Bangkok City Guide: The Best Things To Do In Bangkok With Kids

Family travel blogger Rene Young of Together We Roam shares her top tips for a stopover in Bangkok with kids.

Gilded palaces share Bangkok’s skyline with mega malls, the traditional collides with the ultra-modern in a most frenetic pace. The wonderfully diverse capital offers myriad ways to choose your own family adventure.

Explore the magnificent Grand Palace

Allow at least half a day to explore the Grand Palace’s enormous 21-hectare grounds and stroller friendly pathways. Divided into an outer, middle and inner court there are countless temples, pavilions and royal buildings to admire. The intricately decorated pediments and statues, manicured gardens and golden spired rooftops around the grounds a marvel in its own right.

Drop lucky coins at Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha)

Wat Pho stands as one of the city’s oldest temples, just to the south of the Grand Palace complex, and is home to a impressive 45-metre long golden Reclining Buddha featuring intricate mother of pearl inlay and Buddhist Sanskrit.

Let kids run the world at KidZania Bangkok

KidZania is a unique Disneyeque concept where kids work and earn Kidzos (KidZania currency) to buy experiences. It’s capitalism for kids done in a super cute way. Kids get to ‘work’ in a variety of occupations, they can; solve crime as a police officer, hose down a smoking hotel as a fire fighter, attend to the sick and wounded at the hospital, become a flight attendant at AirAsia or attend university which entitles graduates further discounts.

Get hands on at Museum Siam, Bangkok

A short walk from Wat Pho is the Museum Siam, one of the best museums for children in Bangkok. What once was a building for the Ministry of Commerce has been transformed into a modern, bright and beautiful museum that boasts a huge range of super fun and interactive exhibits to help visitors with kids discover Thailand’s history.

Cruise along the Chao Phraya River

Snaking its way through Bangkok, the Chao Phraya River is the lifeblood of the city and taking in the views from the water is a lot of fun with the family.

Explore the canals and discover Bangkok’s best floating markets

Floating markets are a nod to the days where the river and canals (klongs) were used as main thoroughfares and connected Bangkok’s communities for trade. Long tail boats loaded with fresh produce and wares from silk art, piles of bright marigolds to fresh river caught fish were transported to central markets and sold fresh from the boat. Three of the best:

• Taling Chan floating market
• Amphawa Floating Market
• Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Watch as trains rattle through the Maeklong Railway Market (Day Trip Idea)

The Mae Klong Railway Market is most adored in our family, while it is quite spectacle witnessing a fresh seafood market positioned right on the train tracks. It’s discovering the authentic and unfiltered ‘Thainess’ that appeals. It’s as close as we got to the real Thai way of life with warm smiles from stall owners who weren’t out to sell you knock of sunglasses.

Let off some steam at BOUNCE inc Thailand

Travelling with kids does involve some give and take, swap temples and markets and let the kids loose with over 80 interconnected trampolines at BOUNCE INC Bangkok.

Shop ‘til you drop

There’s no doubt about it – Thai’s love to shop! An abundant neon-lit malls beckon. Enjoy Thai’s favourite past time and get your shopping on! There are many a clean air-conditioned corridor to stroll and shiny gravity defying escalator to ride that lead to floor upon floor of retail heaven.

Escape the city chaos at Lumpini Park – Bangkok’s oldest

Get a glimpse into Bangkok life, where your kids have a chance to play with the local kids. Partake in a tai chi or ballroom dancing lessons or check out the great big monitor lizards that amble around.

Cool off at the Pororo AquaPark (Day Trip Idea)

Newly opened in March 2018 the Pororo Aqua Park located on the 6th floor of Central Plaza Bangna is the best way to escape the heat in Bangkok with kids. A short 20-30 minute drive from central Bangkok and kids can be splashing in fountains, zipping down slides, swimming in a variety of pools or floating down a lazy river(my kids fav!)

Take in the sights, sounds and smells of Chinatown

Chinatown is one of Bangkok’s most fascinating districts, packed with restaurants, shops and cultural sights that make it a must to explore.

Cuddle kitty’s at Caturday Cat Cafe

The Caturday Cat Cafe is home to around 40 gorgeous felines which are more than happy to be cuddled and stroked while you enjoy a coffee or afternoon tea. Pay a little extra for a cat snack and watch them pounce all over you for a little cat snack.

Embrace your inner rainbow unicorn at Bangkok’s Unicorn Café

If you prefer rainbow unicorns over kittens then Bangkok’s Unicorn Café is not to be missed. Located on a corner of a nondescript side street, the Unicorn Café is fast becoming Bangkok’s Instagram institution.

Escape to SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World

SEA LIFE Bangkok Open Hours: daily at 10.00 AM and closes at 9.00 PM. Last entry is at 8pm.

When the kids are completely over Bangkok’s temples, can’t stand another shopping mall and can’t bear the look of another Pad Thai in the heat then SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World, conveniently located in the Siam Paragon Mall – is a easy, central, indoor entertainment option especially for kids.

For an incredibly comprehensive guide to Bangkok with Kids, including maps, opening times and detailed instructions on how to reach each of these attractions, plus a guide to the best shopping centres and places to eat for kids, visit the full Bangkok guide on Rene Young’s blog: Together we Roam.