Many people know Thailand through Phuket, the largest island of the Kingdom. At 850 kilometers from the capital Bangkok, the province is well prepared to welcome mass of tourists on a holiday. But, is Phuket really a kids or family friendly destination?

Parents should bring their children of any age with confidence to Phuket. The province has everything from accommodations to activities to satisfy small or big families, unlike other areas in Thailand. Thai people also love children and it is safe for all vacationing in Phuket.

Where to stay in Phuket with children? There is a huge choice of Hotels for all budgets that can be checked on the Internet. Good options are the Central Kata Resort, the Kamala Bay Garden Resort, the Swiss Palm Beach and the Holiday Inn in Patong. They all have great swimming pools and also slides for the kids.

What pastimes and entertainments can be enjoyed in Phuket? Hopefully there are many. The Phuket FantaSea cultural theme show on Kamala beach is surely the top attraction for children and adults alike. In addition to day shows and activities similar to a Disneyland park, nightly shows with music, acrobats and magicians can also be enjoyed.

All children like dinosaurs and the Dino Park with their mini golf course in a Jurassic setting is also a good place for young kids. The best time to go is the evening as it is quite hot during the day, and the dinosaurs are also lit up. The park is located between the Kata and Karon beaches.

Other activities that kids will enjoy are without a doubt horse-back rides on the beach at the Laguna Riding Club and a trip to the Phuket Zoo. Monkey, elephant and crocodile shows are scheduled during the day at the zoo, in addition of the many animals that can be seen.

The Phuket Aquarium is excellent for children who can see a selection of fish of different species in small display tanks but also a tunnel with water and fish all around. A larger tank also shows bigger fish species like the eagle ray or leopard shark. With a small shop selling drinks and snacks, and a souvenir shop, the place will kill an hour or two.

The Bang Pae Waterfall and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project at Khao Phrae Thaew National Forest are perfect nature activities. The waterfall is nice for a walk and a family picnic, while the Gibbon center can show the children how sometime gibbon are mistreated when used to entertain tourists and hopefully rescued.

There are also play areas available for smaller kids. The Loma Park in Patong is located at the north end of the beach and has slides and swings in a play area. Phuket City has two playgrounds, one in Saphan Hin near the stadium, and one in the King Rama IX Park.

Activities go on, but the above list is surely enough to persuade all parents that Phuket is their next family destination in Thailand.

Michel Gerard is a Travel author based in Asia. Visit the Guest House Phuket website to book a family friendly room online and download your *free* ebook: "Stories of Authentic Eco-adventure Destinations for Travellers in Thailand" => http://www.guesthousephuket.com/ebook.html