Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
» Boats usually have life jackets, but often lack child sizes, so if you are going to be doing a lot of boat
travel pack a kiddie life jacket. These can also be bought in most cities, although they rarely meet interna-
tional standards.
» Cot beds (cribs) are available in international-standard midrange and top-end hotels, but not elsewhere.
» Baby formula and nappies (diapers) are available at minimarts and supermarkets in larger towns and cit-
ies, but the sizes are usually smallish, small and smaller.
» Nappy-rash cream is sold at pharmacies.
» Breastfeeding in public is quite common, so there is no need to worry about crossing a cultural boundary.
» High chairs in restaurants and nappy-changing facilities in public restrooms are hard to come by outside
the major cities.
Children's Highlights
BEACHES
Cambodia and Thailand have the most shallow and child-friendly waters, on the warm Gulf of Thailand.
In Vietnam, Hoi An combines culture with cavorting on the sand, Nha Trang has fun boat trips, and the
older kids can windsurf or sandboard in Mui Ne.
Note that most Vietnamese beaches face the South China Sea, which attracts some bigger rip tides, so
watch your kids closely.
WILDLIFE
Wildlife-viewing highlights include the following:
» Kayaking or boating with rare Irrawaddy dolphins in Laos and Cambodia.
» Various opportunities to view primates in rainforests across the region.
» Animal rescue centres such as Phnom Tamao Wildlife Sanctuary (adult/child US$5/2;
8am-5pm)
near Phnom Penh.
» Sustainable elephant initiatives around Lampang and Chiang Mai in Thailand, Luang Prabang and Cham-
pasak in Laos and Mondulkiri in Cambodia.
TEMPLES
Modern Buddhist temples are a delight for children. Shimmering gold Buddhas, shiny stupas, animal statues
and the occasional monkey give the little ones plenty of visual stimulation (just keep their eyes averted from
potentially scary demons).
The ruins of ancient temples serve as fun playgrounds for children. There are ruins all over the region, es-
pecially in northeastern Thailand, southern Laos and Cambodia. Hilltop temples abound, and some have for-
ested hills and cool cave shrines to explore.
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