Ready to discover Thailand’s rich heritage?
Start your adventure in Bangkok with Michelin-starred street food, hidden temples and a private meditation session, before perusing the handicrafts and ornate jungle temples up in the cultural capital of Chiang Mai.
You’ll then head south to unwind on Krabi’s golden beaches and admire the iconic karst scenery as you explore the Andaman coastline and its islands, in a longtail boat.
Example itinerary can be found here (https://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/handcrafted/raya/) but I can tailor any trip to suit your requirements.
Thailand is a wonderful country to explore with children – so much so that we’ve visited on three different trips and still have so much more to discover.
Please do get in touch if you’d like to know more.
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#thailand #explorethailand #discoverthailand #luxurythailand #krabi #chiangmai #bangkok #hitchintravelagent #tribefamilyadventures #exploretheworld #travelwithkids #responsibletravel #sustainabletravel
Dragged the kids around Borobudur - the world’s largest Buddhist temple, dating back to the 9th century.
Built from over two million blocks of volcanic andesite stone and spanning four generations of dedication, Borobudur is one of the most important cultural sites in Indonesia.
From a Birds Eye view, this UNESCO protected temple is shaped as a traditional mandala, and is home to over 500 Buddha statues.
Our guide, Sonny, briefly talked us through the journey of enlightenment, as represented by the 3kms of stone carvings. You make your way through the three stages of human consciousness, towards the central crowning stupa of Nirvana.
It was so lovely to hear the older two recalling parts of the story they’d learnt at school.
Not the most child-friendly activity, but we couldn’t miss the opportunity to visit whilst here.
Albie enjoyed Sonny’s animal tales from the stones and Sonny enjoyed Albie’s misinterpretation of the moral of these stories!
Worth noting that in 2022, new measures were put in place to limit the number of visitors to 1200 per day, or 150 each hour so you must pre-book to avoid disappointment.
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To balance the hot, educational morning climb, we spent the rest of the day in the swimming pool and then the boys participated in a kite-making session at the hotel (which ended up as frisbees).
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#Borobudur #javawithkids #centraljava #explorewithkids #tribefamilyadventures #templeswithkids #borobudurwithkids #travelwithkids #summerholiday
Our final day in Sarawak was spent at the Sarawak Cultural Village.
This living museum showcases seven traditional dwellings (including three tribal longhouses) and is highly esteemed by locals.
Visitors are treated to a cultural show, complete with clacking bamboo poles, whirling dancers and an Orang Ulu blowpipe hunter, brining cultural traditions to life.
The boys loved having a go with the blowpipe and we all enjoyed the impressive acrobatic dancing and traditional cakes cooked in-between charcoal in the Malay townhouse.
Sarawak has so much to offer - we leave longing to have stayed a little longer!
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#sarawakculturalvillage #sarawakwithkids #tribefamilyadventures #explorewithkids #responsibletravel #summerholiday #borneowithkids
Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, Sarawak, Borneo
So grateful and super lucky to see this guy - a semi-wild orangutang.
Semenggoh was set up in 1975 to care for wild primates that had been previously kept as illegal pets, orphaned or found injured in the rainforest. Once the primates were nursed back to health, they were released into the reserve.
While Semenggoh no longer functions as a place of rehab, its forest remains a safe space for a colony of around 40 of those original orangutans and their descendants. They are free to leave as there are no fences or borders here.
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#sarawakwithkids #semenggohwildlifecentre #borneowithkids #familytravel #familyadventures #grateful #responsibletravel #onceinalifetimeexperience
Another shout out to having a bit of flexibility in your holiday plans.
Not only can this help reduce overcrowding in tourist hotspots (giving you and the locals a more enjoyable experience), but it can also help secure a trip that works better for your budget…
Swap Venice for Ljubljana, Slovenia, the Andaman Islands, Thailand for the Mozambique coast or the Blue Lagoon in Iceland for Myvatn Nature Baths in the north of the island.
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#responsibletravel #sustainabletravel #destinationswaps #destinationdupes #travelinspo #travelcounsellors #tribefamilyadventures
We had grand plans to get to Japan for our 40ths, but the reality is our budget couldn’t quite stretch to an Easter adventure and the summer months will be too humid for the kids as we want to be on the go. So, we’ve had to change plans.
I struggled to let go of the Japan dream, but had we persevered the compromises made would have impacted the whole the trip. So we’ve put it on the back-burner and its prompted me to post this travel tip – if you’ve got a fixed budget (and most of us do!) try to be open-minded and flexible with your next adventure.
- If you can, heading to destinations in their shoulder season can really help with managing costs.
- Reducing the number of nights in more expensive locations and combining with slightly more affordable options can also help trip budgets and make for a more varied and interesting adventure.
- Another great way to manage costs and positively impact the local economy is opting for self-catering or B&B. Visiting local restaurants, cafes and markets ensures your tourist dollar is fed directly back into the community.
- My biggest tip, once you’ve decided on a destination (even if it’s not your first choice) is book those flights! The longer you leave it, the more expensive they get.
So, whilst Japan is still firmly on the bucket list, our summer will be spent exploring Indonesia instead 🇮🇩 💚. Just as exciting and full of variety, but slightly more affordable for our Tribe.
Details of where we’ll be heading to follow.
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#traveltips #flexibletravel #openminded #changeplans #acceptcompromise #newadventures #tribefamilyadventures #explorewithkids #travelwithkids
Home to one of Europes most important wetlands, the Doñana National Park is made up of salt marshes, grasslands and sand dunes. It’s a haven for a huge number of bird species, wild horses and the endangered Iberian lynx.
The national park is heavily protected and access to many of its wetlands is restricted to guided tours (4X4 jeeps).
However, if you head over to one of the visitor centres you can take a self-guided trail through the pine forests, along a series of boardwalks with multiple bird hides dotted around. We spotted black storks, great crested grebes and greylag geese. If you visit during the summer months, huge flocks of flamingos descend to nest. 🦩
The deserted beach at Cuesta Maneli, full of incredible shells, was the highlight of the day.
If you can hire a car, a day trip to Doñana National Park (1hr SW of Seville) is well worth the effort.
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#doñananationalpark #natureseville #responsibletravel #tribefamilyadventures #wildbeaches #pinegroves #boardwalks #explorewithkids #shellart #greenseville #spanishnationalpark
Sunset up Setas de Sevilla 🧡
Designed by Berlin architect Jürgen Mayer, the impressive mushroom-shaped wooden structures rise 26m high, offering fantastic views over Seville.
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#sunset #sevillesunset #setasdesevilla #metropolparasol #sunsetwithkids #citysunset #tribefamilyadventures
Over 25k steps racked up today, exploring the beautiful gardens of Real Alcazar, Seville and then over to atmospheric Plaza de Espana.
Tip: If you’re in Seville with kids and have an obligatory ball with you, take it to the little souvenier shop (just to the the right of the Real Alcazar entrance) and pay 1 Euro for them to look after it. You’re not allowed balls in the palace :)
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#realalcazarsevilla #plazadeespaña #sevillewithkids #febhalfterm #tribefamilyadventures #exploretheworld #travelwithkids
Ronda’s spectacular setting atop El Tajo gorge, alongside its sketchy history (providing refuge for outlaws, bandits and rebels) made for a fascinating pit stop en route to Seville.
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#ronda #gorge #andaluciawithkids #tribefamilyadventures #halftermfun #halftermtrip #febhfterm #prettypitstop #exploretheworld #hitchin #letchworth #harpenden #stalbans #travelwithkids
The magical Alhambra Palace complex was built by the Nastrid Dynasty back in the 13th century. It sits high on the mountainside overlooking the ancient city of Granada with the snowy Sierra Nevada beyond.
Home to some of the most intricate tile work and carvings in Europe, the unique Islamic architecture of the palaces and beautiful gardens is an important historical monument.
Top tip: Booking tickets in advance is essential and you must remember to bring your passports along.
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#alhambrapalace #alhambrawithkids #granada #exploretheworld #febhalfterm #tribefamilyadventures #hitchin #letcchworth #harpenden #stalbans #travelwithkids
