We have always been big fans of Asia, and when we became parents, Asia was a continent that seemed particularly suitable for our first big family trips, especially to Southeast Asia. Why ? Southeast Asia offers a great change of scenery, rather safe countries, and life there is often very economical. So, for our first trip to Asia with a child, Ticoeur was 18 months old and we went to Malaysia. Since then, we have visited many other Asian countries, which I have spoken to you about on the blog and today I wanted to take stock of all our stays in South-East Asia because a question you asked me often asked by email is: which Asian country do you recommend for a family trip? Here is the fruit of our experience, after having visited almost all the countries of South-East Asia, a large part of which with children:
Vietnam: from north to south, beautiful landscapes to discover…
The +:
- Easy to organize your trip in advance or on site.
- Cultural change of scenery, colonial architecture, beaches.
- Often rooms with 2 large double beds, therefore ideal for 4 people.
- Large choice of accommodation for all budgets.
- One of my favorite cuisines in Asia (well, it’s very personal…).
THE – :
- Cities with very chaotic traffic. Be careful as a pedestrian.
- I didn’t like Ho Chi Minh City and I didn’t find Sapa exceptional.
Practical information :
- My favorites: Hoi An, Mekong Delta, Hanoi and then there is the Danang region which I would really like to discover / Halong Bay is more suitable for lovers than for families.
- The season: from November to April.
- Flight times: 11 hours outward / 13 hours return.
My final opinion: An easy trip to manage as a family. Don’t spend too much time in big cities. Travel by plane.
Thailand: a great classic, very popular with families…
The +:
- Ease of organizing your trip as a country accustomed to tourism.
- We come across many families traveling with children in Thailand.
- A change of scenery and pretty islands.
- Possibility of traveling by plane at low cost.
- Large choice of accommodation for all budgets.
THE – :
- Too many tourists on some islands in February.
- I recommend avoiding the far north because of malaria.
- Personally I didn’t like Chiang Mai.
- Of course you have to see Bangkok but don’t stay there long because the city is a bit oppressive with children.
Practical information :
- Visits that I recommend: Bangkok, Koh Phi Phi (off season), Koh Lipe, Koh Samui, Koh Tao…
- The season: from November to April but possible in summer in the eastern islands.
- Flight times: 11:15 hours outward / 12 hours return.
My final opinion: An easy family trip. I would favor the islands, with air travel.
Bali (Indonesia): an island on a human scale with beautiful traditions…
The +:
- Cultural change of scenery, rice fields, lush vegetation.
- Beauty of the temples, snorkeling, beautiful traditional atmosphere.
- An island on a human scale.
- Possibility of combining with the Gilis Islands (Lombok).
- Very pretty villas or hotels with swimming pools at low budgets.
THE – :
- Far too many tourists in the south of the island (Kuta area).
- Beautiful beaches but not heavenly.
- Be careful if you rent a car. It’s not easy to drive in Bali!
Practical information :
- My favorites: Amed, the rice fields in the Munduk region.
- The season: from May to September.
- Flight hours: No direct flight. Go through Singapore or Kuala Lumpur so allow 16 hours at best.
My final opinion: An easy and very pleasant trip with small distances to cover.
Burma (or Myanmar): a more adventurous trip, for informed travelers…
The +:
- The smile of the inhabitants!
- The cultural heritage, the rice fields, the traditions more preserved than elsewhere.
- The natural beauty of the country.
- Not too many tourists.
THE – :
- Family tourism not developed (so we found few accommodations with 4 beds).
- Very long bus journeys. Difficulty moving around in general.
- The beautiful beach area is not easily accessible (road in poor condition or plane rather expensive).
Practical information :
- My favorites: Bagan! And then Inle Lake and the small towns around Mandalay.
- Season: November to March.
- Flight hours: no direct flight. Go through China or Kuala Lumpur, so a 15-hour flight at best, approximately.
My final opinion: I found that it was the least simple country for families in terms of logistics (because of journeys and accommodation). If you go anyway, taking a driver is probably a good idea.
Malaysia: more comfort than elsewhere in Southeast Asia and beautiful islands…
The +:
- Multicultural country (Chinese, Indian, Malay, etc.)
- Beautiful islands and towns with colonial architecture.
- Country richer than the others therefore more modern infrastructure (cars, highways, modern buses, etc.).
- Domestic journeys possible by plane at very low prices.
- For more adventure, also explore the Borneo part (for the fauna and flora).
- Possibility of combining it with a visit to Singapore.
- Mmmm the kitchen!
THE – :
- We haven’t always found nice accommodations.
Practical information :
- My favorites: The Perenhtian Islands and Tioman Island.
- The season: from November to March, but depending on the islands, also possible in summer.
- Flight hours: approximately 12:30 hours.
My final opinion: A country which offers more comfort than the others, with fewer tourists.
Philippines: so many paradise islands!
We went there without children.
- We loved the kindness of the locals, the many paradise islands and the volcanoes.
- Easy because English is the official language.
- Incredibly beautiful nature. Favorite in the Philippines: Camiguin island.
- I would hesitate to go there with young children because of the many Jeepney journeys (not very comfortable and often long). And then, overall it’s very far away unfortunately. Let’s say it’s better to go there as part of a longer trip to this part of the globe…
- Flight hours: minimum 16 hours with stopover.
Cambodia: an endearing country but not the most suitable for families…
- With Ticoeur, we went to Phnom Penh.
- Possible without worries to go to Angkor (and it’s magnificent!).
- Really cheap.
- For the rest, take a good look at malaria and the state of the roads…
- No direct flight. Go through Kuala Lumpur for example.
Laos: nature and serenity but long journeys…
We went there without children.
- We loved the kindness of the Laotians and the zenitude of the country.
- Less touristy and calmer than other Asian countries. Laos is relaxing!
- With children I would hesitate because of the length of bus journeys, on winding roads.
- Very economical.
- Also pay attention to malaria.
- No direct flight. Go through Bangkok for example.
***
I especially wanted to focus on Southeast Asia rather than Asia in general but I would still like to make an exception and talk to you about Sri Lanka which, in the same order of magnitude on the budget side, was a big blow of heart for us in Asia and a must in terms of an exotic country to discover with the family!
Sri Lanka: perfect for a first trip to Asia with children…
The +:
- Scenic beauty in the tea region, beaches and cultural heritage.
- Many animals especially elephants.
- Distances not too great (to be done by car with driver and by train).
- Nice accommodations a little more expensive than in Southeast Asia.
THE – :
- Many beaches in the south-eastern part but not heavenly (unless you have any to recommend to us?). We would like to discover the west coast where it seems that the sea is more beautiful with nice depths.
Practical information :
- My favorites: The Ella region, the atmosphere on the beach in Mirissa, Kandy.
- The season: from November to March but possible in summer also in the tea region and on the east coast.
- Flight hours: approximately 13 hours with stopover.
My final opinion: We loved our trip with children to Sri Lanka for the diversity of landscapes and the ease of logistics. We are thinking of going back. We preferred to manage our journeys at each stage by asking our accommodation to recommend someone to us rather than taking a dedicated driver for the entire trip (for the sake of freedom).
***
Finally, without children, we traveled to China, Japan and India. We will happily return to the first two with our darlings. On the other hand, for India I am a little hesitant in terms of health conditions. Maybe in Kerala one day…
***
I hope that our experiences traveling in Asia with young children will inspire you and if you already know Asia, I would be curious to know which were your favorite Asian countries for a family trip?