If you’re sitting in your hotel room in Bangkok and wondering where could you go, why not give Kanchanaburi a chance. The province is rich with history and gorgeous floating hotels. You can choose from a wide range of activities, be it adventurous or casual sightseeing. Now, grab your key and get the wheels rolling. Thanks to modern technology, we don’t need to go through the struggle of paper maps. Let us mourn to those who lost their time and their way on the road trip. If you are planning on driving on your own, please read the following guide from the TripAdvisor forum.
War Cemetery
The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is situated in the city. The well-maintained cemetery contains the remains of 6,982 Allied Prisoner Of Wars who perished during the construction of the ‘Death Railway’. Its serenity reminds the visitors of the war and its eventual outcomes. This place is a must-stop for all tours coming to Kanchanaburi.
The Bridge over the River Kwai
The world-famous movie star. It is one of the most important landmarks in Thailand. The story of conflict and bloodshed is embedded into the very core of this destination. With the awareness push from the movie, it continues to draw tourists’ attention from around the World. If you happen to hire a driver, you can board the train to enjoy the scenery of the world’s most dangerous railway track and have your driver pick you up at the next stop. Krasae Cave.
Krasae Cave, Death Railway
If you happen to see the train at the River Kwai Bridge, you can choose either hopping on the train or hopping your car and drive to the next destination for the great highlight. Krasae cave has located the cliff just beside the railway above the Kwai Yai River. This is your best photo spot. The train will slowly approach and you will get the photo with a combination of the train, the railway, the cliff, and the river. Else, you will also enjoy the thrill of walking on the railroad above the river. Be very careful as the track is not built for the safety of walking.
Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum
The area that took many POWs life, the Hellfire Pass. They were cruelly forced to drill through the mountain with their bare hands. Their only tools were pickaxe and shovels. Miraculously completed in six months, life afterlife is spent eroding through the rocks. Some people also leave the photo at the location as the memorial of those who suffered. You will be walking moderately at this destination. It will be a little warm during noon so choose your timing wisely.
Erawan Waterfall
I know some of you already want to relax at a place with no tragedy-filled history. Let’s go and get wet at the most beautiful waterfall of this province, the Erawan Waterfall. I recommend visiting this place during the weekdays and possibly try to avoid the public holidays. With less crowd, you can enjoy the waterfall at it’s best. This is a great location of the casual trek, sightseeing, and even swimming. For foreign Visitors, there is a 300 THB National Park fee.
Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple)
Are you prepared to climb 157 steep steps to marvel at the temple atop the mountain? If the answer is no, then you can take the cable car. Visit the temple to see the largest Buddha statue in the province, Chin Prathanporn, which was built in 1973. This massive buddha statue reached 18 meters in height and 10 meters wide. Apart from the religious structure, you will be awed by the stunning panoramic view of rice fields, and Maeklong river.
Meena Cafe
For locals, a visit to Kanchanaburi is not complete without visiting the highly rated cafe which has the view of vast rice fields and Wat Tham Suea from afar. There is various type of drinks you can choose from Coffee, Soda drinks, Smoothie which ranged from 70-120 Thai Baht. Props like straw hats in different shapes are provided for shutterbugs. In my own opinion, just the view of the rice field already makes this place unskippable.
Kanchanaburi is a vast province that expands to the Myanmar Border. Hence, completing all destinations in the province would be impossible for a day trip. There are many great hotels and rafts to spend the night at. Some also offer jet ski renting and kayaking on the Kwai Yai River. The list is growing every day, and that’s great news for us as a traveler. Happy traveling!
