Most parents will agree that life with kids can be busy and chaotic. Layer that with all of the added responsibilities and challenges of being an expat in Phuket, and time can quickly become a valuable and hard-to-find resource. While some families find a little time in the evenings during the week, weekends are usually the window of opportunity to enjoy activities and adventures with your kids. From beach days and water parks to creative indoor activities for rainy afternoons, there are plenty of family-friendly activities in Phuket to keep children of all ages entertained.
Of course, one of the most logical options is a beach day; you live on a tropical island after all. No matter where you are in Phuket, you’re never too far from a beach. Kata has long been a family favorite. There is usually parking within an easy walk to the sand, there are a variety of restaurants and small food and drink vendors around, and plenty of beach chairs with umbrellas or shady spots under the trees. Plus, there are fun activities for kids like parasailing, surf lessons, or the Surf House with an artificial wave. If the sea is calm, you can even take a mini snorkeling trip to the island just offshore, which has plenty of corals and marine creatures.
In Phuket’s tropical climate, water parks are always a great option. Luckily, there are a few to choose from, and it’s almost guaranteed your kids will be content and exhausted after a day at one of them. Andamanda Water Park is clearly the crown jewel with 30+ water slides, a wave pool, and an assortment of rides and entertaining features to keep kids engaged. These parks provide a safe and fun environment where kids can stay active for hours while parents enjoy a more relaxed pace.
If your kids love animals and nature, Phuket offers many opportunities to learn and explore. It’s almost mandatory for kids to visit one of the island’s elephant sanctuaries at some point. They will not only get close-up interaction with the most-loved and largest land animal in Asia, but will also learn all about them in a responsible and ethical way in a natural environment. Similarly, the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project is another conservation effort where kids can learn about this rarely seen primate. After gibbons were poached to extinction on the island over 40 years ago, this project was launched to help protect and repopulate them in what remains of Phuket’s forests. They take in sick and injured gibbons, usually from exploitation or illegal wildlife trade, and release them in the wild once recovered. However, there is a permanent population at the center which are cared for because they are unable to survive in the wild. It’s a great experience for kids, and there’s a nearby waterfall to make an afternoon out of it.
Sticking with the nature theme, Phuket has a couple of different aquariums that are perfect for a rainy day, which Phuket has plenty of. The Phuket Aquarium in Cape Panwa is geared towards kids, while still being neat for adults. There is a hands-on tide pool with marine creatures that kids can touch and see up close. In addition to the wide variety of cool and colorful freshwater and saltwater species on display, there is a glass tunnel that provides an interesting perspective where a diver feeds the creatures at 11 am daily.
If gray skies and rain have settled in, Phuket still has plenty to offer indoors. Play centers and trampoline parks are perfect for younger kids, while older kids might get a kick out of activities like bowling, rock climbing, gyms, or even the Dark House Adventure with scary horror-themed puzzles and escape rooms. Cafés with dedicated kids’ play areas are also a popular choice, so parents can chill out while the kids stay entertained.
