Travelling with kids. How to make it work? The best advice I can give is to remember that it's their holiday too. Incorporate things they would enjoy and remember everything takes longer with little people.
This will be our first multistop holiday and I will definitely be learning a thing or two. Check out How I planned a multistop holiday to help you plan yours. Also check out How I save every dollaras a single mum to be able to afford to travel.
Booked 9 months in advance, I have been constantly researching (which also means I keep finding things to add to the bucketlist, unfortunately they will have to wait for our next visit). 6 weeks sounds like a long time but it most definitely is not! With 8 stops, our itinerary is jam packed full of fun and exhaustion! We will need a holiday from our holiday.
I started blogging in hopes to inspire parents to travel with kids despite the fear and anxiety you may feel about travelling with kids whether single, having both parents, multiple children or even solo travellers. It is an amazing experience. Take it all in, live in each moment and enjoy the here and now. Your children will forever be grateful for the learning opportunities outside the four walls of a classroom.
I book flights based on sale prices. I picked up return flights to Phuket for under $300 aud flying jetstar, including 20kg departing Sydney, 45kg (just incase we do too much shopping) arriving in Sydney for one adult and one child for a total of $649 aud.
This first leg will be a mission as we will be arriving in Phuket to fly to Bangkok all on the same day. I chose to fly straight to Bangkok in order to save on time and money. This will also mean that our first day in Bangkok will be chilled and catching up from the jet lag with light activity. What I have learnt from booking this leg is although I found cheap return flights you don't necessarily have to book a return ticket. Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are a great base to do your first leg from as flights can be quite cheap from these airports, with plenty of destinations to choose from. You can book a one way ticket to one of these stops (when they are on sale) and then continue your travels (you can find domestic flights at a great price), booking your one way ticket to return home from your final destination or do a last couple days with a return ticket. This could save on time and money. After booking all flights and accommodation, I came across an Article which explains how you can travel within asia on a budget. I will definitely be looking into this for future travels.
I booked our one way ticket from Phuket to Bangkok flying Bangkok Airways through expedia for a total of $144 aud for 1 adult and 1 child. Bangkok Airways offers a complimentary 20kg pp (adult and child, 10kg for infants) checked baggage, so no need to pay for extra costs. They also offer a complimentary oversize item if travelling with a child such as a pram, car seat or travelcot. Make sure you confirm that this is still the same before you book flights as their T&C can change at anytime.
We will be spending 3 full days in Bangkok. As we will be out for most of the time, I was looking for something basic and close to the city centre. I came across a Condo (studio) which looks amazing through Airbnb. I paid a total of $302aud including all taxes, cleaning services and fees for 4 nights. Under $100 per night, close to city centre, has all amenities (if we get a chance to use them), all for a great price. If you have read How I planned a multistop holiday to help you plan yours you will have read that amenities are not a priority to me, especially in a city where we won't have time to spend using them. Sure its nice to stay in a lovely hotel but having all the facilities also means you pay a higher price. Why pay a higher price when you won't have time to use it? I got lucky and found this deal for the same price as a basic room with no facilities or luxurious decor. Winning! Use my Invite code to receive $50 aud travel credit when you sign up and book your first adventure.
Here is what our itinerary is looking like thus far:
Day 1: Siam Ocean World Siam Paragon Mall) 10am - 9pm last entry 8pm
Dinosaur Planet 10am-8pm
Day 2: Safari World and Marine Park Mon - Fri 9am - 4.30pm, weekend 9 - 5
Day 3: Crocodile Farm 8am - 6pm
Day 4 our flight departs to Kuala Lumpur at 11.50am so it will be breakfast and straight to the airport for us. Follow us as we take on South East Asia for 6 weeks and stay tuned for all the adventures we will embark. Make sure you remember to follow so you dont miss out on all the updates!
In between all our adventures we will shop (hopefully when my son is having a nap) and eat our way through Bangkok! I always try to shop when my son is having a nap. Everything just seems easier and faster. No need to attend to a sleeping child, try on clothes without a million interuptions and no need to entertain a bored child. Best thing in Bangkok about shopping is that most malls close at 10pm.
Some other things which I would have to come back for and you can add to your itinerary are
There is much to see outside of the city centre and tourist attractions if you have the time to explore. I am not really a temple kind of person and would rather be spending my time elsewhere. Everyone likes to travel differently. Find what inspires you to travel and explore the places which makes travelling special for you.Generally I like to book when I arrive (especially in Asia) as I have found it to be cheaper. Also I am not locked into an itinerary. I have yet to book anything but have thoroughly searched the internet for booking activities. I have come across Klook which is a company that offers a lowest price guarantee. See terms and conditions on how Klook price guarantee works
Basically if you find a cheaper price within 48hrs of booking, email to notify klook and they will give you double the difference, or arrive at your booked destination and find your booked tour or activity offered for a lower price, klook will refund you double the difference in either klook credits or to your credit card. You will need to take a photo of admission for evidence. Please read the terms and conditions. Note that same activity meansEVERYTHING needs to be the same, date, time, currency, e-ticket/physical ticket etc. You don't need to opt to use klook. You can book through the cheaper site. Lucky for all my readers, I will be giving you all of my research and best price that I found (at the time of travel) and where I found them. Of course prices change all the time so make sure you double check and do some of your own research. Some websites I have found to have attractive prices are
You can use my referral code y9676 to receive $4.30aud off upon signing up to klook or if you have already signed up but yet to make a first booking, you can apply the referral code directly at checkout.Go to thailand is also an amazing complete guide to Thailand. Also check out this Article for when and where best to visit.
We are very excited for our next adventure and sharing our journey with all our readers. Stay tuned and follow us on our travels. 5 weeks to go!!! Follow us on Instagram and check out our daily grind and all the upcoming ventures of South East Asia
