Khao Yai with Kids
Wild Elephants, Waterfalls & an Italian Village

This is the number-one experience and the one kids talk about for the rest of the trip. Drive slowly along the park roads and you have a real chance of seeing gibbons swinging through the trees, monkeys, deer and hornbills, and sometimes wild elephants out grazing near the road, especially at dusk. There are viewpoints, grasslands and a wildlife watchtower to stop at. A child who has only seen zoo animals is thrilled to see a wild elephant in the forest — but you must stay in the car, keep your distance, never feed the animals and avoid the horn.

Of all the waterfalls in Khao Yai, Haew Suwat suits families best because it is a short walk from the car park to the viewpoint, so even young children can see it easily from above. The stream drops into a pool ringed by green forest and it is a favourite photo stop. The bigger, taller Haew Narok waterfall means a longer flight of steps down and gets slippery in the rainy season, so it is better for older kids who can manage the walk. In the rainy season (June–October) the water is fullest and the forest greenest, but the paths are slick — wear shoes with good grip.

The best part of the day in Khao Yai is the late afternoon, when animals come out to graze on the grasslands. Park at one of the open grassland spots, sit quietly with the kids, and you stand a good chance of seeing deer and barking deer feeding, and with luck a wild elephant in the distance. The sky over the grasslands at dusk is lovely for a family photo, and children learn to watch wildlife quietly and patiently — something no zoo can teach.

If you pick one farm for the kids, Primo Piazza is often the favourite. It is a village styled like an Italian town, with a clock tower and a piazza that photographs well, but what children love most are the alpacas, sheep and ponies you can feed up close from a cup of feed you buy on site. Little ones get to touch and feed real animals, while the grown-ups get the photo corners and a cafe for a coffee. It is a spot that works for families with kids of several ages at once.

A sheep farm where children get to hand-feed the sheep in the pens up close, with grassy fields and photo corners with the animals that kids enjoy a lot. At times there are activities and other animals around the farm too. It is a gentle outing that does not involve much walking, which suits families with young children, and it pairs with another farm nearby in the same day — though it is worth keeping to two or three stops a day, since each place is some distance apart.

A vineyard might sound like a grown-ups' stop, but at PB Valley children enjoy it too — there is a trailer tour that rides you through the rows of vines set against the mountains, so kids get a ride and see where grapes come from. There is a restaurant with vineyard views where children sit happily, and wide lawns for them to run on. The grown-ups get a wine and grape-juice tasting, and there is non-alcoholic grape juice for the kids. It is a spot where the whole family rests and has lunch together.

A big outdoor flower park with fields of flowers that change with the season. Children walk the wide paths through the blooms, there are plenty of photo corners and places to sit, and at times there are activities and a restaurant on site. It is the kind of attraction that blends real prettiness with room for kids to wander, without the pressure of having to look at anything in particular. The cool season is when the flowers are at their best and the air is pleasant.

A farm with a corn maze where children run around finding their way out, plus farm activities and themed photo corners. It is a place where kids get to burn energy and use their legs, unlike the sit-and-look attractions. There is a zone for younger children and seasonal activities. It suits families who want the kids playing outdoors and having proper farm fun. Check which activities are running when you go, as some rotate with the season.

After a day on the farms, this is a rest stop kids enjoy — a chocolate and dessert cafe with a mountain view, serving cakes, chocolate and ice cream. Children get a treat and a sit-down in the cool air, there are photo corners, and at times you can see the chocolate being made. The grown-ups get a coffee and the view. It makes a good way to close out an afternoon before heading back to your stay, and in the cool season you can sit outside comfortably.

A large livestock farm with a farm tour that takes children into real farm life — at times there is cow milking, bottle-feeding calves, a ride around the ranch and a cowboy show that kids love. It is an outing where children learn and have fun at once, and the farm has its own restaurant and fresh-milk ice cream. The tour usually needs a booked time slot, especially on holidays, so check the tour times and prices before you go, as the activities run on a set schedule.