I have some friends who are coming to Bangkok this Xmas season and they will be traveling to Phuket for a few days and then to Bangkok for 8 days.  They have asked me to suggest for them the best things to do in Bangkok.  They travel with 2 kids and thus are not looking for the club scene.

 

What are the places you think a first time visitor to Thailand should / must see or do in the Bangkok area?

 

I have told them The Kings Palace and Ayutthaya for sure.  Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Royal Palace, Wat Po, Wat Arun, Chinatown, Golden Mount, Ancient City (or Ancient Siam, not sure of the name), Weekend Market, Jim Thompson House, Teak Palace (entrance included with ticket for Royal Palace), Ayutthaya, The Big Swing (mainly for the kids because I found it to be a waste of time), flower market,the many temples throughout Bangkok, etc

For shopping  Weekend market, BMK, night markets, Chinatown, Indian shopping area

In addition to those sights, they should experience a boat ride up the river, a hairy tuk tuk trip and one of the boat taxis along one of the side canals.

If they are there for 8 days, they need to be having a good read through the LP guide.

River and khlong tours by boat, ice skating rink, tuk tuk rides, elephant treks in Phuket, Lumpini Park, Baiyoke Sky Tower, Bangkok Zoo, Erawan Shrine, muay Thai boxing.

All of the above plus Siam Niramit show, good entertainment for the whole family and the banquet is very good.

Aquarium in Siam Paragon

MBK for shopping for the kids

Boat dinner on the river

Boat dinner on the river

 

Chao Phraya Princess is well worth the dinner cruise

Snake farm across the Rama IV  from soi Twilight, two shows , 11 a.m. milking venom , 2.30 p.m. snake presentation with photo opportunity, save the ticket so they don't need to pay twice, kids will love it, how many of their friends will have picture big yellow python around the neck.

 

Wat Haulampong nearby with live cows.

 

Tour of canals of Thonburi  / Khlong Bangkok Noi /side with Royal Barges  museum, easily arranged by hiring boat from Tha Chang river boat stop.

 

When touring Vinamek / Teak palace / , Throne hall nearby is not to be missed.

 

Stroll through Lumpini park with high probability will result in meeting big monitor lizards, always thrill .

 

Ancient City / Muang Boran / as mentioned above, bicycles can be rented there , kids may have  a fun.

If too prissy to try street food - at least feast on fruit sold in the streets - kids may finally find out how a pineapple or a mango should taste like. Sticky rice and mango with coconut milk is something they might like too.

Samut Prakaan Crocodile Farm and Zoo ; Aquarium in Siam Paragon (als : a boat ride on the shark tank) ;

 

Taking the public boats on the klongs and on the Chao Praya river.

Just how old are the kids?  TS, give us an indication.

If they are below 10, animals seem to be the better choice - river cruise and temples are out because kids get weary easily.

 

Some of the definite things are mostly in Siam Pargaon - the Aquarium, the Omni-Theatre..yes, even to the cinema for Hunger Games or whatsoever show ...One thing to be sure, kiddy stomachs are very sensitive - no foreign food unless they are game for it .. even at my ripe old age, there are still "certain" food in the MBK food court that I avoid at all cost - I would not want a churning tummy for the rest of the day.. 

Depends on their interests: history, art, culture, architecture, weird places, animals?

 

I for example have absolutely no interest in elephants, but like reptiles and butterflies. For me snake farm and butterfly garden (Rotfai park north of Chatuchak Park) would be interesting.

 

I would advise against floating markets Damnoen Saduak and Amphawa, was there, utterly boring. Anyway I go to markets mainly for people watching, rarely by anything. Markets aimed at tourists have overpriced crap.

 

A trip from Sathorn Pier to Nonthatburi is interesting (make sure you get a seat in the shade when you enter the boat) and cheap.

 

For children, Dusit Zoo, Safari Park and Siam Park and other water parks might be interesting.

Chinatown. Always facinating.

Snake farm across the Rama IV  from soi Twilight, two shows , 11 a.m. milking venom , 2.30 p.m. snake presentation with photo opportunity, save the ticket so they don't need to pay twice, kids will love it, how many of their friends will have picture big yellow python around the neck.

 

 

It's been a while since I've visited the snake farm, but there used to be venom collection and photo ops at both shows, should memory serve. The museum has some interesting exhibits, too, and often an english-speaking docent. There are a few posts about that and other things to do/places to go if you look in the "labels" column on my blog (especially under Tourist Stuff).  The search for the snake farm turned up this link: http://khunbaobao.blogspot.com/search?q=snake+farm

It's been a while since I've visited the snake farm, but there used to be venom collection and photo ops at both shows, should memory serve. The museum has some interesting exhibits, too, and often an english-speaking docent. There are a few posts about that and other things to do/places to go if you look in the "labels" column on my blog (especially under Tourist Stuff).  The search for the snake farm turned up this link: http://khunbaobao.blogspot.com/search?q=snake+farm

When I was there last time, about 1 year ago, venom milking was done in a separate show in the building past an amphitheater .All done behind glass and no photo-op up close at that session but plenty of it in  the second session. Ticket valid on both. 

 

Kids would love it , just like you mentioned in your blog, will learn not to fear but respect snakes.

A couple of the better touristy things to do are a trip on the rice barge (along the river, then onto a longtail boat for the canals).

And possibly The Rose Garden. A huge Thai 'cultural' show with a marriage, traditional dancing, Thai boxing a bit of history etc. (everything choreographed for the tourists). Umbrella painting and an elephant show. Never seen any roses there though :-)

(This is a bit rushed in the commercial half day tours but it can be arranged privately).

Christmas will have nice weather as you know.

I saw this on You Tube.  It is a 2012 program from the Bangkok Tourist Channel and should be of interest to the OP.