5 Reasons to visit Vietnam with kids

Vietnam remains my favourite country that I have visited so far.  It has stunning white sand beaches, incredible cuisine, delicious coffee, friendly people and so much culture to explore.  Thailand is the more popular spot for families visiting South East Asia, but Vietnam is an absolute gem and a great family holiday destination.  Here are five reasons you should bump it up you family travel bucket list.

1. Vietnam is so child friendly.  As with most Asian countries, children are celebrated and always welcome.  When we went out to eat there was always someone asking if they could help hold the baby so we could enjoy our meal (high chairs are less easy to come by).  The children's requests were always accommodated and no matter what time we found ourselves out (we never really adjusted to the time difference so we were up late in the mornings and up late in the evenings), the children were welcome and expected.

2. We spent a few days at An Bang beach and Da Nang which are both along the coast.  The water was warm, crystal clear and amazing to swim in.  We saw little fishes swimming around without needing to go further than the kids could stand so it is great for small snorkelers. The water felt like being in a mild bath it was so warm so ideal for the tiniest adventurers. Our trip was over the UK summer and the beaches were so quiet that we often had the place to ourselves.

3. Vietnam is culturally rich.  There is so much to learn in Vietnam and it isn't just temples.  Hoi An is a world heritage site famous for its colourful lanterns and if I could move anywhere in the world it would be here.  I feel like my children really got to experience so muchfrom travelling around Vietnam.  There is something special about giving them an insight into a culture so different to what they know and Vietnam has many child friendly ways to submerge them in it.  The lantern boats are something not to miss and we send out wishes on the river too.

4. My children loved the unfamiliar but they also loved going to things like water parks and theme parks and Vietnam has a brilliant one in Da Nang.  Sun world had something for everyone with big rollercoasters, chilled carousels and everything in between.  It also had a huge Ferris wheel (it is 20 metres shorter than the London Eye) included in the price of a ticket - which was £8 for adults and £4 for children! The park has different areas themed around other Asian countries and opened conversations with the children about Angkor Wat which was replicated in mini in the Cambodia area.  The flying Ninja ride in the Japan region was a favourite with my gang but they loved the whole park.

5. Vietnam has incredible food.  The most traditional dish being Pho, there is so much more to taste though and we loved eating out and trying different foods.  In Hoi An we did a cooking class (I have linked the one we did) as a family which was a highlight of our whole trip.  We toured a local market to see where the Vietnamese buy their food, went on  traditional basket boats to learn about fishing, did some shore crabbing and then learnt to cook different meals.  As we had booked the class for children, they had extra adults around so each child had a helper and Ed and I could get properly involved too.  Getting involved in the preparation and cooking meant the children tried all sorts of new things.  If you have less adventurous children (which most of mine are), we found pretty much everywhere sold pizza or burger and chips as well as plain rice and noodles so we could encourage them to expand their palate without any pressure. 

I hope this has made you consider Vietnam as a family friendly destination.  It has definitely made me want to book a return trip to see more of the north of the country, as each area is so unique.

Read more ⇨

Hoi An, Vietnam with Kids

If I had to choose just one place to recommend in Vietnam, it would be Hoi An. Situated around the middle of Vietnam, it has a beautiful blend of culture and colour and is within 30 minutes drive from a big city, a beach and an airport. The City of Lanterns is an incredible place to visit as a backpacker, couple or family.

We decided to explore this area  with three different bases on our recent trip, so we spent a few nights in An Bang beach which is a very laid back beach town around 15 minutes drive from Hoi An ancient town.  We spent time in Hoi An and then a few days in Da Nang, the city 30 minutes away that also has an international airport.  You can read our 2 weeks Vietnam itinerary here for more on this.

I took so many photos in Hoi An and we loved it so much that I wanted to give it a separate blog post to share a bit more about three things we loved there, the ancient town, the lantern boats and the cookery class that we did.

Hoi An Ancient Town.

Vietnam is well known for the fact it is more motorbike friendly than pedestrian friendly.  The pavements are uneven and narrow with obstacles making it almost impossible to use a pushchair.  The ancient town however is car and motorbike free zone and it was lovely to not worry about traffic for a little while.  You can still use pushbikes and there were people cycling around passenger bikes too .  It is a very touristy area and the streets are lined with souvenir stores, art shops and tailors offering to custom make anything you can think of.  There are plenty of restaurants and cafes too and the children got very used to the fact that they all sold Oreo milkshakes.

All the walls are yellow and there are pink flowers popping up everywhere.  It makes for a beautiful place to wander. The mornings are quiet but as the sun starts to set and the lanterns start to shine, the town comes alive.  You can buy street foot or eat at one of the restaraunts looking out over the river.  We found a stall who made necklaces which had your name written on a piece of rice - a brilliant souvenir! There is a wonderful atmosphere and whilst it is very busy, it also felt welcoming and safe and very family friendly. 

There are shops where you can take part in lantern making workshops and across the river from Hoi An is An Hoi, famous for its silks.  The Japanese covered bridge is a famous landmark in the centre of the ancient town and worth a walk over, although it was so busy that I didn't take any photos.  

The Lantern Boats

As I said above, as the sun sets, the city comes alive and the lantern boats are part of the reason for this.  The row boats hold between 2 and 6 people and start sailing as it gets dark.  For your fee you get a 20 minute ride up and down the river and under the lantern bridge and it is something not to miss.  It felt like a moment of calm in a busy city and the colours lighting up the water are magical.  

We spent the first night just watching them all and you can buy paper boats with a candle to send out your wishes (There is a photo of this at the very top of this post).  It might look like some kind of festival, but these boats sail every night.

The Cookery Class

There were several experiences you could book in Hoi An but we sat down as a family to decide and the outcome was a unanimous vote for the cookery class.  There were plenty of options to book either through websites or your hotel and we found one that had reviews from other families as we hoped it would be the best option for our gang.  

Most cookery classes include drop off and pick up from your hotel or hostel and we were collected by mini bus and taken along with the rest of the group (there were 4 other people in our class) to the market. We walked through and then were taken to a food stall where our guide explained what foods are important in Vietnamese cuisine and how they choose which ones to buy.  We saw the meat and fish being sold as well as all the vegetables before heading back to the bus to be taken to a river.

We went out on traditional basket boats on the river and there was entertainment further down with men making the boats dance and spin as music played (offering tourists a chance to sit in the boat as it span too).  We were shown how to cast a net and the children each had a go, then on the way back we went along the river banks catching small crabs.

Once the basket boat trip was over, we went to the restaurant where we would learn to cook four different meals.  As we had booked for four children, there were extra staff around to help them and there were people desperate to hold the baby too so Ed and I could both have a go at cooking.  The instructors spoke great English and had everything ready to make it an easy experience for us. The first two dishes we ate immediately after cooking but the last two we ate along with some other Vietnamese food that the instructors had cooked, so there was a huge spread on the table.  They were happy to modify recipes for me to make sure there was no egg despite the fact I hadn't declared the allergy when I booked.

The children all loved learning to cook and we took away a sheet with all the recipes on so we could make them again at home. It was a fantastic trip and I am so glad we booked it. I think it worked out around £22 per person for the day which included all food, drink and transport.

There is so much more to do in Hoi An and the surrounding areas and my Vietnam Itinerary shows you what we got up to in An Bang and Da Nang, which could both be just days out from Hoi An.

Read more ⇨

2 Weeks in Vietnam - Our Family Travel Itinerary

We spent nearly five weeks in South East Asia with our five children and I have had lots of requests to share our itinerary so this is the second part, our 2 weeks in Vietnam.  You can read the itinerary for our 2.5 weeks in Thailand here.  Our trip was a mix of lots of research and plenty of flexibility as we made decisions on the road about what we would do and what pace we would move at.  When we were thinking about doing a bigger activity or trip, we sat down as a family to look at the options and we decided together which one we wanted to do. I will note some other activities that we missed in some locations that I would have loved to do if we had more time! 

Ho Chi Minh City

Also known as Saigon (and referred to in the rest of this post as HCMC), Ho Chi Minh City is the second biggest city in Vietnam and in the south of the country and this is where we flew into from Thailand.  We had decided to stick to the southern half of the country as the weather was supposed to be better during August and whilst it was still monsoon season, the rain didn't get in the way at all.  HCMC isn't know as a classic holiday destination but it is a city unlike anywhere we had been before and crossing the street is an experience in itself!  

We stayed in an airbnb apartment with three bedrooms which was on the 32nd floor with incredible views over the city.  We were in district 5 which wasn't touristy at all but we were less than 10 minutes walk to the centre of district 1 and felt like we had the best of both worlds.  Our airbnb had a swimming pool and small playground. 

We spent three days in HCMC which was plenty. We visited

• Tan Dinh Pink church. We didn't go inside but it is fun to admire from outside
• A walk through the fabric market opposite and around the local area
• Saigon Mall which is a huge shopping mall with everything you could possibly want.
• The cinema (make sure you opt for films in English with Vietnamese subtitles.  This was a welcome bit of normality for the kids).
• Nguyen Hue Walking Street - This comes alive at night with street performers, music, street food and vendors selling light up toys.
• The Cafe apartments on Nguyen Hue walking street.  This is a classic apartment block but each apartment is a different cafe with views out over the walking street. The kids highly recommend Dosh Donuts.
• If you are vegan then check out Rawberry who do incredible desserts and offer delivery for around £1 (message through Facebook). The banoffee mini cake was incredible.

If you have longer in HCMC then there are plenty more areas to explore. The war remnants museum and Cu Chi tunnels are fascinating for anyone interested in the history of the war, Notre Dame Cathedral and the central post office are incredible buildings to admire the architecture and for a longer stay with children, I was recommended Tinker Play in District 7. I followed Becky at Good Honest Travels on Instagram who is an expat living in HCMC with her children and she has lots of recommendations.

We hadn't planned out our time in Vietnam properly and so had no travel within the country booked before we arrived so we actually ended up booking flights from HCMC up to Da Nang the night before we travelled.  Prices are very reasonable and there were multiple flights per day to choose from.

I had thought that we would head up the coast and use the sleeper trains but we made the decision instead to fly up to Da Nang and explore three different areas nearby and spend less time travelling. 

An Bang Beach

We flew into Da Nang and got a taxi from the airport to An Bang beach, a seafront town around 40 minutes away. In contrast to the built up city, An Bang was quiet, small and laid back and we absolutely loved it.  We had found a few places online that looked good but not booked accomodation so we turned up and asked to look at some rooms.  We ended up choosing Blue Alcove and had two sets of connecting family rooms that led straight out to the small pool.  The hotel was connected to Aira boutique hotel where we ate our breakfast buffet and could use the facilities.

Most of our time in An Bang was spent eating, drinking and swimming.  The beach was beautiful and quiet and there was a strip of restaraunts along the front serving freshly caught seafood and with play areas and swings to keep the children happy too. There was something about the atmosphere here that we all loved.  It is easy to visit from Hoi An or Da Nang for the day but we enjoyed spending a few days relaxing here and having everything so close.

Recommendations are all food based for here and include:

•  Ken Vegetarian and coffee - we visited several times for food and the coconut coffee is well worth a try.
• Cosy Corner Cafe did a great brunch and was full of interesting expats
• Fisherman's Place did delicious vegan food and a great vegan burger 

Hoi An

Hoi An is an ancient town and the town centre is a car and motorbike free zone which is very refreshing.  Famous for its lanterns, the main town has painted yellow walls and a river runs alongside it. It was one of our favourite places to visit and whilst it is very touristy, it is somewhere not to miss on a trip to Vietnam. It is quite quiet during the day but it comes alive at night.  It was only 10 minutes drive in a taxi from An Bang beach but it felt like a very different place.

We stayed just outside the ancient town in Phu Thinh Boutique hotel with two sets of interconnecting rooms again.  Here are some of the things we did in Hoi An

• Walk around the ancient town looking at the shops and cafes
• One of our favourite experiences was a cooking class.  We did a local market tour followed by an excursion on a traditional fishing boat and practiced throwing a net.  We caught some crabs on the river banks and then were taught how to make 4 different Vietnamese dishes before sitting down to an incredible meal.  The experience was child friendly and there were extra staff to help my younger children.  This is the experience we booked and it included pick up from our hotel too.
• Hoi An is known for its tailors and if you want anything custom made, you can't walk more than a few metres before finding a shop that will do it.  I had an idea of a skirt I wanted and got it made but you can have anything from party dresses to suits.
• In the evening lantern boats sail down the river and it is a really special experience.  We aimed for sunset and it was so beautiful. There are longer boat tours on bigger boats but the little ones are brilliant.
• We were cycled around the old town on bikes with what looked like a large wheelchair on the front.  It wasn't the cheapest experience but the children loved it.
• If you want Vegan food then check out Nourish who did incredible lunches and was very close to our hotel.

You can read more about why we loved Hoi An and what we got up to here.

Da Nang

Da Nang is the third largest city in Vietnam, located about half way down and has an international airport.  It is also situated on the coast and has a white sand beach.  We had heard that Da Nang was somewhere you could easily skip but we decided to explore for ourselves and spent a lovely couple of days here.  We stayed at the Grand Sunrise Boutique Hotel which was about 5 minutes walk from the beach.  We arrived via taxi and it was around 30 minutes from Hoi An. 

Things we did in Da Nang:

• Hired inflatables and swam in the sea at My Khe Beach. We were the only people at the beach other than the ladies hiring out sunbeds, inflatables and selling drinks and the sea was a similar temperature to a bath I would run for the children!
• Drank smoothies in quiet cafes and people watched.
• Fly Burger for amazing burgers (very close to our hotel) and Loving Vegan for incredible vegan food (get the cheezy chilli chips)
• Asia Park/Sun World (I am not sure what the official name is as it uses both).  This is a theme park on the river front that you can spot from a mile off because of the huge big wheel. The theme park is only open from 3pm-9pm (thewheel until 10) and has different areas based on different Asian countries. There are plenty of rollercoasters and rides but also statues and buildings based on different styles of architecture and a replica version of Ankor Wat you can wander around in the Cambodian part.  We went on a weeknight and it was pretty empty. Wristbands were £8 for adults (over 140cm) and £4 for children and covered everything including the big wheel. 
• Eat at the Helio Centre opposite Asia Park.  There are lots of stalls for food and live music to listen to whilst you eat. 

In total we spent two weeks in Vietnam and we only explored a very small part of it.  There is so much to see and Hanoi and Ha Long Bay in the north would be top of my list when/if we are able to go back.  We flew direct from Da Nang to Singapore at the end of our two weeks and I will write our Singapore itinerary up soon!  Please get in touch either on here or through social media with any questions! Click here to read more about planning a family backpacking trip.

Read more ⇨

Koh Samui With Children

Of all the places we visited on our Asian Adventure, Koh Samui on Thailand's gulf coast was the most traditionally child friendly.  We reached the island via ferry from Chumphon (the ferry stops at the three islands, Koh Tao, Koh Phanghan and Koh Samui) but there is also an airport on the island which we flew out from.  Samui has many beaches, each with their own personality so you can choose where to stay based on your priorities.  We chose the quieter and more family friendly Bophut beach because the hotels looked well designed for young families and it was walking distance to fisherman's village.  Everywhere on the island is reachable in under one hour though so wherever you pick to stay, it is easy to get around.

A big part of our week on the island was relaxing as we had just travelled down the coast and we were flying on from Koh Samui to Vietnam, but we managed to fit in quite a bit during our week as well so I wanted to share the family friendly activities we loved (and some that we didn't manage to fit in but looked great for another trip).

Stand up Paddle boarding

The sea was calm and warm and ideal for stand up paddle boarding.  We saw multiple places to hire them but we rented one from our hotel (it worked out around £6 for two hours) and took it out on the sea. The children all loved sitting on the board as I paddled out and Dylan spent the most time on there floating around the bay.  

Temples

Not too far from Bophut beach are two incredible temples, Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem, both of which are worth a visit with kids (and they are walking distance from each other).  Big Buddha stands tall and you can walk around the outside ringing bells. Wat Plai Laem has many parts and as well as admiring the art, size and beauty of the structures, we also loved watching the turtles swimming around as the temple is set out on a lake.

Na Muang Waterfall

There are two waterfalls, Na Muang 1 and Na Muang 2 (accessible via a short hike).  We visited only the first one after getting dropped off in a taxi next to a field of elephants.  It is a beautiful waterfall and so cool and refreshing to swim in!

Beach Hopping

There are so many beaches to choose from on Koh Samui and if you had longer, you could try a new one every day.  We loved Silver Beach which was a smaller beach with white sand and crystal clear water. We accessed it through a hotel which served chips and ice creams on the beach and we loved spotting fish in the shallow waters. The sea was shallow for a long stretch making it ideal for young children wanting to splash about.

Speed boat trip

One of the best days of our whole holiday was a speed boat snorkelling trip we did from Koh Samui.  We visited the islands Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan and snorkelled in wonderfully clear waters. We took it in turns to hold the baby but the children were all confident swimming out with the life vests that were provided and it was an incredible experience. Our trip was with Mr Tu and we were picked up from our hotel and dropped back afterwards and the price we paid included lunch at a beachfront restaurant on Koh Tao and soft drinks on the boats.

Fisherman's Market

Located along Bophut beach is Fisherman's market. An interesting place to wander during the day, but most alive on a Wednesday and Friday evening with the night markets.  There are tons of food and drink stalls as well as some seating and live music to enjoy as you eat, and there are all manner of souvenir to admire alongside the clothing stalls.  It was a busy market but much calmer than those in Bangkok. We enjoyed trying new food and drink and buying some treats.

Coco Tam's Fire Show

We discovered Coco Tam's whilst at the night market but ended up going back again as the children enjoyed the fire show so much and wanted to show their dad.  On twice a night, it is worth getting there early to ensure a space.  The tables are situated along the beach with giant beanbags around and all facing down to the sea.  As well as drinks you can get snacks including chicken nuggets and chips and the bar stools are all swings which we loved.  The fire show is entertaining and was a huge highlight of our stay for all four of the children.  The performers made fire halos around peoples heads which they couldn't get enough of.  The show is free but the drinks and snacks are expensive for the area - definitely worth it for the performance.

Other Ideas 

Elephant Sanctuary

I had hoped we would visit one of the ethical elephant sanctuaries on the island where you can learn more about the magnificent animals, prepare food and get close to them, but my tribe chose to skip this in favour of more water based activities.

Ang Thong Marine Park

This is another speed boat snorkelling trip to the Ang Thong marine park.  We had trouble deciding between this trip and the Koh Tao one we did as both looked very good (and very similar).  If we had longer we would have considered a second snorkelling trip.

Scuba Diving

For older children and adults, the snorkelling trips are also available as scuba diving trips.  If you are interested in diving though, it might be better to base yourself on Koh Tao where lots of diving courses are run

Island Hopping

The ferry goes between the three main islands on the gulf coast and takes only half an hour to Koh Phanghan and 1.5 hours to Koh Tao.  Both islands can be done as a day trip or you can stay on them.  Koh Phanghan is where the famous full moon parties are held. Each island has its own personality and so much to see but we decided to concentrate on one island during this trip.    `

Koh Samui is such a child friendly place to visit, especially if you pick the right area and hotel.  We stayed in the Ibis Bophut and it was well set up for families with connecting rooms, a small playground, swimming pools and a private beach as well as a great breakfast buffet!

Read more ⇨

5 Things to do with Children in Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is a common starting point for exploring south east Asia as the airport has many flight routes from around the world.  We arrived in the late afternoon and had pre-booked our hotel and transfers to make things easier, but we started to get a sense of how vibrant the city was as we drove through.  As with many big cities, there are different districts and areas and the one we stayed in had plenty to see within walking distance as well as being close to lots of places we wanted to visit.

Bangkok is associated more with 20 year old backpackers than young families but we were excited to see the city and it was a great place to adjust to the culture shock of a new continent as it was easy to find western comforts like McDonalds and soft play centres but there was so much that was unique to Thailand too.

If you are planning a trip to Bangkok with young children, here are five things you could do as a family.

1) Check out the Night Markets

Thailand is known for its night markets and Bangkok has some of the most famous including Chatuchak, Rod Fai and Chang Chui.  The night markets sell everything from clothing to toys and my children loved having a few baht to buy themselves a souvenir.  Bartering is a part of life here and we encouraged them to get involved too.  As well as shopping, some of the best food is available at the night markets and it is an inexpensive way to try new things.  Main meals are available but so is freshly cooked corn on the cob, fruit smoothies in every flavour and some more obscure snacks.  I was happy buying a few interesting looking dishes for the children to try at the markets rather than in a restaurant as it wasn't a problem if they didn't like them.

2) Central World - Playmondo and ride ons

We wanted to encourage our children to eat what the local children would, but it was all in balance and that meant we were also inevitably going to try Thai McDonalds.  There are several shopping malls that are bigger than anything we have come across in the UK and we picked Centralworld to visit.  We all appreciated the air conditioning and there was every shop you could think, spread over several floors.  What we really wanted to find though was Playmondo.  It was the cleanest soft play we have visited with so many staff on the play floor keeping it clean and safe.  It was also the most expensive soft play we have ever visited which was a bit of a shock considering how much cheaper most things are in Thailand! 

There was an enormous ball pit, a small climbing wall and sunken trampolines as well as usual play centre equipment. There was a smaller area with colouring and crafts too which Cora enjoyed.  Just outside Playmondo were electric ride on animals that you could rent and ride around the mall and these were a big hit with my gang too.  There was also a small arcade area next door to Playmondo.  My children love trying out a new soft play and it gave me a chance to sit quietly with a coffee.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bex (@mummyadventure)

3) Lumpini Park 

There are a few green spaces in Bangkok but we visited Lumpini park which is very central and there was lots to keep children entertained.  On our way in there were men selling fish food and we eventually found the fish who jumped enthusiastically and open mouthed to eat the food we threw in.  There are roughly 400 monitor lizards (between 1 and 3 metres long) roaming the park and my children were convinced they were actually baby dinosaurs. There is a large population of turtles too although we didn't spot any.

The park has walkways around a large lake, a big playground, sports courts and an outdoor gym as well as some public toilets next to it all (not something we saw a lot of).  As it gets dark, the paths are lined with joggers who follow a one way track around the park .  The artificial lakes have swan pedalo boats you can hire for a really reasonable price too.

Lumpini park is the perfect escape from a hot, busy city and is easy to get to via BTS or taxi as well as being walking distance from Centralworld.

4) Take them to see some Temples

It seems a shame to go all the way to Thailand and not take in some of the incredible temples.  You can't avoid seeing the small shrines and there are temples everywhere but there are some really impressive ones that are definitely worth a visit and Bangkok has plenty to chose from.  The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun . . . Depending on your interest, you can either choose one or two and find your own way there, or hire a taxi or tuktuk for a few hours and ask them to take you round to see a few. They sometimes come with small entrance fees but each one has so much to see and the giant buddhas, intricate architecture and vibrant paintings are fascinating for all ages.  

5) Khao San road

Famous as being the hub for backpackers, this is where I stayed when I visited many years ago and I have vivid memories of this street. Lined with pubs, bars and shops selling souvenirs, it was the best place to get cheap food in the day and party at night. It has been hit rather hard by Covid and it didn't have quite the same atmosphere, but it was a fun street to explore with children and a great place to do some shopping.  The children all spent some holiday money here and we tried different fruit smoothies from the stalls I remember visiting when I rolled out of bed in the mornings too. 

Khao San road was in a different part of Bangkok to where we were staying so it gave us a new and less built up area to explore away from our hotel as well.  I imagine staying here after dark there would be a lot more atmosphere, but it is definitely worth a trip with children to go shopping and enjoy some drinks.

I had planned so much more for our time in Bangkok but of course it was never going to be long enough!  If you are staying longer and want more ideas then check out

Pororo Aqua Park

Siam Amazing Park

A trip to Kanchanaburi

The floating Markets

Visit Ayutthaya

Elephant Sanctuaries

Sealife Centre Bangkok

A boat trip down the river

and so much more!

Read more ⇨