Visiting Bophut as a Family for a beachfront holiday
I love travelling and there are so many beautiful places I want my children to see around the world. When it comes to travelling with children you feel like you sometimes have to compromise with beautiful places for family friendly however with a little digging and a bit of research I think you can find the best of both worlds. I know when it comes to travelling with my family I want to experience a bit of culture but I also want an area I can feel relaxed and safe. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a beach holiday abroad and I’m fully convinced to go self catering in a villa next time we do.
Villa Accomodation
One area I would love to visit and hadn’t thought about before was Thailand but digging a little further and finding some of the beautiful islands off the mainland you come across Koh Samui. An area I think my family would absolutely love exploring is Bophut. It looks like an ideal family friendly destination with plenty of beachfront accomodation. Villa accomodation in Bophut is very popular and an ideal way to get a bit of privacy during your holiday. There are some beautiful villas in Bophut on Koh Samui to choose from with a range of prices per night, room sizes and suitable for all sorts of family sizes. Many of these have a private or shared pool which is ideal for us as we all love to swim. There are lots of gorgeous villas in Bophut to choose from.
I think somewhere like this would be great to visit as a larger family group so that we can make the most of our stay. It’s great to see there are a range of options and most are very close to the beach. I know I’d love to have access to a pool as well as a comfortable place to sleep and of course some sort of air conditioning is a bit of a must for us. Some villas even come with staff so it’s worth having a good look and thinking about what you really need on your family friendly holiday to Bophut.
There are plenty of beautiful villas in Bophut to visit including many with a private or shared pool.
Visiting the beach in Bophut
We always love a trip to the beach and being so close is ideal for us. Bophut has so much beautiful scenery and a stunning coastline too which I think will enable those perfect holiday shots. For a bit of a change of beach there are plenty of others around the island that you can travel to aswell. One thing to note for families is that Thailand is a modest country and therefore children do need to be in swimwear when on the beach which is something worth considering. Considering the warm weather and tropical climate you will want to keep skin protected in the heat too so plenty of sun protection is a must. Bophut beach does experience a narrow coastline at high tide which is something to be wary of but makes it ideal for families with young children in Bophut to use during the day.
Bophut is situated on the beautiful island of Koh Samui close to the mainland of Thailand.
Fishermans Village
Fishermans Village in Bophut is one of the oldest parts on the island and is regarded as very well preserved and elegant. It is located in the middle part of Bophut beach and is very popular. This is an excellent place to take the kids for shopping amongst the boutiques and housing plenty of dining venues. Another must see location with children is Big Budda Temple. It’s an iconic desintation.
Dining Options
There are plenty of places to eat in Bophut including western staples for picky eaters – ideal for young children as well as plenty of options for those wanting to try some local cuisine. There are plenty of freshly picked fresh thai fruit including bananas and coconuts which is great to know and they’re favourites here in our house already. Trational thai food in Bophut is the most affordable in the local resturants and markets. If you’re self catering a good idea is to have things available for breakfast and then eat out for the rest of your meals. Alternatively there are two Tesco Lotus stores in Chaweng and Lamai for snacks and supplies should you need them.
Visiting Bophut, Koh Samui, Thailand with children and staying in a family friendly villa on a beach front location
It’s #plasticfreejuly which means lots of people are discussing all of the ways you can be more plastic free and more sustainable and more eco friendly. However, with the growing attitude that we need to do more in this climate crisis I can’t help but feel that it is providing a bit of a toxic attitude between those that can do something and those that can’t.
Don’t get me wrong, the more eco friendly and plastic free and spend free you can be the better but I think it’s important to remember that being zero waste and eco friendly right now is not sustainable because it isn’t inclusive. It will only be truly sustainable if everyone can be as eco friendly as possible.
I read all these amazing stories about families, mostly middle class families with two incomes in well respected and well paid jobs, that save up and quit their lives to go off the grid. They are inspirational of course but I couldn’t do that. We can barely save for Christmas let alone a house deposit and let alone going completely off the grid. Being zero waste is not worth getting into debt for, racking up credit card bills for. Do you, do the best you can do with what you have.
You can only do what you can afford, and that is fine.
Firstly, whilst I am thankful that I do not live on the breadline anymore I am not exactly middle class. My partner is on a zero hour contract for one and whilst his wage is okay, he works through the night. I am self employed but there are days I go without earning money and my wage is, for the most part, very part time. However, I can afford to cut down on my waste, plastic use and general consumption in this society.
I also feel that as individuals we all have a duty to care about and respect the planet we live in and it’s very hard to be completely inclusive with something that is very clearly a class issue. I wanted to write this post to help share that it isn’t down to the individual to make eco friendly the go to, it’s down to the government and the greedy corporations desperate for profit to make huge changes. You shouldn’t blame someone for making a single use plastic choice if that is all they can afford. You can bang on all you like about how you save money in the long term but if you don’t have the money upfront to make huge changes then you can’t make them.
I also feel that a lot of people, especially families, already do quite a lot which you might not see or acknowledge as being zero waste. They might always buy second hand, in charity shops, sell things they don’t need and rely on hand me downs to dress their children. However, they may also have to rely on supermarket clothing, a big part of fast fashion, because it is cheap. Especially if they have children that consistently need new school uniform. Poor people are more likely to make sure no food is wasted because they can’t afford to waste anything. Whilst refill shops might be a great alternative they are few and far between, not always easy to get to and are going to be more expensive.
Being poor isn’t exactly a choice in a capatalist society with over a million families and households relying on foodbanks
Lower income families are already at risk of so many things because they are poor and are forced to buy cheap, plastic, processed food and household products. This is because of how inaccessible eco friendly, plastic free products are to them so we really need to stop putting the blame on the person and start putting the blame on the people that actually can make a change. Do you not think you might be making them feel even more guilt and shame about their purchasing choices if you keep telling them about your middle class eco friendly zero waste refill station?
We can all only do what we can do. If you can’t swap to everything because you can’t afford to then that is fine. If you can afford it then brilliant. I am not saying to stop the conversations because they are important but I am saying to stop the shame and blame game because not everyone can afford to be eco friendly.
And If you want to shame and blame someone here’s what you can do
Sign every petition you can to get eco friendly plastic free products sustainable and inclusive to everyone
When you donate to food banks/refuges/period poverty boxes then make sure the products are plastic free. Even though it doesn’t contribute to a reduction in landfill it still makes these products accessible to people in need and you may find that these places do not accept reusables.
Get your nursery to use reusable wipes in place of disposables. That in itself would be a huge reduction in terms of things going to landfill and would save parents that having to send in disposables and therefore using less and saving themselves a bit of money.
Petition your local MP/Council about a cloth nappy scheme in the area to make these more affordable for all parents. These work successfully around the country but they aren’t in all areas. This can often mean subsidised cloth nappy kits and even better if you can get a group of cloth nappy friends to start a cloth nappy library – which again, aren’t in every single area.
Plastic Free swaps you can make
If you are living on the breadline or on a low income then there are some things that you might be able to change but please do not feel guilty if you can’t. I have been homeless, I have relied on food banks and I have been swimming in debt on the breadline. It is hard. It is hard when single use plastic is basically you’re only option.
Washing powder in a cardboard box – I used to get this from poundland because it was all I could afford.
Buy products in tins/jars/glass/cardboard & paper over plastic.
Anything you can buy loose wrapped is great.
If you can afford it reusable wipes can be a great swap as it’s not too expensive to change over. All you need is a mesh bag, plastic box and a set of wipes. It is one of the things that I can genuinely say has saved me money because wipes are a few pound a week.
Cloth nappies – it does not have to be all or nothing. If you can afford to buy one a month then gradually swapping out is fantastic. They also have excellent resell value. They can be anywhere from £7-£18 per nappy brand new however look for them second hand. I started with a set of second hand ones which have been really helpful.
There seems to be a big thing about plastic straws. My argument would be do you really need straws, if you do then fine, I am fully aware that some individuals with additional needs may need and rely on plastic bendy disposable straws, but if you don’t really need them then just not buying them is better than converting to a metal straw or bamboo ones.
Can you afford to change energy suppliers? We have changed to ecotricity, a green supplier, and we pay by electric key metre topping up weekly or two weekly. It is not much difference money wise. You can compare prices and if it’s about the same money wise and you can afford the swap then this might be a great alternative for you.
Being zero waste is a luxury and it’s not sustainable if it isn’t truly inclusive and affordable for everyone.
My point really is that not everyone can afford being zero waste or eco friendly or plastic free. The single working mum might not be able to try and buy several menstrual cups before she finds one that fits. Those that buy plastic straws could do for accessible reasons. Cloth nappies are very expensive and not everyone can afford to buy a kit outright. Plastic is in and covering everything, it’s cheap and easy to produce. Fast fashion is damaging but if you’ve got kids growing and you need to get them clothes you’re going to turn to the cheapest and most affordable way. It’s not even about kids, if you happen to be poor and fat you’re not left with a lot of choices either.
Let’s continue educating because some people who want to make the swap might not know what they can change. Let’s continue spreading awareness so those that can afford to be more eco friendly can do even more than they’re currently doing. But most importantly let’s collectively agree to stop shaming the individual whose circumstances we do not fully know or understand and instead put more pressure on corporations and the government to make zero waste, low emission, eco friendly living an inclusive lifestyle for every single person.
On a lasting note the point of being zero waste is having less. So if you can’t afford the alternatives but you do want to try and do something, look for ways you can reduce your waste, reuse as much as you can, mend things as you go and recycle as much as you can.
Last week we had our usual summer holiday caravan trip at Thorness Bay holiday park on Isle of Wight. It’s our third time there and we still love it. It was really nice to explore a different part of the island too. We had a day out in Shanklin which is a beautiful seaside place to visit and a day out at Blackgang Chine which is a small theme park on the southern part of the Island close to Ventnor.
Thorness Bay had everything you need really but it’s not a park I want to return to. It’s not that anything was bad as such it was just a park in the middle of nowhere. It felt a little bit too quiet for us as a family and I think we prefer the resorts on the eastern side of the Island. However, it was a nice break away and had what you would expect on site including an entertainment lounge, bar and resturant, swimming pool, play park and multisports court. There was also walking access to a private beach and bay.
Driving there from the east cowes ferry terminal was fairly straight forward and took around 30 minutes or so. We got to the park, checked in around 3.30pm and unloaded the car before heading back into Newport and going to morrisons for a quick food shop. We also had some dinner in the cafe there as we were all pretty peckish. We decided to skip the evening entertainment on the Monday night as Felix wanted to move around the caravan. We also had trouble fitting the travel cot in any room other than the living room so we had to co-sleep on the first night then we made a sort of makeshift bed on the floor for him. He actually slept pretty well, it’s just a shame Adam and I didn’t.
The surrounding countryside was beautiful to wake up to I have to say and the whole park was really quiet which was nice. We had an early drive down to Shanklin in the morning for a walk along the beach, had fish and chips for lunch and then spent the afternoon at the Sandown zoo. We got back for some time at the indoor swimming pool which Evie and I did alone as Felix wanted to move around again after lots of time in his car seat and then push chair. We went to the evening entertainment that evening after dinner and it was nice to have a little stroll around the park.
Wednesday was spent on site, we had a pretty chilled out morning and then a late morning swim. Felix had his first time in the pool which was really nice for him. He really enjoyed being in the water. I liked the fact that you could walk down into the pool using steps rather than trying to climb down a ladder with a baby in your arms. He had a lot of fun splashing about so we will be taking him swimming again.
We headed back to the caravan for lunch and some chill out time watching TV and giving Felix some time to crawl around on the floor. Holidaying with a baby requires a lot of chill out time really as they get overwhelmed quickly and where crawling and cruising is so new for him now he’s nine months being stuck in a pushchair is just the worst and I don’t blame him really. We then headed back to the resturant for dinner and a bit of the kids entertainment. Evie spent a lot of time in the park and a bit of time in the arcade too.
Evie struggled this holiday. Her behaviour was not perfect and there was a lot of slamming doors and stomping. It was the worst behaved she’s been on holiday and it sort of ruined it for us actually. We really try and put the most into giving her a good, fun summer holiday every year that’s within our budget and the lack of gratitude was really hard to deal with. I know kids don’t see the behind the scenes stuff like the cost and time and effort planning but she was incredibly vocal about how disappointing it was. I am sort of at my wits end with her extra challenging behaviour these days and I’m not quite sure where to turn.
The last day was spent at Blackgang Chine on the south side of the Island and it is a lovely, fun day out. We got there for 10am opening and started walking around. The backdrop is absolutely stunning views of the sea and there is loads to look at. Evie even braved a few of the rides and Felix had his first Mr Whippy ice cream (well, he finished off mine!) We also purchased Trevor the Sloth.
The holiday was fine but it wasn’t the break I was desperately hoping for if I’m honest. It was nice to get away but the holiday park was too quiet with not enough friends for Evie to make which frustrated her. Our caravan was too far from the park so we couldn’t really let her just go off and play to burn off some steam as it was too far for her to go on her own. The beach area was nice but not really ideal for babies. I think it just wasn’t the holiday park for us really. However, it is always nice to have a break and see a few new things and it was full of plenty of firsts for Felix as well as getting loads of lovely photos. We also got a little video of our time there.
As a fat person I am discriminated against. I feel like I have less discrimination than others because I’m not as marginalised as some, I’m a mum that’s had two c-sections and I’ve constantly said how ashamed I am of my body. The truth is if I go to the doctors for ANY reason I will be told I am fat and that will fix my problems. Over the years GP’s have dismissed my health, my anxiety, my post-natal depression, my wellbeing, my contraception choices because I am fat. They have refused to help me apart from telling me to be thin. Even at my cervical screening I was told I was too fat by a nurse. Not for the cervical screening (which was absolutely fine) but just that I was too fat.
I know I am fat. I have known for a long time. I have known through the starvation, the food deprivation, the binge eating, the yo-yo dieting, the body shame, the body hatred, the self harm, the depression, the tears in the mirror, the guilt for feeling hungry. The well meaning thoughts from family that “if you just lost weight” the “oh don’t say that about yourself” conversations. I am fat and it’s none of your business.
I am fat but I don’t get sick very often. I am fat but I walk plenty, I love swimming and my blood pressure is fine. I am fat but I absolutely hate pizza. I am fat but I’m giving up dairy and cutting down on meat because I don’t like it. I am fat but I love aqua zumba. I am fat but actually I am very capable of making wellbeing choices for myself. It’s only when I stop the guilt and the shame and focusing on the happiness and self love that I make better choices, that I listen to what my body craves.
The thing is though, BMI is a load of crap – you can have a high BMI and be made of pure muscle so how can a BMI accurately detect obesity if it’s to do with fat? It’s an outdated measurement. So how can a high BMI = fat = cancer? Diet can play a massive part in the cell changes that lead to cancer but a thin person can eat junk food? So how can that mean fat = cancer? I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I walk, I swim, my diet isn’t the best but it’s not constantly fueled by junk food & fried food. There are some cancers in my family but it isn’t as rife as it is in others. So my real risk factor is my BMI which I will agree is higher due to fat not muscle, but BMI is one of the lowest “causes” of cancer?
This campaign doesn’t make sense.
I’ve just watched a lovely blogger friend of mine, Emma from Island Living 365 go through chemo for bowel cancer. She’s had two operations in quick sucession. She is a lovely person who from what I can see has a really active, fun lifestyle. She did race for life whilst going through treatment!
It just goes to show that cancer can affect you if you are the healthiest, thinnest person in the world. Cancer can affect anyone. Blaming obesity and comparing it to smoking is dangerous. This campaign will put fat people off from going to the doctors, going to cervical screenings, going for check ups, ignoring their body.
I strongly recommend you read this open letter by Laura Thomas and a group of health professionals, acedemics and people who want to change the stigma on weight. If you agree with the contents of the letter then please sign the petition to get this damaging campaign removed before it ruins lives. Because it will. It absolutely will.
My baby boy is nine months old already. Time is absolutely flying by and his 8 to 9 month of life has brought plenty of changes. He now has his first two teeth and his top two are just there moving down about to break through. We can see them pretty clearly but they haven’t cut through the gum yet.
We have had our first holiday as a family of four where Felix enjoyed ice cream, the sand, the sea, bubbles and swimming. He was constantly crawling and cruising around the caravan and showing us how fast he can go. He’s a real climber and he is just starting to lower himself with some control back down to the floor.
He has been blowing kisses and waving a little bit recently although its more of a hand flop but he will imitate in his own way when we blow kisses and wave at him. Some of his sounds say like he’s saying hello and no but most of his babble is just funny baby speak. It seems he is starting to recognise Adam as dada and me as mumma. He’s also said a little bit of Nanana which is quite cute.
He is a pretty smiley baby and has his own little cackle although he doesn’t really laugh out loud very much. It’s more of a throaty growl noise to be honest which is pretty funny. He loves to kick his legs out when he’s happy. He follows us around a lot too and has a lot of distrust in the hoover.
Food wise he does seem to suffer with constipation from time to time, particularly with heavy fibrous foods like cereals so we are experimenting with getting the right amount of fibre and fruit for him. He is doing a lot more self feeding now too. He is still having around 5 bottles of 6oz milk a day at the moment. I know he will have a 9-12 month review with the health visitor so I will ask about this. We are planning on moving over to oat milk rather than cows milk at the age of 1 but we will see how that goes.
He is an early riser which I am really struggling with now. He is often awake around 5am and it just makes the day feel very, very long. It’s particularly hard on one of Adam’s work days because he is asleep most of the day and I feel like I’m parenting solo a lot of the time. It got to a point where I said that on some of his days off we need to swap so that he gets up with Felix and does the school run in the morning just so I can have a little bit of a break which does seem to help quite a lot.
Most mums would be returning to work around 9 months. I have been working on and off for the last nine months being self employed however I am going to try and put in a proper work type schedule over the next few months and hope to have a good working routine in place by the time he’s one.
