Kanchanaburi, Thailand, is an incredible place to visit, be it adventure, Thai cuisine or relaxation. This blog, Kanchanaburi, A Guide To Five Amazing Activities, will walk you through what to do and experience when visiting this peace of Thailand heaven.
First, we need to get to Kanchanaburi. We, like most people, will be traveling from Bangkok.
Getting From Bangkok To Kanchanaburi
Five different means of transportation can get you from Bangkok to the beautiful Kanchanaburi province/city. You have the train (which we took), Bus, Taxi (Grab), local van, and private shuttle. I will add a piece of advice here: our experience and local Thai say to use Grab, not Taxis or Tuk Tuks, as they are notorious for overcharging. These transportation options have various costs, from very inexpensive to what I consider expensive. I will not get into the price as this all depends on the season, sometimes the time of day, and economic times. I will highlight the train as this was what we took to get to Kanchanaburi, and we were delighted with our choice.
Taking The Train To Kanchanaburi
Firstly, we enjoy the experience of riding the train, so this is always our go-to choice in transportation. In Canada, trains are costly and not a form of public transportation per se.
Where To Catch The Train In Bangkok
To catch the train to Kanchanaburi, you must get to the Thonburi Railway Station in Bangkok; we used the Grab App to hail our car. We purchased tickets for the 13:55 train to Kanchanaburi, arriving at 16:26. Please follow this link: Thonburi Railway Station train time and tickets to get up-to-date information on the train to Kanchanaburi. The train ticket cost was 100 baht each, which is an excellent price.
If you are hungry, just opposite the train station, there is a great place to purchase meals, fruit, and snacks for your journey and experience an authentic slice of Thai life.
The seats on the train are basic, bench style with foam padding, and you will find a bathroom on board and a sink to wash. Fans are mounted on the ceiling and oscillate to try and help with the heat. Opening the window also helps with the heat and provides a view of the trip, not that there is anything special to see. While traveling past Kanchanaburi, the views get spectacular as you travel along the Kwai River.
Halfway through your trip, local vendors board the train to sell food and cold refreshing drinks, so if you forgot to bring something along, this is your chance to get a snack and a drink.
Taking The Train To Nam Tok From Kanchanaburi
After a few days in Kanchanaburi, we opted to take the train further down the line to Nam Tok. The views along the way were beautiful. The cost each way was 100 baht per person. The trip takes approximately two hours. Once in Nam Tok, there is not much to see. This is a jumping-off point to visit Hell Fire Pass and other waterfalls that you will find in the area. You will find different transportation forms waiting at the Nam Tok station to take you wherever you want to go.
We are excited to be in Kanchanaburi! We have read blogs and watched many vlogs on this area. After arriving in Kanchanaburi, we went to our Airbnb stay Thai Guesthouse, a 5-minute walk from the train station. We settle into our new surroundings and discuss our plans for the first couple of days, as we are here for seven days.
Kanchanaburi Guide To Amazing Activities
Visit the Bridge Over The River Kwai
Visit the JEATH War Museum
Explore Erawan Waterfalls
See Amazing Temples And Explore Caves
Indulge in Thai Food At One Of The Local Markets
Kanchanaburi A Guide, River Kwai Bridge
We visited the Bridge Over The River Kwai on our first full day in Kanchanaburi. Famous for many reasons. The bridge and the railway were part of the Burma-Siam railway system. The Japanese used POWs along with local workers to construct this rail line. The purpose of the rail line was to supply Japanese forces with needed supplies. Transported from Thailand to Burma for a planned invasion of the British in India. This railway became known as the Death Railway as thousands upon thousands died while enslaved building this railway in extremely harsh conditions. A piece of history that should not be missed or forgotten.
The Bridge over the River Kwai itself can be found downtown just past the JEATH War Museum. The Bridge crossing can get very crowded, making it difficult to get good pictures, but if you stick around long enough, you can always get a break in the crowd. We waited around for the train to arrive in the afternoon so that we could stand on the bridge to take pictures as the train passed by.
If you want to see more, you can always visit Hell Fire Pass, as an Interpretive Center is located there. The museum takes about 45 minutes to see. If you plan to do the walking trail, you will need the whole day. It’s a 3km trail; you must return the same way, which should take around 3 hours. Unfortunately, we did not, as Cindy was dealing with sore knees.
While walking to the Bridge over the River Kwai on the first day, we found a great deal on a 150cc scooter rental for 300 Baht per day from Kanchanaburi Rental Cars. We decided to rent a scooter for our second and third days in Kanchanaburi.
Kanchanaburi Guide The JEATH War Museum
On the way to the Bridge Over The River Kwai, you pass by the JEATH War Museum. The museum has very well-done displays depicting WWII and the hardships of the POW’s and civilians working on the Death Railway. The acronym JEATH stands for the primary nationalities involved in constructing the railway: Japanese, English, Australian, American, Thai, and Holland.
The JEATH War Museum is open daily from 8.30 – 16.30
The admission fee is 10 Baht, Foreigner Fee is 30 Baht.
Kanchanaburi Guide, Visiting Erawan Waterfalls
Making Our Way To Erawan Park
Erawan Waterfalls is located in the Erawan National Park, 65 km from Kanchanaburi on Highway 3199. We had heard about these beautiful waterfalls and wanted to see them ourselves. We rented a scooter from Kanchanaburi Rental Cars, and this would be the chariot that would take us to Erawan Park. A little background here: we are in our early sixties, so it was not as simple as it sounds. But after several stops, one for a lunch break, we reached the park’s gates. At this point, we find out that tickets to enter the park need to be purchased online. So, we pull off to the side and, with the gate attendants’ help, are able to buy our tickets. With the QR code on our phone, we headed down toward the parking lot.
Erawan Park is open daily from 8.00 – 16.30
The admission fee is 300 baht for foreigners, 20 baht for a scooter, and 50 baht for a car.
Hiking Up To The Falls
Once the scooter was parked, we found the restrooms and changed into our swimwear. This was a good move as we found no other changing rooms. By the time we start up the path to the waterfalls, it’s 12:30. We decide to make our way to the seventh waterfall first, which is a 2.5km hike. On your way up to the falls, pick up a lifejacket, which is required if you want to swim in any of the pools. This rule we found was only enforced at the second waterfall. The hike to the seventh waterfall is a bit of a hike, especially in the mid-day heat. One staircase almost killed me, but I persevered.
The walking pathway to the waterfalls is mostly concrete or wooden boardwalks. For the most part, walking is pleasant even though there is a 1500-meter accent from the parking lot to the seventh waterfall. The views are constantly amazing: waterfalls, incredible pools, and the jungle’s green foliage are incredible. The walk alone is worth the visit.
The Pools Are Our Reward
After reaching the top waterfall, we are rewarded with a beautiful pool that we can not wait to get in. mainly to cool down from the long hike. Not disappointed; the water is cool and feels sooo good. Within moments of being in the water, you can feel small fish nibbling on your feet and legs. At first, you might find this unnerving, but it’s not that bad, and if you do not like it, move around, which seems to keep them away.
We stopped at the pools on our way back to the parking lot. Each pool had its uniqueness; our favorite was the second, as it was the deepest, but the best part was that you could climb in behind the falls. It was like hiding away from the world for a moment. We left the park at around 4:30 after a full day. We highly recommend visiting Erawan Falls as this place is magical and indeed a slice of heaven. After returning to Kanchanaburi, we visited the JJ Market for some well-earned Thai food.
Kanchanaburi Guide Temples And Caves In The Area
Tiger Cave Temple
You can visit the many temples and caves while in the Kanchanaburi area. Cindy and I still had our scooter, so this was our means of transportation for the day. We started the day by heading to Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple), 15km from Kanchanaburi. After arriving at the temple parking lot, you have two choices. You either walk up the 157-step staircase or take the tram at a small cost (the tram was not running), so we walked up the stairs. On the main floor, you will find Buddha, all 18 meters of him. Here, you can pay your respects to Buddha or wander around enjoying this temple’s beauty and tranquility.
Walking to the back of Buddha, you can look out over a vast area of rice fields and greenery. Make sure to visit the pagoda. Remember to remove your footwear when entering religious buildings. Walk up the spiral staircase, stopping at each level to peer out the windows and see the fantastic views as you ascend to the top floor.
Lastly, before leaving, visit Tiger Cave, the temple’s namesake. The cave itself is small and filled with shrines and tiger figurines. You can see many coins inserted into the cracks in one of the cave walls. You may leave a coin here for good luck.
We spent about 1 1/2 hrs here taking pictures, enjoying the views, and just taking in the temple. It is a beautiful spot well worth the visit. There is no cost, but donations are greatly appreciated.
Wat Tham Khao Pun
After leaving Tiger Cave Temple, we traveled to Wat Tham Khao Pun. The cave is said to have a labyrinth of passageways illuminated by colored lights. The marked trail is a bit of a squeeze in some places (and can be slippery). Be careful; you may need to duck under rocks while traveling through the passageways to discover these subterranean shrines. The cave exploration was fun and a memorable experience. It took us about 1/2 hour to explore, but if I was twenty years younger, I’m sure I could have spent more than an hour as there were several routes we didn’t investigate.
Kanchanaburi Guide To The Local Markets
Thai food is always something we look forward to. We love to visit different food markets and sample everything that looks good. We did find two excellent markets not that far from our stay. First was JJ Night Market, which had many fabulous food stalls, clothing, and other items for sale. We visited this market several times because it was close to our stay, and the food was always good.
Then there is the Skywalk Market, which is only open on Saturday night. The food and choices were incredible. I enjoyed sampling the grubs, which I first tasted in Khanom, Thailand. Then, I purchased some Durian, which I haven’t had since our stay in Georgetown, Malaysia, in 2017.
All kinds of foods are available at these markets, so I’m sure you will find something you like. I feel everyone should step out of their comfort zone and try something new. You never know what flavors you might be missing; if you do not like it, there is no need to have it again. This might be the only place selling this dish as some foods are common in certain parts of the country.
Kanchanaburi Guide Visiting An Elephant Sanctuary
Elephant Sanctuaries are in the area: Elephant Haven and Elephant World. You will find many options when visiting, from one-day visits to a couple of days and one night. Their activities vary, from feeding to bathing in the river, hiking with the elephants, and raft rides. Some even offer to ride the elephants, which is looked down on by most people. But you will need to make your own choice. We did ride an elephant back in 2013. Back then, it was more accepted.
We had a two-day stay booked at Elephant World. Unfortunately, we ended up canceling this booking as Cindy, my wife, was sore from all our walking. Cindy has had two knee replacement surgeries this past year. We canceled because they called for plenty of rain on those two days. I didn’t think that would have made the elephant stay that enjoyable. We will try to find another place that has interactions with elephants. In Chiang Mai, we did book another elephant excursion with Karen Hilltribe Elephant Sanctuary.
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Recommended Travel Essential
Cindy and I call ourselves nomadic, so we use certain essentials to make this way of life easier and more comfortable with our lifestyle. With this in mind, we have composed a list of what we feel are essentials and some tips you might use to plan or take your next travel adventure.
- Travel Packing Essentials to help organize and make this task less stressful
- Travel Safety Essentials to make your life on the road a little safer, giving you peace of mind
- Living essentials to make life a little more comfortable, be this resting, working, or playing.
Accommodation Options While Traveling The World
- Booking.com is one of our go-to’s when we are looking for a place to stay for a couple of days or longer.
- Agoda.com, we find, is best to use when in Southeast Asia, but hey, you never know what you might find.
- Airbnb.com used to be our go-to, but some of their cancellation policies are reasonable. Give them a try as well.
Travel Insurance
We always travel with travel Insurance, just medical or complete trip coverage. Remember, don’t travel, and without coverage, the savings are not worth the possible costs.
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