny ? Husband and teen are both over 6 foot and will just moan if they cant stretch out !
Hi Louise, thanks for your comment. I’m so pleased it has given you some ideas. We love Thailand so much! We’ve been twice but wouldn’t hesitate to go back (there’s just so many other places to go and see too).
The sleeper train is so much fun and definitely an experience. The beds aren’t tiny but they certainly aren’t big either. I’m about 5ft 7 and was absolutely fine but at 6ft, I’m not sure you’d be able to stretch out completely. Try searching ‘Thailand sleeper train beds’ on YouTube to get an idea of how big the beds are.
Although for 1 night, I would still do it for the experience and brilliant way to travel long distance at a cheap price. Just make sure you get 2 cabins so you get a bed each. We shared our beds with the kids but I definitely wouldn’t want to be doing that with an 8 and 17 year old 😆
Hi Gemma
Thanks for this post. It’s really helpful. We have just sorted our 2-week itinerary in Thailand and have booked the same accommodation in Bophut. Was it easy to book trips out from here (to the other islands and to the waterfalls)? Jan
Hi Jan, thanks for your comment and how exciting that you’ve booked a trip to Thailand… we love it soooo much.
If you’ve booked the same Airbnb that we stayed in then the owner was really good at providing advice and helping to arrange any trips that you might want to go on. There’s also little tourist shops in Bhoput where you can book trips too, which would include boat trips to other islands.
We used the bikes that were available at the Airbnb to explore the island which was so much fun. We also hired a car out which is a great way to visit parts of the island further away and the mountains which I would highly recommend (if you drive up the mountains though, the roads are extremely steep so be prepared).
Hope that helps ☺
Yes, exactly the same Airbnb as you! Hiring a car sounds a good idea too (though I definitely won’t be driving), as we’d like to see as much of the island as possible. We nearly stayed at Oriental Beach Pearl too, but have now decided to visit Chiang Mai instead.
Many thanks for all your help.
Jan
(www.chimptrips.com)
I’m so glad our itinerary has helped you. You’ll have an amazing time!
Chiang Mai is also a great choice, we went on our honemoon before we had kids. If you’re adventurous, hike up to the villages in the mountains and spend a night with them – brilliant experience! We took some of my niece’s shoes and gave them to a little girl, she was over the moon 😊
Have an incredible trip,
Gemma x
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