One of my most popular blog posts is my bucket wish post about visiting Thailand.
With stunning beaches, beautiful temples, bustling cities and vibrant night life there is something that will appeal to all the family.
One place that was not on this list is Koh Samui, Thailand’s second largest island and an ideal family destination as kids are welcome everywhere and there is all sorts of activities on offer to keep them entertained.
5 things to do with kids in Koh Samui
A Day Trip to Angthong Marine Park
See an untouched archipelago of 42 islands and their wildlife up-close. Choose to travel by slow boat or speedboat and once there, older children will enjoy kayaking and snorkelling in the crystal blue waters.
See Thailand’s Buddhist culture
No visit to Koh Samui is complete without a visit to Big Buddha, an impressive golden statue sitting at 12 metres high and one of the most popular tourist destinations on the island.
Please be aware that the Big Buddha is a sacred place and visitors are advised to dress accordingly. You are advised to wear shirts or scarves that cover the shoulders, trousers or long shorts, and no beachwear is allowed.
Secret Buddha Garden
Secret Buddha Garden is a great place for kids to explore. Set in lush rain forest, high in the hills, there are many little houses and sculptures to wander around and discover.
Paradise Park Farm
Situated on 20 acres of land in the verdant tropical forest on top of Koh Samui’s highest mountain, Khao Pom, Paradise Park Farm couples all the excitement of an animal park with the lush surroundings of a relaxing retreat. All the animals live in different zones joined together by pathways always overlooking awesome views of the surrounding countryside.
Hit the Beach
You cannot go to Thailand without visiting some of their famous beaches and Koh Samui has lots to offer. In the east, Chaweng and Lamai offer vibrant, bustling beaches teeming with restaurants, shops and nightlife attractions, whilst the north is slower and more laidback and the south is unhurried and mellow.
Where to stay
With so much to do and see in Koh Samui, it can be difficult to find the right place to stay, but Koh Samui’s most popular vacation spots are peppered around its eastern and northern coasts.
There are many options for places to stay, with luxury and budget hotels to choose from. A villa holiday in Koh Samui would give you more freedom as a family as you can choose to spend the day relaxing in the villa, chilling by the pool or heading out to explore what is on offer on the island in your own time.
Other benefits of staying in a villa are having space for the kids to play, without worrying about disturbing other guests, plus you can self cater to help save you money on the stay.
Villa-finder.com has over 1,000 villas in Bali, Phuket, Samui, Sri Lanka and Mauritius and all properties are inspected before they are listed online.
They have a team of Travel Consultants who will work with families to understand their needs and help find the villas that best fit all requirements.
The Concierge team then take over and can arrange the stay for the client, including airport transfers and excursions.
For every booking, they are planting a tree in Sumatra, Indonesia, so travellers can contribute to the environment while staying with them too.
Disclaimer: Post written in collaboration with Villa-Finder.com.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.com
Thailand always sounds like the most amazing place to go and visit. I totally want to go and visit the marine park for myself and get to explore! I’m not sure I would want to come home though.
Wow, the marine park looks absolutely stunning. I have never fancied Thailand as it had struck me as a backpackers destination but it looks beautiful.
Koh Samui looks like a wonderful place to travel with your kids, especially if they love beaches.
I’m going to Thailand next year and are going to this beach area, looking forward to it
Looks like there is so much to do in Koh Samui. It is definitely somewhere I’d love to visit.
Thailand has never really appealed to me – I think because so many student travellers go there, and it has a reputation as the party place for those looking to “find themselves” (sure you know what I mean). So it was interesting to read about some of the more family-friendly activities you can do in Koh Samui x
It looks like there’s so much to do in Koh Samui. I think visiting the marine park would be the top of my kids list as they’re mad about anything water related!!
Louise x
This looks amazing ! It is so on my list of places to go. Thank you for the tips I keep this marked for future reference x
I hope to visit Thailand next year with my friends, I am busy searching for some good deals.
Oh wow Thailand has always been on my travel wish list. It looks amazing!
Oh wow this looks like such a culture rich country