Mini Guide & Things To Do With Kids In Bangkok

Travelling to Thailand’s capital Bangkok, can seem like a daunting task when planning your trip, especially when travelling with kids.  We’ve put together this mini-guide to make planning your trip easier. Looking at which areas to stay in, our top travel tips and our favourite things to do with kids in Bangkok to help keep your little ones amused in the city.

Bangkok Practical Tips

ATM’s – As Bangkok is a large city you will find plenty of ATM’S around. Unfortunately, though, every withdrawal you make you get charged 150-200 baht. An extra $6-£5 on every withdrawal can quickly add up. So, to keep costs down it’s advisable to make large withdrawals or bring money in your home currency (just keep it in your hotel safe!). Thai currency exchange offices usually offer better rates than paying 200 baht so you will save yourself some money.

Hospitals – There are a few hospitals in Bangkok. The main ones being BNH Hospital, Bumrungrad International Hospital, Samitivej and Bangkok General Hospital. Upon arrival in Bangkok, or before you go, we always recommend checking which hospitals your insurance will cover you for, if they have an emergency room, how far you are and how to get there in the day or night. Bangkok traffic is horrendous, so you don’t want to be in an emergency situation and stuck in traffic. Hopefully it won’t happen to you, but our child has been to 2 hospitals and 2 doctors since we have been travelling, one of which was an emergency room situation.  We know from experience that it is better to get peace of mind before you are in that situation.

Visas – UK, US & South African citizens are given a 30-day visa upon arrival in Thailand. Ensure you have 6 months left on your passport before travel and generally an onward ticket is required.  Please check all visa requirements before you travel in case of any changes.

Sim cards & Internet – Sim cards can be purchased at the airport from one of the booths or in a 7/11 store in Bangkok where you can get a 1-month plan. Internet in Thailand is generally very fast, especially in Bangkok. Some places even have 5G!

Where to stay in Bangkok

When planning a trip to Thailand’s capital one of the first questions you will probably ask is where to stay in Bangkok. It’s a vast city with many different areas and nearly 10 million residents so hopefully our guide will help you decide on which type of hotel or accommodation to choose. From 5-star luxury, to backpacking meccas and the cheapest hotels in Bangkok, this city has it all. The area you choose is pretty important as it is not a speedy city to get around so you will want the area where you are spending most time to reflect your needs and your vibe.

The first thing to note is that there is one main road running from the centre of Bangkok and out of the city which is called Sukhumvit. As I leapt with joy after finding amazing looking accommodation on Sukhumvit for a great price, my Bangkok, expat friend kindly pointed out that the road is nearly 500km long and runs from Bangkok to the border of Cambodia.  So with this in mind just check that you are actually looking in Bangkok in your search! Off from Sukhumvit is each Soi (side road) which are numbered.  So that is a first step to knowing where you are.

I’m a massive fan of booking.com and Airbnb but in Thailand (and much of Asia), agoda.com is the way to go and what most people use at least for hotel bookings.

Now back to which area to choose.

Sukhumvit Road

The areas off Sukumvit road are where we stayed this time. The Bangkok Sky Train (BTS) runs along it and is a great and quick way to get around the parts of the city that is serves. The Soi’s in the 20’s are the best to stay in. Read more here about Soi 22. The BTS also links up to the Bangkok Airport Rail which is a good option, especially if you need to get to the airport when the traffic is bad (which is always!).

The area consists of great street food, hotels, shopping malls and cinemas, parks and kids soft play. It is also home to Bangkoks red light district – Soi Cowboy – which can be can eye opener to walk through!

We stayed in this area twice. Firstly, at Aspira Grand Regency on Soi 22. This was a really fun street to stay on. Then at an Airbnb near On Nut station.

Siam Area

This is where to stay if you like shopping & sophistication! World class hotels and restaurants, out of this world shopping malls selling everything you can think of. Complexes with cinemas, entertainment and much, much more. Siam has its own BTS stop so is easy to get to if you are staying on the BTS line.

Silom

Silom is the financial district of Bangkok making it great not only for working hard but playing hard too. Silom comes into its own at night with clubs, markets, street food and fine dining. For day time it is home to Lumpini park, museums, great for shopping and has a historical and cultural side too.

Riverside Area

Riverside is where to stay if you are looking for a more traditional Bangkok experience. Think traditional restaurants and grand hotels. You’ll be taking great pictures here at night of the lights on the river.

Khao San Road

The back-packing mecca. This is more suited to the young backpacker crowds. Come here if you want dirt cheap accommodation, shopping at the market which runs along the whole street (selling Chang beer vests aplenty) or just a big old party. Fun, food, cheap shopping and drinking are what this famous street is all about.

China Town

Stay here for great photos and culinary experiences. The mix of Thai and Chinese cultures in the food and markets are very apparent in China Town. With food, temples and narrow shopping lanes selling anything you can think of being the main appeal. Great for sitting out at night in bust street cafes on the famous Yaowarat Road.

Getting Around Bangkok

Taxis vs Grab

Grab is Thailand’s answer to Uber. It is also used in Vietnam and Bali if you are travelling around. Just get the app and put in your card details, put in your location and they’ll find you a driver as per Uber. Its pros are that you can just put your pick up and drop off locations in without having to explain them and any message you or the driver send will be directly translated into English/Thai to the other. The cons are that Bangkok traffic is so bad that you can usually wait 10 minutes or more before they get to you. Sometimes it is easier just to jump in a normal taxi.

In a taxi or a Grab, a tip is to put your destination into Google maps on your phone just so you know that they aren’t getting lost or trying to scam you by driving around. Both options are fairly cheap. Even when you are sitting in the never-ending traffic for hours it will only cost you a few quid.

BTS Sky Train

As we’ve mentioned before, the Bangkok Sky Train (BTS) is great. Fast, air conditioned, cheap. What more could you want? If you have a buggy/stroller then some stations have lifts, or you can enter them through adjoining shopping malls which have lifts.

Top tip: you can’t take food or drink on the BTS, so don’t buy any just before you get on (we kept forgetting this and had to down our drinks. Our 4-year-old had to keep reminding us!)

The BTS also links to the Bangkok Airport Line which is a good option if you don’t have too much to carry. As you can probably gather if you have read the rest of this article the traffic in Bangkok is really bad. If you are going to the airport, then leave plenty of extra time or get the train. Leaving in the middle of the night is a good option!

Things to do in Bangkok With Kids:

Where to even start. There are so many things to do in Bangkok with kids I can’t possibly list them all.  Here are some things that we got up to with our kids:

Playtime Soft Play

located at Parkland Ekamai (3rd-4th) Sukumvit 63, Sukumvit Rd. Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110.

After travelling for a month in rustic Sri Lanka (I never thought I’d say this) but I missed soft play.

Softplay is one of the easiest things to do in Bangkok with kids and this Bangkok Soft Play was the biggest and best we’d ever been to.

It was our son’s birthday the day after we arrived in Bangkok, so this was a great birthday treat. There are different areas – a huge soft play structure, a massive sand pit where a Thai lady brushes your children off with a special brush as they leave, a great baby section, a small track for electric motorbikes (costs extra), a balloon area, a play kitchen area and others. You can even book in a massage while you are there, but I felt my kids were too young to leave alone. Upon entry you get a wrist band which you use when ordering in the café or for anything you buy. This gets scanned on the way out and you pay when you leave.

This is hours of fun for kids. We could stay here all day and we went back a few times.

Top Tip

Getting there: If you are getting dropped off/collected in a Grab taxi put in 61 Ekkamai Rd, Khwaeng Khlong Tan Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand. This is the address of a coffee shop called Coffee First which is on the road.

The actual soft play is in the small shopping complex next this coffee shop so I found that drivers struggled to find it and I kept getting dropped off/collected at the wrong place.  It is also not too far to walk from Ekkamai BTS station. Once you find coffee first, go into the small shopping complex that it’s attached to and walk to the lift at the back. Here you will see a sign for the soft play which is on the 3rd floor.

Socks must be worn so take some with you or buy there.

When to go: While we were there it was half price on a Thursday. This was a huge saving for us so keep up to date with any offers they have on their website.

Other soft play and activities also in the Sukhumvit area are:

Funarium – Soft Play

https://www.funarium.co.th/

 111/1 Sukhumvit 26 Alley, แขวง วัฒนา Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120, Thailand

Thong Lo BTS and then walk or taxi

Price: Three hour pass

• 200 baht for kids up to 105cm
• 320 baht for kids 105cm and over
• 110 baht adults and over 13’s

Socks must be worn so take some with you or buy there.

Imaginia Playland – Kids Activity Centre

http://www.imaginiaplayland.com/en/

3rd Floor, 24 Sukhumvit Rd., Klongton, Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110 Emporium Shopping Mall

Phrom Pong BTS

Price: Three hour pass

• 480 baht for kids over 91cm
• 250 baht for 71-90cm
• 100 baht for under 70cm
• 200 baht parents/over 15’s

Socks must be worn so take some with you or buy there.

Children’s Discovery Museum Bangkok

Right next to Chatuchak Weekend Market you can find the children’s discovery museum.  This was slightly hit and miss for us, as some of the main things were closed for refurb when we visited such as the huge playground structure and the dinosaur bones sand pit. However, they loved the imagination play area where you can dress up and try out different jobs in the tiny purpose-built venues. They became news readers, fire service, vets, airline pilots (in a mock up aircraft), shop keepers and farmers, so they were happy for a few hours here.

Top Tips

Free to get in but insure you take your passport or a photo of the photo page with your passport number. Every entrant is required to sign in with this.

Go early to avoid the heat and the crowds.

Open every day 10-4pm

Take swimming gear as there is a splash area/fountains to run through etc. Great for cooling down on a hot Bangkok day.

Nearest BTS station is Mo Chit. Walk through Chatuchak Park and it is on the other side.

It would be advisable to combine this with a walk around Chatuchak Park and trip to Chatuchak Weekend Market.

Pororo Water Park Bangkok

Water parks and theme parks are pretty plentiful in Bangkok but can also end up costing a fortune.  We were on the lookout for a day out more in line with our budget and discovered Pororo Aqua Park which is on top of a shopping centre! We couldn’t quite imagine how this could be, but this is Bangkok and of course, yes, it was true.

It was really great and there were areas for all ages including a baby area, lazy river and some high-speed slides. Note that some of the bigger slides have height restrictions.  There are also nice areas to relax with comfortable sunbeds, a few day beds and a small outdoor food court. We spent the day here and had a great time for the money.

http://www.pororoaquapark.com

Price:

• Free – kids below 90 cm
• 280 baht kids 90-120 cm
• 400 baht adults
• 280 baht seniors 60+ with ID

You can pay extra for lockers, towels, life jackets and tubes to go down the rides on. They also sell swim nappies and other swimming accessories there.

Address & getting there:

The easiest way to get here is by taxi or go to Udomsuk BTS station

Central Plaza Bangna (6th floor)
587,589 Debaratana Rd. Bangna nuea
Bangna, Bangkok 1026

Opening:

Mon-Fri 10.30 – 19.00

Sat, Sun & Public Holidays 10.00 – 19.00

Bangkok’s Green Lung

Inexplicably nestled in the heart of Bangkok, this inner city forest is one of the cheapest and most relaxing things to do in Bangkok with kids. We found out about this hidden gem in Bangkok and were intrigued so paid it a visit. We got a taxi to the pier near Wat Klong Toey Nok and got a long tail boat across for 10 baht per person. This was an experience in itself.

A few minutes later you are on the other side and disembark where you can hire a bike for the day for around 80-100 baht.  They will also give you a map of the area. We managed to get 2 bikes with child seats attached. I will admit that I’m terrible at riding bikes and I was even more terrified with my child on the back.

The area is large, some of it quiet roads and some a park area with tarmac pathways where I felt slightly more comfortable.  The earlier you can go the better as it was sweltering when we went and so not great to be riding in the sun. There is some shade from trees in the park though and also look outs to stop at. We saw some turtles and fish swimming around and a few monitor lizards.  There is plenty of different things to do there which your map will show. As we were so hot we chose to just cycle and look at the wildlife.

If you happen to go at the weekend then you can also visit the local floating market.

Wat Arun

Depending on where you are staying we would advise you to get up and go here as early as possible.  Plan to spend the whole day in this area if you want to visit a few sites. Also budget for entrance fees which vary greatly.

Do not get scammed by tuk tuk drivers. We are normally pretty savvy travellers but when hot, tired and with two small children in tow we got off a Bangkok river boat and we were met by what we thought was a helpful street seller.  We were told that a tuk tuk driver could take us to see all of the local sites and Buddhas rather than us walking in the hot sun which sounded very appealing. He took us somewhere, not even sure where, we didn’t get to see any Buddhas. He then took us to a tailors. A very common thing in Bangkok and if you want to get money off your journey then 5 mins in a tailors might be worth it. We didn’t and wasted a lot of time looking for Buddhas that weren’t there and driving to places we didn’t want to be.

When he eventually dropped us off at the correct pier after a shouting match with us we got the boat to Wat Arun which is a pretty stunning temple on the river of Bangkok.

We really enjoyed seeing this, by then however we were too tired to see any of the other nearby sites and they were also quite expensive to enter. When visiting this area as I said, plan to go early, be clear which sites you want to visit (The Grand Palace, Giant Swing, Temple of the Emerald Budda are a few), check the entrance prices if any and don’t listen to any “kindly” tuk tuk drivers that offer to give you a grand tour of the area. You’ll only end up with less time on your hands and potentially a 3 piece suit!

Where to Eat in Bangkok

As large cities go, you can pretty much get any type of food you like in Bangkok. World cuisine in fine dining restaurants or stunning street food from little stalls, the choice is yours.

Bangkok has an amazing array of street food. You can walk along almost any street and you’ll be greeted by at least one seller if not 10 or 20. Most locals don’t really cook at home. They tend to just buy street food and take it home or eat it out.

Food Delivery in Bangkok

Want amazing street food delivered to your door in minutes that only costs a couple of quid? Sounds good to us.  If you are staying for a while sign up to an app called Food Panda. They deliver street food to your home in minutes and it’s as cheap as on the street. We used this app so much for delivery to our Airbnb while in Bangkok. That being said, heading out for some street food is one of the top things to do in Bangkok with kids.

The city is also famous for its sky bars and restaurants. While we were there we were luckily enough to fit in a date night (a what!!!) while our friends nanny babysat for us.

Speakeasy Rooftop Bar at Muse Hotel

We grabbed the opportunity with both hands and took ourselves on the BTS to the Speakeasy Rooftop Bar at Muse Hotel. A short walk from Chit Lom BTS station and 25 floors up this was a spectacular place to see Bangkok at night while drinking innovative cocktails. It wasn’t that expensive either. The average cocktail was around £6/$8 USD.

Cheap Charlie’s

We then went on to somewhere more our style. A legendary dive bar and Bangkok institution. Cheap Charlie’s has been around for years and is very famous. It recently moved location to near our Airbnb (near On Nut BTS station) so we thought we should check it out. It’s a fun street bar with an insane amount of bric-a-brack on the walls and even a train running around the bar.

Continental Hotel

Check me out but I also managed a second night out (my kind of city!) with a friend and some others while in Bangkok. The one thing about the large hotels, Sky Bars and Sky Restaurants in Bangkok is that they have fantastic deals throughout the week. If you investigate you can have an amazing dining and drinks experience for a fraction of the cost, with fab views included.

We chose the deal at the Continental Hotel a short walk from Asoke BTS station. For £25 we got free flow wine, cocktails or soft drinks. Also free flow pasta and pizza and you could choose main dishes and desserts as well. All in all it was a fab deal and if I hadn’t unfortunately had to get up at 3 am to catch a flight I may have got a bit more stuck in to the free flow!

Deals change all the time so check for any updates but there are plenty to be had all over the city.