Bangkok

Once you and your family have visited the important sites of Bangkok, it may be fun to experience the city in a different light. There’s so much to do in Bangkok that the possibilities seem endless. At the risk of overloading you with ideas, here are a few that promise to appeal to the whole family – and might just whet your appetite to return.  
                             
Visit Lumphini Park and discover animals not seen at home. While most Westerners are used to seeing birds and ducks in their city and town parks, in Lumphini Park wildlife shows kids exotic creatures that can’t be seen elsewhere. While there are plenty of birds, the park is also home to a hundred or more alligator-sized lizards, called water monitors. They are distant relatives of the Komodo dragon, the biggest and heaviest lizard on Earth. Full-grown Komodo adults can reach 3 metres (10 feet) long and weigh more than 300 pounds. Most of the lizards in Lumphini Park weigh as half as much and grow to about one metre (3.2 feet). You can’t miss them; they like to swim in the cool waters of the ponds or sunbathe on the lawn.

When you get hungry and want to eat like a local, visit the city’s plentiful food stalls. They’re found in long rows at night markets and in small clusters at busy intersections. They sell everything from steaming bowls of curry to charcoal-grilled chicken satay and oyster omelettes. And there’s plenty of food the kids will love, especially the traditional Thai dessert of mango and sticky rice. Adventurous eaters may try local Thai favourites, like crickets and crispy scorpions. For as little as $2 you can buy a filling and delicious meal while enjoying the congenial atmosphere of the streets.

When it comes to noodles, the variety seems limitless. There may be thousand of noodle vendors cooking up chicken noodles; duck noodles; egg noodles with wonton and red barbequed pork; beef and meat ball noodles; fried rice noodles; and noodles in red soybean paste with fish ball, squid and morning glory. Just to name a few.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Bangkok in the spring, you can take part in one of Thailand’s favourite celebrations – the arrival of Thai New Year, also known as the Songkran Water Festival. From April 13 to 15, Thais celebrate goodwill, love and thankfulness, using water as the means of expression. People pour water into each other’s palms as a way to wash away negative thoughts and actions. Children show their respect to elders by performing this water ceremony. The ceremony has evolved into good-natured water throwing. During Thai New Year, locals and tourists roam the streets armed with buckets of water, or wait on the side of the road with water pistols to drench friends and strangers. (Kids love it!)

So when you visit Bangkok, be sure your family takes advantage of all the activities this exhilarating city has to offer – including its hidden treasures.