Kids Activities in Patong Beach

Phuket Zoo

Near Chao Fa Road East at Chalong. Close-up encounters with exotic animals. Crocodile shows, elephant shows and monkey shows, as well as tigers, birds, snakes and other tropical wildlife. Great for small kids. Open daily 8.30-18.00, with regular shows starting from about 9.00am until 5.30pm.

Gibbon Rehabilitation Project

Learn how gibbons are rehabilitated to the wild and take a dip in Bang Pae Waterfall while you're there. The project is open from 10.00am to 4.00pm every day. Tel : 260 491 -2 Fax: 260 492 or check out their website for more information. Located at Bang Pae Waterfall in Talang.

Kids Activities and Things to Do

Still in demand - kids love funky braided and beaded hair. Choose your beads. You can get your hair braided on the beach during high season, or in some of Patong's beauty shops (a good way to keep your daughter occupied while you enjoy a massage or manicure!).

Best of all, braided hair will keep looking good for up to a week or more even after hectic days in the sun and surf, and it's easy to wash too.

Fake Tattoos

Kids love these henna tattoos which only last about 2 weeks. Tattoo artist stalls are located along Beach Road and most have design books which feature hundreds of motifs to choose from. Dependent on the complexity of the design, a tattoo might cost 200 Baht and take 10-20 minutes.

Horse Riding

At the Phuket Riding Club in Chalong. Staff accompany along local trails. Lessons available. Price includes equipment and hat. Open 7 to 11 am. & 2 to 6:30 pm daily. Tel: 381-665. 82/2 Patak Road, near Chalong circle.

Fishing

For small kids, Phuket Fishing Park offers a small tranquil lake, stocked with local fish, where kids of all ages can try their hand. Fish from the bank or from a sala (a kind of pavilion) just above the water. Fishing lines, bait, etc, all available for hire. Restaurant attached. Located near Chalong Circle. Take the road to Rawai and look for the signs. For sea fishing you can hire a local boat and fish along the coast, or charter a special deep sea fishing boat with friends and go further out for the day.

Local Tours

Take the kids on a sea canoe trip or an organised snorkelling tour to one of the offshore islands. You can charter your own speedboat or join a tour to various destinations like Phi Phi Island. Or, rent or buy some snorkel equipment (from local dive shops) and go snorkeling off Kata Beach (south end - High season only.)

Dive Courses

Phuket is a great place to learn a new skill, especially in the water. If your kids are 12+, they can take a PADI scuba diving course and learn to dive in Phuket's 28C warm water. PADI courses with licensed instructors operate year round and are great value for money. East of Patong is a water-ski centre which offers instruction in both water skiing and wakeboarding to both adults and children.

Cable skiing & Wakeboarding

Kids from about 10 years up can try these new relatively new sports. Lessons are available at The Phuket Cable Ski. From Patong, follow the signs to Kathu/(Katu (not to be confused with Kata) and then take the Kathu Waterfall road. Tel. 076 202 525. Wakeboarding is also available at WakeUp Villa, telephone 076 264031, email : info@wakeupvilla.com www.wakeupvilla.com. Alternatively, you can make arrangements with one of the boats on Patong Beach (south end) for 1 hour and half hour sessions.

Hiking or trekking

with a local tour company like Adventure Safaris or visit the Khao Phra Thew National Park in the north of the island. Some of Phuket's oldest forest plus waterfalls and local wildlife.

Go Bowling

Rock & Bowl, is a new 16 lane bowling alley at the intersection of Soi Nanai and Soi Sai Namyen. There's also a mini-golf located next door. Another tenpin bowling alley located on the top floor of the Ocean Bangla Shopping Center, has shorter lanes (better for smaller kids) and an amusement arcade next door. Open all day until late.

Mini -Golf

Dino park or World Mini-golf at Nutty Park - next to "Rock'n Bowl" at the intersection of Soi Nanai and Soi Sai Namyen, Patong.

Local Playgrounds

Patong (north end of the Beach opposite Club Andaman) has an outdoor playground with swings, ropes, slides etc., Suitable for smaller kids. On rainy days (or especially hot days) cool off at Ocean Bangla in the centre of Patong. There's an amusement arcade close to the the bowling alley with rides and electronic Sega type games. Indoor playgrounds with rides are also located at the major hypermarkets on the edge of Phuket town. Big C Supercentre(basement) and Tesco/Lotus (upstairs next to the food market.) Food halls also attached.

Shows

Take the whole family over to Kamala Beach to see the Phuket FantaSea cultural theme show. Pyrotechnics, aerial ballet, elephants on stage, superb sound system. An excellent show and well worth the money. Plus the biggest buffet in Asia if you decide to take the dinner and show package. Inquire at travel agents for details.

Kids Camps

Dulwich International College runs a summer school for about 2 weeks every year in July with sports activities and training, games, art and crafts.

Laguna Phuket Resort's Camp Laguna - fun for ages 8 to 18. Full and half day programmes provide a variety of activities including rock climbing, high ropes, frisbee, golf course, beach games,volleyball, scavenger hunts, orienteering, soccer, low ropes activities, sailing and canoeing, swimming, sand art, batik, painting masks, banana leaf crafts and papermaking. Open year round.