Thailand family vacation
Highlights
Bangkok | Ayuthaya | Kanchanaburi | Train ride over the River Kwai | Erawan National Park | Overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai | Doi Suthep hilltop temple | Forest Canopy Tour | Night markets | Two-day jungle experience | Palong tribal village | KrabiTravel Team
If you'd like to chat about this vacation or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
Toll free 1-866-821-6866 Calling from outside the US? rosy@responsibletravel.comDeparture information
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your vacation will help support conservation and local people.

We encourage the use of local transport (where appropriate) and in particular, many of our visitors will use the long distance train as their primary mode of transport whilst in Thailand.
Our UK office is run as environmentally as possible. The majority of our staff either walk or cycle to work and we operate a primarily paper free environment. We do not produce brochures (which often leads to a lot of waste) but market our tours exclusively on the internet.
The Impacts of this Trip
Thailand is a country where there has been quite a lot of negative cultural tourism that has become quite exploitative, particularly in some of the hill tribe villages in the north. We have worked closely with our local partners to ensure that all of the village visits that we arrange are conducted in a responsible fashion. In particular we ensure that the money earned by the village is distributed equitably.
Families are accompanied by a local guide in most parts of Thailand (the exception is usually a beach stay) and the guides are expected to provide guests with a detailed understanding of the way of life in Thailand. Many families are also interested in giving their children an understanding of what it is like to grow up in Thailand so, where applicable, we can also arrange a visit to a local school.
Our tours in Thailand are run in conjunction with a local partner which, whilst employing a small number of foreigners, is overwhelmingly staffed by Thai nationals.


We encourage the use of local transport (where appropriate) and in particular, many of our visitors will use the long distance train as their primary mode of transport whilst in Thailand.
Our UK office is run as environmentally as possible. The majority of our staff either walk or cycle to work and we operate a primarily paper free environment. We do not produce brochures (which often leads to a lot of waste) but market our tours exclusively on the internet.

The Impacts of this Trip
Thailand is a country where there has been quite a lot of negative cultural tourism that has become quite exploitative, particularly in some of the hill tribe villages in the north. We have worked closely with our local partners to ensure that all of the village visits that we arrange are conducted in a responsible fashion. In particular we ensure that the money earned by the village is distributed equitably.
Families are accompanied by a local guide in most parts of Thailand (the exception is usually a beach stay) and the guides are expected to provide guests with a detailed understanding of the way of life in Thailand. Many families are also interested in giving their children an understanding of what it is like to grow up in Thailand so, where applicable, we can also arrange a visit to a local school.
Our tours in Thailand are run in conjunction with a local partner which, whilst employing a small number of foreigners, is overwhelmingly staffed by Thai nationals.

4 Reviews of Thailand family vacation
Reviewed on 14 Aug 2019 by Jo Shanmugalingam
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Jungle Camp and Kao Sok national park visit
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
I wouldn’t do the sleeper train with such young children again - it didn’t feel safe/sensible leaving 7 and 10 year olds sleeping alone in bunks in an open
carriage when you’re all hidden behind curtains to provide darkness. We should have flown south instead.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Reviewed on 16 Aug 2016 by Kirstie Fraser
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
We had many memorable and exciting parts to our vacation but the one that
stands out for all of us was our visit to Elephant's World. This was the part I
was most worried about, I was concerned that it would be a money
making scheme dressed up as a rescue center and that I would leave feeling
terrible. I was very wrong, the day was truly magical and the elephants looked
to have a great quality of life after being rescued from some awful conditions.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Make sure you organise a meeting point with your guide/driver at the
airport. This was the only minor hitch we had to our vacation, everywhere
else, we met with our guides and drivers no problem.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Guides and drivers were local. Excursions were run and organised by
local people. We really enjoyed our home stay and thought that it was a benefit for the family we stayed with. We didn't feel that we reduced our environmental impact with us using long haul flights and seeing the impact that tourism has had on the coastal Thailand.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Our vacation was excellent, we would happily do this vacation again and
recommend the vacation provider as a vacation agent. Thailand is such a big country and we feel that this vacation allowed us to experience quite a lot of it. We travelled with our two children (11,14) who absolutely loved the vacation and were so well looked by the Thai people. The vacation overall was so well organised and last minute changes in made in Thailand, were handled incredibly well and without any drama.
Reviewed on 06 Dec 2015 by Sumi Mazzarolo
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai; visiting the temples and meeting the monks in Chiang Mai; EATING!! The food in Thailand was amazing. The people of Thailand are so kind and gentle.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Get off the beaten path. There is so much to see outside of the main cities such as the Lawa caves and Erawan Waterfall. If you want to experience the elephants, visit the sanctuaries where you can spend a full day up close and personal with them (feeding them, bathing them, learning about them from their care-takers). Avoid the places where you ride the elephants. They are "gimmicky" and exploit the animals there.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It contributes to the economy through tourism. Visiting the elephant sanctuary (elephant nature park) was educational and raises money and awareness to the important cause of elephant. I don't feel that it would support conservation if one
visited the places where you ride elephants and further contributes to their exploitation. I do not believe there was any reduction of environmental impacts on our trip (private taxis, plastic water bottles etc).
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Amazing vacation. Such a great experience filled with memories that are sure to last a lifetime!
Reviewed on 13 Sep 2015 by Rayner McKenzie
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Cooking a Thai meal with a Thai family in their home and spending the afternoon and evening with them, learning all about the Thai culture and food. Wonderful experience.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Make sure you have good walking shoes for the trekking to the hilltribe.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, we did feel it benefited local peoples all our guides were locals and we bought gifts directly from the hilltribes. We felt we really supported conservation in the rainforest in Khao Sok and at the Elephant Nature Park as the money spent there went directly back into supporting the elephants.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Overall, we had the most amazing vacation and all of us thoroughly enjoyed the "local" experiences we had, from giving alms to the monks to riding through rice fields on bikes. We really enjoyed meeting real Thai people and seeing different sides to Thailand.
Read the operator's response here:
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. We are absolutely delighted
with your comments and thrilled that you and your family enjoyed the trip as much as
you did, especially the cookery afternoon and the elephant park, that I know were the
highlights for you.
You have been a pleasure to work with and I hope to speak to you again in the future.
Thank you again.
With very best wishes from the team!
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