Travelling to Asia with young children

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Handle9

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Topic # 204752 15-Oct-2016 21:35

We're looking at heading to somewhere in Asia next year with our young children (they'll be 3 and 5 next year). We haven't locked in a destination yet so would be interested in others experiences/recommendations.

Bali would be nice to relax but we like the idea of an adventure without stressing the kids out.

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Reply # 1651746 15-Oct-2016 22:35

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When wandering around outdoors make sure you have plenty of water with you and try to stay near places with aircon. Your kids bodies won't be able to regulate their heat properly yet and they will be susceptible to overheating. Try and make one of the first things you buy little hand held portable electric fans, USB charging ones, you should be able to get those fairly cheap. Hang on to your kids at all times as well - kids go missing...

Wife and I took our 4 year to Thailand a month back to show her off to family and managed to keep her from overheating - she loved it. If you go to Thailand, Dinosaur Planet (Bangkok) will scare the living daylights out of the kids so don't go there :-) Aside from that, post back when you decide where you're going - a bit hard to give recommendations otherwise.

Handle9

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Reply # 1651781 16-Oct-2016 08:17

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We're still trying to decide hence my post. We love the idea of Vietnam but are a bit concerned the kids are too young.

MikeB4

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Reply # 1651794 16-Oct-2016 08:57

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Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, would be good places

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Reply # 1651833 16-Oct-2016 10:07

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Japan for sure and locals are Friendly and helpful

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Reply # 1651879 16-Oct-2016 12:26

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We found Singapore to be a good destination/stop-over when our kids were younger.

It has Pandas at the zoo (air conned), bird park (though HOT), Universal studios, Legoland (across the causeway in Malaysia)

Is safe, clean and very easy to get around with a young family

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Reply # 1651885 16-Oct-2016 12:33

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Singapore is good, safe, clean.

We are heading to Singapore with our 7 and 4 year old next year, but took them 2 years ago. Sentosa Island is hard to go past. Expensive.

Malaysia is on the stop list too, for Legoland.

Not sure I'd go to Vietnam, but plenty of people do.

Handle9

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Reply # 1651927 16-Oct-2016 14:45

Japan and Singapore didn't really appeal this time. I've been to Japan and loved it but want to go somewhere a bit more exotic.

Cost is also a factor, while not the only one, so we'd like to go somewhere not quite so westernised as Hong Kong and Singapore.

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Reply # 1651950 16-Oct-2016 16:12

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OK .. I've pretty much been all through south east asia ... half with family, half with work...

I'm not sure Vietnam is great for young kids ... fantastic food, and some interesting war exhibits, but that's about it.

How about Thailand ... have taken my kids there and they had a blast

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Reply # 1651951 16-Oct-2016 16:13

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Given your travel is intended within the next year, I would hedge towards Vietnam. With the passing of the King in Thailand I'm a little uncomfortable about a few things over there (keep watching the news) so, although I absolutely love the place, can't recommend it just yet. South Korea is along the same lines as Japan and Singapore so you possibly wouldn't want to go there either. Might be hard to get a visa for North Korea :-)

Maybe add Malaysia to your possibles - @chiefie could give some great pointers!

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Reply # 1652000 16-Oct-2016 18:15

Just be careful in 3rd world Asian countries, child trafficking for purposes of *too graphic to type* is rampant. Don't be a statistic. Hold on to them the whole time.

Swype on iOS is detrimental to accurate typing. Apologies in advance.

Handle9

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Reply # 1652010 16-Oct-2016 18:46

We're leaning pretty strongly toward Thailand at the moment, relatively cheap, good prices on flights and as an added benefit Nana is going there at the same time!

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Reply # 1652015 16-Oct-2016 18:58

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I would have a crack at Thailand. A wee bit more exotic than HK, Singapore etc, geared-up for tourists, some great resorts if resorts are your thing. But still reasonably westernized.

Aged 3 your child won't remember anything, and aged 5 may we'll do so. Cooking class, different architecture, that sort of thing. My daughter is 17 and remembers her trip to Barcelona when she was 5.

Personally I wouldn't hesitate with Vietnamese, but it will be a bit more work.

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Reply # 1652017 16-Oct-2016 18:58

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Handle9: We're leaning pretty strongly toward Thailand at the moment, relatively cheap, good prices on flights and as an added benefit Nana is going there at the same time!

Ha ha - just so you know Nana (pronounced nah-nah) is one of the famous bar areas in Bangkok, located towards the upper end of Sukhumvit Road...

darylblake

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Reply # 1652058 16-Oct-2016 20:59

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I think Hong Kong would be pretty cool for kids. It is a bit more expensive than say Thailand.

I have not been to Bali, so can't really comment. My kids are 4 and 2. I have also been to Bangkok. I guess thailand would be pretty cool but if you got at a really damp time of year when the humidity is really high it will be a stretch to get a full day out of them.

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Reply # 1652077 17-Oct-2016 05:36

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I took my twins when they turned 5 to Indonesia via Singapore. Plenty of water as mentioned, summer clothes like thin, hats. We went Singapore, Jakarta, and we drove from there to Surabaya (made it a last few days), then we crossed the ferry to Bali.

Instead of driving you can go by rail, Java and then Bali would kill a couple of weeks easy.

Make sure you are with them at all times, travel light, there are laundry services for cheap, clothes are cheap too. Haggle, haggle and haggle, don't accept prices given to you for things.

Forgot to mention, I am Indonesian but kids were born in Christchurch hospital :)

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