Kanchanaburi

The majority of the budget accommodation in Kanchanaburi is spread out along the river on Maenam Kwai Rd and Soi Rong Heep Oil Rd. Many of the myriad places to stay offer fairly similar room types and facilities. All the spots are a short ride in a songthaew or samlor from the train and bus stations and many resorts will even pick you up if you phone ahead. If you want to be closer to the restaurant and bar scene, stay at one of the guesthouses on Maenam Kwai. Soi Rong Heep Oil has a good choice of raft houses for those seeking somewhere on the river that offers a little more quiet. The more upmarket hotels and resorts tend to be well out of town, towards the national parks, but a decent selection of resorts and boutique hotels are scattered around the periphery of town.

The best way to get the most out of Kanchanaburi is to pick up a good map and to make a visit to the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT)... you'll need the map to find them. The TAT office is located near the bus station on the main road, so if you're arriving by bus and need to pick up some information on things to see and do in the region, it's worth popping in before you head off to your accommodation. The TAT office will be able to give you a free glossy map of Kanchanaburi, though note that it only shows the town centre to the bridge. If you need a map of the larger area, pick up the PN Map, which can be bought at either the Happy bookshop just behind the bus station or at Tawan Bookshop on Saeng Chuto, opposite the River Inn. You might also find a copy at some of the shops on Maenam Kwai.

There are a quite a few private hospitals in Kanchanaburi and the government hospital is at the southern end of town.

The tourist police can be contacted any time, anywhere in Thailand by telephoning 1155. In Kanchanaburi a tourist police office is located towards the northern end of Saeng Chuto and they also have a few booths around town (though not necessarily with anyone in sight).

ATMs are just about everywhere around town. The main banks for changing travellers cheques or foreign currency can be found on Saeng Chuto just north of the bus station. The main post office is 1km south of the TAT office on Saeng Chuto.

Tawan Bookshop on Saeng Chuto, opposite the River Inn, has a good collection of local maps and guides and a couple of racks of English-language paperbacks. On Maenam Kwai there are two secondhand bookshops, but neither is particularly inspiring. Far better is the collection at the Jolly Frog.

Internet cafes around dotted around town offer reliable, high speed access and many guesthouses provide a couple of terminals in their reception areas.

Immigration Bureau: Mae Nam Mae Klong Rd (on the road over the bridge just south of Tesco Lotus). Open: Mon-Fri 8:30 - 16:30, closed weekends. http://www.immigration.go.th
Kanchanaburi Memorial Hospital 111 Mu 5 Saeng Chuto, Kanchanaburi. T: (034) 624 184-193.
Phahonphonphayuhasena (Government hospital): 572/1 Thanon Saeng Chuto, Kanchanaburi. T: (034) 622 999.
Post office 1km south of the TAT office, Saeng Chuto, Kanchanaburi. http://www.thailandpost.com
Tawan Bookshop: Saeng Chuto, opposite the River Inn, Kanchanaburi.
Thanakan Hospital: 20/20 Thanon Saeng Chuto, Kanchanaburi. T: (034) 622 366-375
Tourism Authority of Thailand Central Region 1: Saeng Chuto Road, Kanchanaburi. T: (034) 511 200; F: (034) 511 200. Open daily 08:30-16:30. http://www.tourismthailand.org
Tourist police: Saeng Chuto T: 1155; (034) 512 668. http://tourist.police.go.th