Feedback on Thailand itinerary with 4- and 7-year-old kids

Hi everyone!!

My wife and I are heading to Thailand in April 2025 with our two daughters, aged 4 and 7. I’d love to get your thoughts and some great tips on our itinerary (which isn’t set in stone at all!!). We’re planning to arrive in Phuket and head straight to Koh Lanta (4/5 nights). I’d love to visit another spot in the area, but nothing’s really grabbing us—so if you’ve got any ideas, we’re all ears! Next, we’re heading to Koh Phangan (the north) for about 4 nights. After that, we’ll head east to Ko Chang and Koh Kood, spending around 3 nights on each island. Then, Bangkok for 2 days and one night before flying back to France. We’ll have about 16-17 days there. Like most people, we’re looking for quiet spots, far from big resorts, with beaches, pools, and walks/activities for our young kids. From my research, the west has great beaches and views, while the east offers a bit more adventure and fewer crowds. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Quentin, Dune, Juno, and Marley

On booking sites, there are usually maps that help you see where the hotels are located.

hi there, nice plan for 2026, I guess :) If I count your nights, I get 16 just on the islands and BKK. But you’re forgetting that getting from one island to another takes time! Koh Lanta and Koh Phangan are roughly in the same part of Thailand, but I think you’ll need a full day to switch islands. Then from Koh Phangan to Koh Chang... well, you’d have to go through BKK, and I’d say it’ll take 2 days to get there. (Unless there’s a flight from Koh Samui to Trat—then 1 day.) Then back to BKK: another full day... You see, that really cuts into the time you’ll spend on the islands, which is a shame in my opinion.

Thanks for your feedback. From Koh Phangan to Koh Chang it's 7 hours, a flight to Bangkok and then another to Trat is a full day....

..without forgetting hotel-to-port transfer time, then the time to board the ferries..., airport transfers...etc. Transport connections aren’t as quick as in France :).

Just so you know, Koh Phangan and Koh Lanta aren’t in the same sea! Phangan is in the Gulf of Thailand, while Koh Lanta is in the Andaman Sea! The different routes between them seem almost unrealistic, especially with kids who’ll spend a big part of their vacation in airports, buses, taxis, boats—and no guarantee you can chain all those legs in a single day! In my opinion, it’s 2 days for each transfer! !

Yes, there are three clusters of islands. Three on the east side, including Koh Chang, three in the southeast, including Koh Phangan, and quite a few on the south/southwest side, including Koh Lanta.

Given the time you have, it’d be best to stick to one of these options—it’d still be pretty great. Chang, Samui, Phangan, and Lanta are all fairly large, after all.

A lot of people asking questions tend to be a bit more ambitious than realistic. It’s better to come back another time to properly explore the rest. Of course, those of us answering don’t know if the person asking wants to visit different countries each time or if they’ll be back...

I think it’d make more sense—if they’re set on only visiting islands—to head to Phuket first. From there, ferries serve a whole bunch of islands like Koh Lanta, Koh Muk, Koh Kradan, Koh Libong, and Tarutao National Park, which includes Koh Tarutao and Koh Lipe. The last one, even though it’s pretty busy, has gorgeous beaches and great spots for diving and snorkeling.

We’re planning to arrive in Phuket and head straight to Koh Lanta (4/5 nights). I’d have liked to visit another spot in the area, but nothing’s really grabbing us—so if you’ve got any ideas, we’re all ears!

If you want to escape the tourist crowds that all flock to the same islands, I’d recommend heading (after Koh Lanta) to these islands: Koh Muk, Koh Bulon Leh, Koh Kradan. Ferries go there and all the way to Koh Lipe. After that, even though there’ll be a lot of people down south at Koh Lipe, if you want (and I highly recommend it) to spend a day or two away from tourists (a bit "Robinson Crusoe" style) while still keeping some comfort, make a stop at Koh Tarutao. The island is huge (compared to the others)—it’s a protected marine park with only two small bungalow complexes on the whole island, each with just one restaurant. https://aurorevoyage.com/2018/01/14/thailande-pourquoi-se-rendre-a-koh-tarutao/ https://francais-en-thailande.com/guide-complet-koh-tarutao-thailande/

Even though Quentinho asked for feedback on his itinerary, I’m not convinced he’d take kindly to any negative comments. It’s his reply to Tfcboy on 22/07—something along the lines of "I don’t know these areas, but I still know better than all of you despite your experience"—that makes me think that. He hasn’t been back since, which leads me to believe you and the others are wasting your time by continuing to give him new advice...

Hey, More and more people are asking questions without even bothering to check the answers! These guys at least came back once, but they probably felt a bit lost and disappointed with our responses and threw in the towel. 😏

hi, just a quick note: we don’t always have time to check messages :)

I’ve got a personal question for you, Djalma and Songsam: I’m planning to spend 2 weeks on an island in Thailand (Koh Chang Noi or Koh Lanta, plus the islands you mentioned, Djalma) in mid-November (after a few weeks in Laos and Vietnam). I’ve seen that it rains a lot at that time, except on Koh Chang—but I was there 2 years ago. Do you know if it really rains a lot, or just in showers? Thanks Elisabeth

Hi, When I get this kind of question, I usually direct people to the "Where and When" website. Unless you’ve lived in the place year-round for many years (and even then, it wouldn’t be totally objective since our memory isn’t), nothing beats climatological data. Plus, since the climate can vary from one year to the next, it’s best to check the stats for the location and period you’re interested in over several years.

PS: Koh Chang, which I don’t know, isn’t on the same sea as Phuket, Lanta, Muk Libong, or Tarutao Park (Lipe Adang), etc. https://www.ou-et-quand.net/partir/quand/asie-sud-est/thailande/koh-lipe/mois/novembre/ https://www.ou-et-quand.net/partir/quand/asie-sud-est/thailande/koh-chang/mois/novembre/

The country stretches nearly 2,000 km from north to south and is bordered by several seas, with opposing winds. So there are several different climate zones.

Let’s say that mid-November is generally the tipping point between the wet season and the dry season. It’s even harder to predict this year, which has been particularly rainy for the May/July period.

If you don’t have time to read the posts, I’m glad some people still make time to answer you. And it seems much easier for some to ask questions than to bother responding to others. Quite the mystery, isn’t it?

Thanks so much, Djalma and Jojoone1, for your replies.

I forgot to mention that for the southern islands, the rainy season can extend through December. As far as I'm concerned, given all the rain we've already had, I'd bet you'll have a pleasant surprise. Most importantly, don't plan too many destinations for such a short period—you'd miss out on some fun by constantly moving around.

Jojoone1, it wasn't me who left a review on the itinerary :) Actually, I also told the person who asked for feedback that you lose a lot of time traveling :) 3 islands hundreds of kilometers apart in 16 days... it's spending all your time in transit.

Hi everyone,

I didn't receive any notifications and only just saw all these messages now. I'm a bit shocked by your reply: "Even though Quentinho asked for feedback on his itinerary, I'm not convinced he can handle negative comments. His response to Tfcboy on 22/07 could be interpreted as 'I don’t know these areas, but I still know everything better than you despite your experience.'" Anyway, I’d rather laugh it off and not engage further. First of all, thanks to everyone for your replies, which are actually increasingly aligning with our thoughts—we’ll have to choose a coast. I’m noting the less touristy islands some of you mentioned, and we’ll probably pick 2 or 3 different spots max. Koh Lipe is catching our eye. I’ll look into all of this carefully. Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Have a great day, everyone. Peace and love

Koh Lipe is appealing to us. I’ll be looking into all of this carefully.

It’s true that this island is overcrowded, especially in peak season, but it has some really beautiful beaches. As for me, I only stayed there for 2 nights. There are some amazing diving and snorkeling spots for enthusiasts. When leaving (or heading there), the ferry that shuttles to/from the mainland (Pak Bara) stops at Koh Tarutao. A guaranteed change of scenery. During our trip, only two people got off there. When boarding at Koh Lipe, where you buy your tickets if you want to make a stop (at Koh Tarutao), you have to make a "bungalow reservation" for Koh Tarutao. It’s just a formality because the bungalows on Tarutao were barely 20% occupied—even in peak season! In short, there’s always space. There are bungalows near the rangers’ station upon arrival. They’re relatively large, simple but comfortable, and run by the government, so they’re inexpensive. Some are "family" bungalows (up to 6 people). They’re nestled in the vegetation, and in the morning, monkeys scamper across the roofs... Right next door, there’s a single small restaurant and a shop selling a few supplies for any campers.

The other bungalow complex is on another beach, about 4 or 5 km further south. You can rent kayaks or bikes, or take a boat to the crocodile cave by following a river through the mangroves—it’s worth it, and the kids will love it. The beaches are idyllic and completely deserted—what a change from Koh Lipe! You can explore the island by bike, kayak, or on foot, or even hitch a ride in the island staff’s jeep.

From Phuket or on your way back to Phuket (if you’re taking the ferry), two islands are worth seeing (spend at least 1 or 2 nights there). They’re also very beautiful but much less crowded than Lipe. Most tourists don’t stay overnight but only visit for an hour or two on excursions from Libong or Lanta. Koh Bulon Leh and Koh Muk (or Mook).

Hello everyone,

I didn't receive any notifications and only see all these messages now. I'm a bit shocked by your reply.

Peace and love

What shocks me is those who have been on a forum for years and don’t show even a minimum of solidarity. They come regularly and politely ask for answers but can’t stand comments that don’t suit them. Most of all, in 8, 13, or 20 years, not once have they taken the time to share their experiences with other travelers.

Oh right, that’s true—they don’t have time...

I’ll go over all this with my wife, Thanks a million—despite our research, we’d barely heard about it. We love quiet spots far from everything.

We love quiet spots far from everything.

Here it's more than quiet—there's practically no one around. Actually, people must be afraid to "venture" there. The only "downside" is that there's just one restaurant per group of bungalows (so 2 restaurants for an island 20 times bigger than Lipe), and since it's state-run, it opens and closes at set times: 8 AM in the morning, 12 PM for lunch, and I think 7:30 PM for dinner. The food selection (decent, always with fish) is a bit limited. Each day, at most 10 people come to eat there.

Hi there,

I didn't receive any notifications and only see all these messages now.

A notification issue? That probably explains why you only got 16 reactions to the many replies posted in your 17 started discussions—I get it now. Anyway, at least you got the one about my intentionally snarky remark, which finally made you reply. Now, those who gave you advice in this thread might feel like they didn’t waste their time after all.

Peace and love

Yep, and here’s proof—I’m giving you a tip no one else seems to have thought of to avoid two flights for Koh Samui-Koh Chang: Bangkok Airways offers a daily direct flight from Samui to U-Tapao (Pattaya’s airport) around late morning (11:10 AM). Once you land, it should be easy to find a taxi to the port for Koh Chang.

What’s certain is that you seem really worked up. I don’t like people like you who think they know everything about everyone and judge—so no need to reply, Thierry.

good to know, I never would’ve gotten that info. Thanks

At Koh Tarutao, if you're lucky, you can spot turtles... and for sure, you'll see monitor lizards and plenty of cheeky monkeys. Don’t leave anything lying around outside the bungalow. In the evening, wild boars come to feed on the restaurant leftovers...

I love it!!! It makes me want to go right now!!

It's clear you don’t need to push them much before they show their true colors.

Spill your tips already. Oh, you want tips too? Nah, I don’t have time, bye.

Me, sometimes...