I am planning a month or two in Thailand in november -dec (and maybe a bit of time in cambodia -but not sure yet) alone with my 2 year old child. I am taking him in a sling on my tummy and a backpack. That's the plan.
And of course I'm a bit exited and a little nervous. I've never done this before, so this is going to be an amazing experience.
Good luck!
I don't want to burst your bubble but when you drag a little kid along with you on a skimpy budget you could harm your kid. It will be difficult to find a place to stay at that has air conditioning for 200 - 300 baht on a pretty beach. Even some of the few hostels are not that cheap. In a hostel you always have to watch out for some sort of pervert who like little kids.
Thailand is bigger than the UK, by the way. Bangkok is a first stop for a lot of the European - North American visitors. You will have to travel long distance to find really good beaches!
"...planning a month or two in Thailand in november -dec...."
There is always summer type weather in Thailand. But sometimes for some months hotter weather, some months rainier weather and a period of "less heat - less rainy weather." High season for hotel bookings is late November through early February. Some hotels booked 6 months ahead of time during high season. This is when the weather is milder but hotels cost more! Most expensive for hotel bookings is close to Christmas on through to just after New Years holiday period. Even cheap lodging costs more during high season.
I don't think you can do what you want to do and not have problems with your kid. Too far from "touristy areas" means you are also far from adequate medical care for when the kid gets sick from eating bad food, or get attacked by a village dog or bit by a bug. Or he is in some sort of accident with a motor vehicle as passenger or a pedestrian on a sidewalk. Or he gets so sunburned when he gets too much sun and you must go to a hospital. (Very easy for adults to get a sunburn but less serious than a little kid.)
Many tourists do bring children with them when they visit Thailand but not too many drag those kids to remote areas and live like a single backpacker. It is hard for some solo tourists to live on small budgets eating crappy cheap food just to survive. When an adult gets sick he can ward it off, a little foreign baby eating something bad could die!
Little Thai kids in family groups do survive on small amounts of money but they were born into that life and have no other choice. They were slowly introduced to eating less than clean food without proper refrigeration. They have more resistance to food borne pathogens. They also have a big family to help with babysitting and other guidance. More eyes to watch a little kid running here and there!!
My advice is to check with your pediatrician first for any long distance flying and living in Asia eating local food, etc. Shots may be needed, etc. Some kids get painful earaches when flying. (Pressure.)
Stay in Thailand for less time and have more money for better hotels, better food to eat and maybe not so far from civilization that a good hospital is not far away. Choose better places to stay at. Buying round trip plane tickets might work out much cheaper than having an open return and buying one way flights. (Do the math!) Maybe save Cambodia for another visit. Research the visa requirements for taking a child with you. Sometimes you may need permission from the father just to take a kid out of the country.
Maybe plan on at least 600 to 1200 baht a day for your hotel. In big cities the supermarkets are pretty good. But even in small cities there are always Seven Eleven style stores. You must buy bottled water too. If your kid is a runner you can never really relax in public areas.
Option 2. You go alone and leave the child with trusting relatives. In Thailand I have seen tourists down and out begging on streets for food money. An adult sleeping here and there eating off the street I don't care about. Little foreign kids suddenly immersed in a new culture with different food could be a shock.
Your state department or foreign office equivalent may have some advice for traveling with little kids. Purchase medical and hospital insurance you can use overseas before you travel is advised.
With a laptop or other big computer do some more research on this. There are many posts for bringing little kids on holidays in Asia when you do a Google check.
Look up Koh Samet - Koh Chang.
(Rambling thoughts from an old fart!)
[ 15-Aug-2016, at 03:34 by karazyal ]
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