tubulus

I enjoyed the thread about good places to go with kids in Europe, so I figured I'd start the same for non-Europe. I imagine there are others here like me - have travelled extensively in Europe, and the urge to explore beyond struck around the same time as 2 became 3. So I would ask for advice geared more towards someone like me, rather than someone who has, for example, already spent months pre-kids backpacking in rural China, for example.
Specific concerns (mostly borrowed from the other thread):
1 - Good places to eat where a baby/toddler/child would be allowed
2 - Walkability with a stroller
3 - Changing facilities
and adding, based on comments in the other thread
4 - General friendliness towards children.

Personally, I have an 8 month old, and we were thinking of doing Tokyo and Kyoto next year (around 18 months), though the extreme crowds I've heard about in Tokyo scare me (and this is coming from a New Yorker!). But I am open to any good ideas - I just want to go somewhere new and different (to me)!

Eclipsepearl

Another consideration you might want to add is the health care situation. That's been a priority for us when choosing destinations. Even the most seasoned traveler can get off-kilter dealing with a sick kid far from home. Honestly, only the most remote destinations pose a real risk.

You also might want to choose your season wisely, both for practical and safety reasons. Malaria for example, crops up at certain times. I would avoid countries suffering from the Bubonic Plague right now, for example.

I also have concerns with travel safety. I would hesitate to take my kids somewhere with dodgy road conditions, or where we could get robbed or whatever. Again, there are only a few countries where these are truly concerns.

Japan is very baby-friendly. I haven't taken my kids there but I worked trips many times and had this conversation with parents with experience taking their tots there. The only downside; strangers have been known to intervene when scolding a child in public. The Japanese believe that children should be free and be able to have fun with as few restrictions as possible. My guide book even warned parents not to scold or discipline their children in public.

I've lived in NYC and have been to Tokyo many times. Give me a Tokyo crowd any day! Don't let it bother you. The Japanese are very used to being in crowds and very disciplined. They will not run into you! It's amazing, like parting of the Red Sea or something.

The other big advantage is that kids are welcome everywhere. You can always find a restaurant open, cafe type thing where you can find something for your toddler.

Not to mention, that darned plastic food in the window. So convenient to show children and to overcome any language barriers! It hasn't caught on too well elsewhere but it's really a good idea.

If you go to Kyoto, getting to Nara is easy. Your child will love the deer!

Better stop before anyone suspects I work for the Japan Tourism Board!

fredandgingermad

I loved Hong Kong and found it very child friendly when I took my daughter when she was 20 months, we stayed out on Lantau Island as opposed to the city though and took the ferry over as needed, really appreciated having the use of the pool but the play parks in Hong Kong were much better

Odd that you should mention about getting sick etc, on our travels the only place my daughter has gotten sick is in the US But reminds me why i won't travel anywhere without decent travel insurance!

But good to hear Tokyo is kid friendly, heading there end of next month!

azepine00

Sweet bejesus - that caught me by surprise... i was expecting paying attention to outbreaks of flu or hand foot and mouth disease (which my kids did pick up in thailand) but Bubonic Plague???

In the spirit of that warning I would also caution parents against family spelunking in uranium mines and camping around bomb test sites. @:-)

BTW out of curiosity i decided to check where (aside from time travel) i can go to encounter this lovely condition and according to wikipedia it turned out that my neighborhood LA park is almost the epicenter...

stephem

tubulus
We've spent a lot of time in SE Asia, largely based on your criteria #4. It's probably the most receptive to families traveling with small children and that actually winds up helping some of the other areas where things aren't as strong.

Places like Bangkok and Saigon would rank low as places for strollers, but with a good one you can make it around ok. Even Seminyak worked out fine for evening walks.

We were welcomed to eat at tables with other families who we didnt have any common language with, scooted around lines so our kids wouldnt have to wait and just generally treated as royalty throughout Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.

6rugrats

OMG, I almost fell off the chair here laughing. My daughter's dance teacher is giving me a hateful glare through the glass.

I'm definitely going to avoid the Sary-Dzhaz gorge on our next family trip!

LesBesTes

I too have heard good recommendations about Hong Kong with kids. I'm going there in less than 3 weeks with my 5 year old, so I'll report back! The only negative I've heard is that it isn't exactly stroller friendly, but our child is obviously old enough to no longer need a stroller, so I think we've timed it right.

fredandgingermad

I had no issues with a stroller in Hong Kong and that was travelling alone with a toddler

Well past that age now though, we're going for a few days after going to Tokyo in May, 6 years after the last trip so long overdue!

Eclipsepearl

I guess there hasn't been much Bubonic Plague news in the U.S. press then?? We're closer in France and a few countries affected are ex-colonies so we have it in our news.

I was thinking about it because my husband's cousin was just down there doing some volunteer work at a hospital. He's a doctor but he has grown kids who didn't come with him.

I did have passengers who recounted getting stuck in China with her kids during that avian flu epidemic but I wouldn't get too worried over an unlikely event like that happening.

But I used to live in Hong Kong so I can recommend it. Can be hot and crowded. Be aware around water (since water is everywhere in H.K.) They don't necessarily barricade everything for safety. I doubt children will get the "royal" treatment though like they do elsewhere in Asia.

Singapore would be easy with children.

Need

At my work, (in Orange County), a few years ago, the site decided to kill all the ground squirrels because of the threat of bubonic plague and rabies. It upsets a lot of my coworkers. Some of them feed the squirrels everyday and some even bring their families on weekends to feed them.

MSPeconomist

Within Asia, I would think that Singapore and Japan would be the easiest, with Hong Kong and South Korea next.

jpatokal

Japan's tourist-friendly, but traveling with very young kids can be pretty challenging. Preschool-plus is OK though.

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Japan_with_children

LapLap

Am currently in Japan with a pre-schooler, finding it a breeze and we are travelling around extensively.

My absolutely favourite place to be with a very young child is Thailand (went to Bangkok, Cha Am and Hua Hin). I'm assuming the person who did use a stroller everywhere used taxis rather than public transport. Using the overground "subway" lines in Bangkok involves stairs, lots and lots of them. Our kid was just under two when we visited and we carried her most places in a baby carrier. It was the Thai people themselves who made visiting their country with a young child such a joy, I cannot over stress how wonderful they have been to our daughter (are being - even on our current holiday we are sporadically meeting groups of Thai travellers, for my daughter it is like coming across old friends).

I have visited Tokyo in a wheelchair, whilst heavily pregnant, and this is our second visit with a pre-schooler. Tokyo is one of the most accessible cities on the planet... but... the wheelchair routes on public transport will usually involve a lot of extra walking. You can do the "gaijin smash" and be an "ugly tourist" by ignoring the rules for not using the buggy on escalators, but the rules are that you must use the elevators or fold up your buggy before using the escalators. With some stations the elevator route to ground level is there but may be hidden in a building - easy enough to find when exiting the station but not obvious when trying to enter. Subways without any form of elevator access do still exist but they are not the norm.
Crowds are not always particularly polite or yielding inside subway stations, particularly when it comes to the entrance areas to escalators, unless it is very quiet (rare) I have to be extremely vigilant with my four year old and crowds will quickly part you from your companions. Elsewhere there are few problems.
As a pre-schooler, entrance is pretty much free for everything. If you plan to ride the bullet train I would suggest getting unreserved seats, unless your dates are particularly busy you will probably get to sit together - the carriages with reserved seating tend to be more crowded making it more difficult for your kid to get their own seat.
Our itinerary on this trip has (so far) included - Tokyo, Goshiki-numa, Aizu, Sendai, Matsushima, Gala Yuzawa snow resort. Today we are going to Kamakura, tomorrow to Matsumoto. No problems dining out or finding food, kids are welcome everywhere. Some places have child meals, usually we request a bowl and the restaurants usually have a few sets of child cutlery, we then make up a meal from our portions so that she gets to try everything.
Kids are welcome at public baths also, this is something our own child particularly enjoys, gender segregation doesn't apply to young children so she can visit with either parent (or grandfather).
As well as the well known attractions (Disneyland, Zoos, Kidzania etc... ) there are other facilities run by local district governments. Yesterday, it rained heavily throughout Japan so we visited a loca children's centre. Facilities were excellent, a sports hall, rooms with toys, a library, even story and song sessions in English, spotless toilets to a child's scale too. This was free to use (right above Shirokane Takanawa station), there is a much bigger facility between Shibuya and Omotesando stations (Children's Castle, next to the United Nations University - UNU - where a lovely farmers market is held on Saturdays). This involves a charge (about 400yen) but, at least on weekends, there is the opportunity to attend concerts by talented musicians and other events as well as the advertised facilities. Our favourite place for kids so far has been Showa Kinen Park near Tachikawa station, it's a paradise for familes. Went there twice and plan to visit again.

sitrus

I've been to Kuala Lumpur with an infant. It's a bit challenging with a stroller due to some weird curb placement with the height varying all over the place, but definitely doable. Malaysians are also very friendly towards children, like in Thailand.

Would also recommend a baby carrier for Asia though

jpatokal

Children's Castle is closing soon (April 2015), the building will be pulled down as it's not up to modern earthquake safety standards. Went there last month and it's definitely in "maintenance mode" already.