Visiting cities in Asia with kids isn’t always easy. As the continent with the biggest population in the world, Asian cities are bustling, crowded and full-on. It can be hard to drum up the enthusiasm to stop for a city break with kids. You could always just book a transfer directly to your wonderful, exotic beach hotel.

But hold on... before you declare all Asian cities overpopulated, dirty and polluted let us show you how truly family-friendly some of them are.

Awesome Cities in Asia to Explore with Kids

Here’s our list of top Asian cities to visit with kids. We hope that our experiences will help you you decide whether to spend the minimum amount of time in these cities or to linger for a few days.

*** This list will be regularly updated as we explore more and more Asian cities with our children. Yes, both India and China are missing for now. Although we have visited many Indian and Chinese cities before we had kids, we want to make sure that the advice and tips below are authentic and only based on our actual Asia travels with kids***

Singapore with kids

Our most recent family trip was to Singapore with kids and we all loved it! There are so many free activities to keep the family entertained for a few days. Gardens by the Bay was a firm favourite, plus there is an abundance of top quality playgrounds and splash-parks dotted around the city. Don’t miss the evening light-shows at Marina Bay and Gardens by the Bay.

Big plus: The amazing abundance and quality of free children’s activities.
Not so good: Singapore is an expensive city to visit. Affordable accommodation and food can hard to find. We highly recommend eating in hawker centres and food courts. Great food at low prices. Read our post on Singapore with kids below for more great money-saving tips.

3 days in Singapore with kids: Low-cost and Family-friendly

Kuala Lumpur with kids

Kuala Lumpur may not the most obvious choice for world-class highlights, but hear me out… KL is a major international airline hub so it’s often cheaper to fly long-haul here than other cities.

There are enough activities to keep everyone entertained for a few days with unique sights like the Hindu temple at Batu Caves and the Petronas Twin Towers. If you visit Kuala Lumpur with kids you’ll find loads to do with them if you look hard enough. We’ve been living here for over eighteen months and haven’t run out of activities yet! Click through to our ultimate guide to KL with kids.

Fun Things to do in KL with Kids: Insider Tips!

Big plus: KL is a major budget airline hub offering cheap flights to almost everywhere in Asia.
Not so good: Aside from the Petronas Twin Towers the tourist sights aren’t world-famous but there is still plenty to do with kids from aquariums to canopy walkways.

If you’re visiting Malaysia, don’t just stay in the city make sure that you get away to one of the stunning islands. Check out our posts on Penang and Langkawi for more ideas.

5 Fun Things to do in Langkawi with Kids and Toddlers

What do to in Penang in 3 days: Family-Friendly Malaysia

Bangkok with kids

Bangkok with young kids can be challenging due to the cacophony of noise, smells and general chaos. That doesn’t mean don’t spend a few nights here though. With a little planning and research, you can have a lot fun even with toddlers!

The Grand Palace is a spell-binding spectacle of colour and Asian architecture, and there is plenty to do like taking a river trip or just enjoying the madness of a Tuk-Tuk trip through the city.

For tips and advice on how to have a great time in Bangkok with kids, click through to our popular post

Bangkok with Young Children; Make it memorable and NOT mayhem.

Big plus: Exotic stop-off point to explore South-East Asia especially with you’re travelling South to the Thai Islands. Explore our travel suggestions here:  Southern Thailand Itinerary: 10 days in Thailand with Kids
Not so good: Many of the sights are spread out across the city so you will need to travel. The traffic can often be heavy.

Hong Kong with kids

Hong Kong is a fantastic city to visit with kids. From taking a ride across the bay in a red-sail junk boat to visiting one of the major attraction, like Ocean Park or Disneyland.

All around Hong Kong, you’ll find a number of well-maintained playgrounds plus plenty to keep everyone occupied like fascinating museums, a cable car ride up to Victoria Peak. Our top recommendation would be to also spend a day outside of Hong Kong for a short trek across one of the many nearby tropical islands. We go into more details in our most popular post:

Amazing Hong Kong Itinerary: 4 Days in Hong Kong with Kids

Big plus: Variety of sights and activities from city museums to coastal walks.
Not so good: Space is tight in Hong Kong that means expensive accommodation and pokey hotel rooms.

Seoul with kids

Seoul. But what a city! The South Korean culture is immersive and there’s plenty for kids to do like explore temples or have fun at childrens’ museums which are outstanding in Seoul. Food is a highlight when visiting Seoul with kids, whether you are sampling a Korean BBQ or going for something more exotic. Here are our top tips for visiting Seoul with kids:

Top Tips for an Incredible Time in Seoul with a Toddler

Big plus: Seoul goes the extra mile to make children welcome
Not so good: Seoul is a long way from many of the other destinations we’ve mentioned. It is harder to add on to a South-East Asia with kids itinerary.

If you need more convincing why to fly that little bit further, check out:

Why South Korea is a Fantastic Family Travel Destination.

Feisty Feminist Museum: Not one to visit with kids but if you’re interested in women’s history plan in a visit to the excellent: Women’s Human Rights Museum in Seoul

Taipei with kids

There are moments in Taipei when you might feel like you’ve gone back in time 100 years. You don’t have to look for this experience, just wander around and see what you find. Sometimes Taipei feels Chinese, sometimes Japanese, sometimes modern, sometimes old…

Taipei is a great place to visit with kids. For two unique and extremely different child friendly activities in Taipei with kids, I recommend the Taiyuan Asian Puppet Theatre Museum and the Modern Toilet Café. For more details and fantastic ideas, read

Awesome Things to do in Taipei with Kids.

Big plus: Gateway to an incredible island with highlights like the breathtaking Taroko National Park .  Find out how to get there in our An Awesome 1 Day Road trip in Taiwan with Kids: Taipei to Hualien post.

Not so good: Fewer flight connections around Asia.

Yangon with kids

I can’t recommend Myanmar with kids highly enough. The country gave so many expected and unexpected delights and it’s certainly one of my favourite ever holidays with my children.

Yangon is beautiful in parts. The temples are on a par with Bangkok’s best and the people are incredibly welcoming. Finding places appropriate to eat with young children was surprisingly easy too.

Whilst you won’t need long to explore Yangon it’s worth the stop. Here’s our 1-day itinerary:

Yangon with kids: A 1 Day Family Travel Guide

Big plus: Myanmar with kids is an incredible adventure
Not so good: Less child-specific activities than other cities on the list. Fewer direct flight options.

A visit to Myanmar wouldn’t be complete without  these trips to:

Bagan with Kids: Incredible temples and more!

 Inle Lake with kids: 5 awesome things to do PLUS useful tips

Hanoi with kids

When we first arrived in Vietnam’s capital the hustle, bustle, noise, smells and sounds overwhelmed our children’s senses. I was shocked as I had adored this city as a twenty-something backpacker. In the post below I talk all about our experiences in Hanoi with kids:

I love Hanoi but Hanoi with toddlers left me ripping my hair out!!

But with a little planning, a lot of research and some trial and error, we worked out how to explore Hanoi in a more relaxed way with our kids. If you’re thinking about visiting definitely check out our post (it will help with kids of all ages!)

Hanoi with a Toddler: 15 Tips to make it less stressful

Big plus: The area around Hoan Kiem lake is a really pleasant place for little kids to run around and let off steam right in the heart of the city.
Not so good: The streets, especially in the Old Town are extremely busy. The pavements are open-air cafes with hot stoves, motorbikes whizz everywhere, there is noise and crossing the road is a skill.

Vietnam is a rewarding country to visit with kids. Here’s our An Awesome 21 Day Itinerary which takes you from Hanoi in the North to Ho Chi Minh city in the South. Be sure to visit our favourite spot in Vietnam: Ninh Binh with Kids: The Perfect Family Travel Destination in Vietnam and don’t miss ever-popular Hoi An: An Awesome Family-Friendly 3 Day Itinerary

That’s our wrap-up of the best Asian cities to visit with kids. We hope that it’s inspired you to visit some cities in Asia with kids. As we continue exploring, we’ll be updating this article with more urban gems that we discover.

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