A Family Travel Log Summary: Bangkok with Toddlers

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February 13, 2024

We recently embarked on a journey to Bangkok, Thailand, with our infants aged 0 and 2. With Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays starting on February 8th in Vietnam, and most shops closing down, we seized the opportunity for a quick 2-hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok!

Why We Chose Bangkok

A mere 1 hour and 45 minutes away by flight from Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok presented an attractive short-haul international destination. Despite the additional time for check-in and immigration, the short flight time significantly reduced the strain and luggage load on us parents, making it a preferable choice over our recent domestic trip to Hanoi, which surprisingly took longer!

You can read our blog post for our trip to Hanoi here.

Our Stay in Bangkok

We stayed at Chatrium Residence Sathon for 4 nights, opting for accommodations with a kitchen and washing machine for our relatively long stay. The residence came fully equipped with dishes and cooking utensils, allowing us to prepare breakfast in-room daily—a boon for mornings with two small children. The availability of a kids' room and a pool meant the children were well-entertained throughout our stay!

Packing for Bangkok (4 Nights and 5 Days)

Traveling with toddlers means packing essentials like diapers, changes of clothes, and milk, aiming to keep luggage to a minimum and buying necessities locally if needed.

For the 0-year-old:

Milk cubes
Insulated bottle
24 M-size pull-up diapers
4 days' worth of clothes, 3 bibs
Swimsuit
Socks (no shoes required yet)
Snacks like baby biscuits and raisins
Wet wipes
Toys

For the 2-year-old:

Lollipops (helpful for ear pressure changes during flights)
Drawing supplies
iPad
24 L-size tape diapers and 5 diaper liners
4 days' worth of clothes
Swimsuit and goggles
Toys and books
Wet wipes

Adding parents' clothes and miscellaneous items, we managed to fit everything into one checked bag.

Dining in Bangkok

We enjoyed various meals in Bangkok, from recommendations like Arno's butcher and restaurant to mall dining and local Grab deliveries—all deliciously satisfying! A personal favorite was Poo Phad Pong Curry, a crab curry that I couldn't help but devour before taking a photo.

Getting Around Bangkok

Like in Ho Chi Minh City, we used Grab for convenience, especially with a stroller in tow. Purchasing a Thai e-sim at the airport seamlessly switched our app to the local version. However, unlike Ho Chi Minh City, we found Bangkok's traffic and the availability of Grab more challenging. For those without young children, the metro might be a more convenient option.

Child-Friendly Attractions in Bangkok

Our first stop was SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World, a hit with our daughter currently obsessed with the "Baby Shark" song. Located in the basement of the Siam Paragon mall, it offered cool indoor comfort and convenient access to dining and shopping, ensuring fun for the whole family.

We also visited Safari World Bangkok, an easy 45-minute drive to the outskirts. While our daughter was more enchanted by feeding giraffes than by the lions or tigers, the joy on her face made the trip worthwhile despite the heat.

Other days were spent exploring large shopping malls and shopping at IKEA (not available in Ho Chi Minh), enjoying the residence's pool, and playing in parks, making our 4-night stay feel fresh and exciting every day.

In Conclusion

Traveling with young children can be challenging, but looking back, the difficulties fade, leaving only joyful memories. The delight on our children's faces is an unforgettable treasure, inspiring us to continue exploring and experiencing new adventures together.

We also published a vlog video here:

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