Important context: this page is planning guidance extrapolated from our documented November route. We have also visited Thailand in July (without kids), in February (with only Noah, before Vitus was born), and in December (when Vitus was 3 months old), but those early trips are not documented on this blog.
Why December Can Work For This Route
- Our Koh Lanta segment was one of the easiest kid-friendly parts of Thailand, and December conditions are often favorable for that same beach finish.
- Chiang Mai remains strong for mixed activity days with children (we used zip-lining and trekking to break up city days).
- The Kanchanaburi start still helps with a gentler pace before more transfer-heavy days.
Main Tradeoffs We Would Plan For
- In our experience, it is almost always possible to find accommodation in Thailand without booking far in advance if you stay flexible and ask around locally. The only real exception is around New Year, when we have had genuine difficulty finding good places.
- Late-December crowding can make transfer days more tiring for families.
- If you want flexibility, keep at least one unplanned day in each base.
How We Would Re-Run Our Route In December
- Lock all major bases first (Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai, Koh Lanta), then intercity legs.
- Keep our same sequence but avoid adding extra islands unless you have extra days.
- If budget matters, shift toward early December or the late-November window we already used successfully.