Joanna James
There's so much more to do during holiday in this tropical paradise than just frolicking in the sun, sand and sea. Keep the kids laughing with fun activities the whole family can enjoy in Phuket.
If the kids cannot decide between Jurassic Park and Flintstones then head straight for Dino Park. This artificial prehistoric jungle is where both worlds filled with full size dinosaurs and a volcano that's threatening to erupt thrown! Cool down from a session at the mini golf course at the Flintstones bar and grab a Dino burger. Phuket Fantasea is another exciting option boasting a colourful exhibition of eye-catching elephant stage performances and rides for everyone not to mention the game zones, colossal temples and a magnificent dinner setting. If water parks are what you're looking for, look no further than Splash Jungle, located twenty kilometres from Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, the park features a high slide and spinning funnel sure to make you woozy, and a giant pool for the kids to play in. Ghostinium Phuket, on the other hand, is all about the element of surprise. Inside this seemingly ordinary building you will find monsters, giant spiders and dinosaurs which are of course clever Animatronics.
Meet many species of birds at Phuket Bird Park on the beautiful hillside surrounded by exotic greenery, winding footpaths. There are cafes and a souvenir shop open to holidaymakers wishing to enjoy a cuppa or purchase knick knacks. Feast your eyes on pied hornbills, Nicobar pigeons, ostriches and emus. A visit to the Phuket Aquarium would also be a delight for the kids. Schedule a fun afternoon where you can see thousands upon thousands of tropical aquatic creatures all in their colourful glory. Get up close and personal with a cuttlefish or razorfish! Yet another nature excursion could be to the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project at Khao Phare National Park. The kids may not be able to touch or take pictures with the gibbons but they can observe them from a distance and take pictures without flash. It would be an educational trip for the kids as the project aims to release gibbons back into the wild.
Kids will really take to Surf House Phuket given the fun and excitement involved there although it may really be suitable for slightly older children with experience and an essential sense of balance. Here is a chance to learn how to surf, wakeboard and kiteboard minus the great deal of effort and pain which often accompanies trying out sports like this. There is a fast moving stream of water flowing up an inclined slope at a steady rate which allows for a "lift" on the board. Stand on the tiny flow-boards and try your best balancing for just a couple of minutes. You might surprise yourself at just how fast you may learn. Don't worry about the kids losing balance because landing on the soft floor is virtually painless.
Make your kid's dream of getting behind the wheel a reality by letting them have a go in a Go-Kart if they are at least sixteen years old. Younger kids can sit in the backseat of double karts while you take them on an adrenaline-pumping trip round the track! The breakneck speed you feel is only because of how low you are sitting in the car but all this adds to the excitement. Risk everything by challenging your kids to a race but if you really want to let them win, beware of the bragging rights you're entitling them to.
This is probably the most bizarre thing you could do with your kids in Phuket. Located at the far end of Kalim Beach, the shock value of this holiday activity is what will sell you. Get into an enormous semi-inflatable transparent ball filled with some water that can fit two people. Now here's the best bit. Once you're inside, the ball will start rolling down a hill that's hundred and ninety meters long! By the time you head back to your Phuket luxury resort, you will have made some crazy memories to last a lifetime.
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