The Perfect Family Travel Itinerary for Thailand

Thailand is a country we’ve come to adore, having spent a cumulative year exploring it over countless trips. I have visited more than a dozen times over the past decade, while my Malaysia-based team member Ashley has spent around eight months travelling throughout the country, both solo and with our children.

Safe to say, we’re big fans.

After all of those trips, we’ve learned that where you stay makes all the difference. The right resort doesn’t just give you a beautiful room; it makes travelling with little ones feel effortless.

Below you’ll find two versions of our favourite Thailand itinerary.

The Luxury Itinerary features some of Thailand’s finest resorts, with private pool villas, exceptional service, wellness experiences, and unforgettable wildlife encounters. Rooms generally start from USD $1,000+ per night, and every property feels truly special.

The Affordable Luxury Itinerary keeps the same relaxed pace while featuring beautiful five-star resorts that deliver incredible value. Think gorgeous pools, spacious family rooms, excellent kids’ clubs and thoughtful service—without the ultra-luxury price tag.

Luxury Thailand Itinerary – $15k and up

Planning this Trip

By the way, we’re a team of luxury travel advisors who can help you book this itinerary in the way that works best for you. Every option comes with our VIP perks—like daily breakfast, resort credits, and potential room upgrades. This itinerary starts at $15k for 2 weeks (keep scrolling for the affordable luxury section). You can choose:

• Complimentary Booking Service – If you’ve already done your own research and just need hotel reservations, we’ll book them for you at no extra cost while unlocking our amenities. More info here.
• $250 Itinerary Planning Service – For light adjustments to this itinerary (such as minor hotel or activity changes). Buy it here.
• $500 Bespoke Planning Service – For a fully customized journey with hotel swaps, route changes, and curated experiences tailored to your family. Buy it here.

Have questions? Whatsapp us or fill out our inquiry form.

Days 1–3: Phuket – Anantara Layan Phuket

We recommend beginning your Thailand adventure at Anantara Layan Phuket, and honestly, I can’t think of a better place to ease into holiday mode.

While it isn’t marketed as a family resort, it turned out to be one of our favorite places to stay with young children. Everything your family could possibly need is thoughtfully provided, from toddler-friendly Kids Club facilities and children’s amenities to shallow pool areas and even a little farm with geese, rabbits and peacocks.

What really makes Anantara Layan special, though, is that it feels like a resort built for parents as much as children. The food is exceptional, the service is warm without ever feeling formal, and Layan Life, the resort’s incredible wellness centre, offers everything from thermal facilities and spa treatments to physiotherapy and cryotherapy. After travelling with two little ones, it’s one of the few places where I genuinely came home feeling rested.

When booking through us, you’ll enjoy Anantara Journeys benefits, including complimentary room upgrades (when available), resort credit, VIP welcome amenities, early check-in and late check-out.

Days 3–6: Koh Yao Noi – Six Senses Yao Noi

Next, head across the bay to one of Thailand’s most iconic luxury resorts.

Six Senses Yao Noi remains one of our favourite places to truly slow down. Every villa comes with its own private pool, the views across Phang Nga Bay are breathtaking, and your personal butler helps make travelling with children feel wonderfully easy. Whether it’s arranging golf buggy rides around the resort or helping source baby essentials, they seem to think of everything before you do.

Despite its reputation as a romantic resort, we saw plenty of families with babies and young children enjoying their stay. The nature-inspired Kids Club is complimentary for children aged four and above, while the peaceful atmosphere makes it just as enjoyable for parents.

Booking through us includes complimentary breakfast, a USD $100 resort credit, room upgrades (subject to availability), early check-in and late check-out.

Days 6–9: Chiang Rai — Anantara Golden Triangle

After the beaches, fly north to Chiang Rai for what is consistently one of the highlights of every Thailand itinerary we plan.

Anantara Golden Triangle is unlike anywhere else we’ve stayed. Your all-inclusive stay includes private airport transfers, every meal and non-alcoholic drink (including room service), daily spa treatments, and unforgettable ethical elephant experiences with the resort’s rescued elephants.

We recommend spending at least three nights here to fully enjoy everything the property has to offer. Between elephant encounters, beautiful infinity pools and incredible jungle views, it’s one of those places you’ll still be talking about years later.

As Anantara Journeys advisors, we can also help secure Jungle Bubble reservations, which aren’t bookable online, alongside complimentary upgrades, VIP status, early check-in and late check-out where available.

Days 9–12: Chiang Mai — Four Seasons Chiang Mai

After more than ten visits to Chiang Mai, the Four Seasons remains our favorite place to stay.

Although Chiang Mai is Thailand’s second-largest city, Four Seasons somehow feels like you’ve escaped into the countryside. Rice paddies stretch across the property, water buffalo wander nearby, and everything feels wonderfully peaceful while still being close enough to explore temples, mountain villages and some of Thailand’s best food.

For families, it’s the perfect balance between relaxation and adventure.

Booking through us includes daily breakfast, resort credits of USD $100–200, room upgrades when available, plus our usual VIP benefits. Find out more about how it works.

Consider Adding: Four Seasons Bangkok

If your flights take you through Bangkok, consider adding a night or two at Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River.

It’s our favourite luxury city hotel in Thailand, offering a calm riverside retreat with fantastic restaurants, a beautiful pool and easy access to Bangkok’s temples, markets and incredible food scene.

The elephant encounters are both educational and heartwarming, providing a unique experience that we will always remember. The resort itself is stunning, with gorgeous views and a great pool with several shallow areas for kids.

Booking through us includes daily breakfast, resort credits of USD $100–200, room upgrades when available, plus our usual VIP benefits.

How to Book This Itinerary

As a travel advisor, I can help you book the same, or something similar. I can also help you get extra perks at most of these resorts, including room upgrades where applicable, resort credits, free breakfast, early check in, and late check out, many of which we got to enjoy on our trip, too! Late check out with a baby sure is nice.

I can also help with flights. If you choose to book this itinerary, my services are at no extra cost. If you’d like a bespoke trip planned just for you and your family, I can offer this service as well. Feel free to email me to get started!

Affordable Luxury in Thailand – $8-$10k

Planning this Trip

By the way, we’re a team of luxury travel advisors who can help you book this itinerary in the way that works best for you. Every option comes with our VIP perks—like daily breakfast, resort credits, and potential room upgrades. This itinerary starts at $8k for 2 weeks. You can choose:

• Complimentary Booking Service – If you’ve already done your own research and just need hotel reservations, we’ll book them for you at no extra cost while unlocking our amenities. More info here.
• $250 Itinerary Planning Service – For light adjustments to this itinerary (such as minor hotel or activity changes). Buy it here.
• $500 Bespoke Planning Service – For a fully customized journey with hotel swaps, route changes, and curated experiences tailored to your family. Buy it here.

Have questions? Whatsapp us or fill out our inquiry form.

Days 1-3: Phuket at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas

If you’re looking for incredible value without compromising on luxury, Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas is one of our favourite recommendations.

Many villas include their own private pools, the beach is just steps away, and the resort strikes a lovely balance between romance and family-friendly facilities. It’s spacious, peaceful and ideal for easing into your Thailand adventure.

Booking through us includes exclusive Anantara Journeys perks including room upgrades (subject to availability), VIP welcome amenities, early check-in, late check-out and destination-specific gifts.

Days 3-6: Anantara Koh Yao Yai

Just a 30-minute speedboat ride from Phuket, Anantara Koh Yao Yai offers some of the best value luxury we’ve found anywhere in Thailand.

If you’re travelling with younger children, this is one of our top recommendations. The enormous kids’ pool with multiple water slides, fantastic toddler-friendly Kids Club and spacious Family Suites (some with direct pool access) make it incredibly easy to relax while the little ones have the time of their lives.

It’s a beautiful island, the beaches are peaceful, and at the time of our stay, children under 12 stayed and ate free from the kids’ menu, making it exceptional value for families.

Booking through us includes exclusive Anantara Journeys benefits including room upgrades, VIP welcome amenities, early check-in, late check-out and, for longer stays, resort credit and complimentary massages.

Days 6-9: Bangkok Anantara Riverside Resort

Bangkok offers no shortage of luxury hotels, but when travelling as a family, we keep coming back to Anantara Riverside.

The riverside location feels surprisingly peaceful, the pool is fantastic after a day of sightseeing, and the family-friendly atmosphere makes it much easier to enjoy the city with young children. Rooms often start from around USD $150 per night, making it one of Bangkok’s best luxury values.

Here we can offer room upgrades, early check in and late check out (all based on availability) VIP status, personal contact for your entire stay, and a destination-specific gift.

Days 9-12: Chiang Mai – Melia Chiang Mai

Next, we head north to Chiang Mai, where we stayed at Melia Chiang Mai. This city has a charming mix of modernity and tradition, making it a fascinating place to explore.

Melia Chiang Mai is a great base for families, with comfortable rooms and kid-friendly facilities. They had half of an entire floor devoted to kid’s play, and it was impeccably clean. Their pool was awesome, too!

When it comes to Chiang Mai, we love visiting the local night markets and taking day trips to nearby temples and natural attractions.

I put not only a decade of traveling in Thailand into this itinerary, but all of our experience traveling as a family up until this point. We chose resorts that would be cognizant of his peanut allergy, would have amazing service, and ideally, where we could have our own pool to relax in while our son napped. I’m so happy with what we ended up with!

You can read more about how I work with families on booking their dream trips here!

This itinerary combines relaxation, adventure, and cultural experiences, ensuring a memorable trip for the whole family. With each visit to Thailand, I discover new places and experiences, making it a destination I can’t wait to return to again and again.