Thailand – Laos: Day 9 – Part 5 – Funarium

Continued from Thailand – Laos: Day 9 – Part 4 – The Golden Mount (Wat Saket). For pre-travel, please refer here.

Starting after exiting Wat Saket, I almost forgot the pathway leading to this main road. Guided by the OTANI store signboard in the picture above, I managed to rediscover where we stopped to take the public bus to the BTS station in Google Maps and then board the train to the Funarium.

Due to the long wait here, we were suddenly greeted by a man who could speak Malay but was not fluent. But the situation is like someone who is addicted to drugs. It can be very visible when you look into his eyes and his face looks pale. He asked if we were from Malaysia and other questions. I just answered yes and did not answer the questions very accurately. If I’m too friendly, he’ll dig up a lot of information about us. And if I’m alone without bringing my children and wife, that’s another story, I can just be friendly with him.

This is the road we traveled from Wat Saket to this bus stop.

Then, we arrived at the National Stadium BTS station (as far as I remember). I’m sorry, I’m trying to recall the memory as best I can. The station is very popular because it is located near MBK Center, Siam Discovery , Siam Square and Siam Paragon (can also stop at the Siam BTS station if you want to arrive right next to the shopping mall).

My next post is to tell you about the BTS Line in Bangkok. This is because we actually made a lot of mistakes in terms of travel planning around the city of Bangkok. For example, from OTANI earlier, we should have been able to walk 2.1km while walking around the city without having to wait for a bus for almost half an hour. Not by continuously walking for 2.1km, instead by walking and stopping or maybe hanging out for a drink at any cafe in the middle of the road.

By bus, we headed to the National Stadium BTS station. Because it is located in the Silom line, so we have to transit to the Sukhumvit Line.

Wondering about the train line in Bangkok, let’s study some BTS lines that exist first.

The red line, Airport Rail Link:

• can head directly to Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
• the train is similar to the LRT.
• connected to the Sukhumvit line (light green line) and MRT Blue line (dark blue line).
• there are no places of interest along its route.

The light green line, Sukhumvit Line:

• popular tourist route.
• trains are similar to monorail/LRT.
• can reach up to Chatuchak BTS station and then take a taxi if you want to go to Don Mueang International Airport (Airasia plane landing here).
• connected to MRT Blue line (dark blue line), Airport Rail Link (red line) and Silom line (dark green line).
• routes include:
  • Chatuchak Weekend Market
  • Victory Monument
  • MBK Center
  • Siam Square
  • Siam Paragon
  • Siam Discovery
  • Bangkok’s leading hotels and buildings
  • You can even head all the way up until Gulf of Thailand which ends at Kheka station!!

The dark green line, Silom Line:

• popular tourist route.
• trains are similar to monorail/LRT.
• collide with the Sukhumvit line (light green line) and MRT Blue line (dark blue line).
• routes include:
  • MBK Center
  • Siam Square
  • Siam Paragon
  • Siam Discovery
  • Lumpini Park
  • Silom Complex
  • Cross the Chao Phraya river (it is not recommended to ride it if you want to head to Thon Buri Railway Station which leads to Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Pathom because it is quite far).

Dark blue line, MRT Blue Line:

• popular tourist route.
• line starting from the Hua Lamphong Station (underground).
• underground type train.
• connected to the Airport Rail Link (red line).
• routes include:
  • Hua Lamphong Railway Station
  • Lumpini Park
  • Important hotels and buildings in Bangkok
  • Queen Sirikit National Convention Center
  • Benjakitti Park
  • Terminal 21 Bangkok
  • Sukhumvit
  • Central Plaza Grand Rama IX
  • Chatuchak Weekend Market

To get to the Funarium, we boarded the train on the Sukhumvit Line (light green line) from the National Stadium BTS station and stopped at the Phrom Phong BTS station. I found, along this light green strip route, there are many shopping malls for the affluent.

Our journey from OTANI then changed lanes at the National Stadium and ended at Phrom Phong BTS station.

Arriving at the last stop, we started looking for a way to head to the Funarium which is about 1.5km away. I also remember the method of piggybacking on a motorcycle tuktuk like Gojek (Indonesia) that we tried while heading to Nakhon Pathom train station.

Once off the bridge, we looked for a motorcycle tuktuk with a price of THB50/person (children are free). I rode the first motorcycle while Tatie rode the second motorcycle and Aqif sat in the middle.

A motorcycle tuktuk ride from Phrom Phong BTS station to the Funarium.

Arrived at the Funarium. All right, what’s here?

Before we embarked on this Thailand-Laos trip, it felt like it was unfair if we as adults enjoyed being ‘tourists’ but not for children like Aqif. He needs separate entertainment that is special for children. From Hatyai, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Hua Hin and Kanchanaburi, there is no place suitable for children except the usual playground.

Since we were 3 days in Bangkok, so much time and most likely, there is definitely kids play center here. Finally, the Funarium appeared on Tripadvisor.

Aqif was very happy. We give him a chance to play as much as he can. For parents like us, you can bring your children here.

We arrived here around 4.00 pm. If you want to come here, make sure to come before 6.00 pm or before 7.00 pm (on weekdays). It is open 365 days, except when there is a private booking party.

Upon entering, wow this place is huge! We hovered first outside the payment counter because I wanted to check the entrance ticket price and so on. At first, I thought that only children needed tickets because they were the only ones playing here. My thought is wrong, even adults have to pay but it costs half the price of a children’s ticket and the same method is implemented in Malaysia.

Arriving in front of the counter, a woman was wearing a hijab there. From a distance of three meters from the counter, she was already starting to smile at us. But she is not good at the Malay language and she is a Thai citizen.

Ok .. how much is it? Payment for children according to height while adults are THB130/person (MYR15). For Aqif who is less than 103cm in height, the entrance fee is only THB220 (MYR25).

Well, I shared a screenshot from their website for parents to see here. Or, to follow the latest prices, you can visit the Funarium website.

Here is a place to store shoes for all, children and adults. To play inside, children are required to wear socks and are not necessary for parents. Backpacks can be brought in including water and other foods.

As soon as he entered the entrance, Aqif immediately stumbled into a room with a lot of balls (balls pool).

Look, the equipment provided here is not the kind that lacks quality. But don’t worry, I’ve checked everything is safe for children even up to the second level where the net is provided as a fence.

As an adult, of course, I wouldn’t play in that playground. So I started wandering around here to review the condition and interior decoration of the Funarium. What is the big object hanging from the ceiling? It’s like a chandelier.

Apparently, it was a used plastic bottle of mineral water. I forgot to take a picture in the middle to see what the drawing was. Look at how big the combined size of this bottled water is. And what makes it even more creative, the bottom of this bottle is not painted but filled with colored water.

Upstairs, there are also other shops. But while we were here, I was just peeking in from downstairs and I felt that nothing was interesting up there.

This is the play area that Aqif likes the most, which is the place to ‘bathe’ with the ball.

Playground cages from a distance. We just let Aqif play alone and hang out with the new friends we met here. Maybe he didn’t realize that the new friends were Thais. Let’s be friends with international people, Aqif! Don’t be a frog under the shell who is busy hanging out with his own people even though the world is so vast. I also remembered the verse of the Qur’an which reads:

“O mankind! Verily We have created you from male and female and We have made you nations and tribes, that you may know (and be friendly with one another).” – Al-Hujeraat verse 13.

There is also a mini football field here but Aqif is not interested in playing football. Apparently follow like his father who is also not interested in football.

Then Aqif headed to the side for climbing activities.

It is a habit for boys, if they want to hang out, they must be with girls.

And come back to play balls pool and bathe balls here.

Eh, he ran somewhere else. This time he wants to try to ride a bicycle while being shrouded in the shadow of his father behind him, hehe.

Bicycle rental here is free. Just have to wait your turn at the gate as there is a limit to the number of kids that can pedal in its circuit.

Quickly ran back here when Tatie said that the ball had started to collect fully at the top. The insertion of the balls into this hole which sucks up to gather at the top is solved by the workers here.

Well, the ball is heavy … just waiting for the time to take a shower with the ball …

It’s fun to take a shower with a ball…

After being for 1.5 hours near the ball cage, we moved on to another part of the Funarium. Oh yes, I want to show you a toilet for children that is made especially for them and looks cute.

The sink is also small, especially for children. It’s funny when I look at it.

Next to the toilet, there is a play area for children aged 3 and under.

The area is quite big.

Just trying, we hung out here for a while. For parents with children under the age of 1, you can use the baby walker provided free of charge.

The facilities here are not comparable to the ball cage in the beginning.

Here there is also a balls pool. The balls pool available in the other section is suitable for older children. Here is for toddlers and babies with activities that are not too strenuous.

There is also a tent with giant lego here.

With such diligence, Aqif tried to assemble a giant lego.

All the games have been tried out by Aqif!

I stood from the location where the shoes were stored. So, you can see the dining hall from here. The children’s toilet and also the playground for those aged 3 and under are located at the far right.

We did not try the food here because we knew in the beginning that it was not halal.

It was almost 6.00 pm and we started to leave this place. Overall, we are really satisfied to be here because we can provide the best entertainment for children even if it is less than 2 hours. For the return trip and due to no chartered car, we set off on the main road to find a motorcycle tuktuk heading back to Phrom Phong BTS station.