bangkok downtown | travelforkids

Erawan Shrine - On the corner of a busy intersection (Ploenchit and Rachdamri Roads) is a shrine to the Hindu god Brahma and sacred elephant Erawan. (The site is ancient, the shrine is not - it was built in 1950's to appease spirits disturbed by the Hyatt hotel construction nearby). Watch as people light incense and drape marigold garlands in front of the four-headed Brahma statue (with six arms and holding a sacred book, holy water jar, lotus flower, meditation beads). There are also traditional Thai classical dance performances at the shrine.

Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World – In this aquarium, kids can experience the amazing marine life of coral reefs, seahorse kingdom, and large ocean fish. Plus touch tanks, shark feedings and underwater tunnel with sharks and stingrays gliding overhead!

Snake Farm - A "must see" with kids, the farm originally began as a program to raise and use venom from poisonous snakes to create serum. Visit the indoor and outdoor serpentarium to see poisonous snakes native to Thailand and Southeast Asia.

Snake handling show - Not to be missed is this show, where handlers bring out these huge snakes and let them run around: king cobra, common cobra, banded krait, bright green pit viper, and "good" (non-poisonous) snakes, such as snakes that eat rats in the rice paddies. At the end of the show, kids will want to have their picture taken with a python.

Lumpini Park (Lumphini Park) - This is large park with artificial lake, shaded picnic tables, trees, flowers, grass. Just hearing all the different sounds of birds, it's much more peaceful than the surrounding noisy streets, and feels cooler in the park.

Rent pedal boats , swan boats, canoes, row boats and take a turn around the lakes. Northeast of the lake is a large playground with climbing structures and swings.

Benjasiri Park (Benchasiri Park) - This is our favorite park, located right next to the Emporium and Phrom Phong Skytrain stop. It has two modern playgrounds, one toddlers less than 4 years old, the other for bigger kids with climbing structures, swings and slides, an artificial pond, lots of trees, picnic tables and benches. There's a snack bar, but you can also easily pick up sandwiches at the Emporium shopping center next door. Benjasiri just a great spot to relax in the middle of the city.

The big shopping centers in the downtown area have lots of choices for food, from sit down restaurants, to food courts and take out: Chinese, Japanese, French bistros, Italian, Thai, hamburgers, pizza, bar-b-que, noodles, ice cream, pastries and cookies, and familiar chains such as Starbucks and McDonalds. Our favorite shopping centers are the Emporium, Siam Paragon and CentralWorld, all easily accessible by the Skytrain.