South East Asian Trips

To most visitors, Thailand is best known for its ancient temples and beautiful scenery, but there are those who might want to balance their Thai experience with entertainment of a more novel, innovative kind. For those fun seekers, a growing number of world class theme parks offer all kinds of excitement for the whole family.

Many of Thailand's larger and more sophisticated parks are within easy reach of Bangkok, while others are located in popular tourist spots like Pattaya and Chiang Mai. The bigger parks, like their counterparts in the West are entire cities by themselves, combining world class water parks, amusement parks, and cultural attractions on sprawling premises of several hundred thousand square meters.

Magic land at Lat Phrao, just northeast of Bangkok's Central Plaza Hotel, is the capital's major amusement park. The complex offers a wide range of exciting rides and other amusements including haunted houses and side shows.

Similar facilities are found in the eastern suburb of Minburi at the Siam Water Park. This water theme park features an artificial sea replete with authentic waves, waterfalls, water slides, whirlpools, and other numerous water related activities.

The adjacent Safari World features a collection of African and Asian mammals, including lions, tigers, giraffes, zebras, and bears, who live in natural surroundings. The sprawling complex also contains Asia's largest aviary with over 4,000 birds

Bangkok Planetarium in Bangkok

Although focusing on space as a theme, the Bangkok Planetarium also offers a computer world and a first-class aquarium. The Planetarium itself traces the history of space travel (from Sputnik to the much more recent Mars Pathfinder) and shows crystal clear imagery representing aspects of the universe on a dome ceiling. Interactive exhibits include 'Astronomy through the ages', 'The life of stars' and 'the solar system'. As Planetariums go, this is a good one, and the exhibits are good to. A trip here will take up at least half a day so this really is somewhere to visit only if you have plenty of time on your hands.

Details - Admission to the Planetarium is Planetarium Show is 5 Baht for students and 10 Baht for adults. Shows for the general public are Tuesday to Friday at 11:00 and 14:30 and 10:00, 11:00, 13:30 and 14:30. An English version of the show is Tuesday at 10:00.

How to Reach - The Planetarium is located near the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) and getting there is very easy. The nearest BTS station is Ekkamai which is directly opposite the bus station.

Children's Discovery Museum in Bangkok

Famed for its weekend market, Chatuchak is also home to the Children's Discovery Museum. The Museum opened in 2001 with an aim of helping children learn about science, nature, culture and society. The museum features a variety of displays and exhibits focusing n a variety of areas. For example, there's a fully functioning recording studio, and children can make demo tapes of them singing songs over a backing track. There are stripped down motor vehicles which show how the internal combustion engine works. Children can also dress up in the national costumes of a variety of different countries and play drums and traditional Thai instruments. There's even a little planetarium. It's all hands on here and there's plenty for kids to do. You should though note that although many items are in English and Thai, this centre is designed for Thai children. As such, recordings, etc. are all in Thai. Probably not worth a visit in its own right, but could easily be combined with a trip to Chatuchak market if you have plenty of time on your hands.

Details - The museum is open between Tuesday and Friday from 09:00 and 17:00 and 10:00 and 18:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

How to Reach - Getting there couldn't be easier - the museum is in the northern part of Chatuchak Park and very close to the Mochit BTS station.

Dream World in Bangkok

Dream World is the absolute stuff of kids! You won't get out of here until they are exhausted... and you know how long that takes! This is a big American-style theme park with all the trimmings. Corkscrew, Bumping Cars, Swinging Viking Boat, Rollercoaster - they are all there, and more besides. My personal favourite is the Giant's House where everything is 50 times as big as it should be - very convincing and it would be an absolutely great place to have a party. The Super Splash, and White Water Rapids are water rides and please note: You will get wet! Dream World also has a full fledged go-kart track and 'Snow Land' - a display of artificial snow (although this attraction is not included in the main ticket fee). Dream World also features a live 'Hollywood Action Show' which up until recently had a dubious display of Nazi Storm Troopers successfully invading an Allied camp. Many people are glad that the current focus has changed to a SWAT team invading a criminal's den. This is well worth the trip. If you have kids (and the time) definitely take them.

Details - Located Vibhavadee - Rangsit Highway, Dream World is open daily from Open Daily 10:00 to 17:00. Admission is 450 Baht per person with children below 90 centimetres free of charge..

How to Reach - Given the distance involved, and the fact that you are probably taking a child, a taxi is recommended. Although expensive, the savings in convenience entirely outweigh the cost. Even better, a number of hotels and travel agents organise tours to Dream World. If you count up all of the costs they often work out cheaper than going yourself and are well worth considering.

The following buses will get you there
Air-conditioned bus number: 523 (from the northern bus terminal) and 538 (from Victory Monument).

It is possible to take some of the journey by train. Go to Don Muang train station departing Hualampong train station. When you arrive at Don Muang take air-conditioned bus number 538 to Dreamworld.

Siam Park (Suan Siam) in Bangkok

The closest thing you will get to the real thing around Bangkok, this theme park revolves around a man-made beach and lake. Along the American model for these sorts of thing, the lake has artificially generated waves and sand. Other attractions include a fair with merry-go-round/carousal. This is another all day event, so unless you have plenty of time of your hand, it's not worth the trip. If you do, it's almost obligatory! Details - Siam Park is located north of Bangkok. Admission for adults is 400 Baht and 300 Baht for children. Opening hours are 10:00 to 18:00 daily (09:00 19:00 at weekends).

How to Reach - Again, because of the distance involved, and the fact that you are probably taking a child, a taxi is recommended. Although expensive, the savings in convenience entirely outweigh the cost.

Even better, a number of hotels and travel agents organise tours to Siam Park. If you count up all of the costs they often work out cheaper than going yourself and are well worth considering.