Top Attractions To Visit In Bangkok With Children

1. Science Center for Education

1/3 Robotics Lab

2/3 Science Center

3/3 Marine specimens

Science Center for Education is centrally located on Sukhumvit Road, within walking distance of the Ekamai BTS station exit 2. The center is spread across a sprawling complex that includes the planetarium, a building that houses the exhibits, and several other official buildings. The show at the planetarium runs for approximately one hour with an English language show only available at 10am on Tuesday.

While my children did not enjoy the planetarium as much, they loved the interactive exhibits in Building 4. The exhibits are spread across several floors and cover topics such as space, force, and energy. There are several sections where children can even apply the concepts of physics, such as at the Robotics Lab. The building also includes an interesting rock collection with some fossils.

Science Center for Education

Address: 928 Sukhumvit Road, Phra Khanong, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Website: Science Center for Education

Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 9am - 4pm (closed on Mon)

Price: Separate tickets of 30 THB (.88 USD) for children and 50 THB (1.46 USD) for adults for the planetarium and exhibits

2. Siam Serpentarium

1/2 Snake maze

2/2 Entering the exhibits from the mouth of a snake

At some point, all children are fascinated by reptiles, especially slithering snakes. If you have a child going through that phase, they will love Siam Serpentarium. A colorful snake maze playground welcomes visitors into the complex. It is an educational space, where children and adults alike can learn more about snakes. Visitors enter the exhibit space through the mouth of a snake, and the entire space has been designed to reflect the inside of one.

When we purchased tickets, we were assigned an English-speaking guide, who was well informed and guided us through the space, answering the countless questions the boys had for him. The tour ends at the souvenir shop, where you can buy snake rings and a variety of other animal-themed gifts.

Siam Serpentarium

Address: 969 Luang Phaeng Rd, Thap Yao, Lat Krabang, Bangkok 10520, Thailand

Website: Siam Serpentariumn

Opening hours: 10am - 4pm (daily)

3. SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World

1/2 Near a smaller aquarium

2/2 Fascinated by all the fish

Located in the basement of the mega Siam Paragon Mall, this is one of the most popular attractions in Bangkok. I think it took us over an hour to walk around the aquarium since my kids stopped multiple times to gaze at the variety of sea horses and tried to identify the various fish swimming about. The best part for them was when we walked through the tunnel and they could see hammerhead sharks swimming overhead.

Unfortunately, there was no ongoing feeding during the time we visited, but in case it is something you might be interested in, the timings are available on the website. It is also possible to ride on a glass-bottomed boat and swim with the sharks.

The aquarium also includes a frigid zone with penguins and a rainforest zone, where children can learn more about its plant and animal life. In case the kids get tired of walking, there is a small area with tables, along with snacks and drinks within Ocean World.

SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World

Address: Siam Paragon 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Website: SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World

Opening hours: 10am - 8pm (daily)

Price: Different prices for Thais and foreigners. Various packages are also available.

4. Madame Tussauds

1/3 Wax statue of President Obama

2/3 Playing golf with Tiger Woods

3/3 Standing with Vin Diesel

I purchased the tickets to Madame Tussauds as part of a package with tickets to Ocean World available for Thai nationals. So, it ended up costing me around 50 THB (1.46 USD) per person. I would recommend purchasing tickets for the aquarium and museum together since they turn out to be cheaper. There is no need to rush through the attractions since there is a seven-day window to visit the second one.

All the kids at Madame Tussauds seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the interactive elements such as taking a seat next to President Obama or scoring penalties next to the statue of Beckham. Indian visitors will enjoy the Indian section of the museum, which includes an award show set-up where one can dance with roaring cheers.

The wax museum is on the top floor of Siam Discovery, which is located on the Siam BTS station Sukhumvit line. Siam Discovery is connected to Siam Paragon and Siam Center malls, which are also on the same BTS line.

Madame Tussauds

Address: Siam Discovery, 989 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Website: Madame Tussauds

Opening hours: 10am - 7pm (daily)

Price: Different prices for Thais and foreigners.

5. Themed cafes

1/5 Cockpit at 747 Cafe

2/5 Posing with the aircraft

3/5 Sustainable huts

4/5 Drinks on the main level of 747 Cafe

5/5 Train ride at Na Pathum Cafe

Sometimes, it might be difficult to get kids to try new foods or eat well while on a holiday. Themed cafes help make meal times interesting for kids. We visited a few during our recent trip to Bangkok, but especially loved 747 Cafe, which is inside a decommissioned Boeing 747. While the interiors have been renovated, the original cockpit has been retained and guests are welcome to pretend-fly the aircraft.

Each passenger purchases a ticket and is handed a boarding pass, which can be redeemed for a drink. The staff are dressed as flight attendants to provide a complete experience of boarding an aircraft. While the cafe itself only offers drinks and snacks, there are three additional restaurants on-site.

Another interesting cafe was Na Pathum Cafe, which is located in the suburb of Rangsit. The cafe is located on a rice farm, with sustainably crafted bamboo huts where each party dines. For the little ones, there is a mini train that takes them around the farm for a ride. The cafe serves delicious and authentic Thai food and offers impeccable and fast service. The cafe is very Instagrammabale with several stunning natural backdrops.

747 Cafe

Address: 627 1 Luang Phaeng Rd, Thap Yao, Lat Krabang, Bangkok 10520, Thailand

Opening hours: 9am - 6pm (daily)

Na Pathum Cafe

Address: Frontage Rd, Ban Klang, Mueang Pathum Thani District, Pathum Thani 12000, Thailand

Opening hours: Wed - Mon: 10am - 7pm (closed on Tue)

6. Mae Klong Railway Market

1/3 Train station

2/3 Train door

3/3 Empty market lane after the train's departure

My kids had seen so many videos of this outdoor market that we had to visit it. This unique market is also known as the train market because a train passes through multiple times a day. The shop owners lower their awnings and pull in their goods, and the train crosses without any damage. Mae Klong Railway Market is located 81 km (50.33 mi) from Bangkok and makes for an excellent day trip from the capital. The train station is at the end of the market, and the train arrives three times daily 8:30am, 11:15am, and 2:30pm. We arrived just in time to see the train arrive at 11:15am and watched it leave again 15 minutes later.

It is best to be here a few minutes before the train arrives to secure a prime viewing spot because it gets extremely crowded. There is a warning bell that sounds, and local police ensure everyone is at a safe distance before the train arrives at the platform. Since we arrived just a few minutes before the train was due, we could not find a spot inside the market. But we did manage one right outside the station.

The market gets eerily empty as soon as the train departs, but that also means you can pick up some souvenirs and grab a bite to eat without the crowds.

Mae Klong Railway Market

Opening hours: 7am - 5pm (daily)

Price: Free

7. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

1/4 Floating market

2/4 Vintage Coca-Cola items for sale

3/4 Coconut ice cream served in a coconut

4/4 Ready for the floating market

Floating markets are a concept unique to Thailand, so I would recommend a visit here, even though it is approximately 100 km (62.14 mi) from Bangkok. It is best to visit Mae Klong Railway Market and the floating market on the same day, as they are only a 20-minute drive from each other.

While it is technically free to enter the market and walk to some of the stalls, visitors need to pay for a row boat or a motor boat to see the market in its entirety. Charges vary for foreigners and Thai nationals. They also depend on your ability to negotiate. We managed to snag a row boat for 500 THB (14.6 USD).

The boat navigates along the narrow canals, which are lined with shops on either side. You can request to stop if something catches your eye. We purchased coconut ice cream and iced teas from a floating shop for our ride through the market. The kids were fascinated by the experience since it was their first time in a floating market. Our visit ended with picking hand-crafted colored pencils and dragons.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Address: Damnoen Saduak, Damnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi 70130, Thailand

Opening hours: 8am - 4pm (daily)

Price: Free. Various charges for paddle boats and motor boats.

8. Yo Yo Land

1/2 Dinosaur bone digging

2/2 Slow boat at Yo Yo Land

This indoor theme park at Seacon Square is perfect for kids and pre-teens who have not yet transitioned to adult rides at outdoor theme parks. It includes all the popular attractions of a traditional theme park, such as drop rides and pirate ships, but on a smaller scale. Additionally, it includes two play zones and a dinosaur dig site.

The tickets are valid for the whole day and as long as you have your wrist band you can re-enter as many times as you want. One-time tickets are also available for parents who might want to ride with their kids. This was hands down the favorite place for the kids and we spent around five hours there including lunch. We visited on a weekday and there was already quite a bit of a crowd. Weekends are sure to be more packed with long waiting times for the rides.

Yo Yo Land

Address: Seacon Square, Srinakarin Rd, Nong Bon, Prawet, Bangkok 10250, Thailand

Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 11am - 7pm; Mon - Fri: 12pm - 6pm

9. Shopping malls

1/3 Samurai on the Tokyo floor

2/3 Obstacle course at Mega Bangna

3/3 Loving the installations outside Siam Paragon

Thai shopping malls are designed to be interactive spaces with ever-changing installations, expos, and sales. Some of the biggest malls line the main Sukhumvit Road and can be reached via the BTS Skytrain. But there are many more if you travel further away from the tourist trail, such as Mega Bangna, Paradise Park, and Seacon Square. Children might find shopping boring, but the malls will entertain them.

My kids loved the outdoor space and the fountains between Siam Paragon and Siam Center, the massive outdoor obstacle play area at Mega Bangna, and the city-themed floors of Terminal 21. The high-tech toilets on the Tokyo floor of Terminal 21 were one of their favorite attractions on the trip.

10. Night markets

1/3 Jodd Fair

2/3 Ready to shop

3/3 Food stalls at Jodd Fair

The scale and the sheer number of night markets in Bangkok are unmatched. These are not just places for tourists, but popular with locals as well, who stop here for dinner and even to get manicures. We visited Srinagarindra Train Night Market and JODD FAIRS Rama 9 this time, and my kids were ready to go back for round two.

The markets are well organized with paved lanes and sell everything from Red Bull t-shirts to customized ice creams. As far as I remember, all our night market shopping involved food. The kids tried mini ice cream cones, fresh fruit shakes, wood-fired pizza, and even some crunchy bugs. The markets are a great place to purchase Japanese and Korean-inspired fashion, hand-made soaps, and even aromatherapy kits to take back home.

One visit to Bangkok is never enough

Bangkok might be popular for its nightlife, but it is extremely welcoming to families as well. There were plenty of fun and educational attractions that had my kids asking for a return trip to the Thai capital. Look no further than these top attractions to visit in Bangkok with children when on a family vacation to Thailand.