What to do in Kanchanaburi


Best things to do in Kanchanaburii

 

Kanchanaburi is often overlooked when planning Thailand itineraries in favour of sandy beaches and northern hippy spots. It was on a rusty public bus somewhere between Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Sawan that we thought we might like to make this beautiful country our home for a while so perhaps we’re biased but after visiting twice more since we’re still firm fans of this small town.

 

With many temples, WWII history and a national park, there’s plenty to do in Kanchanaburi to fill a few days of a holiday or a long weekend. If you can squeeze it in between island paradise and the coffee shops of Chiang Mai, I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Thailand.

 

We haven’t by any means exhausted the things to do in this area but here’s what we would recommend doing:

 

Erawan National Park

 

The best things to do in Kanchanaburi

 

Erawan is home to a beautiful 7-tier waterfall, complete with enticing blue swimming pools on each level. We hiked to the very top, and then slowly made our way back; climbing, swimming and sliding down the rocks. It’s like a natural water park!

 

If you go in rainy season the paths higher up may be flooded making the climb trickier.  When the water is particularly high and fast, they close some of the pools for safety. Would advise going when the water is lower but we had fun in both rainy and dry seasons.

 

The best things to do in Kanchanaburi

 

The best things to do in Kanchanaburi

 

Erawan is about 75km from Kanchanaburi town and on our first visit we rented scooters and drove out there. It was my first time on a scooter and it didn’t end well but the drive was beautiful! On our more recent trip, we hired a driver for the day which was very easy and convenient (not to mention probably a lot safer!).

 

The Death Railway and Hellfire Pass

 

Why you should all visit the Hellfire Pass...

 

I think this is what makes Kanchanaburi really special and certainly why we came back. The town is situated on the former route of the infamous ‘Death Railway’. The line stretching from Thailand into Burma towards modern day Bangladesh was built by the Japanese during the Second World War as part of their attempts to launch an assault on British ruled India.

 

The construction of this huge project was achieved using forced labour. Many Allied Prisoners of War died in the process, though this number was dwarfed by the number of Thai, Burmese, Indonesian, Malaysian and Indian “coolies” who lost their lives working in the horrendous jungle conditions.

 

Much of the railway has since been destroyed, but you can still ride a section from Bangkok to Nam-Tok via Kanchanaburi. The scenery is pretty and peaceful, though at times it can be terrifying as you judder across the canyon railway bridges! . 

 

The best things to do in Kanchanaburi  

When you get to the end of the line at Nam-Tok, there are plenty of songtaew divers ready to take you to The Hellfire Pass. The price is standard and per vehicle, so make some friends and split the cost if you can!

 

On our recent trip we actually arranged for our friend Mr Sid (who had taken us out to Erawan the previosu day) to pick us up, take us to Hellfire Pass and then take us back to Kanchanaburi so that we needn’t need to catch a return train. 

 

The Hellfire Pass is free to walk and there is also a small museum and video. Walking through the deep trenches cut into the rock is moving and you find old nails and sections on track on the floor. It’s best to wear good shoes, although we did manage it in sandals.

 

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Why you should visit Kanchanaburi

 

 

Thailand-Burma Railway Centre Museum

 

There is a small loop and a large loop you can walk, and we opted for the small loop, which took just more than an hour in total. 

 

If you don’t have time to visit the Hellfire Pass or ride the Death Railway, you should definitely pay a visit to this museum. If you are going to go the The Hellfire Pass, go here first – it will give the paths cut out from the rock so much more context having learnt about the conditions under which they were created.

 

It is a small but very interesting museum located in the centre of Kanchanaburi. I think when we were last there admission was 100 baht.

 

Well worth a visit!

 

POW cemetries

 

Things to do in Kanchanaburi

 

There are many dotted around the area but  if you go to the museum mentioned above there is one right outside. It is very moving to walk around these cemeteries and read the headstones. 

I do also like to remember that this small token was not afforded to the many more Asian forced labourers who died building the railway.

 

There is a small loop and a large loop you can walk, and we opted for the small loop, which took just more than an hour in total. 

 

Top things to do in Kanchanaburi

  

 

‘The Bridge’

 

There is a small loop and a large loop you can walk, and we opted for the small loop, which took just more than an hour in total. 

 

Ever heard of ‘The bridge over the River Kwai’? Well this is that very bridge. You can find it just a couple of kilometres from the centre of town, and just like all ‘tourist attractions’ in Thailand there’s plenty of hustle and bustle. It’s an impressive structure which seems to rumble as you walk along it (and really does rumble if you’re lucky enough to be there when a train goes by). You will also pass over it if you get the train from Kanchanaburi to the Hellfire Pass. It’s is well worth a visit for a few photos.

 

Best things to do in Kanchanaburii

 

Wat Tham Khao Pun (Cave Temple)

 

What to do in kanchanaburi

 

There are several cave temples around Kanchanaburi but this one is just a few kilometres out of town and easy reached by bicycle. It’s nothing spectacular but it’s an interesting place to visit and has some great views out over the river.

 

I’d recommend hiring a bike, grabbing some grub from town and cycling out here for a picnic. The cave is a nice place to hide from the searing sun and on your way you will pass a large POW cemetery which makes for a good rest stop.

 

You can hire bikes from several places in town for 50 baht a day. Most will give you a map and the route to the temple is very easy, though it does involve a steep hill climb right at the end (much more fun going back to town!).

 

What to do in Kanchanaburi

 

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 There’s plenty to fill however long you have from a day trip to a much longer visit. I know that there are companies who arrange tours that take in several of these things in one day. I’ve never been on one of these excursions but I can’t imagine you have time to really enjoy any of them in such a short space of time.

 

I would recommend deciding what you would like to do/have time for and doing it in your own time, and off your own back. 

 

Best things to do in Kanchanaburii

 

Have you visited Kanchanaburi? Get in touch and let us know what you enjoyed and any recommendations you have for our next trip!

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