Thailand with a tot in tow!

Travelling to Thailand with a 9-month-old baby has got to be pretty crazy, right? That’s what everyone kept telling me, but I’d been there 3 times before (admittedly child free) and was confident that with some careful planning it would be an amazing holiday for all of us. And so it was that in March 2017 I set off on a 16 hour journey with my sister and baby boy. I knew that with baby Savage along we would be spending a lot more time in the hotels than usual, so it was important to find the right places to stay. After a bit of research, I settled on La Flora Resort Khao Lak for our first week. As I knew we’d be spending a few hours of every day in our room whilst he napped, we treated ourselves to an upgraded Pool Access room. This lovely hotel has the most wonderful staff, a fantastic beach, and the beautiful pool our room opened out on to was almost empty, despite the hotel being full. Every afternoon, whilst baby Savage napped in his cot, I could open our patio doors and lie on my sunbed or swim in the pool, all within earshot of our room – that upgrade was worth every penny! It was my sister’s birthday whilst we were there and they treated her to a personalised cake in our room and a hilarious rendition of Happy Birthday over breakfast (which she hated but I very much enjoyed!) When we packed our bags after a week we were sorry to leave La Flora, but as we were returning to a favourite hotel of mine, The Slate Phuket (formerly The Indigo Pearl), we weren’t sad for long. I decided against a room upgrade here as the Pearl Bed Suites have a huge balcony (ours had a bath on!) with views over the grounds, so at nap time I could be found on my balcony, book in one hand and drink in the other. We did manage to drag ourselves away from the hotels for a couple of days out. In Khao Lak we went on a boat trip to a stunning deserted beach for a picnic and swim in the sea. Having this idyllic spot to ourselves was such a change from my last experience of the islands off the coast of Khao Lak with multiple boats discharging hundreds of tourists onto the picture postcard sand. From The Slate, we headed out to the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. This amazing place is well worth a visit if you want to see these majestic creatures but are concerned about their welfare in many of the tourist attractions. Obviously one of the biggest concerns people have about travelling long haul with a baby is the flights. Again, with some careful planning, this can be a better experience than you might imagine! I considered various options and found flights that fitted best around his routine (and meant he slept for well over half of it). I also made sure we had sufficient time to transit so there was no mad dash to make our connections and chose an airline known for its comfort and service. All in all, it was a brilliant holiday from start to finish, and I can’t wait for our next family adventure!