Walk on the Wild Side; Family Adventures in Thailand and Laos

With their stunning national parks, exciting wildlife and elephant escapades, the tropical nations of Thailand and Laos are excellent destinations for fun-filled, family-friendly adventures. Exotissimo has a range of educational, exciting and exotic tours to ensure everyone in the family has the time of their lives.

Home to the famous River Kwai Bridge, the Thai province of Kanchanaburi is steeped in history, boasts massive expanses of tropical forest, and is a great destination for an action-packed family holiday. Discover the fascinating history of the province and its world-famous bridge in the JEATH museum and explore the rugged beauty of Erawan National Park with its spectacular seven-tiered waterfalls, elephant jungle trekking and exhilarating white water rafting.

For a walk on the wild side, monks at the province’s Tiger Temple offers visitors a unique chance to get up close and personal with their domesticated brood of big cats rescued from poachers in the nearby Thai-Burmese border jungle. The adventures continue with kayaking trips down the mighty River Kwai Yai, an informative visit to Hell Fire Pass or even a magical trek into the heart of the impressive Wang Badal and Thum Kra Sae caves.

For jumbo-sized fun, our new “Living like a Mahout” program in Laos allows you and your family to experience life as a Lao mahout (elephant trainer) at our Elephant Park Project and make some larger than life friends in the process!

In this exciting package, which is unique in Laos, participants work directly with the resident mahout team at the park and learn to feed, wash, care for and ride their elephants, follow elephant trails and even guide the elephants out of the jungle. Get a fascinating insight into these magical creatures with your family while enjoying the luxurious accommodation at the Elephant Park Lodge and the stunning scenery of Northern Laos. Eco-projects like this one help secure a future for the region’s domestic elephant population and their hard-working mahouts, and are an elephantastic opportunity for a unique and inspiring holiday and one el’ of a good time!

Living like a mahout?

Taking the Plunge : Wet and Wild Family Adventures in Vietnam

With the excellent trekking, canyoning and kayaking opportunities that abound in the area, the former colonial French hill station of Dalat in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam is the ideal location for an outdoor family adventure holiday.

Originally the playground of the French who built villas in the clear mountain air to escape the heat and humidity of the coast and of Saigon, Dalat’s lush landscape, temperate climate and stunning waterfalls have made the town a popular holiday destination since the turn of the last century. Today, visitors still flock to experience the natural beauty of Dalat, and Exotissimo’s family water adventure tour is a great way for kids and teenagers to make a splash and have a great time.

On the first day, explore the many inlets and secrets spots of Ho Tuyen Lam, one of the most beautiful lakes on the Langbian Plateau, aboard sturdy, purpose-built kayaks and enjoy a picnic-style lunch of locally produced delicacies in the shade of the lake’s jungle canopy.

The wet and wild adventures continue on day two with an exhilarating introduction to abseiling (rappelling) in one of Dalat’s spectacular canyons. Once you’ve mastered the basics of knot tying, harness wearing, hardware, and proper rappelling technique with our trained guides at the practice slope, you can take the plunge into spectacular waterfalls and streams and enjoy the thrill of the canyon’s natural water slides. No previous experience is necessary for this action-packed trip of hiking, rappelling, swimming, and sliding down the falls; all you and your family need bring is a love of water and a sense of adventure!

View Family Adventure in Dalat, Vietnam