Bangkok with children: a practical family guide

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Bangkok is an easier city with children than its reputation suggests. It is safe, people are genuinely warm towards small children, the food is cheap and forgiving, and almost everything indoors is air conditioned. The two things that catch families out are the heat and the accommodation.

Start with where you stay

The heat means you will come back to the room in the middle of the day, every day. That changes what accommodation needs to do. A hotel room where everyone sits on one bed for three hours is a difficult afternoon. An apartment where a child naps behind a closed door while adults sit in a living room is a normal one.

The other consideration is food. Children eat at odd times and refuse things. A kitchen with a fridge, a hob and a kettle solves breakfast, snacks, bottles and the eight o'clock meltdown without a restaurant being involved.

Things to do that actually work

Mornings, outdoors

• Benjakitti Park. Boardwalks over water, wide paths for scooters, and cooler until about ten.
• Benjasiri Park next to Emporium has a playground and is a short BTS ride away.
• Lumphini Park. Larger, with pedal boats and monitor lizards, which children find far more interesting than adults expect.

Middle of the day, indoors

• The Em District malls. EmSphere, Emquartier and Emporium sit together two BTS stops from Thong Lor with indoor play, cinemas, supermarkets and every brand of nappy.
• Sea Life Bangkok at Siam Paragon, four stops away.
• Kidzania at Siam Paragon, a role play city that reliably absorbs an entire afternoon for children between four and twelve.

Afternoons and evenings

• The pool. A swim at four o'clock resets everyone. It is the single most used facility by our visiting families.
• Chao Phraya river boats. The public express boat costs a few baht and is more fun than a tour.
• Night markets. Jodd Fairs and the weekend markets are stroller unfriendly but excellent once children can walk a distance.

Practical notes

• Heat. Plan outdoors before ten and after four. Carry water everywhere. Bangkok will dehydrate a small child faster than you expect.
• Taxis and car seats. Most taxis and Grab cars have no car seat. Grab offers a family option in some areas, and a light travel seat is worth considering for a longer stay.
• Prams. Bangkok pavements are uneven and BTS lifts are not at every entrance. A compact stroller beats a large one.
• Healthcare. Samitivej Sukhumvit has a well regarded children's wing and Bumrungrad International is nearby. Both accept walk ins and international insurance.
• Food. Thai food is not all spicy. Ask for mai phet, not spicy. Rice, omelettes, grilled chicken and noodles are everywhere and universally accepted by children.
• Supplies. Villa Market and Gourmet Market carry familiar formula, snacks and nappies. You do not need to pack a month of supplies.

A workable four day rhythm

Park or market in the morning. Back to the apartment for lunch and a rest through the worst of the heat. Pool at four. One activity or an early dinner in the evening. Families who try to run a full day of sightseeing in Bangkok in April generally regret it by day two.