🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The nice thing about this route is that everything sits within short drives of each other. Almost all the highlights cluster around the Pak Chong–Khao Yai area, just 10–30 minutes apart, while Korat town itself is saved for the last day before heading home. The plan is built around active mornings, restful afternoons, easy evenings, because little kids run out of steam faster than adults do. If your children are still very young, you can drop one of the days and do it as a 2-day trip instead.
Before you go: what to pack
- Your own car — the sights around Khao Yai are spread out and public transport doesn't reach everywhere. Driving yourself, or hiring a car with a driver, is by far the easiest option with kids. Taking a coach to Pak Chong and then jumping into local hire vehicles is a hassle with all the children's gear.
- Car seat — if your child is still small and you're renting a car, tell the rental company ahead of time that you need a car seat. Not every company provides one.
- A light jacket — from November to February, Khao Yai mornings get genuinely cold, so kids should have something to throw on.
- Hat, sunscreen, mosquito repellent — most farm and cafe activities are outdoors.
- Book the Farm Chokchai tour slot in advance — the farm tours run a limited number of slots per day and fill up fast over holidays. Book online or call ahead so you don't miss out.
On timing
The most comfortable window for kids is November to February — pleasant cool air, and the sheep farms photograph beautifully. But that's high season, which means crowds and pricier rooms. The rainy season (June–October) is lush and green, though outdoor activities can get rained out. Skip the long public holidays if you'd rather not sit in the traffic crawling up the hill.
Book the activities in your Nakhon Ratchasima trip ahead
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Day 1 — Farm Chokchai (dairy day)
Spend the first day on the highlight the kids will talk about longest: Farm Chokchai, a big dairy farm on the Mittraphap highway near Pak Chong. Kids get to try milking a cow, bottle-feed calves, watch the cowboy and sheepdog shows, and make fresh Umm!...Milk ice cream. The walking tour takes about an hour and a half, with staff alongside you the whole way, so it's safe with kids. Entry is around 120 THB for adults and 70 THB for children, open roughly 09:30–17:00 (some activities cost extra — check the official farmchokchai.com before you go).
Meet the cows, milk them, make ice cream
Book your tour slot properly
Farm Chokchai is visited on scheduled tours — you can't just wander in all day. Slots fill up fast on holidays, so booking ahead through the official site or a ticket app keeps you from missing out. For small kids who can't sit in the car for long, build in time for a rest stop along the way.
Day 2 — Animal farms + play cafes (Muak Lek/Mu Si)
Take it easier on day two with a loop of animal farms and cafes clustered close together around Khao Yai. The standouts are the sheep and alpaca farms, where kids can hand-feed the animals, and a cafe with a playground and scenic mini-train — the adults get to sip coffee with mountain views while the kids burn off energy. Pick just 2–3 spots in a day. Don't try to hit them all or the whole family will be exhausted.
Primo Piazza (Tuscan-style village + sheep farm)
A mock Italian village with sheep, alpacas, and horses to feed. Entry for Thais is around 100 THB for adults and 50 THB for children, and the ticket can be swapped for animal feed. Lots of photo corners, open roughly 09:00–18:00.
Sheep Land (mountain-view sheep farm)
A sheep farm set in open fields with mountain views. Buy bottles of milk and feed for the sheep and rabbits. There's a cafe and seating to rest, and kids can wander happily among the animals. Best in the morning before the sun gets harsh.
Cafe with a playground (Khao Yai)
Khao Yai has several kids-friendly cafes. Some have a scenic mini-train at around 20 THB a ride, a big playground, a sandpit, and treehouses. Adults can sit with coffee and a snack while the kids play.
Scenical World (water park + rides)
A theme park with a water park, slides, and rides — great on a sunny day when the kids want to go all-in on the water. Open daily except Wednesday, roughly 10:00–18:00. Entry runs on the higher side, so budget for it and bring a change of clothes.
Feed the sheep, burn off energy, sip coffee
Match the farm/cafe to your kids' age
Young kids aged 2–5 do well at sheep farms and cafes with lawns where they can move around easily. Older kids, 6 and up, get more out of the water park at Scenical World or horse-riding at the farms. Entry to most animal farms is a few hundred baht per person, and small children often get a discount or go free — check at the gate before you go in.
Day 3 — Stop in Korat town on the way home
On the last day, come down from the hills and stop in Korat town before heading home. There's another set of kid-friendly options here: Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, which has its own water park, and Terminal 21 Korat, an airport-themed mall with a free Sky Deck for city views. It's a good spot to cool off in the air-con around midday before the drive back. Plan for half a day, then set off, so the kids aren't worn out.
Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo (Korat Zoo)
About 19 km out of town, with a wide range of animals, a glow-in-the-dark animal zone, two animal shows a day, and the Korat Zoo Lagoon water park on the same grounds. Entry is around 100 THB for adults and 20 THB for children — great value for a family.
Terminal 21 Korat
A mall themed around different world cities in an airport style, with lots of restaurants, a budget-friendly food court, and a 5th-floor Sky Deck with 360-degree views over Korat — free to enter, and a good place to escape the midday heat.
Thao Suranari Monument (Ya Mo)
A landmark in the centre of town that locals hold in deep respect. You can stop for a quick pay-of-respects, and there's plenty of food and souvenirs around it. Kids can walk around, though it's more of a photo stop than a long activity.
Down from the hills, into town before home
What to eat when you're with kids
Some Isan dishes are spicy for kids, but mild options aren't hard to find. Korat-style pad mee has soft noodles and a gentle flavour that kids eat easily, and grilled chicken with sticky rice keeps the whole family happy. Up in Khao Yai, the cafes and steak houses have pasta and bread for kids to choose from. A fun shared dinner is mu kratha (Thai barbecue hotpot) or a grill restaurant — older kids can help grill, but watch the hot burner around little ones.
- Korat pad mee — soft noodles, mild flavour, easy for kids; it's the town's signature dish.
- A Khao Yai cafe with desserts — adults rest their legs while kids have a snack and cold milk between rounds on the playground.
- Mu kratha / grill for dinner — good value, the whole family eats together, but keep little ones away from the burner.
What kind of accommodation suits a family
Travelling with kids, you'll want a place with a swimming pool and a family room or extra bed. Khao Yai has plenty of farm-style resorts and homes set in open fields where kids can run around. A base around Pak Chong–Mu Si makes getting to the sights easy. If you want to be near restaurants and convenience stores, pick somewhere along Thanarat Road for easy food runs. And if you'd like to spend the last night in town, Korat town has hotels across a range of prices.
Find a Korat hotel with a pool and family rooms
See the Top 10 Korat hotels →Who this plan is for
This 3-day plan is built for families with kids from kindergarten to primary-school age, leaning on activities kids actually take part in — milking a cow, feeding sheep, and burning off energy on a playground — rather than just walking around looking. If you only have 2 days, drop the town day and make the most of the farms and cafes up on the hill. If you have more time, add a nature day, like a waterfall in Khao Yai National Park that kids can manage on foot.