Thailand offers the perfect introduction to Asia and its diverse history and culture. From the vibrant city of Bangkok to its world-famous street foods, there’s so much to discover on family holidays in Thailand. This intriguing country is a melting pot of temples, palaces and bustling cities that blend the old with the new in an intoxicating cocktail.
Our Thailand itineraries are designed for families with a sense of adventure, with exciting activities such as rickshaw tours and ziplining through Angkor on offer. And there’s plenty for history lovers to enjoy too, with Buddhist sites and the Khao San Road where you can delve deeper into the traditional cultures of Thailand. The tuk tuk is one of the most popular ways to get around the cities and is a fun experience on our Thailand family tours as you ride among bustling streets and lively markets.
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and immerse yourself in a more peaceful side of Thailand, take a longtail boat ride along the ancient canals of Old Bangkok or visit the sprawling temple complex of Wat Pho. Here you’ll find the largest reclining Buddha statue in Thailand and learn about the origins of the traditional Thai massage.
Thailand is renowned for its exotic street food which is at the very heart of cultural holidays here. When exploring the cities and markets, you can’t go a few yards without the fragrant aromas of a Pad Thai or Pad kra pra assaulting your tastebuds. Anyone that loves foodie holidays will be in culinary heaven in Thailand.
Independent family holidays in Thailand are also available.
Thailand Family Tours
14 DaysfromCAD 3,418
CAD 3,270
Experience an action-packed journey across Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand
Family
13 DaysfromCAD 3,800
Take your clan to the Land of Smiles, one of the world’s great family destinations
Top Six Street Foods to Try on Family Holidays in Thailand
Pad Krapao Moo: This stir-fried pork dish is a popular street food you’ll find in most cities during Thailand family tours. Most often, either pork or chicken is the main ingredient and is fried alongside holy basil. The spicy sauce consists of chilli, garlic, green beans, oyster sauce and soy sauce – a delicious combination that really brings the dish alive. Pad krapao moo is usually served with fragrant Thai rice and topped with a fried egg. If its comfort food that gets you excited, then this is definitely the dish to try.
Pad Thai: No doubt you’ll have heard of Pad Thai as this is one of the most popular and traditional dishes of Thailand, as well as being one of the most colourful. It can be rustled up with chicken, pork or shrimp and is traditionally accompanied by flat rice noodles, bean sprouts and lime, for that extra zing. Pad Thai became popular in Bangkok when the prime minister wanted to overcome the country’s rice shortage. The vibrant combination of sweet, sour and spice create the most intense flavour sensation that makes it one of the best dishes in Thailand.
Khao Ka Moo: Another great comfort food that is popular with both locals and visitors to Thailand, Khao ka moo is one of those street food dishes that leaves you with a warm feeling of contentment. Pork is braised on the bone until it falls apart and becomes a melt-in-the-mouth consistency before serving with a portion of rice, chillies, pickled greens and a hard-boiled egg. You’ll find the dish being made throughout the streets of Thailand and because of its lack of hot spice, it’s a popular food among children.
Kai Jeow: Although the word ‘omelette’ derives from France, you might be surprised to learn that its origins are from ancient Persia. Deep fried in lashings of oil, salt, soy sauce and fish sauce, this Thai favourite is an indulgent eggy treat served at many food stalls and restaurants. Most locals simply enjoy the Kai jeow with just a dollop of sweet ketchup or chilli sauce and it makes a great snack for eating on the move.
Roti Gluay: For anyone with a sweet tooth, Roti gluay – a Thai variation on fried banana pancakes – is an indulgent treat that children go crazy for. And not only does it taste sensational, but it looks pretty incredible too. This delicious dessert is a must-try when visiting the capital city of Bangkok and is also great fun to watch being made. The ingredients combine a bread-like pastry, whisked eggs and generous slices of banana which can be topped off with anything from chocolate sauce and coconut to sugar or honey.
Khao Neow Mamuang: Mango sticky rice is another Thai street food that promises to make you salivate. The combination of coconut sticky rice and mango is simple yet delicious and will undoubtedly leave you wanting more. The rice is steamed and then blended with thick coconut cream and sugar before serving with sweet, ripe mango and topped with coconut cream or mung beans.
We had not done an adventure family holiday before and were unsure as to what to expect. Any anxieties were very quickly dispelled and we had a memorable 14 days discovering Vietnam from north to south. The schedule was paced so that we had time to recover from flights and travelling. The heat took some getting used to. Our tour guide said that Vietnam has two types of weather, hot and hotter, so don’t pack a jumper! There were five other families on the tour and we all got along really well. Our tour guide Huyen Nguyen made sure everything went smoothly and imparted her in depth knowledge of Vietnam giving us context and descriptions of her beautiful country. The tour was a mix of activities from rickshaws in Hanoi, Cooking classes in Hoi An and relaxing at Whale island. We didn’t really get into the history of the “American War” until late into the tour which was good, because Vietnam is so much more than its history! The Vietnamese people were warm, welcoming and generous. It is also helpful that English is spoken widely and quite well, which is useful as the Vietnamese language is very difficult to understand. The food was really tasty and we enjoyed the Ban-mi in particular. One final note, the Hotels were really good, particularly the Sincerity Hotel in Hoi An which has a very good swimming pool.
This was such a brilliant holiday – amazing scenery, fabulous food, fun activities, culture and history. We shared it with 5 other families, who all got on fabulously (adults and children) – there was always someone to chat to and share the experiences with. Having a tour guide really helps you get the most from the holiday – especially reserving tables for us all at some of the best eateries – and also takes the stress out of any aspect of the holiday.
We saw so much of this beautiful country in such a short space of time, but still had time to relax and chill out!
This review is based on being specifically ‘Designed for children aged 9-12’.
In summary, in our opinion, it is not.
It is simply the (excellent) adult trip with a few omissions and permitting children.
To give my review some context:
Our children are in the age bracket for whom this trip is designed.
I’ve been travelling with Exodus since 2006 and this was my seventh trip with one of those being the adult version of this trip.
Last year we travelled all over Vietnam on a family holiday with Intrepid.
All of these trips I’ve mentioned were outstanding experiences and no matter the price, excellent value for money. I continue to recommend those trips and Exodus at every opportunity to both the uninitiated and the many repeat trippers looking for something they haven’t yet tried.
But unfortunately this was the first where I felt my expectations weren’t met and I felt rather disappointed.
I would endorse the views expressed by previous reviewers Jon Browning and Stephen Dossett and encourage you to read them.