Is Koh Tao child friendly?

Amber and I, Phuket 1990

As I mentioned before in my previous post (child friendly restaurants), Thailand has to be one of the most child-friendly countries in the world. My story begins when I was 5 years old in Phuket with my parents, big brother and younger sister, We were 2, 5 and 7 years old. Coming to Thailand was an unforgettable experience in our lives, we still have all our VHS footage going to james bond island on a longtail, driving around on dirt roads, wild elephants in fields and Patong beach with hardly having any resorts on it! Who knew 14 years later we'd be fighting for our lives in the 2004 Tsunami just 100's of metres from that resort we stayed at! But thats another story...

Amber and Big Bow 1990

Amber and Big Bow 2003

My childhood memories of Thailand are some of my best, I will never forget how every single person I met quickly became my friend, regardless of their age. I remember dancing to Phil Collins with all the bar staff and the waiters at breakfast whisking off my little sister because she was so cute. We have never experienced that kind of friendliness and kindness before in our lives, especially living in Hong Kong which was such a fast paced city. Every day we'd see these Rasta street magicians and they adored my sister, they'd run up to her, and often buy her banana shakes and then play with her for hours. Amber reunited with Big Bow  many years later when she 16 years old, one of the same men that adored her as a toddler, he didn't forget her and was so surprised to see her again. Thai people are just so incredibly kind and caring, their values, especially when it comes to the elderly, should be shared and followed by the world.

A typical sunset 

Koh Tao for me, has to be the most child-friendly place in the world, I've enjoyed parenting here for over a decade. The warmth from the people and the amount of support you get makes this island incredibly enjoyable with kids of all ages. Most afternoons are spent socializing with other parents while our children play freely, with everyone taking a turn at keeping an eye on the them. We don't have to worry too much about our children as it's incredibly safe here but mainly keep a watchful eye on some of the dangers such as unfamiliar dogs roaming the beach or the tree swing flying back into one of their faces. But generally life here is incredibly relaxed. Every year we see more and more families coming and many return year after year which shows what a child friendly place Koh Tao has become. Restaurants are now providing highchairs, resorts offer baby cots and stores now sell more and more supplies for babies and toddlers.

When you bring children to this island it opens their eyes to a whole new world with lots of opportunities to try new things. Your children may never want to leave :)

Phoenix learning to ride the dingy aged 6