I
N T R O D U C T I O N
 Kanchanaburi
is Thailand's fourth largest province. Kanchanaburi covers some 19,486
square kilometres, and borders Myanmar (Burma) to the west .
Kanchanaburi is the site of the world-famous Bridge
Over The River Kwai, immortalized in books and movies, and
is noted for rugged natural beauty where mountains and river valleys
have inspired development of hydroelectric power and where labyrinthine
dam reservoirs provide further scenic elements to the province's natural
beauty.
Beyond the compact provincial capital, some 130 kilometres, and a comfortable
two-hour drive, from Bangkok, where the Kwai Yai and the Kwai Noi rivers
unite to form the Mae Klong River, Kanchanaburi unfolds in progressively
arresting scenic beauty in a landscape characterized by several waterfalls,
caves once inhabited by Neolithic man, national parks and tranquil riverine
and reservoir settings.
Opportunities abound for bucolic living aboard rafts on dazzling rivers
and reservoirs, and provide the focal point for memorable holidays for
nature lovers who delight in natural surroundings and pleasures without
sacrificing basic comforts. 
CITY
ATTRACTIONS :
The
provincial capital is a relatively new town, dating merely from 1831.
Major tourism attractions are inextricably connected with the Second
World War, and more specifically, the years 1942 through 1945.
Bridge
Over The River Kwai
Internationally famous, thanks to several motion pictures and books,
the black iron bridge was brought from Java by the Japanese army and
reassembled under Japanese supervision by Allied prisoner-of-war laborers
as part of the 'Death Railway' linking Thailand with Burma. Still
in use today, the bridge was the target of frequent Allied bombing raids
during 1945, and was rebuilt after the war ended. The curved spans of
the bridge are the original sections.
The bridge, which spans the Kwai Yai river some 4 kilometres northwest
of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Kanchanaburi office on Saeng
Chuto Road, is the focal point of a riverside area of restaurants, souvenir,
handicraft and jewellery shops.
Second
World War-vintage steam locomotives, and a peculiar hybrid road/railcar
from the same era comprise a small Railway Museum on the bridge's eastern
approach.
Japanese
War Memorial This occupies a small plot of riverside land just south
of the bridge.
 The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery On Saeng
Chuto Road, opposite the Railway Station, this immaculately maintained
enclave contains the remains of 6,982 Allied prisoners of war who perished
during the construction of the 'Death Railway'. An estimated 16,000
Allied prisoners of war, and 49,000 forced laborers, died during the
construction of the 'Death Railway' and Bridge over the River Kwai.
The
Chung-Kai War Cemetery 2 kilometres south of town, on the bank of
the Kwai Noi River, this occupies the former site of the Chung-Kai Prisoner
of War Camp. This second cemetery is more peaceful, attractively landscaped,
and contains some 1,750 remains.
The
JEATH War Museum This enclave in the riverside precincts of Wat
Chaichumphon has been constructed largely in the form of an Allied prisoner-of-war
camp. The name JEATH is derived from Japan, England, America,
Australia, Thailand and Holland. The thatched detention hut with
cramped, elevated bamboo bunks contains photographic, pictorial and
physical memorabilia dating from the Second World War. Several prisoners
of war who survived appalling conditions have donated items from that
time to add to the museum's authenticity.
- Opening
hours: 8.30 AM to 6.00 PM daily
- Admission
fee: 20 baht
Wat
Tham Khao Poon 1 kilometre southwest of the Chung-Kai War Cemetery,
this Buddhist temple is locally renowned for a cave containing stalactites
and stalagmites, and many beautiful Buddha images.
ACCOMMODATION
:
Kanchanaburi
offers air-conditioned hotels and resorts ,bungalows, guest houses and
riverside rafts within the provincial capital. River raft accommodation
is also available in several natural locations, alongside both rivers
and the Khao Laem and Sri Nagarind reservoirs.
Visitors
wishing to stay at any of Kanchanaburi's national parks are advised
to book beforehand, particularly if they wish to make weekend or public
holiday outings. Reservations should be made through Bangkok's National
Parks Division of the Royal Forestry Department (Tel: 579-5025, 5794842).
Visitors
wishing to stay at Khao Laem or Srinagarind Dams must make reservations
through the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) in Bangkok,
Tel: 436-3179, 424-4794.
TRANSPORTATION
:
Transportation
To Kanchanaburi Kanchanaburi is connected by daily road and rail
services with Bangkok and other neighboring provinces.
Air-conditioned
and regular coaches leave Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal throughout
the day for the 2 to 3-hour journey.
Trains
leave the Bangkok Noi Railway Station daily for Kanchanaburi.
The
TAT office in Kanchanaburi issues an updated and current timetable for
bus and rail services between Bangkok and Kanchanaburi, and major neighboring
provinces.
Travel
Within Kanchanaburi Transportation within the provincial capital
is most enjoyable on tricycles. These can be hired at the rate of approximately
150 baht for two to three hours, enabling visitors to see the Bridge
over the River Kwai, the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, the waterfront Song
Kwai Road area, and the JEATH War Museum in one circuit.
Motorcycles
or jeeps can be rented on a daily or weekly basis at several outlets
on Saeng Chuto Road, beside the TAT Kanchanaburi office, and around
the Song Kwai Road area. Visitors are advised to shop around since hire
rates and conditions vary, and to check with the TAT office for prevailing
rates.
The
boat trip to the Lawa Cave and Sai Yok Yai Waterfall from the Pak Saeng
Pier in Tambon Tha Sao takes around 4 hours for the return trip, and
costs between ],000 and 1,500 baht per boat, each with a seating capacity
of 10 to 12 persons.
The
45-70-minute boat ride to Sri Nagarind National Park headquarters, from
the Tha Kradan Pier, costs 1,500 baht upwards, again on boats with seating
capacities of 10 to 12 persons.
Visitors
are advised to check with the TAT office in Kanchanaburi for prevailing
rates and the availability of alternate methods of transportation, such
as on public holidays and weekends.
OUT-OF-CITY
ATTRACTIONS :
Essentially,
there are two major land routes for exploring main conveniently accessible
tourism attractions in Kanchanaburi. The more western Route 323 largely
parallels the Kwai Noi River to the Khao Laem Dam reservoir (153 kilometres
from the provincial capital). Route 3199 follows the Kwai Yai River
to Sri Nagarind Dam (69 kilometres away from the provincial capital).
Route
323 Major attractions along, or near, Route 323, and within 250-kilometres
of the provincial capital, include:
Phu
Phra Cave 15 kilometres from town, this cavern is where a legendary
character from Thai literature is said to have studied magic.
Muang
Singh City
Well
signposted from Route 323, and 43 kilometres from town, this ancient
site is located on a steep bank of the Kwai Noi River where the waterway
narrows and becomes fast flowing. The 800 year-old city ruins are of
considerable archaeological interest, and the principal structure, the
Khmer Prasat Muang Singh (Tower of the City of Lions) is believed to
have been the westernmost outpost of the Angkor-centred Khmer empire.
Skeletal remains dating back some 2,000 years have been unearthed, and
a wide range of artifacts, including temple carvings, religious statuary,
implements and pottery shards indicate the once-thriving city must have
been inhabited from approximately the 12th to 14th centuries.
Admission
fee to the Prasat Muang Singh complex is 20 baht.
Ban
Kao Museum 8 kilometres from Prasat Muang Singh, and 35 kilometres
from Kanchanaburi, this also overlooks the Kwai Noi River. The museum
was constructed beside a Neolithic burial site discovered by an Allied
prisoner of war during the construction of ' Death Railway'. Some 4,000
years ago, Neolithic man lived, roamed and hunted beside the Kwai rivers,
sheltering beneath rock overhangs or in nearby caves. The Ban Kao museum
houses skeletal remains, pots, axe heads, jewellery made from animal
bones, and other artifacts dating from that era.
Sai
Yok Noi Waterfall Also known as Khao Phang Waterfall, 60 kilometres
from town on Route 323, this is the first of several waterfalls. The
roadside cascade is best visited between July and September, when water
is most plentiful, and is located 2 kilometres northwest of Nam Tok
Railway Station, the terminus of the branch line originating in the
provincial capital and which crosses the world-famous bridge.
The
Lawa Cave 75 kilometres from town, this largest cave in the area
has stalactites and stalagmites in several chambers. Visitors may take
boats from the Kwai Noi River Pak Saeng Pier, at Tambon Tha Sao (southwest
of Nam Tok Railway Station and Sai Yok, Noi Waterfall) to explore this
cave, and travel afterwards upstream to the riverine Sai Yok Yai Waterfall,
104 kilometres from town.
Sai
Yok Yai Waterfall This flows directly into the Kwai Noi River, and
is the most popular attraction in the 300-square kilometre Sai Yok National
Park. The park contains several interesting caves besides the Lawa.
The Daowadung Cave, which also entails a river trip for visits, is the
most popular. South of the Sai Yok Yai Waterfall, is another cascade
flowing into the river, the Nam Jone Waterfall. Wildlife in Sai Yok's
deciduous forests include small mammals such as bats, squirrels, and
deer, and numerous bird species, including wreathed hornbills and blue-winged
pittas. Human presence at Sai Yok is known to date back to the Stone
Age, and the Sai Yok Yai Waterfall has been repeatedly celebrated in
Thai poetry and song. Bungalow accommodation, river rafts and camping
facilities are available.
Hin
Dat Hot Springs 130 kilometres from town, these occupy a hollow
some 3 kilometres northeast of Route 323.
Pha
That Waterfall The three-tiered cascade, 140 kilometres from town,
is some 12 kilometres northeast of Route 323, along the same track.
Khao
Laem Dam 153 kilometres from town, this imposing structure has a
9-hole golf course, tennis courts, guest house and motel accommodation,
and a scenic reservoir upon which several private raft complexes offer
opportunities for boat rides, swimming and fishing.
Areas
beyond Khao Laem Dam meriting visits either edge the extensive reservoir
or nestle against the Myanmar border.
Pilog
Mine 60 kilometres west of Amphoe Thonphaphum, on Route 3272, there
was much mining of wolfram and tin in the Tanaosri Mountain range marking
the Thai-Burmese border. A temperate fruit and decorative winter plant
orchard, Pilog Hill, 32 kilometres from the amphoe, can be visited en
route.
Sangkla
Buri This petite settlement, some 225 kilometres from Kanchanaburi,
edges the northernmost extremities of the Khao Laem reservoir. The scenic
75-kilometre route from Khao Laem largely parallels the reservoir, passes
several raft complexes, botanical gardens and roadside cascades, and
vistas of partly submerged trees crowding the reservoir banks.
Three
Pagodas Pass This even smaller settlement, 241 kilometres from Kanchanaburi,
marks the rugged Thai-Myanmar border, and is the site of a small but
thriving border market. Visitors are allowed to enter the neighboring
Burmese settlement between 6.00 AM and 6.00 PM (when the border is closed).
The three miniature pagodas are memorials to what was the traditional
invasion route favoured by Burmese soldiers during the Ayutthaya period
(1350-1767).
Wat
Wangka Wiwekaram This extensive temple on the southern outskirts
of Sangkla Buri edges the Khao Laem reservoir. The complex is constructed
in an unusual pastiche of Thai, Indian and Burmese Buddhist architectural
styles, and the abbot is highly revered among local people, including
tribal folk and Burmese.
Sangkla
Buri Forest Tours Certain Kanchanaburi travel agents offer one day
elephant-trekking and rafting tours in the immediate vicinity of Sangkla
Buri. Visitors are advised to contact either local travel agents or
the Kanchanaburi TAT office for current details, since the tours are
not always conducted on a daily basis.
Thung
Yai Sanctuary Park Northeast of Sangkla Buri, this sanctuary occupies
a terrain of forested mountains and high plains, and hosts numerous
protected wildlife species including tigers, bears, elephants and deer.
The area is necessarily rugged, remote, and demands 4-wheeldrive vehicles
for exploration. Special permission from the Forestry Department is
needed for admittance. Visitors interested in entering the area are
required to contact the Forestry Department, either in Bangkok or in
Kanchanaburi.
ROUTE
3199 Major attractions along Route 3199 include beautiful waterfalls
in three national parks.
Bo
Phloi Some 40 kilometres from Kanchanaburi, and just off Route 3086,
this area is famed for locally-mined blue sapphires and semiprecious
materials such as onyx. A Jewellery Handicraft Centre enables visitors
to see how these materials are made into finished jewellery creations.
Kanchanaburi
Safari Park This brand new enclave, near Bo Phloi, dominated by
a man-made hill adorned with decorative pavilions, hosts numerous African
and Asian mammals, including giraffes, zebras, lions, tigers and elephants
in carefully landscaped environs.
Chaloem
Rattanakosin National Park or Tham Than Lod 97 kilometres from Kanchanaburi,
and north of Bo Phloi, along Route 3086, this 54-squarekilometre park
encompasses peaceful forests, waterfalls and several caves. The 300-metre
long Than Lod Noi Cave near the park headquarters is the most popular
attraction. Bungalow accommodation and camping facilities are available.
Erawan
National Park 65 kilometres from Kanchanaburi along Route 3199,
this 550-square-kilometre national park is the site of the 7-tiered
Erawan Waterfall, widely regarded as being one of Thailand's loveliest
cascades. A mountainside forest setting includes dense bamboo groves
which support numerous bird species. The park's other major attraction
is the spectacular Prathat Cave which contains monumental stalagmites.
Bungalow accommodation and camping facilities are available.
Sri
Nagarind Dam 69 kilometres from Kanchanaburi, and just 4 kilometres
north of the Erawan national park, this massive structure marks the
southernmost extremity of an extensive reservoir, which is part of yet
another national park.
Sri
Nagarind National Park This park covers 1,532 square kilometres.
Park headquarters are 105 kilometres from Kanchanaburi. Major park attractions
include the lovely 7-tiered Huay Kamin Waterfall, boat trips on the
scenic reservoir, and encroaching deciduous forest and bamboo groves
where kingfishers, parrots, bee-eaters, hornbills, woodpeckers, thrushes,
babblers and numerous other bird species are readily seen. Larger, more
elusive mammals within the park's remoter areas include deer, elephants
and tigers. Phra and Niramit Caves near the park headquarters comprise
other attractions.
Bungalow
accommodation is available. The park's relative inaccessibility necessitates
either a punishing 40-kilometre drive along a dry weather track, and
negotiable only by motorcycles, pickups or 4-wheel-drive vehicles, or
a 45-75-minute boat ride from the Tha Kradan Pier 24 kilometres north
of the Sri Nagarind Dam.
SPECIAL
INTERESTS
National
Parks Kanchanaburi's aforementioned parks offer opportunities for
either camping, and/or fishing, or trekking along nature trails. Camping
facilities, which customarily provide cold running water and simple
toilet facilities, are available at Chaloem Rattanakosin, Sai Yok and
Erawan national parks. Trekking along either well-defined waterfall
trails, or nature trails, to visit caves or appreciate local flora and
fauna is a popular activity at all national parks.
Fishing
This is popular on both Kwai rivers, and the Khao Laem and Sri Nagarind
reservoirs. Several raft resorts offer hired rods. Edible and popular
fish include the Giant Gourami, the Transverse Bellbarb, the Giant Snakehead
Fish and the Striped Tiger Nandid. Each is delicious when freshly cooked,
either simply fried or in Thai culinary styles.
 Rafting Trips are available from the
provincial capital and several holiday resorts. Raft trips leaving from
the famous bridge, or the waterfront Song Kwai Road area, cost between
2,000 and 4,500 baht for 10-15 persons, depending on durations and destinations.
Trips may entail 7-10 hour return journeys, or include an overnight
stay on either the Kwai Yai or Kwai Noi rivers. Visitors are advised
to contact TAT's Kanchanaburi office for current information and prices.
Rail
Trips Railway enthusiasts may travel along one of Southeast Asia's
most historical tracks, namely the surviving stretch of the 'Death Railway',
from the provincial capital to the Nam Tok Railway Station near the
Sai Yok Noi Waterfall. The winding track crosses the world-famous bridge
and provides a clear indication of how difficult constructing the original
track (long since repaired and restored) must have been. One particularly
exhilarating stretch sees the line parallel the curving Kwai Noi on
a wooden viaduct towering above the river and hugging a steep, cave-ridden
cliff.
Golf
Golf has become very popular in recent years and can be enjoyed at the
courses listed below. Most offer clubhouse, pro shop and caddy facilities,
and have rental equipment. Green fees vary widely, weekends generally
being more expensive. Unless otherwise specified, courses listed below
are each 18-hole, par 72.
Green
World Hot Spring Resort & Golf Club Km
107 Kanchanaburi-Thong PHA Phum Road
Tel: (02) 539-4613, 539-2865-6
Grand
Garden & Golf Club
Ladya, Muang, Kanchanaburi
Tel: (02) 243-5816-7, 249-0742-3
Khao
Laem Golf Course (9 holes)
Thong PHA Phum Tel: (034) 599-077
Sri
Nagarind Golf Course (9 holes)
Sri Sawat Tel: (034) 513-000
Nichigo
Resort & Country Club
Ladya, Muang, Kanchnaburi
Tel: (02) 235-3034-8
Barrington
Saiyok & Sports Club Singha, Sai Yok
Tel: (02) 541-4252-6 Fax (02) 541-4257
Mission
Hill Golf Club
Nong Tak Ya, Tha Muang, Kanchanaburi
Tel: (02) 222-5514, 226-3390, (01) 312-0711-2
River
Kwai Golf & Country Club
Ban Wang Mai, Sai Yok
Tel: (02) 279-5040, 279-5058 (034) 591-037
Evergreen
Hills Golf Club
152 Mu 5, Tha Muang, Kanchanaburi
Tel: (02) 512-0294-6
Home
Phu Toey Golf Resort Ban
Phu Toey, Sai Yok
Tel: (02) 280-3488-9
Local
Culture
Kanchanaburi's
inhabitants are largely engaged in agriculture, and are mostly of Thai
ancestry with notable Mon and Karen minorities. Rural dwellers enjoy
folk music and dances dating back at least 500 years and which feature
distinctive songs and long drums. Such performances are reenacted during
popular festivals each year at Amphoe Phanom Tuan.
MAJOR
EVENTS:
Boat
& Raft Day Local longboat teams race boats with great gusto
at the waterfront area of the provincial Kwai Yai River to celebrate
'Boat & Raft Day', generally during October.
River
Kwai Bridge Week Each year, late November and/or early December,
the world-famous bridge becomes the focal point of celebrations. Highlights
include exhibitions and historical and archeological displays; a carnival
featuring sideshows, roundabouts, folk entertainment and cultural performances;
rides on trains hauled by World War II vintage steam locomotives; and
a nightly light & sound presentation reenacting the bridge's Second
World War history, including an Allied bombing raid.
THAI
ETIQUETTE
What
is considered polite in your country is probably considered polite in
Thailand, too. However, there are a few cultural pitfalls, mainly social
and religious taboos, the breaking of which can cause offence.
For
example, Thais revere their royal family. Even social malcontents, who
ignore legal and community standards, refuse to tolerate a faintly implied
slur on the monarchy.
Outward
expressions of anger are regarded as crude and boorish. Visitors who
remain calm and smile will find all sorts of doors opened to them.
Visitors
should dress neatly in all religious shrines. They should never go shirtless,
or in shorts, hot pants or other unsuitable attire.
Shoes
should be removed when entering a private Thai home, a Buddhist temple
chapel, any of the Islamic community's mosques.
Each
Buddha image, large or small, ruined or not, is regarded as a sacred
object. Never climb onto one to take a photograph or do anything which
might indicate a lack of respect.
Public
displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon. Westernized
Thai couples may hold hands, but that's as far as it goes in public.
It is considered rude to point your foot at a person or object.
Thais
regard the head as the highest part of the body, literally and figuratively.
Therefore, they do not appreciate anyone patting them there, even as
a friendly gesture.
Thais
customarily ask questions which are regarded elsewhere as being personal.
If the visitor is asked, 'Where are you going?' or 'How much do you
earn?' such questions are asked in a friendly manner and signify genuine
interest. Joking answers such as, 'I'm not sure' or "Never enough!'
are perfectly acceptable.
SHOPPING
Major
souvenir shops are concentrated around the eastern approaches, and riverine
environment, of the world-famous bridge.. Almost every handicraft produced
in Thailand can be purchased there. Browsing to compare quality, and
good-humored but determined bargaining, will ensure favorable prices
for ready-made leisurewear and other apparel, and popular souvenirs
such as bamboo musical instruments, palm leaf mobiles, ceramic decorations,
lacquerware and bronzeware receptacles, paper parasols, and Thai silk
and cotton lengths.
Kanchanaburi
is a major source of high-quality Thai blue sapphires. These are mined
at Ban Phloi, as are onyx and topaz. Purchases of finished jewellery
creations can be made at Ban Phloi's Jewellery Handicraft Centre and
other satellite outlets.
DINING
Western
cuisine is rarely found beyond hotel coffee shops and guest house or
resort dining rooms. Excellent Thai and Chinese cuisine prominently
features freshly caught river fish. The most popular dining areas are
the Song Kwai Road waterfront area and the riverine restaurants in the
vicinity of the River Kwai Bridge. In both areas, several restaurants,
some on rafts, offer comprehensive menus. Live music is often frequently
offered, particularly in the Song Kwai Road area.
 
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