Thailand is one of the world's most family-friendly travel destinations, so choosing the top 7 places for children isn't easy. Travel journalist Deborah Dickson-Smith reveals her favorites.

1. Elephant Mountains, Khao Sok

About a two-hour drive from Phuket, at this luxurious safari camping resort, you'll learn to feed and bathe elephants and discover their connection to the Thai people, as well as the environmental challenges they face. Children can explore nature, for example, on a raft trip downriver. At the nearby Floating Rainforest Camp, they can jump into the lake from their floating accommodation, take a guided jungle walk, and look out for gibbons and hornbills in the treetops.

2. Flying Gibbon Zipline, Chiang Mai

As one of Thailand's first treetop walkways, this mega zipline takes about three hours. Participants experience a combination of zip lines, abseiling, suspension bridges, and forest walks high above the valley floor. Flying Gibbons can now also be found in Pattaya, Koh Phangan, and Siem Reap.

3. Bai Pai Cooking School, Bangkok

Of course, cooking classes are available all over Thailand, for example in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Krabi. At Bai Pai Cooking Class, you first go to the market to learn how to select ingredients, and then you return to the kitchen to learn how to prepare them. Teaching children to cook is a great way to get them excited about new dishes. My daughter has had her Bai Pai cookbook for several years now, and every time we have a barbecue, she insists on making "her" satay chicken with peanut sauce.

4. Bangkok's Markets

The best time to visit Bangkok's colorful and fragrant flower markets is after dark – they're my personal favorite. But all of Bangkok's markets are also a fantastic experience for children. The sights, sounds, smells, and tastes are a true feast for the senses. Take a trip to the city's outskirts and visit the Damnoen Saduak floating market and the nearby Maeklong railway market – here, the market stalls are just inches from the passing trains.

5. Tree Top Adventure Park, Krabi

These extraordinary treetop adventure parks can be found in Krabi, Koh Chang, Pattaya, and Kanchanaburi. Among the obstacles to overcome are a "flying" broomstick and a bicycle that must be maneuvered across a rope bridge. I've already mentioned the "Flying Gibbon" treetop walkway, but this one is a completely different experience – it challenges coordination and can even help overcome a fear of heights! My children never tire of treetops – the more, the better. There are also fantastic hiking trails through the rainforest and mangroves near the park.

6. Insight into village life during a homestay

Throughout Thailand, there are numerous homestays available, mostly in less-traveled regions or, like the one pictured above, very close to popular tourist centers like Phuket. The tranquil island of Koh Lao is only a 30-minute boat ride from Phuket, but it's like stepping into a completely different world – into simple village life, where you eat, sleep, and spend time with your host family. Homestays are a fantastic way to meet locals and learn more about Thai culture – or "Discover Thainess," as it's known there.

7. Explore Bangkok's waterways and canals.

Visit one of Thailand's colorful floating markets (the Damnoen Saduak floating market is not far from Bangkok) or take a combined canal and bicycle tour of the city's waterways, where you can explore the rivers and canals that have connected this city for hundreds of years on two wheels and in a longboat.

What are your best experiences with children in Thailand? Feel free to share them with us here!