Visit Kanchanaburi: Top 6 Amazing Things To Do & See

Kanchanaburi is a town known for the World War II Death Railway bridge across the River Kwai, as well as for its national parks, museums, historic buildings and natural wonders. It’s also an Ecotourism, Culture and History Paradise.

Although not known to many foreign tourists, Kanchanaburi is the third largest city in Thailand, located 130 km west of Bangkok, bordering Myanmar. This is a wonderland in the hearts of believers who love to travel to Thailand because of the wonderful nature and traditional features that remain intact in this land.

If you are curious about it, let’s find out! Visit Kanchanaburi, many things to do are waiting for you!

What to do in Kanchanaburi

Bridge on the River Kwai

Visit the famous bridge on the River Kwai, a historical landmark and part of the Death Railway built during World War II. This historical part of War 2 was made famous by the movie of the same name “Bridge Over the River Kwai“. The bridge is part of the 415 km Burmese Railway connecting Bangkok with Yangon, serving as a supply route for the Japanese army.

Today’s bridge is a reconstruction of the original bridge, which was bombed several times during the war. The bridge over the River Kwai is within walking distance of the city center and is open to visitors all day. You can walk across the bridge, just watch out for passing trains.

• Entry tickets are free for all day and every day.

Death Railway Museum

The Death Railway Museum is a two-floor museum dedicated to the history of the construction of the Thailand-Burma Railway by the Imperial Japanese Army using prisoners of war during the Second World War.

The Death Railway is the 415 km long railway line that connects Yangon to Singapore. It was used as a supply route by the Japanese Army in WW2. The Death Railway consisted of a series of bridges and stone cuttings. The most notable parts of the Death Railway are the Hellfire Pass and the Bridge Over the River Kwai.

• Opening hours: 9 a.m – 5 p.m.

• Entry fee: 150 THB for both Thais and foreigners.

Allied Military Cemetery

The Allied Force War Cemetery is dedicated to those soldiers in the Allied Forces who died as Prisoners of War (POW) after being captured by the Japanese Army. Many of the soldiers died due to slave labor, malaria and poor living conditions. Over 16,000 soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Britain died in this part of Thailand during the construction of the Death Railway.

• Opening hours: 7 days/ week, 8 a.m - 5 p.m.

• Entry is free.

Jeath War Museum

The name JEATH stands for the primary nationalities involved in the construction of the Death Railway, including Japanese, English, Australia, America, Thai and Holland. The JEATH War Museum contains relics found from the POW camps used when building the railway. The museum contains an interesting collection of artifacts. However, it is fairly rundown and in need of refurbishment making it one of the most obscure things to do in Kanchanaburi. 30 minutes here will be sufficient.

• Opening hours: 8.30 a.m - 4.30 p.m.

• Entry fee: 40 THB.

Erawan National Park

Located northwest of Bangkok in Kanchanaburi, the Erawan National Park is nature’s most marvelous paradise and offers spellbinding experiences that will leave the wildlife enthusiast within you in awe!

Explore Erawan National Park, known for its stunning waterfalls and emerald green ponds. The seven-tiered Erawan Waterfall is the park’s main highlight.

The best time to visit:

• February – April: hot & dry (It may get difficult for you to explore the park comfortably).

• May – October: a rainy season (that may hamper your trekking plan).

• November – January: relatively cooler, which means you’d be able to indulge in all kinds of experiences.

The entry fee:

• 300 THB for foreign tourists

• 200 THB for children

• 100 THB for locals

• 20 THB for a bike

• 30 THB for other vehicles.

Opening hour: 8 a.m – 4:30 p.m every day.

Tips before going:

• Plan your trip only after checking the weather if you wish to make the most of your time and money there.

• Do wear comfortable and covered clothes while visiting the park as you’d be trekking or walking into the forest to explore the famous attractions around.

• Prefer wearing sturdy shoes.

• Try and plan your visit to the park on a day that is not a public holiday so that you can avoid the crowd and have a blissful experience in the national park.

• If possible, try and stay in the park for one night as that’s the best way to get up close and personal with nature.

• Don’t forget to carry your camera.

Wat Tham Sua & Wat Tham Khao Noi

Visit temples is one of the best things to do in Kanchanaburi. The temples are proudly standing on top of a limestone hill near the Mae Klong River. Wat Tham Sua is said to be called Tiger Temple because there is a cavern here where tigers used to live, but now people just see the small tigers.

Wat Tham Kao Noi is a Buddhist temple. Climbing to this temple to have the best view of Wat Tham Sua and surrounding farmland.

• Opening hour: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m – 4:30 p.m.

• Entry is free.

Where to stay – Kanchanaburi Hotels

River Kwai Bridge Resort

Located in Kanchanaburi, 200 meters from River Kwai Bridge, River Kwai Bridge Resort offers accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a shared lounge and a terrace. All rooms in the resort are equipped with a balcony.

River Kwai Jungle Rafts

River Kwai Jungle Rafts Resort offers a unique floating stay experience deep in the jungle on the banks of the River Kwai. The floating rooms are all nestled in a floating bamboo lodge moored along the historic Kwai Noi River, surrounded by mountains and verdant jungle. In our pontoon, the historic Kwai Noi River flows beneath your bed. The walls are woven from local bamboo and decorated with wooden furniture that reflects the Mon lifestyle.

The FloatHouse River Kwai Resort

One of the most elegant Kanchanaburi hotels – FloatHouse River Kwai Floating Resort aims to be the best floating villa in the world. The FloatHouse River Kwai Resort is a luxury hideaway found in very few parts of the world. The only way to reach the resort is by boat as it floats on the flowing river surrounded by verdant jungle. Each luxurious and spacious floating villa is completely private and features plenty of teak furniture with bespoke thatched roofs.

The design concept of the resort is called “Contemporary Classical Folk Style“, which is a harmonious combination of local art traditions and natural surroundings, but different from any other.

Where to eat and drink

Take a coffee at Meena Cafe

This is the best place to have a coffee with a view of Wat Tham Sua and the rice paddies. The view is stunning, especially if you go right before the harvest season in March, with an indoor seating area and several outdoor seating areas where you can be closer to nature.

• The price of coffee, drinks and food is quite reasonable (~60 THB).

• Opening hours: 8:30 a.m – 6:30 p.m

Eat noodles at JJ Night Market in Kanchanaburi

Walking around night markets and picking all the delicious and cheap street food to try, you can do just that here at the JJ Night Market in Kanchanaburi. If you like Thai street food, it is a suitable choice.

• The price is only 15 THB

Try Thai traditional desserts and snacks at Mallika

There are foods like Pad Thai and boat noodles that you can eat at Mallika, but the most delicious things to try here are the snacks. The grilled coconut hotcakes and the Thai-style iced coffee are to die for, as well as Thong Yip, Thong Yod and many other traditional snacks, to name a few.

The best time to visit Kanchanaburi

Check the weather forecast before planning your trip! Don’t worry, we are here to help you have a perfect trip!

• November – January: The weather in Kanchanaburi is cooler and less humid due to Thailand’s climate, making it much more enjoyable to ride a scooter around.

• March – April: the hottest and most humid periods of the year, if you can’t handle heat very well, avoid visiting Kanchanaburi during this time.

• Other months are the rainy season, which, even though the weather is a little more manageable than the summer months, you will also be seeing a lot more rain that might prevent you from enjoying the outdoors.

The best time to visit is from November to January when the weather in Kanchanaburi is lovely. However, now the air quality is getting worse and worse, you will have to decide which is more important to you as a traveler: good weather but bad air quality or vice versa.

How to get to Kanchanaburi

From Bangkok, you can choose many transportation options. It’s up to you!

Bangkok to Kanchanaburi by train

You can take the historic train route along the Bangkok Noi-Nam Tok rail line from Thonburi station to Kanchanaburi station or River Kwai Bridge. It takes about 2,5-3 hours and 100-159 THB.

Bangkok to Kanchanaburi by bus

You can take a bus from South Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) and North Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) in Bangkok with a transit time of about 2,5 hours (120-191 THB).

Bangkok to Kanchanaburi by private car or van

This choice is for groups of 4-10 people and divides the rental cost.

Getting around Kanchanaburi

It is easy to reach your destination by bicycle, motorbike or tuktuk. Normally, tuktuk is usually used by tourists but you have to ask carefully the price before renting it.

• By Tuktuk: 40-64 THB

• By bike: 50-79 THB

• Motorbike: more than 200 THB

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