Thailand's biggest city is known for its temples, markets and hedonistic nightlife, but is it suitable for families? Yes, we say!
If you plan ahead and try not to be too ambitious in what you see and do each day, Bangkok will keep small travelers talking for a long time. If you travel by tk-tk or river boat, you can have a lot of fun.
If you want to get the best out of Bangkok as a family, you need to stay somewhere with a pool so you can retreat for some cooler entertainment when the sun goes down. We've put together a guide to the best things to do in Bangkok with kids.
Explore the planet's most surprising adventures with our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox.The historic sights of Bangkok are laid out in an attractive array of colors, with statues and fairy lights that make it feel like Christmas. Kid-friendly museums and theme parks dot the cityscape, and tk-tks, river ferries and river taxis make getting from A to B into a fun filled family adventure.
Kids can play on several indoor playground. If you buy a ticket online in advance, Madame Tussauds and the SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World will give you a combined ticket which will give you 35% off the normal price.
It's easy to find diapers, formula milk and familiar flavors from home in Bangkok, because the city has lots of international-style supermarkets. Should you need spare clothes or kit, the city has a lot of shopping opportunities to offer.
The air-conditioned malls are great for escaping the heat. toilet paper, soap and baby changing areas can be found in the mall loos. Thai women prefer to find a quiet spot for breastfeeding in the changing room of a department store.
If you want to escape the heat in Bangkok, you can use air-conditioned malls and hotel pools. You can take a day trip to the water park, which is accessible via a two-hour bus ride to Pattaya.
Every year on 13 April, a giant city-wide water fight spills into the streets of Bangkok as part of the Buddhist festival of Songkran.
Some of the best attractions for families in Thailand are listed here.
The cool riverside setting, its statue-filled gardens, towering prang, and giant statues of guardian demons make Wat Arun one of the best wats in Thailand. To get to the shrine, you can take the ferry across the river from Tha Tien pier.
The most famous temple in Thailand is a busy teaching monastery and the spiritual home of Thai massage. One of the world's largest Buddhas and the chance to make offerings of small change and gold leaf will be enjoyed by kids.
Go to the river when the heat builds. Marco Polos can get maximum bang for their money if they jump off the river express boat and go for a tour along the riverbank. The ferries only make fleeting stops at the piers.
Other rewarding trips by water include the klorng boats that run along Bangkok's canals, as well as river tours by long-tail boats.
The interactive exhibits cover everything from construction to culture and are fun to visit. The dinosaur detective zone is where kids can dig in the sand to find and reassemble dinosaur bones.
The open-air museum is just outside of the city and takes a 10-minute taxi ride. They were built to be explored and climbed on and were linked by bicycle paths. Kids will love going to the Ancient City as a day trip.
The introduction to the Thai people and their culture will be a hit with youngsters. There is a battle game, a room full of traditional Thai toys and a street vending cart in the museum. It keeps kids interested for a long time.
This well-designed and impressive learn-and-play center is part of a global chain designed to teach kids about the world of grown up.
A branch of the famous international wax museum is located at the Siam Discovery shopping center. Stars of Hollywood and Bollywood, pop stars and sports legends dominate the scene.
The largest and most popular park in Central Bangkok was opened to the public in 1925. There is an artificial lake surrounded by broad, well-tended lawns, wooded areas, walking paths and large resident monitor lizards. There are playground and paddleboats for young children. Cold drinks are available at park entrances and street-food vendors set up tables outside the park in the evening.
Siam Park City has more than 30 rides and is the best amusement park for kids. It has one of the largest wave pools in the world and is a great place to take your kids when the mercury climbs. The park is close to the airport on the eastern side.
Do you think there's snow? Is it in Thailand? At Dream World. There are many thrill rides, haunted mansions, castles, space exploration experiences, and a snow room with sledding at this amusement park. It is equally good for parents and children. It's out on the northern part of the city.
Kids can barter for cheap mini-Buddhas and charms at the amulet market on Th Phra Chan. Enthusiasts browsing the stalls with reference books looking for particularly valuable objects are part of the amulet trading business.
Sanam Luang Park is a great place to buy a kite and watch kite-flying contests.
The Chatuchak Weekend Market is an amazing experience for kids and adults. The fish and pet section and the stalls selling miniature models of food are essential stops for children. Even the most resilient five-year-old is likely to get upset by the crowds in the biggest bazaar in Thailand.
The National Museum has a lot to keep kids amused if they are 10 years old or older. Weapons, decorative arts, masks, traditional musical instruments and the ornate funeral chariots of past royalty are just some of the things that interest them. Inexpensive Thai snacks and meals can be found at the cafe.
One of the largest shopping centers in Asia is CentralWorld. It's enough room for an indoor ice rink, and there are plenty of places to eat and drink nearby.
If you want to see the market stalls in Thailand, you have to wander through the busy streets of Th Khao San. It can be a good place to spend a little pocket money on nifty souvenirs, and pick up some satay skewers or a paper plate of pad thai to eat on the go.
There is a colorful collection of traditional Thai dolls in this museum. You'll need to get your cab driver to call for directions if you want to play with new dolls all the time.
There are more than 400 species of fish, crustaceans and penguins in the underground aquarium. There is a see-through tunnel where sharks and schools of fish swim in front of children.
Kids can join the novice monks and Thai children at Thewet Pier as they throw food to the thousands of fish that are flapping in the air. The water will be a mass of scales and tails if it's time it's right.
You can't beat the area for accommodations. The backpacker central of Banglamphu is a bit too noisy for most families, but there are good hotels and guesthouses on nearby lanes, and along the river, which will make you feel like you're in a movie.
It's worth considering if you're close to either a Metro or Skytrain stop. There are plenty of mid-range hotels in the area, but if you want to go to the historic old quarter you'll have to take a taxi. Banglamphu and the riverside are more pedestrian friendly than other places to stay.
You don't have to leave the hotel to cool down if you choose a place with a pool and restaurant on site. There are several places to stay near the Grand Palace in Banglamphu, as well as the boutique Praya Palazzo on the west bank of the river.
It can be difficult to get around Bangkok with babies or toddlers as steps are common and the pavement is not even level. At Skytrain stations, there are elevators with room for buggies. The city's inexpensive taxis have icy air-conditioning, but with the snarling traffic, stick to short rides. You can bring your own car seat from home.
The open sides of the tk-tk bring in traffic fumes, so stick to short rides in the early morning or late afternoon. Longtail river taxis can take you to many parts of the city, and the river express boat is a great way to explore the river.
With the sun shining through much of the year, it's not a good idea to walk a long way. Bring an umbrella and mini-fans if you walk. A sling for carrying young children may be a better choice than a buggy.
Once you understand the local cuisine, you can feed children in Bangkok. Not every dish is spicy, and even the glorious street food sold city-wide needn't be off-limits if you avoid uncooked ingredients and stick to busy stalls.
Fried rice, Chinese bao buns, congee, pad thai, and fresh-grilled skewers of chicken satay and moo ping are all good options. The first time a child encounters a rambutan, they will be amazed and entertained for hours.
Western-style fast food is easy to find in the big shopping districts and most of the big malls have Asian and international food outlets where you can ease the little ones into the local cuisine.
The article was first published in June of 2021.
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