Hello!

I am traveling to Thailand with my family (two kids; 6 &9). We will have 2-3 weeks in late April- mid May to be in the south, and are looking for:

mellow beach scene (not too touristy)
walking/biking to Thai town/village with cheap local eats
snorkeling off nearby beach

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

Koh Lanta would be nice with little kids, especially the northern end of Klong Dao beach, the beach is protected there so the water is calm and it is the only place on Lanta with a little reef in front of the beach. Kaw Kwang Resort is directly in front of this beautiful area and they have a few different style (and price) bungalows etc. Saladan town is 1.5 kilkometre walk with plenty of llovely restaurants, shops etc.
Cathy

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Hi,

I ve seen almost all southern islands and beaches. I know that on Koh Lanta there are some spots popular among families with small kids due to shallow and calm waters eg. KLONG DAO BEACH. Whats more Koh Lanta offers many attractions for families so you will not get bored!:)

I would agree with Koh Lanta or another option is Koh Chang - both have lots of family - friendly resorts as well as lots of activities to keep you busy.

Koh Lanta would be my first choice :)

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Hi,

In this part of the year I would recommend you eastern coast of Thailand, you will have the best weather conditions here .

1. Pranburi - not touristic place, great beaches, good conditions for snorkeling, best caves in Thailand, small islands you can reach by kayak, cheap accommodation. Great starting point for many trips to surrounding attractions like: Sam Roi Yod National Park. This place has its own charm, and is not frequently visited by tourists. After 5 months in Thailand I still consider this place to be one of the best I have been to!

2. Koh Tao - not yet so developed as Koh Samui and Koh Phangan but with amazing snorkeling conditions. We have stayed on Sairee beach, it has shallow and calm waters, just great if you go with kids. There is small town nearby where you can try local food. (but koh tao is more touristic) If you want to see real Thailand go to Pranburi! There are some incredible local markets there, and it is very posible that you will be the only tourist there!

@ DancingD

Depends on how far you wish to travel. I just came back from Thailand myself and this time I decided to go to Koh Chang which is 6 hours from Bangkok by bus or 3 hours by car. It's really nice and remote island. White sand beaches. Though the water is not as clear as for example in Koh Phi Phi but with the snorkeling trips they take to really nice diving spots. Also the island is not very touristy but very very nice with jungles, high hills and very warm sea.

This is the video from there

Epic Holiday - Thailand.mp4 - YouTube

Hua Hin might be okay too. Only 3 or 4 hours from Bangkok. You can get there by train or bus too. Not too touristy also means you may not have easy access to cheap supermarkets, easy access to cheap transportation and easy access to things kids might be interested in. Hua Hin, a little more touristy than what you may have in mind but more convenient than some more out of the way places.

Hua Hin is good enough for the King of Thailand!

Hua Hin Thailand
Hua Hin Travel Guide

Your choice.

For the Least touristy islands which are great for families I have to agree with some previous replies are Koh Lanta located in the Andaman Sea side of Thailand and Koh Chang located in the Gulf of Thailand. However, and island like Koh Samui, also located in the Gulf of Thailand does not have to see you staying in touristy locations. This island is approximately 250 square kilometers and offers many of the type of locations you are looking for. However, the islands are not the beginning and end of holidays in Thailand. To me it sounds like you would be someone that might enjoy a location like Krabi. This
is probably one of the most scenic coastal locations anywhere in Thailand and very family friendly. From Krabi there are an endless numbers of daily excursions to snorkel destinations and many off shore islands, it offers two world class beaches, Hat Raile and Ao Nang and fabulous family friendly accommodation. The other highly recommended family friendly destination as also already mentioned is Hua Hin, located on the coast of The Gulf of Thailand only 3 hours drive from Bangkok. In Hua Hin it is said that the best or only way to see the area is by bicycle.

I suggest Koh Lanta beach is it is very good for Kids and family.