Surviving Asia with your kids

Just because she had a baby doesn't mean Mumbai girl -- now NRI mom -- Kaamna Bhojwani-Dhawan neglects her wanderlust. 

When she and her husband were on a two-year posting to Sydney, Australia with a newborn baby it didn't stop the Dhawans from making the most of their location.

On the contrary, they believe early exposure to the world is great learning for young children. And it doesn't have to be harrowing for the parents.

Traveling with a nine month old to Tokyo and being unable to find baby supplies, was the beginning of an idea that developed into Momaboard, "An online social network dedicated to globetrotting with tots," Kaamna says. 

The experience continued on a visit to New Zealand when Kaamna says she “Scoured scores of ‘child-friendly’ websites to find accommodations that would meet our needs as a family, but also give us our best experiences in New Zealand. Again nothing,” she says. 

So the mother started making notes, building up a database of information and ideas from her own experiences.

Now two years old, her son has already visited 12 countries, including the United States, where they now live.

We ask Momaboard to rank four Asian cities -- Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo -- on their child-friendliness.

The parameters for gauging and grading these cities and their child-friendliness are: 

1. Getting around: Includes public or other modes of transportation, quality of road signage, and safety.

2. Things to do with kids: Museums, theme parks, zoos, aquariums and tons of open spaces all count as a plus. A cocktail bar and casino, not so much. 

3. General accessibility: Is it expensive and a pain to get to (for example, no direct flights)? Then the rating will be lower.

4. Cost: General cost of living, eating, and being.

5. Overall attitude towards kids: This is possibly the most important one. Cultures that welcome kids as part of their communities and don’t look at them as nuisances or inconveniences get higher ratings. That mindset is evident in restaurants, stores and on the streets and can make or break a parent’s experience.

Where to hang out with kids

These are the best places in each city to take your child, other than a mall.

"This is for older children (three years and above). Until then kids will marvel at pretty much anything," Kaamna says.

In Mumbai: Phoenix Mills, Juhu or Chowpatty beach (just for the experience), Marine Drive, Elephanta Caves, Nehru Science Centre, Amarsons Park, Bandstand Garden, the Breach Candy Club.

In Shanghai: Century Park, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (the largest in Asia), Xin Tian Di, TaiKang Road, boat ride over the Huangpu, Bao Da Xiang Mall for Kids.

In Tokyo: Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Disneyland, KiddyLand (Harajuku), Roppongi Hills, Hello Kitty Land (Puroland).

In Singapore: Universal Studios, Ngee Ann City (especially when a children’s exhibit is in the basement), Zoological Gardens, Vivo City, One Degree Fifteen Marina Club, Underwater World, the Science Museum, Forum Mall (especially for the separate play area -- pay a small fee to enter).

Where to feed them

In Mumbai: Moshe’s in Cuffe Parade has a little outdoor area, Le Pain Quotidien, Mainland China (both have high chairs), Basilico (has a kids menu) and Hard Rock Café (noisy so great for big groups) and the family-friendly Blue Frog Sunday brunch. 

Dosa joints work very well in Mumbai because it takes a child a good half an hour to get through a paper dosa which amounts to peace and quiet for the parents.

Soam in Babulnath is also a good option for clean, Gujarati food, for those tourists that are butter-chickened out.

In Shanghai and Tokyo: Opt for the many eateries in the main commercial areas that have pictures or menus in English. You don’t have to worry about hygiene levels as much and can get a decent meal at a reasonable price. And when in doubt, it’s fried rice for the kids.

In Singapore: Food courts and hawker centers are the best places to sample local Singaporean fare. The kids can dig into satays, dumplings, noodles and fried rice while the adults can try what Singapore is really known for: chili crab!

Also, Malaysian roti prata is a staple street food and can serve as a safe meal for kids when filled with cheese, mushroom or chicken.

For desperate times, all of the international fast food brands have a local twist. I ordered my son fried rice at Pizza Hut in Shanghai and it wasn’t half bad!

How child friendly is the local transport?

In terms of connectivity and ease of access, Singapore and Shanghai rank the highest for their buses and subway systems. Singapore inches a bit ahead because the signage is in English and the MRT is handicap-friendly, which means visibly marked elevators for you and your pram.

In Tokyo, only the larger stations have elevators (such as Shinjuku), so you have to be comfortable maneuvering your stroller on an escalator, or holding your baby in your arms (and if you’re alone, the stroller too), but at least the signs are in English.

Similarly, in Mumbai I would never attempt to catch a train or a bus with a child or without, at rush hour. It is a survival of the fittest game, that I'm sure I will not overcome.

None of these cities have mandates for car seats in taxis, which in Singapore and Shanghai can give you a minor coronary and in Tokyo and Mumbai, a full-blown heart attack.

Finally, for a traveler Tokyo is actually the toughest to get around by taxi because most corners do not have street signs. Even Google maps are built on landmarks rather than street names. I’ve heard expats in Tokyo talk about “Tokyo days” where you go from one taxi to another in search of your location and eventually end up back home unsuccessful.

In Shanghai and Tokyo if you are taking a taxi and don’t speak the local language, it’s best to print out the name of the location and show it to the driver, and don’t attempt to copy it down!

In Mumbai, you won’t have luck with a written destination but most cab drivers will understand where you need to go. Singapore is easy and they read and speak English.

Avoid public transportation in all these cities (even Singapore) at rush hour, especially if you have a baby and associated gear.

Ranking by city

On the parameters mentioned above, where 1 = very poor, 10 = excellent

Recommended list of things to pack

As your child gets older, your list of things to pack changes from a large number of necessities and a few luxury items (toys) to the other way around. At the age of two, you only need a few diapers, wipes, bibs, and an iPad.

When you are traveling with babies, the list is longer and includes:

1. Weather dependent clothing and a ton of extras.

2. Medicine for fever, colic, nasal spray, teething gel, antiseptic and baby bandages.

3. Toiletries. All-in-one wash, moisturizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, diapers, wipes, scent-free disposable bags.

4. Pram, baby carrier or harness if you have a runaway child like I do.

5. Formula or bottles you can sterilize in hot water if nursing. A few jar foods in case of emergencies, plastic bowl and spoon.

6. Two blankets. One for the car/pram and one if you don’t like what the hotel offers.

7. Entertainment such as a few books. Bath books are best, they are light and don’t spoil easily, or a favorite toy.