Phuket is one of the top Asian holiday destinations, and a perfect place for both adults and children to experience nature and culture. Family holidays are even more fun for kids with these activities!
Top 10 activities for kids in Phuket
Kids of all ages
Elephant Rides
Perch atop an elephant, Thailand’s royal animal, for one of everyone’s favourite experiences on Phuket. Lots of tour companies offer different types of elephant journeys, from hands-on mahout training and jungle trekking to more leisurely strolls. Your concierge will be able to advise on the right experience for you based on children’s ages.
Splash Jungle Water Park
Water slides, water rides and a 335-metre ‘Lazy River’ make Splash Jungle Water Park an ideal place for the whole family to cool off. There are different activities and water slide-heights to suit all ages, from shallow splash pools for toddlers to thrill-rides like the Boomerango or Superbowl for adventurous teens. The park is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and children under five get in free.
Fun Pizza Cooking Class
Send budding chefs to the Fun Pizza Cooking Class at Anantara Vacation Club Phuket Mai Khao, where they can whip up their own pizza and learn about food. It’s a great rainy day activity, and available each day from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm.
Dive-in Movie
When kids and parents are tired from long days of exploring, kick back in the evening and relax with a Dive-in Movie at Anantara Vacation Club Phuket Mai Khao. Every Tuesday and Friday at 6:30 pm, the resort shows a free movie on a big screen by the pool. You can munch complimentary popcorn and lounge by the poolside, or watch it from a comfy, floating seat in the water.
Kids aged 4-8
Phuket Aquarium
Get up close with thousands of colourful tropical fish and exotic sea creatures and learn about life under the ocean. Eel, crab, cuttlefish, razorfish, stone fish and hundreds more stock more than 30 saltwater and freshwater tanks, and the highlight is a stroll through a huge tank with a tunnel through the centre, where you’re surrounded by sharks, stingray and others.
Princess and Prince Mani-Pedis
Wee ones will love getting pampered with their first spa experience, available at the Anantara Vacation Club Phuket Mai Khao. Tiny toes get soaked and scrubbed with a gentle strawberry and vanilla scrub, cleanser and mask, then nails are trimmed and feet get treated to strawberry-vanilla oil massage. Nails get painted in their favourite colour—or colours!—for a bright finishing touch.
Dino Park Mini Golf
Parked on a beach between Karon and Kata, Dino Park is a dinosaur-themed, 18-hole mini golf course featuring huge dinosaurs, a 12-metre waterfall and a volcano that “erupts” every 30 minutes with a spectacle of flames and fog sure to thrill little ones. One round takes about 40 minutes, and players can reward themselves at the quirky Flintstones-themed restaurant at the end. Open daily from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm.
Kids aged 8-12
Sea Canoeing
Older kids will be mesmerised as they glide through the water and into caves and tunnels, exploring the strange and beautiful limestone formations in Phang Nga Bay. The family can sit back and take in the magical scenery while a licensed guide paddles the boat and teaches you about your surroundings.
Kids Thai Boxing
The friendly boxing coach at Anantara Vacation Club Phuket Mai Khao makes fitness fun with an introduction to Thailand’s hottest sport. Kids get healthy and develop coordination, strength and flexibility, all while boosting confidence and having a blast! Classes happen every day from 4:00 to 5:00 pm.
Wakeboarding
Surrounded by nature, Anthem Wake Park lets kids try cable skiing and wakeboarding—increasingly popular watersports—in a 50,000-square metre freshwater lake. The staff of friendly professional riders will teach you how to navigate the courses, including a beginner course as well as a course with five different ramps and sliders.
For a host of on-site, family-friendly activities—including the Jakka Club just for kids—and the perfect home base for exploring the island, visit Anantara Vacation Club Phuket Mai Khao.
What are your kids’ favourite things to do on holiday? Share with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Weibo.