Things to do in Kanchanaburi

Death Railway Bridge

The main drawcard for visitors to the Death Railway Bridge is its notoriety thanks to the popular book by Pierre Boulle and subsequent US movie, The Bridge Over the River Kwai. Many are actualy a tad disappointed by their visit, as the bridge is not really that spectacular to look at. Even so, it's the centre of tourism in Kanchanaburi, and you'll see its simple iron arches painted on walls and samlors all around town.

The original iron bridge was brought from Java by Japanese armed forces during World War II and reassembled by POW labour a few kilometres to the north of Kanchanaburi town over the Kwai Yai River. It consisted of 11 steel spans, with the remainder made of wood. Three of the spans were destroyed by Allied bombing and, after the end of the war in 1945, were replaced with two angular steel spans. The wooden spans were also replaced by steel.

The bridge formed a part of the Death Railway, which was planned to link Burma and Thailand by rail to form a vital supply route for the Japanese. The length of the Death Railway to the Burma Base Camp is 415km, with 294km in Thailand. Sixty thousand men were forced to build it in atrocious conditions between October 1942 and October 1943. The labourers included Allied POWs, Indians, Burmese, Malaysians, Indonesians, Chinese and Thais.

At the end of the war, 4km of track on the Thai-Burma border was dismantled. The State Railway of Thailand was handed the Thai section and ordered to dismantle it as far back as Nam Tok by the Thai government. Recently, mindful of the value of the area for tourism, the rebuilding of the railway line has begun.

Today, the bridge serves as the focus of Kanchanaburi's tourism industry. Perhaps because of the bridge's lack of visual drama, most people seem unsure of how to actually appreciate it. Tourists dutifully march out onto the bridge and back, accosted the whole time by postcard and T-shirt sellers. People hire longtail boats to zip them under it. And several times a day, a tiny tram waddles out over the bridge, giving people a highly manufactured 'Bridge over the River Kwai' experience. However, since the bridge is still in use today, the best way to experience it may be to take a train journey across it. Trains use it several times a day heading northwest towards Nam Tok.

A sound and light display is held at the bridge every year in late November or early December, during which a voice over in Thai, with English translation available, narrates the bridge history. Although a little bizarre, the fireworks are very impressive and this is well worth seeing. It's a very popular event, so if you want good seats, buy tickets at least a few hours before the show.

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Crosses the river at the northern end of town
Opening Hours: Daily
How to get there: The bridge is at the northern end of town, about a 20-minute walk from centre.

JEATH War Museum

Set in a bamboo replica of the longhouses where Allied POWs during WWII were forced to stay, the JEATH (Japan, England, Australia, America, Thailand and Holland) Museum contains a moving photo and art collection displaying the atrocious conditions under which the POWs existed. A small collection of other paraphernalia is also displayed.

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Chaichumphon Road
Opening Hours: Daily 08:30-18:00
How to get there: The museum is located on the river just south of the town centre, within walking distance of most riverside guesthouses.

World War II Museum

Museum, art gallery, family shrine and much more! This bizarre museum is worth spending a few hours exploring to make sense of all the strange historical interpretations. All manner of objects, from guns and swords to Buddha amulets and human remains, are on display. Next door a smaller building contains a disorganised photo display focusing on death, destruction and depravity. Out the front are all the major war leaders with intriguing histories written next to them. The view from the roof offers a good vantage point to see the River Kwai Bridge.

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By the bridge
Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-18:00
How to get there: The museum is just to the south of the Death Railway Bridge.

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

The laying of the Death Railway was a notoriously difficult undertaking, and an estimated 16,000 POWs and more than 49,000 forced labourers died during its construction. On Saeng Chuto Rd, nearly opposite the train station, you can visit the remains of 6,982 Allied POWs who died during the construction of the Death Railway. The well-kept cemetery has a reverential atmosphere, emphasised by the uniformed veterans who occasionally stroll among the graves.

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Saeng Chuto Road
Opening Hours: Daily dawn to dusk

Chinese Cemetery

Located beside the war cemetery is a large Chinese cemetery. Though it's almost always deserted, it is an interesting contrast to the immaculately kept Allied graveyard next door.

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Saeng Chuto Road

Chung-Kai War Cemetery

Around 2km to the south of town on the far bank of the Kwai Noi River, this cemetery occupies the former site of Chung-Kai POW camp. Some 1,750 POWs are buried here, most of whom died in the hospital. The cemetery is at the original site of the base camp hospital and a church that was built by the POWs.

About 12,000 people are buried around Kanchanaburi in various cemeteries. A total of 61,000 Allied prisoners were transferred to Kanchanaburi from various camps in the region. All of these prisoners have been accounted for, but many visitors do not realise that tens of thousands of Malays, Chinese, Tamil and Burmese also died. The exact number of their dead is not known.

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Opening Hours: Daily dawn to dusk
How to get there: The cemetery is a few kilometres out of town so is best reached by tuk tuk or samlor.

Japanese War Memorial

This small memorial is on the Kwai Yai River near the WWII museum. An annual service is held here in remembrance of those who died.

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Near the WWII museum
Opening Hours: Daily

Wat Tham Mongkon Thong

The Cave Temple of the Floating Dragon has no floating dragon, but does have a resident floating nun. A string of about half a dozen floating nuns have served time here -- a few still live here and can be seen walking (not floating) around the compound.

Although performed in front of Nikon-wielding devotees, the performance is worth seeing as the nun really does seem to float on top of the water while assuming various yoga positions. Sceptics have been known to taste the water (it is not salty) or even jump in, but they can't match the nun's buoyancy. After the show, the nun will bless and massage anyone with an illness or injury.

A small museum near the nun's floating arena displays a handful of artefacts found in the surrounding area.

Back from the museum, a long stairway leads up to a cave temple where you can crawl from one cavern to another, eventually ending up near the hill's summit.

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A couple of km out of town
How to get there: Get a tuk tuk or samlor to bring you out here as the temple is not sign-posted in English and is very easy to miss.

Wat Thum Khao Poon

This wat is built near eight caves that you can wander through when the monks are not using them as meditation rooms. They feature both stalactites and stalagmites but many have been broken so tourists won't hurt themselves.

Various formations in the caves have been said to resemble either a crocodile, an elephant or a tooth. One section of the cave is only reached through a tunnel that you need to crawl through, so dress accordingly. Perhaps the most impressive time to visit the caves is at dusk, when thousands of bats emerge to go hunting.

Upon exiting the cave take the path leading left after the Chinese temple to a large outdoor sitting Buddha that cheerfully observes the pleasant view of the river and mountains. If you take the small path past the souvenir sellers you will come out at the Death Railway train track, near a section where the POWs had to blast through a rock hill.


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A few km out of town
How to get there: To reach Wat Thum Khao Poon get a tuk tuk or samlor as it's a bit out of town.

Organised trips

Every man and his dog runs a tour company or at least acts as a middleman for one in Kanchanaburi, and although travelling around in the back of a songthaew with a dozen other travellers may not be the most exciting way to explore the province, it is certainly the cheapest.

These trips, as unimaginative as they are, are often excellent value. The only disappointing fact is that in a province with such a great wealth of national parks and attractions, the choice of tours available is limited. Three general-purpose tours are pretty much on offer everywhere -- little differentiates the individual operators so go with a personal recommendation if you have one.

Half-day tour
This is generally a boat trip and a waterfall visit, and compared to the full-day tours is poor value. Nevertheless if you are in a hurry, it's worth considering one.

One-day tour
This tends to cram in all the highlights of the province and is a long day. Expect to see Erawan or Sai Yok Waterfall, Krasae Cave and a view of the Death Railway, with the option of visiting Hellfire Pass Museum or taking an elephant ride and bamboo-rafting trip. We strongly suggest selecting the museum over the pachyderm. Some operators include a ride on the train, while others will just take you to the viaduct where you can walk along the tracks. If you do want to ride on the train (recommended), be sure to specify that to the operator. The tours cost 600B-900B, including national park fees.

Multiple-day tours
The three-day, two-night trekking tour is definitely the most popular longer trip available. Expect to see Erawan, Three Pagodas Pass, the Mon village at Sangkhlaburi and the sunken town. Some jungle trekking will typically be offered along with rafting and elephant riding. These trips go for around 2,000B-3,000B per person depending on the size of the group and should include all transport, food and lodging. They are quite good value.

The Tiger Temple

We suggest you consider carefully whether you wish to visit the Tiger Temple. Regardless of the many rumours circulating about this place, in our opinion, a dozen or so tigers (which are now breeding) belong in the care of trained personnel in a natural environment -- not in a quarry under the care of an abbot, regardless of how good his intentions may be.

Perhaps in response to criticism about their living conditions, work has begun on a massive new 'Tiger Island' enclosure, which is meant to replicate their natural environment. Work on this zoo-like habitat is well under way, but will likely take several more years. As of early 2008, only two small sections were completed, and neither of them resemble the naturally landscaped habitats that were proposed. To pay for this massive project, the entrance fee is a hefty 300B.

Whatever the truth behind the stories about the animals being drugged, it is certainly true that their sense of smell is artificially reduced to make them less unpredictable. For some, the experience of being close enough to these animals to touch is worth the trip and expense, but many find the experience too contrived.

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38km from Kanchanaburi
http://www.tigertemple.org

Sai Yok Noi Waterfall

This large and conveniently situated waterfall sits on the north side of Route 323, around 45km west of Kanchanaburi. The main falls, running over a sizeable limestone head, are icy cold and popular for a splash or a frolic, though the setting is a little contrived compared to the more isolated falls elsewhere in Kanchanaburi. It's a popular stop on most of the day tours running out of Kanchanaburi as it's on the way to Hellfire Pass and on weekends and holidays you'll likely share the pools with crowds of Thai families. The falls are near a small train station, which features a war-era locomotive out front. If you are heading to Sangkhlaburi by bus, it's likely you'll stop here for 15 minutes, which should be enough time to run over, have a splash and take a pic. Just clear it with the bus driver first!

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45km from Kanchanaburi

Wang Badon Cave

This cave is 1km to the east of Sai Yok Noi falls and is reached via a 1.5km-long trail running through a predominantly bamboo forest. The cave has a very narrow opening, but broadens out into substantial chambers inside -- you will need a torch. At the base of the hill holding the cave's entrance is a small picnic area that is quite popular on weekends.

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44km from Kanchanaburi

Tham Krasae

While the cave here is nothing amazing the access along a viaduct of the Death Railway provides spectacular views over the surrounds, with a river sliding by well below you. The train stops here to allow passengers to jump off, take a look around and buy various touristy knick-knacks. But if you visit at any other time, chances are you'll have the cave and viaduct totally to yourself. Tham Krasae and the viaduct are well off Route 323 -- if you do not have your own transport, you need to jump off at the turnoff and get a ride the remaining few kilometres to the cave. If you are travelling by train, the stop here is more than enough to see the cave and admire the view.

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30km from Kanchanaburi

Prasat Muang Singh

Prasat Muang Singh, or Sanctuary of the City of the Lion, is the westernmost Khmer site so far unearthed and has been dated to the 12th or 13th century. Sitting on the banks of the Kwai Noi River, this complex is believed to have once been a large trading centre and probably also acted as an important garrison town protecting the western frontier of the Khmer kingdom.

As with virtually all Khmer temples, Prasat Muang Singh is a model of how the Khmers saw their celestial universe. The central construction represents Mount Meru, the domain of the Gods, and was separated by seven concentric moats and ramparts, which represented mountain ranges and wild seas. Prasat Muang Singh is made of laterite, as are the ramparts and remaining walls. The surrounding town is believed to have been 10 times the size of the sanctuary that remains and there is still a selection of sites awaiting excavation.

The restoration undertaken at Prasat Muang Singh was quite speedy and as a result, controversial. Accurate records were not taken and some of the reconstruction work is considered not true to form.

The park is set in an attractive forested landscape, with a small collection of artefacts in a museum within the site's grounds, but it mainly shows reproductions as most of the more valued pieces have been carted off to the National Museum in Bangkok.

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43km from Kanchanaburi
Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-16:00
How to get there: Situated off Route 323 about 43km from Kanchanaburi and around 8km from the Ban Kao Museum, the park is well signposted and easy to find if you are travelling independently. If travelling by public transport, train is the only real option. It's an hour trip from Kanchanaburi to Tha Kilen leaving at 6.10 am, 10.54 am and 2.25 pm and costing 10B. Once at the station, follow the road that leaves the station perpendicular to the railway, then follow the signs for around 1km. To get to Ban Kao Museum or Route 323 on your own will require you to hitch or endure a searing walk, as Prasat Muang Singh is about 8km from them. If you plan on reaching the park by bus, be warned that bus number 8203 takes you the closest, but you will still be left around 7km from the park, and it's not a shady walk.

Hellfire Pass

This is one of the most outstanding museums in Thailand and should be considered a must-see for any visitor to Kanchanaburi. Set above a particularly gruesome section of the Death Railway, Hellfire Pass was a cutting that was said to glow in a hellish colour under torchlight. The cutting is a 30-minute walk from the museum and well worth visiting. The museum traces the Japanese war effort in the area and follows many of the actions and activities of the POWs. An audiovisual display, models of the surrounds and a great view over the area all combine to make this an excellent attraction.

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70km from Kanchanaburi
How to get there: The museum is on Route 323, around 70km west of Kanchanaburi town. Any bus to Thong Pha Phum or Sangkhlaburi will pass by here.

Massage at Suan Nanachaat

Massages are offered at little shops all along Maenam Kwai -- you won't have to walk for long before hearing the call of 'Massage, massage!' For a little more luxury though, head out of central Kanchanaburi to Suan Nanachaat, Kanchanaburi's first real day spa. Set in elegant gardens affording views of the distant mountains, this spacious wooden house is the ideal place to have your aching body soothed back to normal after a day spent elephant-back. Services range from 30-minute head and shoulder massages, to a six-hour package of sheer decadence, and prices are very reasonable. Don't let the location out of town put you off, Suan Nonchalant offers free pick-up and drop off from/to Kanchanaburi town. Highly recommended.

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36/12 Moo 4 Nong Bua, Kanchanaburi
info@suan-nanachaat.com
http://www.suan-nanachaat.com/
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 - 20:00 or phone for an appointment

Kayaking

Paddling through the swampy waters of the River Kwai is undoubtedly one of the best ways to experience Kanchanaburi's laid-back charm. Aside from the waves created by passing longtail boats, the river is calm and perfect for relaxed paddling. Kayaking close to shore, you'll likely see brilliant blue kingfishers darting to the water, or encounter lazy water monitors sunning themselves on the rocky banks. The main outlet for renting kayaks is the Kanchanaburi Travel Center (KTC). They offer two different options. For 350B per person, they'll drive you upriver, and you can have as long as you'd like to slowly paddle down. For only 150B per person, you depart from and return from their dock -- a great budget option, though keep in mind that you'll have to spend half your time rowing upstream.

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Kanchanaburi Travel Centre, 99-101 River Kwai Rd, Kanchanaburi

Cooking Classes

One of the best ways to gain an understanding of Thai culture is through learning about its cuisine, and Kanchanaburi provides a wonderful environment for taking a Thai cooking course, particularly if your travels won't take you to Chang Mai. Courses generally start with a tour of a local wet market, then move back to the kitchen for demonstrations and some hands-on practice. Thai cooking classes have become a bit of a craze in Kanchanaburi, and now almost everyone with a kitchen has put out a sign advertising their classes. The most established course is at Apple Guesthouse, where for 950B the chefs behind their wonderful restaurant will teach you how to make four Thai standards. Another good option is Testy's (T:(034) 513 976). She offers courses in an open-air kitchen on Maenam Kwai, where you can pick what you'd like to learn from an array of curries and stir-fries. To learn three dishes costs 750B, and five dishes is 850B.

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Various outlets throughout town

The Monkey School

Like elephant trekking and the Tiger Temple, this attraction revolves around the chance to get close to some of Thailand's most beloved animals. There is a slight conservation angle here, as some of the monkeys have been rescued and are being rehabilitated. The monkeys perform a variety of tricks, like plucking coconuts and dunking basketballs. Whether it seems a little strange to make a monkey who has escaped abuse perform such tricks is for you to decide.

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Across the river, Kanchanaburi
Opening Hours: Daily 09:00 - 17:00

Erawan National Park

One of the most famous national parks in Thailand takes its name from the Thai word for the mythological Hindu three-headed elephant Airavata. The triple cascade at the top of the famous seven-tiered waterfall is said to resemble the elephant's head, and every weekend hundreds of visitors arrive to walk the trail up the waterfall and swim in the natural pools.

The park covers an area of more than 500 square kilometres and although most of it comprises pristine rainforest, the only official trail is that running up past the waterfall. The beautifully clear emerald waters run for 2km down into the Kwai Yai River and make for a wonderful place to relax, swim and have a picnic. The first five levels are the easiest to tackle and subsequently the most crowded. Not many venture up to the sixth or seventh levels, mainly because the trail is dangerous, slippery and badly maintained. However, it's worth the effort as the upper pools are a brilliant place to cool down after a hard climb and the views over the jungle are breathtaking. Note that you should wear some robust footwear if you intend to reach the top and allow at least three hours for your visit to the waterfall, especially if you want to get to the very top.

The lack of access to most of the park has helped sustain some of the less common animal species to be found in this part of the world. You may be fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of wild elephants, gibbons, flying squirrels and eagles or less fortunate to come across cobras and pythons. There are also plenty of fish and crabs in the many streams. If you come here with your own transport, you might also want to check out Phra That cave, 10km further north of the waterfall up a dirt road. The high cavern has some amazing stalactites and stalagmites and a healthy bat population.

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65km from Kanchanaburi
Opening Hours: Daily 08:00 to 18:00
How to get there: Travel info Erawan National Park is an easy 65km trip up well-maintained route 3199. Buses run from the main bus station every 50 minutes between 08:00 and 17:20 and the 90-minute journey costs 40B. Remember that the last bus back to town leaves at 16:00. Tour operators also run trips to the park, which often include elephant treks, rafting and lunch. If you want to visit Phra That cave then you'll need to secure your own transport or hire someone to take you.