7 Best Family-Friendly Destinations for Singaporeans within Southeast Asia

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If you’ve been a follower of this blog for some time, I’m sure you know that we are a family who loves to travel. We go on several trips a year just to scratch that travel itch but also because we enjoy the bonding during overseas trips and the new experiences we accumulate along the way. Travelling is one of the best ways to widen our horizons and learn about new cultures.

If you are planning your family travels for the upcoming June school holidays, here is my list of 7 Best Family-Friendly Destinations Within Southeast Asia!

1. Kuala Lumpur

(Image: Tripadvisor)

Malaysia is naturally the first choice because it’s so near to us and travelling time will be more manageable especially for families with younger children. With direct flights there in under one hour, this is one of the best short getaway destinations for Singaporeans. In Kuala Lumpur, your family can have fun at Kidzania KL and Sunway Lagoon or visit the famous landmarks like Petronas Towers, Menara KL Tower etc!

2. Penang

I love to bring my kids to Penang because the culture and heritage is so rich there! Apart from fabulous char kway tiao and refreshing chendol, there are interesting wall murals to snap photos with and many, many cafes to explore! Also, visit Penang Hill, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Peranakan Musuem and the Chew Jetty!

3. Bangkok

We’ve been to Bangkok so many times but we still always want to go back. It’s also relatively near to Singapore, accessible by a two-hour flight. Singaporeans flock there because of the cheap food, massages and fashion. My kids love the night markets, foot massages and tuk tuk rides! It’s so convenient to make a weekend trip there and airfares are really cheap nowadays! Plus, there are many kid-friendly attractions there such as Floating Market, Siam Aquarium, Kidzania Bangkok, etc. Read about our adventures in Bangkok here.

4. Phuket

Phuket is one of my family’s most favorite holiday destinations because the whole place is like paradise! On our last trip there, we almost didn’t want to come back! The prices may not be as cheap as Bangkok, but it is not as rowdy and crowded as well. If you want to have a really rejuvenating holiday, Phuket is a choice destination. Furthermore, there are so many kid-friendly resort options there, your kids would be jumping up for joy when they see rooms like this:

Read about our holiday at Phuket here.

5. Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh may not sound like a common family holiday destination but when my family went there a few years ago, we had a very rejuvenating holiday. It was peaceful and quiet, and we didn’t need to rush from place to place. Truth be told, there are not many attractions in Phnom Penh, but it’s family-friendly because the Cambodians are the friendliest people around! Everywhere we went, the people were nice to our kids and some even offered snacks to them. One of my fondest memories at Phnom Penh was the sunset cruise that we took. It was so beautiful.

6. Bali

Bali is yet another destination that I would love to bring my kids back again. We had a lot of fun mingling with the friendly and kind Indonesians and we did hair braiding, visited coffee plantations and had lunch on a mountain. The weather’s cooler in Bali as compared to Singapore as well, so that’s definitely a bonus.

 

7. Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City is yet another exotic and not-so-common holiday destination for families but I thought it should totally be in this list because direct flights there are fast and cheap. Plus, the kids would love the pho and fried spring rolls and adults can enjoy authentic Vietnamese coffee everyday! The streets of Ho Chi Minh City are super clean and the people are a friendly bunch as well. Everything is generally cheap as well, so you can live like a king over there. There may not be much to do in Ho Chi Minh City but it is a very relaxing place for your family to spend quality time together. Just stop for lots of ice-cream breaks like I did!

* * * * *

We all know that travelling as a family is never cheap. This is especially so when your kids are older than two years old, and most airlines charge full prices for them! In order to travel frequently and not get overwhelmed by the travel planning, I go for affordable and economical ways of travelling with hassle-free booking procedures (Think cheap air tickets, cheap hotel stays and fast confirmation of bookings!). That way, I can maximize my dollars and the travel experience as well. Who doesn’t like that, right? If you are itching to book a family holiday now, I’ve got a recommendation!  Traveloka is an online travel booking platform that I’ve just discovered that makes the entire holiday planning process a BREEZE! I make bookings so frequently a year, so you can trust me on that. Good things must share!

Simple and User-friendly Interface

I like how clean and straightforward the website looks. Nothing frustrates me more than a website that gets me searching everywhere for the right button to press! The moment you enter the site, you can start searching for cheap and promo flight tickets in just three easy steps!

We are planning a trip to Malaysia at the end of this year because our cousin’s getting married. So I tried searching for air tickets on Traveloka.

Within a matter of seconds, these flights were found for me. So quick and fuss-free, isn’t it?!

Honest & All-In Prices

Now, I’m sure many of you had been “deceived” when websites show really cheap airfares which are only basic fares without taxes and other miscellaneous costs, only to realize that the final price is much higher than what you thought at the beginning. At Traveloka, you don’t have to worry about that because all the prices reflected have already included the taxes. Just look at the fares for my whole family to Kuala Lumpur – We only need to pay $174.60 in total for one-way to KL, with taxes all-in! What I really like is how honest Traveloka is, and as a consumer, I don’t feel like I need to second-guess the prices and be in fear of what the final price may be!

And this is the final price after I’ve selected both my departure and return flights. Just click on “Book Now” and you’re ready to complete your booking! In case you are wondering – Yes, no hidden credit card charges either! (Yay!)

When it comes to booking my hotel stay for KL, using Traveloka makes the booking extremely simple as well. And similarly, taxes are all included in the price reflected so that I know exactly what I am paying! You can choose to sort the hotels based on prices or popularity, etc. If you are planning a budget trip, sort it by prices from lowest to highest will definitely help in your decision-making. :)

Traveloka Quick

If the above is still not quick enough for you, try Traveloka Quick! This feature allows you to check the best prices quickly, one click payment and instant ticket issuance. Seriously, holiday planning cannot get any simpler than this!

I had one of my best booking experiences ever on Traveloka, and I believe you will too when you explore the website for yourself. Instead of tediously going to every single airline to check prices, use Traveloka to compile everything for you at one glance and make a good decision fast and easy. It’s a godsend for frequent travelers like me. :)

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions reflected are solely mine.