Where to Find Family Friendly Hotels in Bangkok

When traveling together as a family in Bangkok Thailand most parents are concerned about finding a hotel that is away from the notorious red light districts of Bangkok. That should never be a deterrent from visiting one of the fastest growing cities in Southeast Asia with a rich culture, huge variety of ethnic foods as well as plenty of family friendly hotels. And you can find these hotels in the popular neighborhoods of Siam and Pratunam.

Family Friendly Hotels in Siam

Siam is certainly one of the most well known address in Bangkok. It has the highest concentration of shopping malls for everyone in the family. For young teens they have the option of shopping to their hearts content at the hip boutiques in Siam Square and MBK mall, while the parents can explore the huge brand name stores at the Siam Paragon, the largest luxury super mall in Bangkok. For a real treat catch a movie at one of Siam Paragon's first class movie theaters with sofa style seating. Or go bowling inside on some of the best lanes. Both are extremely affordable and loads of fun.

A few of the best hotels in the area are the Pathumwam Princess hotel and Novotel Siam Square. These are 4 star hotels with easy access to the Sky Train so you can get to other parts of Bangkok easily.

Family Friendly Hotels in Pratunam

Pratunam is another neighborhood in central Bangkok far off from the red light districts. There are also lots of malls around this area too and some of them have down to earth prices and many malls for luxury items. Pratunam market for example has some of the best prices for all types of clothing because it's a wholesalers market. But if you're buying several pieces you should still bargain. While the Gaysorn department store is the complete opposite with it's heavy price tag on luxury goods.

Some of the best hotels in Pratunam is the Arnoma Hotel, located just across from the Big C department store. And directly opposite is the Centara Grand Hotel which is built right into another large mall called Central World.

One of the best hotels furthest away from Bangkok's red light districts is the Bangkok Marriott Resort & Spa. This is a hotel that has something for everyone in the family to keep them occupied. There's a huge swimming pool for the young ones and a top notch spa and massage services for the parents. It's one huge massive resort filled with the best international and traditional Thai restaurants with a view of the mighty Chao Phraya river just right outside. Though the Marriott is located across the river there are two ways to get across. One is the ferry boat service and the other is a shuttle bus to the newly opened Sky Train station. Both are very quick and efficient means for getting to the sights and attractions in Bangkok.

Visit Best Family Friendly Hotels in Bangkok for a list and reviews of even more hotels safe for families traveling to Bangkok, Thailand.

Edwin M. Clark is a business consultant who travels to Southeast Asia, specifically to Thailand for over 8 years. His experience and knowledge in the region has provided valuable information and resources for business ventures and mid range to major corporations in the travel industry.

By Edwin M Clark

Hat Yai - Growing City in the Southern Thailand

Hat Yai is one of Thailand's southernmost cities, located in the province of Songkhla. It is only 30 km from the Malaysian border. The city began as primarily a railroad hub between Thailand and Malaysia. It is one of the lesser known tourist spots in Thailand and is attractive to those who wish to 'get away from it all,' but still have the features of a city available.

The city is becoming increasingly popular among gays. There are at least 3 gay bars now and a gay sauna called GL Sauna as well. Admission is 250 baht and includes a drink.

The gay bars are within easy walking distance of each other, the most popular being the G-Men bar.

The city was a small village until the coming of the railroad in 1922 and has slowly, but surely increased in size ever since. The population is now about 160,000. The official name of the city is Ma Hat Yai. Ma Hat is the Thai word for a fruit tree relative of the popular Jackfruit. Yai means large or big.

Getting to the city and the area is no problem. There are buses, airline service, and obviously railroad service. Within Hat Yai there are plenty of mini buses, tuk-tuks, and motorcycle taxis.

Accommodations are relatively in expensive in Hat Yai as it is not a beach town or resort city. Food in Hat Yai is mostly Thai, but some of the shopping malls have restaurants that feature 'farang food' and there are a few 'farang food' restaurants. It is best to book a room via a travel agent. You will almost always get a better rate from a travel agent than booking directly through a hotel in Hat Yai.

Night life in Hat Yai includes a surprising number of bars for a small city, several of which include live music. A popular place to go is Oceana, and entertainment complex just outside of Hat Yai. There you will find a very nice open air restaurant and bar that covers two floors and is in a beautifully romantic landscaped setting, open until about 2:00am. There is a disco nearby and it seems to remain open until about 4:00am.

The Lee Garden Plaza features fast food restaurants including McDonald's, KFC, and Sizzler. There is also a modern multiplex cinema at Lee Garden.

There is not very much in the way of sightseeing in the Hat Yai vicinity, but the three most popular attractions are:

Wat Hat Yai Nai - Features a 35 meter long reclining Buddha, the third largest in the world.

Hat Yai Municipal Park - This park is quite popular among the Thais and includes an abundance of flowering plants and a very good aviary.

Ton Nga Chang Waterfall - Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Thailand. It is a 7-tiered waterfall, the most popular being the third level, known as the "Elephant Tusk" waterfall. Here the falls separate into two streams, resembling elephant tusks. You can easily hire transportation to and from the park for about 400 baht.

Many farang doing visa runs go to Hat Yai due to its close proximity to the Malaysian border. The run takes you to Dannok. From there you simply cross over the border on foot, take care of your visa renewal, and return, although there are plenty of motorcycle taxis to take you, if you wish, 20 baht each way. Mini vans are available to take you back to Hat Yai for about 60 baht, but they do not depart until they are full. The trip takes approximately 90 minutes.

To keep up with the latest info on this great city, go to http://thailandvisa.com

For all the information you need to know about Thailand Visa and Immigration issues and about living and working in Thailand, go to http://www.thailandvisa.com The Thailand Visa website is a free resource for expats living in Thailand and for travelers who want to visit the country. Michael A. Allen lives abroad and loves travel and adventure.

By Michael A. Allen