26 December 4–17, 2015

YH VHTravel

all photos from shutterstock

Holiday With Your Kids in

Phuket

This December school holi-days, why not head to Thai-land’s largest island—Phuket?

Also known as the Pearl of the Andaman, this forested and moun-tainous island in the Andaman Sea is home to some of Thailand’s most stun-ning beaches.

As one of Thailand’s most popu-lar destinations, the tropical island of Phuket has much to offer for kids. Phuket is becoming more family ori-ented, with attractions such as the Trickeye Museum, Phuket FantaSea, Zorbing at Rollerball, Surf House Flow Rider, Baan Teelanka, Anthem Wake Park, Dino Park Mini Golf, Phuket Aquarium, Patong Go-Kart Speed-way, Siam Safari, Splash Jungle Water-park and the Bird Park which cater to younger visitors.

For comical photo opportunities, Phuket Trickeye Museum is an attrac-tion not to be missed. Situated in a large two-storey building, Phuket Trickeye Museum presents an amazing gallery of about a hundred 3D paintings which illustrate amusing and creative scenes using the trompe l’oeil technique. Pose along the famous masterpieces of Van Gogh, Leonardo Da Vinci and Millet which are reproduced with a twist of fun. You will find the inflated ‘Mona Lisa’ painting particularly hilarious.

Kids love animals, especially ele-phants! Don’t miss the chance to ride an elephant in Phuket, which is an ideal place for elephant trekking. To be up-close and personal with the friendly creature, bring your kids to the in-formative and entertaining Siam Sa-fari tour—the only certified elephant camp in Southern Thailand. Besides el-ephant trekking, the whole family can experience rural Thai culture and learn about rice farming, coconut process-ing, rubber making and Thai cooking. The award-winning Siam Safari tour also includes optional lunch or dinner cruises.

Baan Teelanka, also known as the Upside Down House, is un-doubtedly the quirkiest attrac-tion in Phuket. Suitable for all ages, Baan Teelanka is a three-storey house built standing up-side-down on its roof. Bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathroom and everything from decorations to fishes in its two aquariums…are all hanging from the “floor” above you! It has a 1,000sqm maze-shaped gar-den in its backyard and The Cham-ber of Secrets whereby visitors have to figure out ways to escape the rooms by finding clues and solving puzzles. It is a fascinating place designed with fun activities and bizarre photo opportuni-ties for the whole family.

Dino Park Mini Golf—as its name suggests—is a mini-golf course built in a Jurassic Park-like setting. It is a wacky attraction with large and life-like dinosaurs around each golf hole, and a “volcano” which erupts every 30 minutes—an ideal place for a fun golf session with your kids. At Dino Park, dine at the Flintstones-themed restau-rant—the Dino Bar, which serves Dino Burgers!

Family Resorts in PhuketBesides never-ending family-friendly activities, Phuket has many high-end resorts where you can enjoy spectacular scenery, pristine beaches, glorious sun-sets, and sparkling blue sea with your kids.

Here are three kid-friendly resorts that are bound to make your holiday planning easier and much more enjoyable.

Holiday Inn Resort Phuket52 Thaweewong Road, Patong Beach, Phuket

Located on Patong Beach, Holiday Inn Patong has everything to offer for a wonderful family holiday.

Kids will be amused by the funky bunk beds in Kids Suites. In the Family

Suites, parents can rest

in comfort in the Superior Room, while the children are immersed in a ‘Pirate-theme’ fantasy in the connected room. In the Pirate-themed room, the beds are designed to look like funky pirate-ships, and the furniture to re-semble treasure chests. The suites are also equipped with a toy box, TV with DVDs and an Xbox 360.

The action-packed Kids’ Club has a TV, Xbox 360, arts & crafts, and games to entertain the kids. There is a Club 12+ where teens can play their favour-ite Xbox 360 games, watch movies, surf the internet, or take some shots at the mini pool table.

With endless fun at the Kids’ Club pool, exciting trips to nearby attrac-tions, and activities such as henna tat-tooing and Muay Thai lessons, kids can leave their boredom behind!

Combined with its Kids Stay and Eat Free policy, Holiday Inn Patong is a paradise for families.

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket509 Patak Road, Phuket

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon is a five-star spa resort located amid the tropical gardens and the 5km long whitewashed Karon Beach.

One of the most family-friendly re-sorts, it has one of the largest kid’s clubs in Phuket. Its Play Zone offers

indoor and outdoor sports activities, arts and crafts facilities, a DVD lounge, a playground, toys and games and dedicated staff to take care of your little ones.

In addition, there is a swimming pool with two pools for children, a waterslide, and a swim-up bar.

What’s more, the resort pack-age includes a great discount for family booking—kids can eat for free when dining with their parents!

The resort also features an European botanical garden, where kids can learn about over 120 different types of tropi-cal trees and plants.

Club Med PhuketHoliday Villages Thailand 3 Kata Road, Karon, Phuket

Club Med Phuket is nested in a palm grove in Kata Bay. Its longhouse-style bungalows and comfortable rooms overlooking the 12-hectare garden are perfect for families seeking a tranquil holiday.

Little guests can be entertained at innovative clubs specifically designed for infants (Baby Club Med), toddlers (Petit Club Med), children (Mini Club Med) and teenagers (Club Med Pass-worlds). They will be well taken care of by Club Med’s certified caretakers.

There is also a baby corner located in its main restaurant that caters food for infants, and is also equipped with meal-prep utensils for parents.

Its baby-care rooms are open 24 hours a day and provide parents with bottle-warmers, microwaves, sterilis-ers, water, fruit, biscuits as well as toi-letries and nappies.

At an additional cost, parents can take advantage of the hotel’s baby-sitting services, to enjoy an evening to themselves.

By Li Yen | Epoch Times Staff