TheMintosTravel

• Hello World!

  March 3, 2026

Well me and my little fam did it!

We travelled Thailand for 3 and a bit weeks, just the 4 of us.  

The route, the flights, the hotels, every last detail booked and decided by us (me) 

It’s a place that has had my heart since the first time my feet touched Thai ground in 2010.  It’s somewhere I’d instantly felt home, it’s like my body lets out a sigh of relief each time I arrive.

This land has held me through my first ever travel experience, it was there I made a best friend for life, there I healed one of my biggest heartbreaks and there where I decided to become a yoga teacher.  It has shown me so much of myself and it has always been my dream to return with my soulmate and my children 

I am still in awe and admiration for our family, our team, our unit.  Prims first time flying and Raes first time on a long haul flight; our first ever trip as a 4 ball.  I knew we were capable but this has brought us closer and made us stronger than ever.  

But what is it that people really want to know?

What were the challenges? What are the must haves? What was your route? How were the kids on the flights? How was the heat? And the overarching theme; do you think I / we could do it too?

The answer of course is yes! 

Let me breakdown all of the above!

1 – Thailand is GREAT for families, in the past it was more ‘backpacker-y’ and the certainly still that element there, but it is SO set up for families now, we saw plenty of other families 

2 – the Thai people are some of the greatest people in the WORLD.  They are genuinely happy to see you and LOVE children, especially babies.  It is perfectly normal for them to come and hold and walk around with your baby in bars / restaurants/ shops.  This takes some getting used to but it’s so beautiful to witness that community-minded way of life.  And it’s great having 2 hands free to eat dinner!

3 – the food is stunning and the beer is also great!  Chang beer is delightful and the aircon in 7-11 is a god send.

4 – Thailand has EVERYTHING.  Beaches, jungles, cities, culture, religion, Muay Thai. Whatever floats your boat.  We decided to do our best to experience as much of it as we could. 

So we started in Bangkok, flew to Chiang Mai, then flew to Koh Lanta and got the ferry to Ao Nang before flying back to Bangkok.  We added in at least one day trip in every place and it was the perfect mix of chill and activity.

Full breakdown of places :

Arrived in Bangkok in the afternoon/ evening of Day 1 and stayed for 4 nights

Bangkok was SO fun, There is so much you can do.  Previously when I’d travelled it was never somewhere you’d want to hang about but now it is cleaner, easier to get around and lots of lovely bars / restaurants and neighbourhoods to explore, so I defo recommend giving yourself a good amount of time here to explore an also adjust for jet lag.  Our one day trip here was to the floating markets (my husbands fave) and the train market (my sons fave).  Both incredible, but it was a full day (about 7/8 hours) and we were all exhausted by the end) 

We then flew to Chaing Mai which was 1/1.5hour flight and the hotels tend to be super close to the airport so this was a very manageable travel day 

We stayed in Chiang Mai 5 nights.  Again there is so much to do, lots of night markets, temples, elephant sanctuary’s and hikes.  We absolutely loved the vibe here. 

We then flew to Koh Lanta (2.5 hour flight plus a 2 hour drive) so our longest travel day.  We pre arranged the taxi before and paid a little bit extra for a bigger car so it was comfortable with the kids.  The drive from the airport is actually so beautiful and it was so lush to see the sea.

Koh Lanta / any of the Thai islands will forever be my fave, it’s that picture perfect turquoise sea, and stunning sunsets.  We spent every night on beach bars and restaurants and it was perfect, lots of families and easy to take boat trips from.  We did a day trip to Koh Phi Phi which is my fae island in Thailand (so far) which was around and hour and a half each way by ferry.

The old town in Koh Lanta is also a must visit.  

We spent 5 nights in Koh Lanta in total to and could have easily done another couple as the humidity took a lot of adjusting too!

We then got the 2 hour ferry to Ao Nang, and if you know me you know I love a boat trip so I was buzzing with this. There is an option to get a speedboat but that just wasn’t practical with the kids being so young as it is bouncy! Also another short ‘travel day’

Our 3 nights in Ao Nang were also great, it feels a lot more built up and ‘touristy’ than the islands but it is a great stopping point for getting to other places and doing other things. There’s also a great night market with lots of things for kids to do.  We took a longtail boat to Railay and had the most magical day there, definitely recommend!

We then flew back to Bangkok (another 1.5hour flight) for 4 nights as I was meeting my dad there.  Another thing to note about Bangkok is that Khao San Road is so fun during the day! It gets loud from 6/7pm so bring headphones for the kids or get out of there!  Oh and DEFINITELY get in a Tuk Tuk, Rae absolutely loved them. 

Now for the things to consider (but not let put you off going!)

1 – the flights are long and tiring (for parents) but the kids loved them! If you have a baby you’ll likely get put on the front row with a bassinet (or you can request this) Prim was a dream and slept in this for every nap.  And Rae loved the in flight entertainment! As usual carry snacks and toys 

2 – car seats arent really a thing, I requested them a handful of times but we had them once.   I tended to keep Prim in the carrier However, can obviously bring your own if you want.  The stroller was essential for naps although not all pavements were stroller friendly 

3 – it is SO hot and HUMID (especially in the south) If your planning trips try and do them first thing and be back at your hotel for the afternoon.  There was a couple of times we did trips in the afternoon and everyone was too hot and bothered and it wasn’t enjoyable 🙈.  Check what season it is when you book. Nov-March is generally considered the best time if you want to avoid rainy season 

4 – book a place with a pool if you can, perfect for cooling down and your children are going to be happiest there 

5 – keep travel days short and be prepared for delays.  Also be mindful of the times you travel – getting up early might sound like a good idea so you don’t ‘waste’ a day but if the kids are gonna be cranky it’s not worth it.  We planned most of our travel for 11/midday and actually enjoyed our travel days! 

6 – nappies are surprisingly hard to come by , they come in small packets and arent well stocked.  We found a big supermarket near the start of our trip and stocked up.  

Another thing to remember is you are in each others pockets 24/7 – give each other grace as a you manage tiredness, tantrums, frustration etc, remind yourself that your a team and take 5 when you need to.

It’s so intense but not nearly as hard as I envisioned.

In general we rallied when we needed to but we pretty much stayed together the entire time.

Communication was key as it always is but if we can do it then so can you!

Coming back I still feel in a little bubble, a piece of me has been unlocked once again and I’m so so glad my family loved Thailand just as much as me 

I have the feeling we’ll be back