Bangkok
Old City
The Old City area also includes the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Chao Phraya River, Banglamphu, written up separately.
National Museum - Here kids can get an introduction to Thai history, culture, arts, and music. First stop, the Gallery of Thai History, which has excellent dioramas from ancient peoples to Sukothai, Ayutthaya, Chakri dynasty to modern day. Our favorite - dioramas of key battles with warriors fighting on elephants!
Other galleries display puppets and khon masks with characters from the Ramayana and other Thai dramas, ensembles of musical instruments with gongs and drums, carved elephant tusks, and royal regalia, golden earrings, necklaces and bracelets worn by the king.
In a separate building, don't miss the funerary chariots. These beautifully carved, gilded, multi-tiered chariots are used in royal cremation ceremonies.
Sanam Luang - Outside the National Museum, buy kites from the vendors and go across to Sanam Luang, a huge grassy field, where kids can fly their kites.
City Pillar - Lak Muang Shrine - Lak Muang is a shrine for the city's guardian spirits, and commemorates the founding of Bangkok in 1782. In the center are two gilded pillars, surrounded by six elephant tusks; buried in the shrine is the horoscope of the city.
Around the shrine, look for classical singing or dance performances, an offering to encourage good fortune.
Saranrom Park (Royal Garden) - Worn out from the Grand Palace or Wat Pho? Nip into Saranrom Park (corner of Sanam Chai and Charoen Krung streets), with grass, benches, picnic tables, trees, flowers, it's peaceful, cool and shady. Bring your lunch like the locals and spread out on the grass, or watch families feeding fish in the artificial lake.
Museum of Siam - This is a hands-on museum with 3000 years of Thai history, from ancient Suvarnabhumi to modern Thailand. Kids can watch shadow play videos of Thai legends, learn about village life with animated dioramas of farmers planting rice and harvesting crops, play musical instruments or try out traditional Thai wooden toys.
Next to the museum is a cafe, popular with Thai school kids having lunch or a snack.
Bangkok Flower Market (Pak Klong Talad) - It's just fun for kids to wander down Chak Phet Road in the flower market, filled with masses of purple, yellow, white and orange orchids. On the south side of the street, watch flowers being made into garlands, used for offerings and celebrations. Continue walking west of Chak Phet, the market turns into vendors selling fruits and vegetables.
Easiest way to get to the flower market, get off at the Memorial Bridge Express Boat stop.
