Are you wondering what are the best Asian countries to visit with kids and family? In this guide we round up our favorite family friendly countries in Asia to help you come up with the perfect vacation.
Things to Consider Before Traveling to Asia with Kids
Wandermust Family at Fushimi Inari Taisha
Now before we get into the details of our favorite Asian countries to visit with kids we thought it would be good to point out a few key considerations when planning your Asian itinerary with kids.
Best Age for Asia With Kids
We never think that there is a bad age to travel with kids, however there can be better ages than others for different destinations.
If you are traveling to Asia with a toddler or baby, one of the things that you may be concerned about is healthcare and vaccinations. Therefore if you want to travel to Asia with younger aged children you may want to consider when they get their vaccinations and your proximity to decent healthcare.
Also you may want to consider how the jet lag flying east will be handled by your kids and how long it will take to get over and how this will fit in your itinerary.
And depending on where you are going, you may find some of the attractions in the cities for instance are better for older children while younger children may enjoy itineraries that have more beaches.
For this reason we have some specific age related travel posts for children to help you make age friendly itineraries.
How long do you have to visit Asia with family?
Depending on how long you have will depend how many places you can fit into your Asia Vacation itinerary.
For some examples of Asia itineraries with kids check out these posts:
- Japan with kids itinerary
Accommodation in Asia for Kids
One of the things to remember when choosing your accommodation in Asia is that hotel rooms tend to be much smaller in locations such as Japan and there can be more local and cultural accommodation to try such as Ryokans in Japan.
tTherefore it is important to pack carefully and consider how you are going to squeeze in your luggage, stroller, car seat and a pack and play or cot alongside it if traveling with toddlers or to ensure your older children have privacy when you travel.
For tips on picking toddler and baby friendly hotel rooms check out this post.
City Vs Beaches Vs Countryside
Also you may want to try and craft your itinerary to include places that your kids will love. Asia is great because you can easily visit cities, beaches and the countryside in one trip. Just remember to skew your itinerary to contain more of the thing that your family will love.
Using a Stroller in Asia
“Should you bring a stroller to Asia?” is one of the questions we are more frequently asked by our American readers. And the truth is using a stroller in Asia can go from very easy to very challenging depending on exactly where you are traveling.
I would also advise bringing a stroller with you to Asia if you are traveling with toddlers and babies as they may struggle with jet lag and need it for naps.
For more information check out our country and city stroller guides:
Best Asian Countries to Visit with kids
Below we have listed our favorite Asian countries to visit with family. In each section we will tell you why we think each place is great for different age children and the best things to do in each place.
Japan with kids
Kyoto with Kids, Japan with toddlers
Japan is one of my favorite places to visit with kids. It is a country that had long been top of my bucket list but I wasn’t sure if travelling to Japan with kids was a good idea.
However I am so glad that we threw caution to the wind as it turned out that Japan was one of the best family friendly vacations we have ever done.
One of the reasons for this is because it is a very easy place to travel around with children due to it’s amazing public transport system. The trains in Japan mean that you can visit cities such as Tokyo, cultural centres such as Kyoto and the beaches in Okinawa with kids very easily.
The sheer variety of types of places you can visit easily mean that Japan offers one of the most versatile family vacation itineraries. In Kyoto you can visit temples and shrines such as the Golden Pavillon and Fushimi Inari, visit modern wonders in Tokyo such as Borderless Teamlab digital art museum or even head to one of Japans amazing theme parks like Tokyo Disney and Disneysea.
And for those family travellers who love to get off the beaten track you could even head up to the amazing Northern Island of Hokkaido with kids where you can see wildlife such as bears and eat some of the world’s best sushi.
Thailand
Best Asian Countries to Visit with kids – Thailand with kids
We love Thailand for similar reasons to why we love Japan, the sheer variety of things that the country has on offer.
From the hustle and bustle of Bangkok where you can visit markets and eat some amazing street food to visiting some of the world’s most beautiful beaches in Phuket and on the island of Koh Samui and Koh Lanta for instance.
On top of that Thailand has some great wildlife experiences such as visiting some ethical Elephant Sanctuaries and some of the countries Amazing national parks.
While the transport system in Thailand may not be as efficient as in Japan, it does have one benefit over Japan in the fact it is more budget friendly for family travellers.
UAE
Dubai Itinerary with Kids
I debated whether or not to include Middle East countries on this list or whether they deserved a separate list all of their own. However they are too good not to include here.
Perhaps my favorite place to visit in the UAE with kids is of course Dubai. Dubai is the tourist hub of the UAE and has so many kid friendly attractions no matter their age. We have visited Dubai with toddlers, babies and older children and had a fantastic time with each age.
Dubai has a fantastic array of museums, beautiful beaches and in my opinion the world’s best aquarium is in Dubai.
On top of that you can tick things off your bucket list such as standing at the top of the world’s largest building, the Burj Khalifa next to the Dubai Mall.
For the best Dubai itinerary with kids check out this post.
However family visitors to the UAE shouldn’t just stick to Dubai. Abu Dhabi is great with kids and for learning more about the cultural history of the country especially at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and it also has great outdoor pursuits to do with children such as a desert safari or exploring the mountains of Hatta for instance.
Qatar
Qatar itinerary – MIA park – one of the most beautiful places in Doha
Qatar is another Middle Eastern continent that makes our best countries in Asia to visit with kids. While Qatar itineraries don’t need to be as long as say it’s UAE counterparts but it is still worthwhile visiting.
Qatar is a much smaller country so it is easy to get around with kids and explore both city and desert sites. We love exploring the amazing museums in Qatar and doing some shopping at one of the country’s many malls however our favorite thing is to head out into the desert to see some amazing public art, dune bash and see the Inland Sea.
The other great thing about Qatar is that it has an amazing airline in Qatar Airways which offers layover packages. You could easily combine a visit with Qatar and another Asian country as a stopover which will also help you and your family with your jet lag.
Singapore
Best Asian Countries to Visit with kids – Singapore with kids
Singapore is a great place to visit with family in Asia as it offers some of the cultural attractions and introductions to Asian city life while also being very clean and easy to navigate with kids of any age.
Singapore has a really reliable transport system and being a small country it is easy to get around even if you have impatient toddlers with you.
Also Singapore is one of the more stroller friendly countries in Asias so it is definitely one of the better Asian countries to visit with toddlers and babies.
Some of the best things to do in Singapore of any age include the amazing aquarium, the zoo Night Safari and of course the beautiful beaches on Sentosa Island. There are also some great theme parks in Singapore with some great thrill rides that teenagers will love at Universal Studios Singapore.
But of course no visit to Singapore is complete without a visit to the beautiful Gardens by the Bay.
Sri Lanka
Visiting Udawalawe National Park for a Sri Lanka Safari
Sri Lanka is absolutely one of my favorite countries to visit. Although there isn’t a great public transport system across the country it is really worth visiting a few places with kids.
For instance no visit to Sri Lanka in my opinion is complete without a visit South to visit the national parks of Udawalawe and Yala where you can see elephants and leopards if you are lucky.
And of course in the north you have the beautiful tea plantations near Kandy. If you like beaches, wildlife and countryside Sri Lanka could be the perfect choice for your family.
Maldives
Maldives with a baby, Maldives with baby, Maldives with Infant – Best Maldives Hotel with Baby
If you love beaches and aren’t concerned about visiting cities then there is one place that should be top of your Asian bucket list and that is the Maldives.
The Maldives is often associated with honeymooners more than family travellers but the Maldives is kids with fantastic, providing you pick the right resort.
When we visited the Maldives with a baby we picked a resort that could be accessed by a Maldives speedboat as these resorts had great family friendly amenities and easy access to health care compared to those you access by seaplane.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong with toddlers – one of the best places to travel to China with toddlers
Hong Kong is a great place to visit with kids as it is easy to navigate both on foot and via public transport and has a lot of toddler friendly attractions.
Some of our favorite things to do in Hong Kong with kids include taking the Aqua Luna clipper around the harbor, walking up to see the Big Buddha and riding the peak tramway for amazing views of the city.
However if you are visiting Hong Kong with toddlers you shouldn’t miss Hong Kong Disney but if you are traveling with older kinds the Ocean Park theme park may be more their speed.
Indonesia
Book a local holiday photographer and travel unplugged
Indonesia, but more specifically Bali is a great place to visit with kids. The thing we love about Bali is because you can enjoy luxury hotels and resort life in places such as Nusa Dua but can also explore the rice and padi fields and temples for a more cultural visit.
China
Visiting The Great Wall of China with kids – Visiting the Great Wall of China in Winter