There is so much to discover and do in Bangkok, Thailand that you could stay for weeks and not see it all. To help you plan your own quick trip to Bangkok with kids, we have partnered with Oregon-based Meagan Wristen of Mommy Travels, who recently took her children to Bangkok for spring break.
Wat Traimit Temple | Credit: @a_Chanced_Life
Two Days in Bangkok with Kids
Going to Bangkok with kids in tow was not something I ever thought I would do, but I knew I couldn’t visit Thailand and not go to Bangkok. Despite a few friends advising me not to take my kids there, I rolled the dice and off we went. We only had two days in Bangkok, but we made sure to make the most of it and hopefully this will help you make the most of your trip to Bangkok too.
With limited time in a city, I highly recommend taking a tour. Do not waste time wandering around when you can get yourself onto a tour where you can easily see more and learn from the locals. While we were in Bangkok we did three tours: a sightseeing tour, a food tour, and a bicycling jungle tour. Thanks to these tours, we were able to see and do much more than we would have ever been able to accomplish on our own.
Bangkok Sightseeing Tour
The first tour we took was a sightseeing tour with Tuk Tuk Hop. This one is not a typical tour where they walk you around and tell you all about an area. Instead, this is more of a transportation tour. You sign up to be able to use one of their tuk tuks all day. You pick out where you want to go and they will pick you up and take you there. When you are done seeing a temple like Wat Pho, you let them know you are ready to be picked up and tell them which stop you want to go to next. Taking the Tuk Tuk Hop does not cover any of the admission to local attractions. There are several reasons I enjoyed touring Bangkok like this. First of all, I had heard some seriously shady taxi horror stories from other travel writers and I wanted to make sure I didn’t end up with that kind of story. Secondly, these Tuk Tuk Hop drivers know their way around brilliantly. Traffic in Bangkok is the worst I have ever seen in any city ever. Having drivers that can cut here and there and shave off time getting around is huge! Since there were five of us, we had to take two tuk tuks everywhere we went, but they always managed to stay close together. This made our first day in Bangkok so easy. I regretted not arranging to do it the second day as well.
Bangkok Bicycle Tour
The second tour we went on was a 15.5 mile bicycle jungle tour with Spice Roads. When I decided to visit Thailand I had it in my mind that we would go to the jungle, but when it came time to get our vaccinations before the trip I realized that maybe I did not want to go trekking through the jungle with my three kids. This bike tour I thought was the perfect fit. We got a little taste of the jungle, saw areas we would have never otherwise seen, including farms and waterways, and battled our way through Bangkok traffic on a bike. We even got to cross over the Chao Phraya River on a bicycle ferry.
Now you may be wondering how your own child might fare on this type of bike ride. My youngest child is 10 and although he struggled a little at first he was able to complete the bike ride. They take lots of breaks along the way for snacks and drinks. If we did this again, I would make sure he was on a bigger bike so he would be able to pedal less. As long as your child is a solid bike rider, this tour should be easy for them.
Bangkok Food Tour
The last tour we did was an evening food tour through Chinatown with Taste of Thailand Food Tours. This tour was in a completely different area of Bangkok that we would have never discovered on our own even though we were close by at times. Chinatown is an awesome section of town, but I never would have been brave enough to eat here without a guide. My daughter has a severe peanut allergy which prevents us from popping into markets and picking out whatever we like. Instead, I always rely on a guide. A guide knows the language and is familiar with all of the foods. They often have built relationships with many of the vendors. You and your family will have so much fun tasting food on Yaowarat Road on the tour. Be sure to not eat dinner before going on the tour, because you eat a great deal of food during the tour. In fact, we should have skipped lunch too!
Bangkok Nightlife
I cannot write about Bangkok and leave out the nightlife. Bangkok’s nightlife is famous, so plan accordingly. For me this meant I needed to get a sitter and stay at a hotel where I felt comfortable leaving my kids at. Many of the hotels offer babysitting service for a fee. We stayed at Chatrium Residence Sathon, and we were happy with it. I found the hotel right here at Travelocity!
Once you have the kids situated, head to a rooftop bar to kick off your night. There are lots of rooftop bars in Bangkok. My two favorite rooftop bars in Bangkok are Above Eleven and Moon Bar. Above Eleven is on the 33rd floor of Fraser Suites and Moon Bar is on top of the Banyan Tree hotel on the 61st floor. Keep in mind that both of these places have a dress code they enforce. Each is a great place to have a drink while enjoying amazing views of Bangkok. If you are on a budget, keep in mind that Above Eleven is cheaper than Moon Bar, but neither are cheap.
After you have had your fill of the skyline views, head somewhere to go dancing. Khao San Road is a famous party street filled with bars. You can dance in one of the clubs or just join in with the people dancing in the middle of the street. Roof Bar and Restaurant is a fun spot to hang out. You can sit and watch the live band or get up and dance. If you want to stay down on the street you can go to Lucky Beer where you can sit down and have a drink or dance out front in the street.
Meagan Wristen
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Great article. We have been to Bangkok before but we are taking our son on our next trip in September. I think the tours are a great idea and we will for sure try them to get the most out of our trip
Awesome!! You will have so much fun taking him there, but you already know that!