Buzzing Bangkok

Thailand, home of beautiful temples, acres of paddy fields, stunning beaches and cheap massages, a great place for a gap year but can you really get the full experience with a four year old in tow? With a bit of planning Bangkok for kids is easy! Read on to plan a trip to Bangkok, Thailand.

The Grand Palace

This is such a beautiful and spiritual place it must be on your to do list, the walls of gold and intricate illustrations will have little ones captivated whilst there is plenty for the older kids to learn. Make sure you visit the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho) just south of the Grand Palace. There are ALWAYS crowds at the Grand Palace and no aircon so make sure you take plenty of water and sunscreen. Tuk tuks are readily available outside for when everyone gets a bit too hot and it’s worth stopping for an ice cream from one of the stalls outside.

young piper quinn walking past a golden wall at the grand palace in bangkok

Khao San Road

We stopped off here on our way back from the Grand Palace, it’s a real change of cultures! The Khao San Road is just over ½ a mile of market stalls, cafes and massage parlours popular with backpackers. Be sure to take home a souvenir but make sure you barter, I let my daughter have a go and unsurprisingly she got a better deal than I could! Find yourself a good spot and stop for a cold drink and people watch for a while.

Massages

There are so many places to get a bit of pampering in Bangkok and with such amazing prices it’s difficult to resist. My daughter loved getting her nails done and her feet rubbed – remember to tell your masseur “really soft” for the kids. In most places you will be able to find chairs next to each other so you can enjoy the experience side by side.

MBK Shopping centre

If you want to plan a trip to Bangkok, make sure you schedule some time for shopping. The MBK shopping centre is either your dream or worst nightmare, floor after floor of cheap paraphernalia, it’s always busy and you should always barter, safe in the knowledge there will be exactly the same bag/pair of jeans/toy waiting to be bought a couple of shops down. If it all gets a bit much, and to be honest after an hour of looking around it did for us, there are some good places to eat and a cinema on the top floor.

girl and her dad playing a drumming arcade game at the MBK shopping centre in Bangkok for kids

Plan a trip to Bangkok for kids – Transport

My daughter fell in love with tuktuks in Bangkok and would have travelled everywhere in one if I had let her. These are fairly cheap and good at dodging the infamous Bangkok traffic. But you will spend the whole journey holding your breath waiting for the crunch. Taxis again are fairly cheap and somewhat less terrifying but again they suffer from the all day congestion. The Sky train (BTS) is clean and pretty convenient to most places you will want to visit. When you are picking your hotel it’s a good idea to check how far the walk is to your nearest station. I wouldn’t recommend walking too far with kids. It can either be stiflingly hot or pouring down. Plus the famous Bangkok smells might get a bit much for sensitive little noses

Mr Jones Orphanage Cake Shop

There are a few of these around Bangkok. We visited the one in Seen Space and it’s a great place to stop for a coffee or a milkshake. You can choose a teddy from the many available to keep you company and the cakes are delicious!

8 year old girl looking up at hanging teddy bears above a table of delicious cakes at Mr Jones Orphanage Cake Shop in Bangkok

Where to stay in Bangkok for Kids

We really really love staying at the Anantara in Sathorn. It’s a great, modern hotel in a fantastic location away from the crowds.

night view from the Lebua State Tower in Bangkok

Now you’ve decided to visit Bangkok with kids it’s worth starting to think about how you’ll get there. Read this detailed guide on traveling long haul with kids.

What are your tips to help plan a trip to Bangkok for kids? Leave them in the comments below.