Holidays with children on about. Phuket (Thailand)

The Thai island of Phuket seems to be specially created by nature for a comfortable holiday with children. There is everything for this - the gentle sea, clean sand, mild climate, beautiful nature. The tourist infrastructure is developed, therefore family rest will turn out interesting both for adults, and for children of any age. If you are thinking about a holiday in Phuket and want to know a little more about this corner of the planet, this article is for you.

Phuket Island is a provincial part of the South. Thailand. The island is washed by the waters of the Andaman Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean. Phuket is one of the largest seaside resorts in Thailand. The climate is tropical, with a pronounced seasonal alternation of wet (from May to October) and dry (from November to April). In the dry period, the probability of rain is considered minimal.

It rains (and sometimes the most real tropical showers) often come in the mornings, and then give way to bright sunshine. There are almost no full rainy days, although anything can happen - especially in the summer months when the island is in a period of humid climate.

The average annual air temperature on the island is about 30 degrees Celsius. The tourist season here lasts all year round. In the period from November to May, Phuket is experiencing a real influx of tourists. The summer months and the beginning of autumn are calmer in terms of tourist flows. Hence the subtleties of pricing: if you go on vacation in the dry season, you will have to pay about 40% more than for the same vacation in the summer months.

The water temperature in the Andaman Sea varies little throughout the year, usually it ranges from +28.0 to + 30.0 degrees. The most calm and gentle sea will be in winter, it is this period that is more suitable for families with children, for scuba diving. If the whole family wants to jump on the waves, go surfing or other extreme water activities, it's better to go to Phuket in the summer - and cheaper, and more fun. However, it is difficult to call such a safe holiday.

At the tourist forums you can find a lot of enthusiastic reviews about holidays with children in Phuket. However, there are also sharply negative ones. This Thai island in itself is quite contrasted. Among the obvious advantages of recreation here are sandy beaches (clean and well-groomed), inexpensive shops, an incredibly wide range of fresh fruits.

Locals are very polite, friendly - and at the same time unobtrusive, do not stick to the tourists, as the Turks, Egyptians, Filipinos do. There are no traffic problems on the island: there are no traffic jams, but a modern international airport is present and works fine, and therefore getting here is quite simple.

Among the downsides leading Thai cuisine. A terrible amount of hot pepper, the most diverse exotic marine life and plants (both in processed and raw), the incredible combination of sweet, sour and salty - not every adult Russian can master this. Naturally, such a menu is not suitable for baby food at all. However, it is not necessary to despair - there are enough cafes on the island that offer the usual European menu. There are even places where quite successfully prepare dishes of Russian cuisine.

Almost all year round there are many mosquitoes, which differ from their Russian counterparts in their harsh temper and increased appetite. It is recommended to take care of insect bites in advance, at the peak of the tourist season in Phuket, they are extremely in demand - which means they are incredibly expensive.

Choosing a beach on an island is a difficult task. Because you have to choose the best of the best. To classify the beaches is quite difficult. All of them are sandy, almost everywhere the descent into the water is smooth and gentle, which is important for children's recreation. One of the most beautiful places of rest by the sea is the beach “Ao Yon Beach”. Here you can enjoy plenty of sailing, because here is the largest yacht club.

Find it is quite difficult, since the beach is removed from the main road. However, if you try, nothing is impossible. Beach activities include sailing lessons and traditional Thai massage. Sun loungers can be rented for very little money.

Rawai Beach is a beach on the south coast of the island. It is sandy, azure water, but you should not swim and sunbathe here, since the beach is the center of boating and is not suitable for relaxation on the beach. But here you can have a great time with a teenage child, go boating.

"Nai-Harn Beach" - one of the best sandy beaches for family holidays. If you are relaxing with a small child, then this is ideal. There are fewer people on the beach than in more popular places, and therefore there is calm here, time flows measuredly. There are several restaurants on the beach. Sun beds are available for a small fee (about 100 baht). The length of the beach is about a kilometer, it is well equipped. From entertainment there is a rental of surfboards.

Coconut Island is a whole island that belongs to the province of Phuket, and here are some of the best sandy beaches in Thailand. The island is called the coconut paradise. You can get here by boat from Phuket, the road will take about 10 minutes. Here you can stay for a small fee on the private beach owned by hoteliers, and you can find a quiet secluded wild place.

When there is a joint rest with children, parents will have to worry in advance about how to take the child, when he will play enough with white sand, seashells on the beach and will have time to miss. This will happen pretty quickly. When choosing a hotel, moms and dads need to ask about the availability of infrastructure for children (children's clubs). Here are a few hotels in Phuket that can guarantee an interesting leisure for your offspring:

• "Grand West Sands Resort & Villas Phuket 5 *". The hotel is located just 10 kilometers from Phuket Airport. Here you can move into the rooms, as well as in villas and penthouses. The hotel has its own water park. You can walk about 200 meters to the beach, but you will be given a sun lounger, umbrella and towel for free. For adults - massage (for an additional fee), two pools, yoga lessons, archery.

The hospitable Thais are ready to give the children the best, and therefore the hotel’s children’s infrastructure is better developed than an adult: there is a kids ’club, a children’s pool with slides, playgrounds, and you can use the services of a qualified nanny for some money.In restaurants, and there are five of them, children are given special high chairs. Here they prepare not only exotic Thai dishes, but also European food, Italian dishes.

• "The Diamond Cliff Resort & Spa 5 *". The hotel is located 30 kilometers from the airport, closer to the center of Phuket. The rooms have air conditioning, telephone and TV. Many Russians will already be surprised to forget the wired Internet. Safes are provided to residents for free. The beach is not very close, but tourists are taken there for free and brought back. On site - three swimming pools, tennis court. For a fee, you can use the library, luggage storage, as well as attend Thai cuisine and carving courses.

For children, the hotel has playgrounds, a kids club, and babysitters who need to pay separately. The six restaurants serve dishes of different cuisines: Thai, Japanese, Chinese and European.

• "Sunset Beach Resort 4 *". The hotel is located on a busy street in the resort area. To the beach - 100 meters. By the way, the beaches here for every taste - there are rocky areas, and there are sandy, where it is preferable to go along with the children. The hotel has two swimming pools. For children, there is a children's club with funny animators, a children's pool, and a playground. In restaurants, on request, give high chairs for babies. While adults play billiards or get a Thai massage, a nanny can sit with the children, who, however, will ask for a separate fee. Two restaurants, cuisine - international.

• “Deevana Plaza Phuket Patong 4 *”. Another one of the four-star hotels, the cost of which is fully consistent with the quality. It is located on a busy street. On the territory - an outdoor pool, for children running a kids club. The beach is sandy, well maintained. There is no special children's menu in the restaurant, but this issue is easily solved for a small fee.

In the summer months, renting a home in Phuket is 3 times cheaper than in winter. Accommodation near the sea in summer will cost 15-17 thousand baht per month. Bargain with the owners of real estate is not accepted. If you are not satisfied with the cost they named, then they end the conversation unilaterally. The cheapest apartments can be found in Kathu and Chalong. If you are lucky enough to quickly and without intermediaries find affordable housing, with a probability of 80% there will be no internet.

It is best to search for things in advance, even before departure to the island. The following resources will help: Booking, Homeaway, Airbnb. If you rent a house for more than a month, be sure to ask about how much utilities will cost you, otherwise then an unpleasant surprise awaits you.

If there is no particular desire to eat Thai cuisine with all its tentacles of cuttlefish and spicy spices, and besides, you are going to rest in a cheap hotel where there is only breakfast, then the issue of catering will have to be taken seriously. Phuket is one of the most expensive islands in Thailand for food. One Thai baht today (summer 2017) costs 1 ruble 73 kopecks. In the middle class cafe, the prices are quite reasonable - for example, tuna salad costs 70 baht, tomato soup with croutons - 80 baht, grilled steak with potatoes and vegetables - 230-250 baht. In expensive restaurants, prices can be higher by 20-40%.

On the market, products cost approximately the same as in Russia. A kilogram of beef - 315 baht, a package of juice - 30 baht, chicken - 130 baht.

If you are tired of lying on the beach for the whole family, it's time to go for a walk - for example, at night Phuket.There is even a separate street for this, which never sleeps - Bangla Street. In the daytime with children you can visit the Phuket Aquarium or the water park "Splash the jungle."

Playgrounds are presented in large numbers in amusement parks and attractions. If you want to have fun, go to the butterfly park or sea shells museum. You will long remember the trips to the snake farm, the orchid farm, to the Nemo Dolphinarium or the Phuket Aquarium, where one of the world's largest collections of marine life is represented.

Taking into account the peculiarities of the island’s climate, it should be remembered that the younger the child, the greater the risk of strong acclimatization (especially if the trip is planned in the winter). On the other hand, do not worry that the baby will recover or drink something wrong if the baby is breastfed. For the artists in Phuket shops (especially in large shopping centers), you can purchase everything you need - from diapers to baby food.

A visa is not required for Phuket if you plan to stay there for up to 30 days. However, the customs officers are sure to ask you to present a passport (do not forget about the document for the child) and fill out the migration card.

If the child travels with one of the parents, they will necessarily require notarized consent from the second one upon entry.

You will learn more about your holiday in Phuket by watching the following videos.