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Is Grandfather's House worth visiting with kids?

Playroom at Grandfather's House with a large red and yellow koi kite on the green wall
Quick answer

Yes, if your children are toddlers or preschoolers and enjoy calm play. Grandfather's House is a wooden-toy playroom in an old Thai house in Na Mueang, open Fridays and Saturdays 2pm to 5pm, 200 baht per hour, no booking needed, and parents stay.

Grandfather's House: a calm wooden-toy playroom in an old Thai house

Grandfather's House is a children's playroom in an old Thai wooden house in Na Mueang, in the south of Koh Samui. The rooms are painted in bright pinks, greens and yellows, the toys are wooden, and there are plenty of books. It's calm rather than boisterous, and it's open on Fridays and Saturdays from 2pm to 5pm. It also fits neatly into a day out in the south, with temples, a waterfall and lunch along the way.

Good for

Calm play with wooden toys and books, for toddlers and preschoolers. Parents who are happy to sit and stay while their children play, and an afternoon when it's too hot or wet for the beach.

Think twice if

Your children want somewhere to crash around, or you're looking for drop-off.

What's inside

The main room has wooden doll houses, a play kitchen and small tables and chairs, with a reading nook and a shelf of books in both English and Thai. A wide set of folding doors opens onto a verandah, where parents can sit while the children play.

Playroom with a red and yellow koi kite on a green wall, a toy kitchen and wooden doll houses
The main playroom, with its koi kite, play kitchen and wooden doll houses.
Reading nook with pink carved wooden fretwork
The reading nook.
Folding doors open from the playroom onto the verandah, with a wooden doll house in front
Folding doors open onto the verandah.

How it works

Just turn up: there's no need to book, and it's 200 baht per hour. Parents stay with their children, so it's a chance to sit and settle on the verandah while they play. Shoes come off at the door, there are toilets on site, and the house has fans rather than air conditioning. There's no café, but you're more than welcome to bring your own drinks and snacks and settle in.

Grandfather's House, Na Mueang

Grandfather's House

Na Mueang
Best for calm play with wooden toys and books · Fridays and Saturdays only

A playroom in a colourful old Thai wooden house, with wooden toys and lots of books. It's calm rather than a place to crash around. Open Friday and Saturday 2 to 5pm, 200 baht per hour, no booking needed. Parents stay; it isn't drop-off. Bring your own drinks and snacks, as there's no café.

How long to stay

Two hours is a comfortable visit, and young children can stay absorbed in the toys and books the whole time.

Who it suits

When we visited, the children looked to be up to about six, and it looks best suited to toddlers and preschoolers. It's a quiet room, so it suits children who like to play with toys and books. If yours need to burn off energy, our guides to the low-key beach clubs and the indoor kids' clubs have livelier options.

About the house

The building is an old Thai wooden house with carved fretwork, kept as it was and painted in bright colours. It was set up as an artist-in-residence house by Matina Sukhahuta, co-founder of the Thai fashion brand Sretsis, and it is now run by the Mulamati team as a heritage home and recreation space.

Pink wooden door painted with flowers, with a small snack table and stools beside it
One of the house's painted doors.

Where to find it

Grandfather's House is in Na Mueang, in the south of the island, and it's on our Samui with Kids map. If you're staying in the north, it's about a 40 minute drive, and worth it.

Thatched entrance gate at Grandfather's House, hung with lanterns
The entrance gate.

Why the drive south is worth it

The south of Koh Samui feels like a different island. Around Na Mueang the roads are quiet, life is local, and the pace is slower and more tropical than the busier north. If you're staying in Bo Phut, Chaweng or Choeng Mon, it's worth giving a day of your holiday to this side, and Grandfather's House is a very good reason to go. If you're still choosing where to stay, our guide to Koh Samui hotels with a kids' club is a good place to start.

Turn it into a day out

The playroom opens at 2pm, so the morning is free for a slow drive south. If you're coming from the east coast, you'll pass the Red Temple (Wat Ratchathammaram) and the Guan Yu Shrine, and both make good places to stop on the way. Closer to the house, Na Muang Waterfall is about a 10 minute drive and Wat Khunaram, home of the mummified monk, is about 8 minutes. For lunch, Sweet Sisters Cafe is just up the road from the house, and the sea is close by too. Then settle in at Grandfather's House for the afternoon. It's only open on Fridays and Saturdays, so plan your day around those.

You'll want a car or driver for this day. You can compare car hire in Koh Samui, and our guide to getting around Koh Samui with young children covers all the options, including car seats.

Wat Khunaram is an active temple, and the monk, Luang Pho Daeng, is revered there. His body is preserved in a glass case, seated in meditation. Dress modestly, keep your voice low, and treat it as the place of worship it is.

Opening days and hours can change, so check their Instagram, @grandfather_house_samui, before you set off.

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