Trips to Chiang Mai with young children rarely fall apart because of the destinations. They fall apart because of time in the car. Many of Chiang Mai’s best-known places are in the mountains, which means hours of continuous bends. A child who is perfectly comfortable in town may not cope well with those roads.

Always expect more motion sickness than you think

The roads up Doi Inthanon and to Pai are mountain roads with bends almost all the way. Even adults who are not usually travel sick can feel it, so young children are much more likely to struggle.

What genuinely helps:

  • Give motion-sickness medication before you set off, not once symptoms begin, because it takes time to work. Always ask a pharmacist about a dose suitable for your child’s age.
  • Serve a light meal before the car journey. An entirely empty stomach and a very full stomach can both make things worse.
  • Encourage children to look far out of the window, not down at a screen. Looking at a screen on winding roads is one of the strongest triggers.
  • Tell the driver whenever you need to stop. There are stopping points along the mountain routes. A five-minute break is better than pushing on for another twenty minutes.

Keep plastic bags, wet wipes and a spare set of clothes in a bag within easy reach, not in the large luggage bag at the back of the car.

Plan the day around your child’s rhythm

A common mistake is packing in as many places as possible because you want to make the most of the transport cost. The result is that the whole family becomes tired, and the child is upset by the third stop.

A better approach is to choose two or three main places per day and leave plenty of time between them. If a child falls asleep in the car, let them sleep. Do not wake them just to reach the next stop on time; a well-rested child will enjoy the remaining places more.

If a place involves a lot of walking or stairs, schedule it early in the day, while everyone still has energy.

What to know about toilets before you go

On mountain routes, toilets appear at service points rather than every kilometre as they might in town. Take children to the toilet at every stop, even if they say they do not need to go, because the next one may be farther away than expected.

Bring your own tissues and hand sanitiser. Toilets at viewpoints do not always have these supplies.

Clothing and weather

Chiang Mai city and the mountains have completely different weather. A child wearing only a T-shirt because it was sunny when leaving the hotel may be very cold by the time they reach the summit.

Bring a light windbreaker for every child, even in the hot season, as well as a hat and sunscreen. Sun at higher altitude is stronger than it feels.

Child seats and passenger numbers

The vehicle seats up to four passengers, including children. If your family is larger, you will need to plan ahead.

Child seats are available on request, but they must be arranged before the trip rather than when you get in the car. Please tell us the child’s age and weight when booking so we can prepare the appropriate seat.

What to keep in an easy-access bag

Drinking water, non-messy snacks, a small towel, one spare outfit, regular medicines and a toy or book that does not need a screen. Downloading cartoons in advance can help too, because mobile signal does not work on some mountain stretches—and discovering that just as a child becomes bored is the worst possible moment.