Royal Orchid Holidays Family Gateways 2009-2010Prepared by Harold Stephens
Travel Correspondent for Thai Airways International
Royal Orchid Holidays has a new 38-page booklet that anyone who is travelling with kids, or even thinking about it, should get a copy at their nearest Thai Airways ticket office. It’s free of charge and has answers to all the questions travelling families might ponder.
The booklet is subtitled FUN AND ADVENTURE FOR ALL THE FAMILY and is divided into five countries: Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Australia. The Thailand section covers the entire destination within the Kingdom: Bangkok, Pattaya, Koh Samed, Koh Chang, Hua-Hin & ChaAm, Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak, Lanta Island, Samui and Pha Ngan
The Japan sections take readers to Tokyo and Osaka while Australia covers Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
Let’s see what the booklet has to say about ROH destinations listed in Family Getaways.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to compromise when going on holiday with your children. Just choose one of the great packages available in this brochure, book early and you'll have the time of your lives.
We've designed Family Getaways to make sure everyone in the family gets the holiday they want... and that includes you. Spend quality time with your kids on safari in Singapore, share the magic of Disneyland in Hong Kong or Tokyo, ride elephants in Thailand and see the sights in Sydney.
Or, just for a day, leave the children in the capable hands of trained professionals at one of the many hotel kids' clubs and spend a lazy day beside the pool, enjoy a well-earned spa treatment or even sneak in a round of golf.
In certain locations––Australia for instance––we offer family adventure tours with full itineraries, where the emphasis is on sightseeing and hands-on entertainment; guaranteed to keep the children enthralled all day long.
When it comes to accommodation––a big factor in the success of any family holiday––we offer hotels specially chosen for their family-friendly facilities: connecting rooms, baby-sitting services, kids' clubs, and even free ice cream. So whether you choose a resort on the beach, a luxury city hotel or a mountain retreat, you and your family will be in good hands.
Thais love children and the Kingdom has a tradition of catering to families. With everything from elephant rides in the mountains to snorkeling in clear blue seas, and even child-oriented museums, you'll find there are activities and entertainment to keep kids of all ages happily occupied for days on end. And plenty of opportunities for you to enjoy a little quality time of your own, lazing on the beach or enjoying a rejuvenating spa treatment.
Many of the hotels listed in this brochure have their own kids' clubs offering supervised entertainment throughout the day; everything from painting and dancing to beach sports and tennis. They also offer baby-sitting services, so you can enjoy a candlelit dinner for two on the beach under the stars, safe in the knowledge that your children are being well looked after.
Family adventure trips range from elephant trekking and river rafting in the north (with stops at colourful hilltribe villages), to boat rides around the fantastic islands in the south where the James Bond epic, 'The Man with the Golden Gun' was filmed. Older children can also enjoy supervised sea kayaking to hidden lagoons and mysterious caves.
The basic package for each destination in Thailand includes 3 days, 2 nights accommodation, plus complimentary offers from hotels (the offers depend on choice of hotel and are listed in symbols under the hotel picture in this brochure). During April - October, family travelling with children under 12 years old will get 1st child free of charge (on bed, breakfast and transfer). So for full details ask your travel agent or Thai Sales Office (note: there may be conditions attached to some offers). Royal Orchid Holidays also provides a variety of Optional Tours, again, for full details check with your travel agent or Thai Airways Sales Office.
BANGKOK
From watching a man put his head in a crocodile's mouth and sharks swimming right in front of your nose, to speeding along the river in a longtail boat and zooming down giant waterslides, there's plenty of excitement for kids of all ages in Thailand's capital city.
The younger ones can enjoy the fairytale characters at Dream World or have fun in one of the many indoor and outdoor play areas. Older kids can spend the day at a water park or take a trip to the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai and ride along the notorious Death Railway. And there's plenty for adults to do too, with spa treatments and golf at the top of most visitor's lists.
Getting around is also great fun. A tuktuk ride through Bangkok's streets is a firm favourite with kids, as is the skytrain which not only offers a bird's-eye view of city life, it's also the fastest, most convenient way to travel across the city.
The whole family will enjoy shopping too. There are vibrant markets and bazaars, where the kids can enjoy bargaining for unusual toys and cool clothes, and you can pick up a bargain or two yourself.
When it's time to eat, Bangkok has literally thousands of restaurants with enough food choices to please even the pickiest six-year old. Food stalls are everywhere selling all manner of mouthwatering morsels, from noodles and grilled chicken to bite-sized Thai desserts and ready-to-eat fresh fruit.
HONG KONG
It may be a small dot on the map, but Hong Kong is big on activities and sights to take your breath away. Green ferries, red open-top buses, and multi-coloured trams are just a few of the fun ways to see the place. A trip up the Peak on the funicular railway is a must, both for the magical journey and the great views over the magnificent harbour down below.
Kids of all ages will love the great rides and friendly sea creatures at Ocean Park and youngsters will want to spend all day meeting fairytale friends at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Food here is not only delicious it's fun to eat too. Learn to use chopsticks and dive into the mouthwatering array of delicate bite-sized morsels at a traditional Dim Sum lunch. Or take a boat out to one of the famous islands and feast on fresh seafood.
Shopping too is fun. There are huge malls and street markets galore selling just about every thing you can think of, from hot fashions to cool gadgets.
There are also beautiful beaches and green spaces with spectacular views... all waiting to be discovered in Hong Kong.
SINGAPORE
It’s never easy trying to please everyone in the family but if you can't do it in Singapore then it can't be done.
Start by taking younger children on a big yellow Duck for a fun-filled land and sea tour of the historical landmarks along the Singapore River and Marina Bay. Or let them get up close to the pink dolphins at Underwater World's Dolphin Lagoon and feed the birds in Jurong Bird Park.
Want to get your teenagers to learn a little history? Take them to Images of Singapore, a state-of-the-art museum filled with life-size figures, animatronics and great special effects. Follow that with a trip to the Waterworks Science Centre, practically a water theme park in itself, where they'll get wonderfully wet as they experiment with the hands-on exhibits.
All the family will enjoy the thrill of taking a glass-bottomed cable car ride that spans the harbour and offers fantastic views of Singapore, Sentosa and the passing ships below. And in the evening you can't beat a Night Safari around 40 hectares of lush secondary forest inhabited by over 1,000 animals from 100 different species.
And when it's time to eat, a midnight supper at Lau Pa Sat Festival Market, built in 1894, will be as memorable for the surroundings as for the food.
JAPAN
Journey to the 'Land of the Rising Sun' and immerse your family in a totally different culture. Japan is a wonderful mix of ancient samurai and geisha and ultra modern manga and anime. It’s clean and safe, with one of the lowest crime rates in the world, and public transport is efficient and punctual.
The landscape outside the cities varies from tropical beaches to rice paddies to snow capped mountains. A day trip to Mount Fuji is a great way to start your holiday. Follow that with a shopping trip to one of the amazing department stores, many of which have play-centres for under 5-year olds and game-centres for older kids.
Japan also plays host to both a Disneyland and a Universal Studios so your children can spend time with their favourite characters from Spiderman to Mickey Mouse and enjoy the thrilling rides.
Wherever you decide to visit in Japan, you can guarantee it will be like nothing you've ever experienced before.
Tokyo
With at least 80,000 restaurants, Tokyo is one of the world's great places to dine. Japanese food is always elegantly presented and comes in bite-sized pieces, ideal for children.
If you have girls that are 'Hello Kitty' fans then Puroland, with daily performances by Kitty and friends, is a great place to spend a few hours. If you have boys, the Drum Museum where they can bang away to their heart's content on drums from different countries is a noisy but fun place. Then there's the Museum of Maritime Science with its amazing collection of model warships, submarines, supertankers and wooden vessels used during ancient times.
For a breathtaking view of the city, visit Tokyo Tower, the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower. On a clear day, you can see the entire city and if you're lucky, Mount Fuji in the distance.
Last, but not least there's Tokyo Disneyland with all the classic Disney lands: Adventureland, Westernland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, two mini lands, Critter Country and Mickey's Toontown plus DisneySea.
AUSTRALIA
A holiday 'down under' is one big adventure. And there's something for everyone in the family.
SYDNEY
Start at Sydney Tower and you get a bird’s-eye view of Sydney's historical landmarks, including Botany Bay, Sydney Harbour and the Opera House.
Head further afield and young children will love the march of the little penguins at sunset on Philip Island and life down on the farm; teenagers can swim with schools of dolphins and explore Surfers Paradise; and adults can discover great food and wine in some of the world's most cosmopolitan cities.
From snowy mountains to tropical rainforests, lush countryside to desert lands, there's plenty to explore. And along the way you'll meet friendly locals with plenty of tales to tell.
Get the kids sandboarding down the dunes on Kangaroo Island. Have a picnic on one of the Gold Coast's endless beaches. Visit an old gold mining town or the Looney Tunes Village at Movie World. And don't forget to sample a bit of real Aussie tucker! There's so much to see and do you'll never want to leave!
Next week we will see how one can get around in Asia without taking a taxi. QUESTIONS & ANSWERSQ. Dear Mr. Stephens, My husband and I just returned from a wonderful vacation in Phuket. The beaches are lovely and there are so many of them. The island is mountainous. It too is beautiful. Is it possible to travel into the mountains? Are there any inns or hotels in the mountains? —Grace Waterman, NZ.
A. Dear Grace, It is possible but you will need a rugged four-wheel drive vehcile. I rented an AVIS car and did it a few months. It too was an exciting adventure. —HS
Harold Stephens
Bangkok
E-mail: ROH Weekly Travel (booking@inet.co.th)
Note: The article is the personal view of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the view of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited. | 
