Trekking through jungles, snorkelling in a lagoon and lounging on the beach with a cocktail – they were all high on our ‘things-to-do’ check list as we set off for Thailand on a cold winter morning.
But as we strapped ourselves into our plane seats, along with our 20-month-old daughter, the thought did cross my mind – maybe I should have done all this as a teenage backpacker rather than a first-time parent?
Could we really enjoy the best this fabulous South East Asian country has to offer with our toddler in tow? The answer, it turned out, was an unequivocal ‘yes’ – and it was far easier than we thought thanks to memorable stays at the Nai Harn in Phuket and the dusit D2 in Krabi.
We had flown into the country on Thai Airways before making our way to our first stop, the Nai Harn, Phuket’s only member of elite Leading Hotels of the World group, overlooking a sweeping bay of the same name.
Sundowner: The Reflections bar at Nai Harn in Phuket, Thailand, is the perfect place to sip on a cocktail or a glass from the hotel’s expertly assembled wine list
The hotel enjoys a magnificent position looking out across turquoise seas and the sandy Nai Harn beach – perfect for families
The hotel also features magnificent restaurants, including the Rock Salt where guests can enjoy cocktails, beautiful seafood platters and Thai delicacies all just yards away from the beach
Room with a view: Guests can look forward to epic views looking out over the Nai Harn beach and nearby islands – all from the comfort of a comfortable outdoor bed
Any pangs of regret my wife and I had about not doing Thailand on the cheap as students were quickly swept away as we explored our Grand Ocean View Room and walked out onto a private terrace with what must surely be one of the finest views in Phuket.
No expense is spared in the fixtures and fittings and we were told some rooms feature a button specifically for ordering Champagne.
But with the luxury comes an extremely family friendly atmosphere. Staff go out of their way to make sure parents with young children have what they need for a comfortable trip.
They are happy to set up a parasol on the glorious sandy beach below and provide towels for the day while the swimming pool features a shallow section for toddlers.
Our little one spent hours splashing around in the pool and in the evening, with conditions a little cooler, we moved to the beach – fresh fruit smoothies in hand – to watch the sun go down.
Stunning displays of pink flowers surround the pool, where staff are only too happy to serve up drinks or set up parasols
Julian’s little one spent hours splashing around in the pool and in the evening, with conditions a little cooler, they moved to the beach – fresh fruit smoothies in hand – to watch the sun go down
The bars and restaurants at the luxurious Nai Harn hotel all enjoy spectacular views looking out over the bay
No expense is spared in the fixtures and fittings and Julia was told some rooms feature a button specifically for ordering Champagne
The hotel also features magnificent restaurants, including the Rock Salt where we enjoyed cocktails, a beautiful seafood platter and Thai delicacies all just yards away from the beach.
Chefs at the hotel cure their own meats and make their own cheese while the wine list was drawn up by international expert James Suckling. Breakfast is an event in itself, with a dizzying area of options and plenty of space meaning there was no undignified scramble for the buffet.
For a dreamy sundowner, guests head to the Nai Harn’s sprawling infinity-edged rooftop bar, Reflections. As well as cocktails, the area also features the Han-Sha sushi bar where dishes are prepared in front of you.
After an unforgettable stay at the Nai Harn, it was time for our second destination – Krabi to the south.
Rather than brave public transport or sea transport, we opted for the comfort of a taxi transfer. Before long we had arrived at our next hotel, the dusitD2 in the coastal tourist hotspot of Ao Nang.
The 173-room hotel is under 20 miles from Krabi International Airport, tucked away in lush jungle greenery on a hillside, yet within easy walking distance to the sweeping town beach and close to shops and restaurants.
It has been entirely refurbished and updated and is a rebrand of the previous Vogue Resort and Spa Vogue Resort.
Our room on the top floor had superb views looking out over the towering, craggy limestone cliffs that define the area.
The 173-room dusitD2 in the coastal tourist hotspot of Ao Nang is just under 20 miles from Krabi International Airport
The newly opened hotel has everything you need for a comfortable family stay – a great restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool with a separate children’s pool, a fitness centre, a spa and a children’s playground
The hotel is tucked away in lush jungle greenery on a hillside, yet within easy walking distance to the sweeping town beach and close to shops and restaurants
The hotel has been entirely refurbished and updated and is a rebrand of the previous Vogue Resort and Spa Vogue Resort
Within ten minutes, you can find yourself setting sail on an adventure to tropical islands, looking for monkeys along forest trails, kayaking over turquoise seas or even rock climbing on some of the jagged cliffs
TRAVEL FACTS
Rates at the Nai Harn start from about £184 for a Deluxe Ocean View Room.
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Rooms at the dusit D2 Ao Nang in Krabi can be booked by clicking here.
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Flights to Chiang Mai via Bangkok are available through Thai Airways, which recently celebrated 45 years operating in the UK.
Rating key: one star – poor; two stars – ok; three stars – good; four stars – very good; five stars – exceptional.
The newly opened hotel has everything you need for a comfortable family stay – a great restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool with a separate children’s pool, a fitness centre, a spa and a children’s playground.
But the trump card for this well-run and friendly hotel is its location. Within ten minutes, you can find yourself setting sail on an adventure to tropical islands, looking for monkeys along forest trails, kayaking over turquoise seas or even rock climbing on some of the jagged cliffs.
On one day, we zoomed around the coast to glorious Railay beach – accessible only by boat – and spent a day lounging on the pristine crescent of sand in the bay.
We also hired one of the area’s iconic long-tail boats and took a day trip to Hong Island – a tiny paradise island with a blissful lagoon, ample shade, great snorkelling and a nature trail.
Back on the mainland, the hotel’s in-house tour desk also arranged for us to visit local hot springs – a cascading network of waterfalls leading to pools with bath-like temperatures hidden in dense jungle.
Another day trip took us to the stunning Emerald Pools. Our little girl was mesmerised as we explored the huge web of turquoise pools and towering tropical trees along the jungle path.
Our trip may not have been a backpacking odyssey – more a family adventure. But one thing was for sure, we had definitely ticked off that holiday check-list.