Rayong arrival: rain, rest and recharging

Days 63–65 were about slowing down. We arrived in Thailand at 2 AM, slept until noon and then took a van down to Rayong—a local beach town far from tourist crowds. We hadn’t realised it was the King’s birthday weekend, so many shops were closed. That turned out to be a blessing: we caught up on work, dropped off laundry on a scooter run and spent a rainy afternoon playing in the pool.

By this point in our trip we were feeling travel fatigue. The boys and I were ready to chill while Kelsey itched to fill every hour. We compromised by watching the weather and listening to our bodies. Despite travelling in monsoon season, we’d only had a few rainy days. Seeing news of heavy flooding in Laos and Hanoi reminded us how lucky we were.

Family travel tip: Check local holidays before planning activities, embrace downtime when the family is exhausted, and remember that rest days make the next adventures sweeter.

How do you balance downtime and sightseeing on family trips? Our travel‑planning service can help you schedule just the right mix. Altogether, we spent about $159 for the day. Highlights: Our stay was $92, a solid deal for the comfort we got., Breakfast came to $7, simple but satisfying., Lunch was $26, offering great value., Dinner cost $14, proof that tasty doesn’t mean pricey., We spent $10 on activities worth every cent., Transport ran us $10, cheaper than many cities.