Holiday with kids in Phuket

QUESTION: We are going on holiday to Phuket with our families in September. As this is the rainy season, what can we do with the kids in case of rain? Also, as we are limited to 20kgs of luggage, in the event of excess baggage on our return, is there a facility at Singapore Airport whereby one can send excess luggage ahead from Singapore Airport to Cape Town and what would it cost per kilogram? - Luis Oliveira

ANSWER: It seldom rains continuously in Phuket. In most cases, a downpour of 30-60 minutes will be followed by sunshine. Remember that it is never cold, so many tourists are happy to sit out the showers on the beach or at a restaurant. However, if the rain does set in, there are plenty of indoor attractions at the big shopping centres on the island. A big shopping mall, Jungceylon, has recently opened in Patong Beach, but you can also go to the movies at Central Festival shopping centre (with all the latest releases in English with Thai sub-titles) or ten-pin bowling at the Big C Supercentre. However, bargain-hunting and dining out is likely to keep you more than happy. Youngsters seem quite happy to be let loose in one of the many Internet cafes, where they can surf the web or play online games for about R15 an hour.

As for excess baggage, presumably most of your shopping will be done in Thailand, so your problem is likely to occur when you board your connecting flight to Singapore in Phuket. The best solution is to arrange for your excess baggage to be picked up by a courier before you leave for the airport. Most of the tourist shops can arrange this service or you can make the arrangement with a courier company in South Africa before you leave. If you don't want your prized purchases to go astray, you could opt to use the courier service for your excess clothing, toiletries and shoes.