The June holidays are drawing near and it’s time to spend some quality time with the whole family. For an endless kaleidoscope of fun, Thailand offers everything from swanky private villas for some much-needed relaxation to a plethora of exciting activities.

Lightfoot Travel brings you some of its favourite family-friendly experiences in the Land of Smiles that will have you falling in love with this country all over again.

PRIVATE VILLAS
Shanti at Jivana Villas

On top of its collection of enviable whitewashed beaches and glittering tropical weather, nothing quite tops off a beach holiday in Thailand like a stay in a private villa, right on the beach.

With sprawling stretches of lawns for your little ones to run about in, your own private pool that isn’t overcrowded by other strangers, butlers and staff to look after your every need and a beachside view that is exclusively yours; our love for these swanky stays is never ending.

A particular favourite is the Shanti at Jivana Villas located on a long secluded stretch of Natai Beach in Phang Nga just a 25 minute drive from Phuket Airport. With beachfront villas hard to come by in bustling Phuket, the Shanti is truly a glittering exception with each of its 3 grand pavilions being treated to intoxicating views of the Andaman Sea.

If having a stretch of silky white beach all to yourself isn’t enough, the villa’s 25m infinity pool that overflows into a shallow pool ideal for the young ones is a highlight that will keep everyone from the grownups to the kids busy. Another notable feature is the sunset Sala by the beach that seats up to 12 people, making it a perfect spot for a barbeque dinner with the whole family.

NATURE EXPERIENCES
Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa

Admittedly, not all children take to trekking as easily as the grown-ups do – either the weather is too hot, there are too many mosquitoes or the trek gets too tiring or boring.

The Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa, however, ensures that the kids will be clamouring for more once they’re tried trekking (in a safety seat atop the elephant) through Chiang Rai’s lush emerald jungles. Plus, you’ll have no trouble getting them down for breakfast when you tell them they get to meet baby elephants in the dining area.

The property is blessed with a prime location perched high on the jungle-clad hills on Thailand’s border overlooking Myanmar and Laos, unsurpassed vistas and privy to cool mountain breeze uncommon to the rest of Southeast Asia.

The in-house Elephant Conservation Centre, designed to look like the traditional Thai mahout’s villages, offers a chance for you to get up close with the resident elephants. Try your hand at Mahout Training where you learn to “drive” the elephants with the basic commands and actions or, once the weather does get too hot, cool off with the playful creatures in the river.

BEACHSIDE FUN
Four Seasons Koh Samui

As one of the top beach destinations in the world, Thailand does not leave much room for disappointment for those looking for some beachside fun. For avid divers, the country offers underwater worlds waiting to be discovered and, if you prefer to stay above water, just about every other water sport under the sun.

As the third-largest island in Thailand, Koh Samui is the perfect location to experience ceaseless fun on the aquamarine waters of the Gulf of Siam. The Four Seasons Koh Samui not only offers an impressive collection of idyllic beachfront villas, but the property goes out of its way to ensure that its guests never run out of things to do.

On top of a wide range of watersports, the Four Seasons Koh Samui also offers trips to explore the neighbouring island of Koh Phangan as well as to the breathtaking Angthong National Park with its archipelago of 42 islets. The resort even arranges boat excursions to other islands for you to swim whenever Koh Samui’s beaches offer less than favourable swimming conditions. 

Information provided by Lightfoot Travel, a luxury tour operator that offers travel advice, tailor-made itineraries and full booking services. For more information call 6438 4091, +852 8125 4093, or email info@lightfoottravel.com