Thailand with children: beaches, jungle and a river

Many parents hesitate to take children long-haul, and the distance to Thailand is not trivial: eleven hours or more in the air from Britain, and a time difference of six or seven hours. But once there, it is one of the most rewarding countries in Asia for a family. Thais tend to be openly fond of children, and a small child is likely to be fussed over in shops, restaurants and temples. Hotels and guesthouses are used to families. The variety of the country, with its cities and temples, rivers and jungles, wildlife and beaches, means that there is something new every couple of days, which is often what keeps children interested.

Food, heat and health

Food is a common worry, and usually an unnecessary one. Thai food is often fiery, but it doesn't have to be. Fried rice, noodles, grilled chicken, chicken satay with peanut sauce, and simple rice soups are all mild and widely available, and asking for food without chilli is entirely normal. Fresh fruit, from mangoes and pineapples to mangosteens and rambutans, is a great success with most children.

The heat is the bigger challenge. Thailand is hot all year, and the sun is strong. Plan the busy part of each day for the morning and late afternoon, with a rest or a swim in the middle, and keep everyone drinking water. Mosquitoes carry dengue fever in parts of the country, particularly in the rainy season, so repellent and long clothes in the evening are sensible. It is worth taking medical advice on vaccinations well before you go.

Temples are usually a success with children, especially when they come with stories attached: the giant reclining Buddha, the guardian demons at the gates, the monks in saffron robes. A few rules help: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off before entering, and feet never pointed towards an image of the Buddha. Thai people are generally relaxed about small children's mistakes, and a respectful attitude is noticed. Markets, boat rides and night-time street-food stalls tend to hold children's attention for longer than museums, and there is no shortage of any of them.

The weather in the school holidays

The main school holidays in Britain fall in July and August, which in most of Thailand is the rainy season. That is less of a problem than it sounds. Rain tends to come in heavy, short downpours, often in the afternoon, rather than all day. The landscape is at its greenest, and the crowds are thinner. The Gulf of Thailand side, including the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, is generally drier in July and August than the Andaman coast, which takes the brunt of the south-west monsoon. The Christmas and October half-term holidays fall in the cooler, drier part of the year in the north and centre.

Three family trips

The three trips below, all from Explore Worldwide, are designed for parents and children together.

Family Thailand: Beach and Jungle Adventure, twelve nights, has the most varied list of places. It includes Bangkok, the Maeklong railway market and Khlong Noi, the limestone coast of Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, with the Phraya Nakhon Cave, where a royal pavilion stands in a shaft of sunlight in a huge cavern, and Kui Buri National Park, one of the best places in Thailand to see wild elephants. Its places also include Prachuap Khiri Khan and Pranburi on the coast, the rainforest lake of Khao Sok, and the beach at Khao Lak.

Family Thailand: River Kwai and Islands, thirteen nights, combines Bangkok and the ruins of Ayutthaya with Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai, Sai Yok National Park, Khao Sok and Cheow Lan Lake. It also includes the Gulf islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui, the better side for summer travel.

Family Thailand: Best of the North, nine nights, covers Chiang Mai, the lake at Huay Tung Tao and the village of Ban Naton Chan, the old capital of Sukhothai, Mae Sot and Tak near the Burmese border, Nakhon Sawan and Bangkok.

A family trip to Thailand doesn't need to be ambitious to be memorable. A boat on a river, a night in the jungle, a temple with a sleeping Buddha and a few days on a beach will do very nicely.