Suggestions for destination for first trip with baby

[FutureHKmom]

Our son is currently 5.5 months old and we plan to bring him back to Sydney to visit my in-laws at the end of January (when he will be 10 months old). However, before then, we plan to do a "test" trip somewhere in the region to see how he does when he is on a plane and travelling. Any suggestions for a good place in the region (3-4 hour plane ride away) to take a baby for a short 3-4 day holiday? Thanks!

 

[Neha]

Relaxing Vacations can be Phuket, Malaysia, Cebu, Bali all close by and pretty child friendly hotels/resorts

 

[carang]

i would say the same thing.

 

[Shenzhennifer]

Don`t do what I did and take him to a city like Bangkok. I was so stressed out.
I only want to go to resorts now. I would choose Phuket.

 

[rani]

Our test trip was to Bangkok for the weekend

It's a short trip. Baby was 7-months old. He was really playful on the flight. All the grannies wanted to hold him. Overall it was really easy.

2-weeks later we flew to San Francisco and that was an absolute disaster. He started teething, was throwing up on the flight, not sure if it was because of something I ate. He had the runs, and a fever, for the first few days, and by the end of the week, we had 2 beautiful pearly whites.

 

[carang]

i would not hesitate to take my kids to bangkok. BUT, i would want a GOOD hotel, with a beautiful pool area. i would also look for a playroom in the hotel. (there are a few around.)

curious... why did you find it so stressful? i mean, i'm sure a resort would be less stressful, but just curious what was difficult for you about bangkok? i'm considering a trip there (just returned from a ladies' weekend) with hubby and kids in a month or so. i KNOW i would not be able to do the same things with my kids that i did without. but, overall, i was really impressed with the little bit i saw of it and am VERY eager to return.

 

[Shenzhennifer]

I used to go to BKK all the time, but that was when I was on my own or it was just me and my husband.
First of all, we stayed in a hotel faaaaar from town (no choice as had to follow the husband`s company), so we couldn`t `go back to the room for a rest` - if we were out we were out, and had to take long taxi rides into the centre.
Our flight was also arranged by his company and couldn`t choose the airline - flew very early(so baby was crabby) on a dodgy airline that didn`t serve meals and had to pay almost 50% for the baby even though there was no seat for him(Orient Thai).
Also, it`s way less stroller accessible than HK. At least at the MTR stations here have a handicapped exit SOMEWHERE. There, no way. You just have to go down steep sets of stairs to get onto to shoddy street. Tons of overpasses to cross the street in many places that also just have stairs.
Many of the restaurants I usually like to eat in were not suitable for a stroller or with a baby at all.

I love Thailand and Thai people, and I even like bangkok, but I won`t be going back there til my son can walk well and we don`t need to bring the stroller around.

Oh, and this has nothing to do with bkk but my one respite of getting a foot massage was marred by hubbie remaining there and letting our baby fuss - real relaxing.
Oh, and my husband`s work laptop got stolen at the airport.
And my high stress caused us to argue most of the weekend...

 

[carang]

wow! that sounds like a TERRIBLE weekend! yikes!
i guess, i would be luckier as my kids are both able to walk (just spent 8 hours at disney with no stroller!).

i did wonder,though, what i would be able to do with the kids as i'm sure they wouldn't enjoy the shopping or massages as much as mummy would!

 

[Shenzhennifer]

I would take them out of bkk. There really isn`t that much to do for kids apart from a few playrooms in department stores, seeing temples(which kids might like if only for a few minutes), floating market maybe. within a couple hours of bkk (bus) in all directions are great places(Kanchanaburi, koh samet, hua hin and similar lesser known versions of each), and are definitely a lot more low key than bkk - good massage and awesome food abound everywhere, though great shopping is really only in bkk.

 

[gladyswly]

FutureHKmom, one tip for travelling with baby on a plane if you have never tried before, we went to US back in July for a month to visit my husband's family, my baby girl was 8 months. She was very good on both flights (we need to transit in Chicago), except when the plane started to decend (landing). She just cry and cry and scream, it hurted my heart. She was crying because her ears were hurting due to the change of air pressure, the crew said it is worse if baby was sleeping during flight. On our way back, we decided to buy her a pair of ear plugs, but we couldn't find one for infant, just those for kids and adults. So, we used cotton wool balls. We riped a small piece of cotton ball, wet it with some water, squeeze the water out (just to make the cotton ball more 'solid'), and put it in both her ear holes. IT WORKED!! She didn't cry any on both flights back! And it's cheap!