Traveling with teenagers can present challenges for everyone involved. Teenagers get bored easily and are notoriously tricky to please. Luckily, Bangkok can be a great place to visit with teenagers, with plenty of activities and attractions that will keep them entertained if you know the right places to visit. Here are 10 cool things to do in Bangkok with teenagers.
1) E-scooter Tour Through Bangkok’s “Green Lung”
Did you know there’s an island inside Bangkok? Well, sort of. Bang Krachao, also known as Bangkok’s green lung, is a man-made island and a hidden oasis offering welcome respite from the city’s skyscrapers, shopping malls and traffic jams. A half-day e-scooter tour around Bang Krachao can be an exciting way to escape the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and immerse yourself in this jungle oasis. You’ll learn about various different communities, visit a local floating market, try different foods and get some fresh air into your lungs. The tour is perfect for teenagers and adults alike, and you don’t need previous experience with an e-scooter. Learn more about the “green lung” in this blog post.
2) Donki Mall and D-Sports Stadium
Donki is a Japanese-style mall in Ekkamai, home to a wide variety of Japanese themed shops and restaurants as well as a convenience store selling Japanese imports. Here you’ll also find The D-Sports Stadium, Thailand’s first Japanese-style indoor sports and entertainment center. The venue boasts a number of fun activities suitable for all ages, including softball batting cages, a boxing rink, pool tables, badminton courts and wall climbing. The mall and stadium are open every day between 10am and 10pm. Admission to D-Sports Stadium starts from 210 baht per adult and 180 baht per child (6-17 years old).
3) Shopping at Siam Square
Located conveniently next to BTS Siam, Siam Square is an entertainment and shopping area, very popular with Thai teenagers. Small fashion boutiques, cute cafes and bubble tea shops pepper the small streets and alleys, along with every kind of restaurant. Across the road, you’ll find Siam Paragon, one of the largest shopping malls in Thailand and a well-known Bangkok landmark. Just a short walk or BTS ride away, the iconic MBK Center boasts more than 2000 stalls across 8 floors selling inexpensive fashion, shoes, bags, and electronics. MBK has a reputation for fake designer brands and other counterfeit products, although times have changed a little and now you’re more likely to find stalls selling locally-made non-branded goods.
4) Bargain Hunting at Chatuchak Weekend Market
Chatuchak Market is the largest weekend market in Bangkok, and one of the biggest outdoor markets in Asia, with more than 10,000 shops and stalls. The market is home to a wide variety of stalls selling everything under the sun including clothing, souvenirs, books, furniture, plants and even exotic pets (although please don’t buy a pet here). It really is huge and very popular: pre-pandemic, the sprawling market was said to attract almost 200,000 visitors over an average weekend. It’s also a bargain hunter’s paradise – prices displayed are usually already low so there is no need to negotiate as aggressively as you might do in other places. It’s open from 6pm to midnight on Fridays and 9am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.
5) Learn to Ski/Snowboard at Ski365, Future Park
Ski365 is an indoor snowboarding and skiing center located at Zpell, Future Park in Rangsit. You might not immediately associate snow-based activities with Bangkok, but a snowboarding or skiing lesson here can be a fun way to escape the heat for a few hours. Ski365 boasts three revolving slopes with adjustable speeds plus a small kids’ slope. Private lessons by English speaking instructors are available for children and adults, from beginners to experienced skiers. The snow simulation is quite realistic, although it can get wet, so bring a change of clothes especially if you’re a beginner. Ski365 is located about a 30-45 minutes taxi drive away from central Bangkok.
6) Night Shopping at Asiatique The Riverfront
Asiatique is a large open-air mall combining shopping, dining, activities and events, ideally located along the Chao Phraya river. With more than 1,000 boutique stalls offering clothes, accessories, souvenirs, handicrafts and more, it’s a shopper’s paradise. You can easily spend a leisurely evening here strolling around, enjoying food and drink and buying souvenirs, but there’s also lots of entertainment on offer. For a cultural experience, visit the Joe Louis puppet show, which tells the story of “Ramayana: Hanuman the Great Warrior” using Thai traditional dance and puppets. Then, take a ride on Asiatique Sky, Thailand’s tallest Ferris wheel with stunning views over Bangkok city. Asiatique is open from 4pm daily. The easiest way to get there is to take the BTS to Saphan Taxin and then jump on the free shuttle boat at the end of the pier.
7) Try an Authentic Thai Mu Kratha (Mookata)
For an altogether different type of dining experience, try a Thai mu kratha (or mookata as it’s often spelled). This is a fusion of Korean-type BBQ and Chinese hotpot, and very common across Thailand. You choose the raw ingredients and then cook them yourself on a tabletop grill. It’s usually very cheap and quite a fun thing to do together as a family. Mookata restaurants usually offer an option of either all-you-can-eat buffet or a fixed price set. In any case, it’s one of the best value meals money can buy. Restaurants can be found literally all over Bangkok; for the most authentic experience, pick a place that’s popular with locals, such as Rim Nam Mookata near Pinklao pier, Pla Thong Mookata in Ratchatewi or Best Beef Sukhumvit in On Nut.
8) Visit the Maeklong Railway Market
The Maeklong railway market is a popular fruit and vegetable market located in Samut Songkran province near Bangkok. What makes it a bit different from other markets is that it’s located by a live railway track near Mae Klong station. An actual passenger train runs right through the market several times a day and traders have to quickly pull down their awnings and move their goods out of the way. It’s an exciting photo opportunity as well as a chance to see something a little different. The best way to get here is to take a bus from Mo Chit or Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal, or by taxi.
9) Instagramming at the Unicorn Cafe
For a cuteness overload, head to the Unicorn Cafe in Sathorn. Decorated with pink hues and all things unicorn, this café serving colorful unicorn-themed cakes, pastries and drinks is the place to be for unicorn lovers everywhere. You can borrow a unicorn onesie and tuck into a unicorn cake, try a rainbow macaroon or even a plate of rainbow cheese fries. It’s unique, fun and very Instagram-worthy. The cafe is open Tuesday-Sunday from 12pm to 8pm.
10) Watch A Muay Thai Fight
For a more adrenaline-fuelled experience, head to Lumpinee Stadium or Rajadamnern Boxing stadium for a real Muay Thai experience. Muay Thai or “Thai boxing” is the national sport of Thailand. It’s the most popular sport in the country and deeply ingrained in Thai culture. Rajadamnern is the oldest and best known Muay Thai stadium in Thailand. Fights here take place every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Fights start around 6:30 pm, with ticket prices from 1,000 baht. The 5,000 seat capacity Lumpinee Stadium is also extremely popular with tourists and locals alike. Fights take place every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evening. Tickets start from 1,800 baht per adult with kids under 120 cm going free.
We have even more suggestions for cool and unusual things to do in Bangkok that teenagers will love in this blog post: 6 Unusual activities in Bangkok. Take a look!
