Hello everyone,

We are a family of 5 - a 40-year-old couple and 3 children aged 10, 8 and 5.5 (2 girls and a little boy).

We will visit Thailand from the end of March 2026 to mid-April 2026.

We will be in the north(Chang Mai+Chang Rai) for 5 days during which we will be on a jeep trip,

I wanted to consult on choosing the islands to which it is more recommended to travel for kids- which area is better to travel in terms of attractions that will interest kids this ages and also in terms of weather - the side of Phuket, Krabi and khao lak OR Koh Samui and Koh Phangan?

Thanks to the respondents!

At that time of year both the east and west coasts should have good weather so that isn't really a factor. I would however, be concerned about northern Thailand at that time as it is the season when the crop burning takes place. It does vary form year to year but there have been a couple of occasions when out was so bad that we changed our plans and flew out after a couple of days. The smoke was like thick fog with visibility <20m . Not the place to be if anyone suffers with any lung issues e.g. asthma. If you search there are various air quality indexes where you can keep track of the issues. Usually starts in Feb and goes through until end April.

With children of that age, the hotel and its facilities would be a bigger factor than the location. It is years since I have been to Koh Samui as we got put of with the influx of mass tourism. Koh Phang Nang and Koh Tao attract a younger crowd particularly around the full moon party time which I would avoid. To get to those you would need to go via Koh Samui and get a ferry or speed boat.

Krabi and Khao Lao are not islands but mainland . Krabi has some stunning karst scenery Khao Lak has easy access to National Parks which may be nice for a side trip. Phuket is close to both and, IMO is more geared towards higher hotels if that is what you are seeking. A good resource is https://www.travelfish.org/alldestinations/thailand which seems to rate Khao Lao as a favourite for families. Easy and cheap to fly to Phuket from Bangkok or Chiang Mai. More difficult and much more expensive to get to KS

As said, the weather should be OK on both sides of Thailand. March is the “shoulder season” – so the crowds won’t be quite as bad as December and January, the high season.

March is the start of the “hot season” – but that really only means an increase of about 4 degrees Celsius.

Phuket is the most developed of them all, but this means a lot of attractions that may entertain kids. E.g. water parks, theme parks etc – be very wary of any animal attraction in Thailand as a whole – Elephant “sanctuaries” that allow riding bathing feeding etc should be treated with caution.

Also the Andaman coast is best for island hopping.

On the Gulf side, Samui too has a good range…. Most stuff can be booked from hotels, or you can seek advice from other tourists.

Koh Pha Ngan has to be the vegan and yoga capital of Thailand. Aside from the Full Moon Party, it is quite relaxing and not as “urban” as Samui. Access by passenger or car ferry from Don Sak on the mainland or passenger only from Samui. (you could do both).

Krabi and Khao Lak have great beaches and are less populous. - Koh Lanta still has a laid-back vibe

Poor air quality in the Chiang Mai region peaks around March – it varies from year to year, so keep an eye on the air quality online or with an app.

Here is a list of web addresses you can use to check air quality in your area – including the Thai pollution app.

Air4Thai app Air4Thai - Available on Google Play and Apple.

Thai Pollution Control Department: https://www.pcd.go.th/

Thai pollution Control Department. - https://www.pcd.go.th/

https://www.iqair.com/gb/profile/tha...rol-department

Chiang Mai - https://www.iqair.com/gb/thailand/chiang-mai

Bangkok AirQuality - https://airquality.airbkk.com/Public...s/Aqs/HomePage

https://www.iqair.com/gb/thailand?sr...kQmiGnX9qJsnQN

https://www.aqi.in/uk/dashboard/thailand

https://waqi.info/

https://th.usembassy.gov/air-quality-index-aqi/

https://aqicn.org/map/thailand/

https://air.plumelabs.com/air-quality-in-Chiang%20Mai-4Q7B#

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/PCD.go.thIt is worth noting that the Thai government is in the process of rushing through a Clean Air Bill which may become law before the burning season in the north starts

It is meant to establish a comprehensive framework to tackle air pollution. Decentralise governance and empower local authorities to manage air quality.

Swift Senate approval could align with the upcoming smog season, providing relief.

How effective this will prove to be is to be seen as time goes …… However, previous measures have had little demonstrable results

Koh Phi Phi Iasland has a few very nice quiet beaches on the North which are a bit hidden away, they might be an option.

I was going to suggest Khao Lao as well.

Really. Where is it?