What to do in Kanchanaburi, Thailand

I recently read an article in Lonely Planet magazine highlighting Kanchanaburi as a destination for tourists who are looking for something beyond Bangkok aside from Thailand’s famous beaches. It reminded me of my own experience of exploring Kanchanaburi on our evenings and weekends off from volunteering at the Children’s Village School (I wrote another post on the volunteering part of my visit). 

So here’s my personal take on Kanchanaburi and why you should visit it (not least because it’s only a couple of hours from Bangkok).

1. Erawan Falls

The Erawan (which refers to a mythical white elephant in Thai) Falls can easily occupy you for a day. The falls are actually made up of seven tiered levels of pools all the way up a steep, forested hill, which water flowing down over smooth rock. If you’re feeling lazy, you can stick to the lower pools for your swim, or, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can hike up to the top via a dirt path. Just be aware (as I wasn’t) that a dirt path next to a waterfall quickly becomes a mud path - it was easier to discard my flip flops and climb barefoot instead. There was something weirdly satisfying about squishing barefoot through the mud. The bonus of doing this is, of course, that the higher levels are a lot less busy and you can enjoy the tranquility of the forest setting as you wallow in the pools.

2. The Death Railway

Our visit to the Death Railway was a powerful one. Built by Allied POWs and southeast Asian labourers during World War 2 to connect Thailand to Burma, it is notorious for causing the deaths of many of its workers because of the dangerous working conditions and long hours. We were fortunate to be exploring it with a local who led us to some hidden sections of the track that had been cut into the sides of a cliff.  

The Death Railway

3. The Bridge on the River Kwai

Although many bridges were built for the Death Railway, this is the most famous thanks to the movie of the same name. When we visited back in 2009, we were part of a handful of tourists, but I’m sure these days it’s a much more crowded scene. Walking across it was a very thought-provoking and somber experience - I doubt if I’d have felt the same if it was busier. 

Bridge over the River Kwai

4. Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum

Hellfire Pass is a route that was carved out of the rock as a way of transporting the materials for building the Death Railway. The Memorial Museum is a powerful place, but the most powerful thing about it for me was its outdoor viewing platform that looked out into a peaceful, beautiful forest panorama - the contrast between this and the horrors depicted in the museum is stark, and I wonder if that’s what the Museum’s designers had in mind.

5. Hin dad Hot Springs

This hot spring is worth a visit because you get the bracing experience of relaxing in the hot pool before plunging yourself into the icy cold river running by just feet away. And then repeat. This one is located further away from Kanchanaburi, but if you’re heading in that direction it’s definitely worth the stop! 

6. Forest hiking.

We took a few hikes into the forests of Kanchanaburi, stumbling upon tree shrines along the way. As long as you stick to marked trails, it almost feels like trekking in the jungle. 

Shrine in the forest

ONE TO MISS: Tiger Temple

I think it’s fairly common knowledge now that attractions offering the chance to stroke a tiger probably aren’t treating their animals very well. In fact, they are drugged so that tourists can get close to them without risking the loss of a limb. There’s nothing fun about handling stressed wild animals who’d just rather be left alone.