DESTINATIONS FAMILY HOLIDAYS | THAILAND
view THE KIDS’
Millie on beaches: “Thailand’s beaches are some of
my favourites. Shark Bay in Koh Tao was perfect – the sea was warm, crystal-clear and it was never too busy. In contrast, Sairee Beach was backpacker heaven.”
Seth on culture: “Taking the train out of Bangkok was
our first taste of local life, and in Chumphon’s night market, we watched our food being cooked – I loved the barbecue chicken skewers, but passed on the giant bugs!”
Zac on wildlife: “I’d love to be a marine
biologist, so snorkelling among coral reefs in Koh Tao was really amazing.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Coral at Koh Tao; Elephant Hills floating encampment at Cheow Larn Lake; Lee and family at Elephant Hills PICTURES: Shutterstock; Lee Hayhurst
WHERE TO STAY
E Chumphon: Loft Mani Boutique Hotel, a clean, modern property with a small swimming pool.
E Koh Tao: Haad Tien Beach Resort, where we had large interconnecting rooms with amazing views of the bay.
E Khanom: Aava Resort & Spa is a tranquil and stunning low-rise Scandi- style property with single-storey rooms.
E Khao Sok: Elephant Hills Nature Reserve is more glamping than camping – drift off to a jungle soundtrack of insects, birds, frogs and gibbons.
30 27 AUGUST 2020
our excitement about the next leg rose with the temperature. Koh Tao, little sister of better-known Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, is renowned for its marine wildlife and more-authentic beach holiday vibe. Its corals teem with tropical fish so, while the island is a magnet for divers, snorkellers can also experience its world-class underwater world, and our long-tail boat excursion was a real highlight. Our stay coincided with full moon, so we booked a taxi to main town Sairee Beach for a taste of its laid-back, beach party atmosphere. In keeping with Koh Tao, everything in Sairee is built to the island’s small scale, and where better for a sundowner at a beachfront bar as fire jugglers set the scene for the night-long partying to follow?
KHANOM Having retired at a reasonable hour, to the disappointment of our teenage daughter, the next day it was time to move on. Like Chumphon, Khanom is seen as just a transit hub and is even less
33It’s venturing through unspoilt areas that makes the best holiday memories
developed for tourism – though that is a major part of its charm. We stayed at Aava Resort & Spa, built by a Finn who discovered this beautiful beachfront spot when backpacking and never left. Our two-bedroom apartment was the ideal base to explore the area, including one of our most-anticipated activities – seeing pink dolphins. They are extremely rare but resident year-round at the mouth of the Khon Nom river, so trips just about guarantee sightings. We also visited Monk Island, where 16th-century Buddhist monk Luang Pu Thuat is commemorated, and watched the sunset from a nearby vantage point.
ELEPHANT HILLS
Next came the four-hour minibus journey to Khao Sok National Park,
where the Elephant Hills tented camp is nestled among spectacular rainforest and limestone escarpments. This wildlife experience is superbly managed and offers an up- close elephant encounter you’ll never forget. All the animals are retired working elephants and live in a large reserve a short safari-truck ride away. They give every indication of being happy and well-looked-after, with no unethical rides or gimmicks. As well as the elephant encounter and river canoe ride, there are trips to a mangrove forest and walking tours of the nearby rainforest. But the real standout was a day trip to Cheow Larn Lake, where Elephant Hills’ floating encampment allows for overnight stays and kayak trips to spot rare gibbons and other primates. Longboats take you into the depths of an awesome untouched jungle ecosystem. Unforgettable! It’s those quiet moments, venturing through the unspoilt areas of Thailand that few tourists take time to explore, that make for the best family holiday memories.
TW
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