Why Southeast Asia?
Bursting with ancient cultures, breathtaking landscapes (Mountains? ✅ Oceans? ✅) and welcoming locals, family travel in Southeast Asia is a must for anyone wanting to live life on the adventurous side.
Children can explore the cities, ancient ruins and landscapes all while learning about different cultures, religions and languages. There really is something for everyone!
Over seven weeks, I explored Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia with my two children (ages 5 and 2). Our travels balanced outdoor adventure with cultural exploration, much needed chill-out time and of course, our budget.
This guide is for you if:
- You’re looking for an adventure your family won’t forget.
- Want to get off the usual family tourist trail.
- You’re looking for somewhere to explore, adventure and relax in the same place.
Planning Your Trip
Like any big adventure, a lot of planning is needed for your family travel in Southeast Asia.
Here are a few things to consider:
- Defining a family-friendly destination: What’s important to you when travelling with kids? Not all destinations are equal! Transportation, medical services and child-friendly activities are a few things to ponder when researching possible destinations. Consider your needs based on family preferences and the ages of your kids.
- Visa Requirements: Every country has it’s own entry requirements and costs. These vary depending on your nationality, and may need to be organised before your arrival. Start researching these early to avoid stress while you’re travelling.
- Health & Safety Considerations: Vaccinations, travel insurance, and a well-stocked first-aid kit are must-haves. Family travel in Southeast Asia means being prepared for minor illnesses, changes in diet, and different hygiene standards.
Our Family Travel Route
We took a slow, intentional route, balancing cultural experiences, outdoor adventures, and rest.
Here’s how we did it:
- Thailand – Chiang Mai → Chiang Rai → Border crossing at Chiang Khong
- Laos – 2-day river cruise to Luang Prabang → Vang Vieng → Vientiane
- Cambodia – Flight into Siem Reap.
- Thailand (again) – Flight to Phuket → Koh Lanta → Bangkok
Every step of our journey introduced us to something special, from feeding elephants in Chiang Mai to watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat.
Highlights by Country
One of the best bits about travelling through these countries was that there are some striking similarities between them. These similarities meant that once we were used to the climate, food and motorbikes everywhere, it was easy to step into the next leg of our adventure. No more culture shock!
Some of these similarities include:
- Predominantly Buddhist nations, offering stunning temples to explore.
- It is customary to place your hands together in front of your chest when greeting people and saying “Thank you”.
- People are warm, engaging and kind. I never felt unsafe traveling through these nations with my children.
- The natural beauty of these countries is undeniable.
Thailand: An easy start to Family travel in Southeast Asia
Thailand is famous for its temples, delicious food and warm hospitality. We found it a welcoming country to travel with children.
Locals, young and old, often stopped to say a hello to our children. Many locals even offered gifts of sweets or fresh fruit before waving goodbye.
- Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai: Northern Thailand offered the perfect starting point. This region isn’t as popular with tourists as Thailand’s South, this mountainous region is still bursting with temples, night markets and waterfalls.
- Koh Lanta: Ideal for families wanting to relax on the beach. The water is calm, offering views to other islands, but without the bustle of Phuket.
- Bangkok: A mix of culture and chaos, Bangkok has plenty of kid-friendly activities, from boat rides along the Chao Phraya River to sprawling green spaces like Lumpini Park. Even better are the mega shopping malls featuring quirky experiences, like indoor ice-skating and oversized kids play areas.
Laos: A diamond in the rough (my favourite of the three!)
Laos surprised me immediately as we crossed the border and boarded our long-boat. Its nature remains untouched, the people warm and the prices cheap.
This was truly my favourite country from the three that we visited.
Funny enough, when planning our family travel in Southeast Asia, Laos was the country that we were most strongly warned against!
- Two-Day River Cruise to Luang Prabang: I worried that the kids would be bored, but this relaxing journey offered plenty of action. We visited a Hmong village and saw Water Buffalo and Elephants, all from the comfort of our little booth.
- Luang Prabang: The largest city in Northern Laos, Luang Prabang is the perfect launch pad to explore the region’s mountains and waterfalls. It’s slow pace, French-colonial charm and numerous museums and temples all create a relaxed yet action-packed holiday for families.
- Vang Vieng: Once the party hub for backpackers in Southeast Asia, this village is now an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Take your pick from caves, rivers, rock climbing and stunning landscapes.
Cambodia (Siem Reap): History, but make it fun
While we only explored the city of Siem Reap on this trip, Cambodia provided some of the most memorable experiences of our trip.
- Angkor Wat: Exploring these ancient temples has been a dream of mine forever. You can imagine my joy when my kids started playing hide and seek in the ruins of the Ta Prom temple. Ancient history has never been more fun!
- Phare Circus: There’s more to Siem Reap than just Angkor! This social enterprise teaches kids a variety of skills (yes, including circus! performance!) and puts on regular shows. The performance we saw was incredible. All proceeds from these shows go back to the circus to continue supporting the students, staff and community. What’s NOT to love?
Accommodation: finding the right place for you
Balancing your need for comfort and space with your budget isn’t always easy!
We found all of our accommodation on Air B&B and Booking.com. Both booking platforms allowed us to explore local homestay options as well as family-run hotels.
The main options available for families traveling through Southeast Asia are:
- Family-Friendly Hotels & Guesthouses: We typically opted for this style of accommodation, finding them to have the family-like touch of a homestay with the increased privacy and space of a hotel.
- Homestays & Local Stays: Homestays offe a unique insight into the lives of local families. When travelling with children, it can be more challenging to find one with the right amount of space or privacy.
- Resorts: All-inclusive resorts are common, particularly in Thailand. These offer the chance to rest and recharge without having to think, plan or do much of anything. We didn’t stay in any resorts during out travel because it’s just not us.
When searching for a property, use all of the search filters that apply to you. This saves you time and ensures that you’ll find the right place as quickly as you can.
Of course, you can also arrange your accommodation on the go. Speaking to locals and other travellers is often the best way to discover options that meet your needs, while offering something unique to your stay.
Getting Around: Transport Tips
“But how do we get there?” was a question that came up again and again as my husband and I stood in front of our wall-sized map.
Was there even a road there? Or was a flight needed? How long would it take?
A few decisions that need to be made if you’re planning for your Family to travel in Southeast Asia are:
- Flights vs. Bus Travel: Flights saved us time but they were incredibly expensive! Consider what’s best for your family’s budget, time constraints and comfort level.
- Public Transport & Private Transfers: From my experience, I can say that
- Buses offer endless entertainment for children and are very budget-friendly.
- Private transfers save time and are usually much more comfortable.
- Buses offer endless entertainment for children and are very budget-friendly.
- Car and Motorbike hire: Hiring a motorbike or car is convenient and allows you to move around where you want, when you want. It’s important to consider the following, before deciding to drive like the locals:
- different driving norms,
- quality of roads,
- level of cover from your travel
insurance for this activity, - What side of the road each country drives on (Thailand on the left with Cambodia and Laos on the right!)
- different driving norms,
- River cruises vs. Overland Travel: As the mighty Mekong River flows through all three countries, why not cruise it and avoid long, overland bus journeys? The cost is higher, but it’s a fun way to mix-up your transit days.
Within cities, I highly recommend the Grab app (it’s uber, but Asian) or simply taking a Tuktuk.
Learning about Difference
Travelling with kids always presents the opportunity to learn about different ways of life and gives us a chance to teach our children about respect, acceptance, empathy and gratefulness.
A few of the key lessons we experienced while in South East Asia were:
- Diet: I love the food here but my kids just couldn’t get on board with eating noodle soup for breakfast. This was a fantastic lesson in understanding that their way isn’t always the right way. It’s just different.
- Toilets: From using squat toilets for the first time to remembering not to flush the toilet paper, this aspect of your daily habits may be a challenge for you and your children. This is especially true if you’re toilet training!
- Religion: Thailand, Laos and Cambodia are predominantly Buddhist countries. Monks can be seen walking through cities and the temples are open to visitors to explore. We enjoyed learning about the symbols of Buddhism and some of the stories central to the faith. It’s now second nature for the kids to remove their shoes upon entering temples and to bow their heads to monks.
- Local Customs: In this region, greeting each other by bowing slightly and having your hands in a prayer position is the norm. Although my eldest found this confusing, she now understands that it is important for local people that she reflect these gestures.
Local Etiquette
As a visitor, it’s important to respect the local norms of the community you’ll be visiting. You don’t need to be an expert, but by keeping these few things in mind will help you settle in and feel less out of place.
- Clothing: These predominantly Buddhist countries are conservative. Light, loose clothing that covers the whole body is worn by most locals. Follow their lead! These clothes are comfortable in the heat and offer great protection against bugs. Modest clothing is also required to visit temples, so keep your shoulders and knees covered.
- Bowing: It’s customary to bow the head slightly with your hands in prayer position when greeting someone or saying thank you.
- Do not touch the monks: Particularly if you are a woman, you should have no physical contact with a monk.
Health & Safety
At no time on our journey did I feel unsafe, but there were a few upset tummies and colds along the way.
The key things to be mindful of during an adventure in this part of the world are:
- Food: Be cautious, but don’t be afraid to try new things. If you’re not used to chilli, take it easy on the spicy food. Avoid fresh salad leaves unless you’ve washed them yourself in clean water. Be careful with meat products from street stalls.
- Water: You cannot drink the tap water here. Buy bottled water and ask if your accommodation has fresh water to refill (they typically do!). Use this for drinking, cooking and teeth brushing.
- Markets: Typically these are bustling places, full of life, action and people. Keep your kids close and have a family plan about what to do if you’re separated. I didn’t experience anyone making inappropriate or concerning advances, it’s just so easy to lose each other in the excitement of these events.
- Hiking: If you’re an adventurous family, stick to the marked trails. This is particularly important in Laos and Cambodia, because there are still unexploded landmines. If in doubt, ask your host or book a tour.
Budgeting for Family Travel
Travelling doesn’t have to break the bank. If you’ve got the itch to explore with your family, then there’s definitely a way to make it work.
On average, we spent around $150 per day for our family of four while travelling this region.
- Accommodation: Budget options range from $20 – $100 per night.
- Food: Local meals are as cheap as $2-5. Western food is pricier, as is anything from a convenience store (think 7-eleven) or takeaway restaurants.
- Activities: Many cultural sites are free or low-cost, while private tours and experiences can really become very pricey. Children are often free!
South East Asia can be an affordable, family-friendly destination.
Like anything, the sky’s the limit to what you can pay, but with some savvy planning and creative thinking, you can travel on a budget without feeling like you’re missing out on a little luxury.
Last Encouragement to travel Southeast Asia
Travelling South East Asia with kids is a once in a lifetime adventure. Thailand, Laos and Cambodia offer the opportunity to slow down, learn and make new memories together as a family.
Why not be the people who take the path less traveled and show your kids a world they could never have imagined? The memories of my kids running naked on the beach at sunset or playing hide and seek at Angkor Wat will stay with me for ever.
With the right balance of research, planning and flexibility, family travel in Southeast Asia can be one of your most memorable experiences, too.
Happy travels!
Have you travelled this region with kids? Would you ever consider it? Let me know in the comments below!
