Alternative Day: "A Family Diary at the Military Museum, Strolling Through Wat Arun, Feeding Giraffes, and an Afternoon with NaRaYa's Shadows"
🌿 Memories in a NaRaYa Bag|Our Encounters with Giraffes, Ancient Temples, and Sunshine in Bangkok
Bangkok is a city that feels bustling at first glance, yet reveals a gentle rhythm in its alleys. For this short family trip, we dedicated our time to places that made the kids laugh, gave the adults photo opportunities, and added an extra NaRaYa bag to our luggage.
🛍 First Stop: NaRaYa Flagship Store — A Little Joy for Mom
📍 Location: CentralWorld Mall, G/F
🕒 Hours: 10:00–22:00
💰 Transportation: About a 5-minute walk from BTS "Chit Lom" station
NaRaYa is almost a must-buy symbol of Bangkok. From satin bags to chic canvas collections, every piece is exquisite and affordable. While the kids picked out small wallets, I quietly chose a second tote bag (because it was just too cute). The store's fragrance and music made us temporarily forget the heat outside. At checkout, the staff smiled and said, "Khop khun ka," a sound as soft as the warmth of this city.
🦒 Second Stop: Safari World — A Close Encounter with Giraffes
📍 Location: 99 Panya Indra Rd, Sam Wa Tawan Tok, Khlong Sam Wa, Bangkok
🕒 Hours: 9:00–17:00
🎟️ Tickets: Adults ~THB 1,500 / Children ~THB 1,000 (includes bus tour and shows)
🚗 Transportation: Recommended to hire a car (about a 45-minute drive from downtown)
The kids were most excited about "feeding giraffes by hand." At that moment, as carrots were handed up, the giraffes lowered their heads, extended their long tongues, and gently took the food—their eyes were so kind, as if they understood the innocence of children. Besides the giraffe area, there were sea lion shows, jungle trains, and even a bird flight show that made the kids scream with joy. This zoo felt more like an adventure park.
🛕 Third Stop: Wat Arun — A Sacred Moment in Thai Attire
📍 Location: 158 Thanon Wang Doem, Wat Arun, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok
🕒 Hours: 8:00–18:00
🎟️ Tickets: THB 100/person
👗 Thai Attire Rental: Available near the temple entrance (about THB 150–300/set, includes photos)
Standing by the Chao Phraya River, the moment we donned traditional Thai attire, even the kids suddenly became quiet. Wat Arun's white spires shimmered in the sunlight, and every photo looked like a postcard. The kids asked, "Have we become Thai people too?" At that moment, I knew the journey had transcended sightseeing and become part of a story.
🪖 Fourth Stop: Royal Thai Military Museum — A Dreamy Time for Boys
📍 Location: Phra Nakhon District, near the Grand Palace
🕒 Hours: 9:00–16:00 (Closed on Mondays)
💰 Admission: Free
This museum showcases various tanks, aircraft, and military uniforms from World War II to the present. The spacious, air-conditioned interior felt like a "hands-on history classroom" for the kids. As we explored, we told stories, and the kids used their imagination to bring these metal giants to life. One said, "Dad, is this one protecting Thailand?" I smiled and replied, "Yes, and it's also protecting our smiles today."
☕ Afternoon Relaxation Recommendation: After You Dessert Café
📍 Location: Siam Paragon, 4F
🕒 Hours: 10:00–22:00
🍰 Recommendations: Honey Toast, Thai Tea Shaved Ice
Here, we ended our adventurous day on a sweet note.
💡 Tips
Family Tips: Bring sun hats, mosquito repellent, and water bottles for Safari World.
Transportation Tips: Use Grab or hire a car for flexible itinerary adjustments.
Photo Tips: The light at Wat Arun is softest between 9–10 AM, perfect for Thai attire photos.
Shopping Tips: NaRaYa products are also available at the airport, but the most complete selection is at CentralWorld.
🌇 Conclusion
A full day of activities, from urban fashion, wildlife, ancient temples, to historical exhibits, with just the right pace. The kids said they loved the giraffes the most; I remembered the golden light on Wat Arun's white walls at sunset. This is the meaning of travel—we don't just see the scenery; we let it live in our hearts.
Spending a great day here as the varieties of animals at both Safari and Marine Parks are quite a lot. Throughout a day, visitor will be able to watch many shows with the most recommended are Sky War, Dolphin, Sealions shows and etc. However, the scenery was left with less management which should be improved.
We decided to go to the Bangkok Zoo on a whim in the morning, and found that only Ctrip could book tickets for the day. Other platforms required reservations a day in advance. Fortunately, we booked a package that included a private car. Taking a taxi in Bangkok is really troublesome. The zoo is quite far and there may not be anyone willing to pick us up. This also made me have a deeper understanding of this when I took a taxi to the Grand Palace the next day. Because of the private car, we didn’t have to worry about going back and forth, and the private car driver could also help us get tickets and drive us directly to see animals in the safari park. Later, when we went to the Marine Zoo, he was also waiting for us outside. We checked in various small animals at the Marine Zoo, including orangutans. We finished our tour around 5 pm and found him directly in the parking lot. Fortunately, he picked us up, otherwise we would be exhausted when we returned to the hotel~
Overall, the value for money is excellent. First, it's convenient. I bought my tickets through Ctrip, which allowed for free ticket exchanges. The driver also provided assistance and round-trip transportation. Second, it wasn't that hot in the car. The smell wasn't bad either. You could see more. The animals generally don't sleep in the mornings, only in the afternoons. For example, I didn't see the lions working, so I don't know where they went. Third, buying the package is even more cost-effective, as it includes the safari park, the park, and the buffet. It's very affordable. I highly recommend this package.
Bangkok Wildlife World: Wildlife consumption with clear price tags This largest wildlife park in Asia is actually a carefully designed natural theater. When the open tour bus crosses the "African grassland", zebras chew Thai grass next to the tires, and giraffes stick their heads into the car windows - the excitement brought by this man-made wonder is the value of the 1,800 baht ticket. The animal performances in the Ocean Park are the most mixed. The moment the dolphin jumps up and kisses the cheek of the tourist, the fish bucket hidden by the pool by the trainer reveals the sweet price. In the white tiger show, the beasts line up to walk on the plum blossom piles, just like workers tamed by capital. What is really moving is the free activity area of the orangutans. The arcs they swing on the tire swings barely retain the dignity of the wild. It is recommended to bring your own lunch to avoid the sky-high restaurants, and don't miss the hidden bird paradise. When the hornbill swoops down to grab the banana in your hand, when the peacock spreads its tail on the roof of the off-road vehicle, the chaotic vitality at this moment is more real than any well-choreographed performance. When night falls, Disney-like colorful lights light up in the park, and the steel cage is transformed into a fairy-tale setting in the light and shadow - this is exactly the metaphor of the entire park: we consume the domesticated wildness, and miss the real nature in the consumption.
Safari is nice to see wild animals. We chose to feed tigers. We stood in an iron cage and took them around the wild area. It was too expensive. It cost 1200 baht per person and the entrance fee was 150 per person. You need this entrance fee to feed the giraffe. It's an hour's drive from the city. The round trip fare for us to take a taxi was 300 RMB. It's not worth it. I suggest you go if you drive. Forget it if you don't have a car. I couldn't get a taxi back. The black taxi driver asked for a sky-high price.
I'm looking forward to this place before I go! Because I've always wanted to go to the wildlife park, so I came to see the mood, uh... It's hard to describe that I did see some wild animals, but at the same time I saw their pitiful side. Some cages don't have many companions. So it seems very lonely. Now I don't know if there is any improvement. But if you haven't been to a wildlife park. It's also a good experience to feed giraffes with bananas. Melon seeds are parrots and can ride elephants, which is also a good experience.
I suggest you just buy the ticket to the Ocean Kingdom. Don't bother with the wild animals on the tour bus. It's boring. In addition, you need to pay 30 baht per person for the tour bus. It's not as good as the zoo in Singapore! The animal show in the Ocean Kingdom is great. Both mother and children like it very much. It's much better than the one in Singapore. But the facilities are a bit old. It will be better if they are improved! In addition, there are a lot of Indians visiting the park!
Bangkok Wildlife Park, located at the 9th kilometer of Nanyindi Road in the northeast of Bangkok, consists of two parts: a nature reserve-based wildlife park and an ocean park featuring animal entertainment performances, covering an area of 1200 mu. Wildlife parks collect many rare wildlife from all over the world and are kept in sites that fully comply with wildlife habitats. In the herbivorous area, groups of zebras, camels, ostriches, antelopes and giraffes can be seen roaming or playing in the green forest and grassland, while waterbirds, mandarins and swans are leisurely swimming on the water. When you enter the Lion Garden, you will see an 18-acre mountain jungle. Dozens of lions lie or lie down, wander or look up. In tiger gardens, leopard gardens and bear gardens, there are many tigers, leopards and bears, some lying under the shade of trees, some soaking in ponds. There are more than 200 rare birds and animals on display in the Ocean Park. Every day, there are many interesting performances of intelligent animals, including dolphins, sea lions, birds, elephants and whale feeding performances. In addition, there are performances such as Thai folk dance, Papua New Guinea folk dance and cowboy fighting in the western United States. In the Ocean Park, there are not only many performances, but also beautiful surroundings, with beautiful flowers everywhere. The buildings in the park are full of national characteristics, as well as air-conditioned restaurants that can accommodate thousands of people.