Kanchanaburi is a town located in the west of Thailand and is part of Kanchanaburi Province. The town has a population of over 25,000 people. Kanchanaburi has grown in popularity over the years because of its history in particular the Death Railway and its natural beauty. What are the things to do in Kanchanaburi Thailand?
In Kanchanaburi, you can visit museums around the Death Railway as well as see the bridge built over the River Kwai back in World War 2. There is also an elephant sanctuary, you can stop by a few temples in the area, or visit Sri Nakarin National Park, and there are more.
In this post, we will go through things to do in Kanchanaburi Thailand. Let’s get started!
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Is Kanchanaburi Worth Visiting?
Kanchanaburi is worthwhile to visit if you want to learn about the death railway built by prisoners of war in WW2. There is sightseeing with a couple of temples in the area and a national park.
The town is not touristy so there is a limited number of hotels, plus there is no real nightlife, and things can be a little bit basic.
Things To Do In Kanchanaburi Thailand
Kanchanaburi is located in the western province of Kanchanaburi. The town is growing as a popular tourist destination in Thailand but not as popular if compared to other places around Thailand such as Chiang Mai or Pai.
Here is our list of things to do in Kanchanaburi Thailand.
Visit Elephant World
When visiting Kanchanaburi, this should be on top of any list of things to do in Kanchanaburi. You will see the original elephants of Thailand when you visit the Elephant World.
At the elephant park, you can see a wide range of elephants that care for over 30 domestic elephants. Elephant World has visitor programs ranging from a single-day visit to the Mahout Experience of a week or more.
Explore Tiger Temple
Tiger Temple is quite a controversial place because there are tigers in the temple. The tiger temple is considered a dangerous place with most visitors wondering how the tigers live there with the monks.
If you dare to get close to the tigers, this could be the place for you. You have no need to worry because there is a guide that will escort you around.
Visit Erawan National Park
Erawan National Park is a popular spot for locals and tourists for those who visit Kanchanaburi in Thailand. You will see a beautiful view of the national park with various species including elephants.
The forest has amazing green scenery. There is also a waterfall that will pamper your eyes. Anyway, this place is amazing for those who love nature and wildlife.
Visit The Death Railway Museum
If history is something you are interested in, then this should be on your list of things to do in Kanchanaburi. There is a tragic story behind this death railway museum where there were a lot of people who died during its construction.
See The Bridge On The River Kwai
It is a historical landmark that is no longer used and has become a popular spot for visitors to Kanchanaburi who want to see the saddening history of World War 2.
This bridge connected the Thai and Burmese and it belongs to the Death Railway because there were so many people who died during its construction.
Experience Hellfire Pass And Memorial Museum
Hellfire Pass was the name of a railway cutting on the former Burma Railway in Thailand which was built with forced labor during the Second World War. The length of this hellfire pass is about 500 meters and it still has a connection with the Death Railway.
700 men died when they were trying to dig this pass for a railway. Though it has a bad history, some local people are still willing to visit this area to see the truth.
Visit JEATH War Musem
What does JEATH stand for? JEATH is Japan, England, Australia, America, Thailand, and Holland. There are a lot of photos and artworks that you can see in the museum with a story behind them.
So, when you come to this museum, you will know what was actually happening in the past. Anyway, this museum will tell you something that you do not want to hear about.
See The Beautiful Sri Nakarin National Park
After you spend a few days visiting historical sites, there might be time to enjoy the beautiful Sri Nakarin National Park which also has hot springs.
You can see the nice Kwae Yai River in the national park and there are also a lot of wildlife animals around the location such as leopards, civets, bats, and much more.
Visit Chung Kai War Cemetery
You probably think why would you visit a grave area but this Chung Kai War Cemetery is recommended to visit if you want to learn more about the story behind the death railway.
This cemetery is for people who died during the Second World War. The grave area looks beautiful and well-maintained.
See Pagodas Pass
There are three pagodas pass in Kanchanaburi but the location is quite far from the Kanchanaburi itself. It is about 250 km from Kanchanaburi.
It used to be an ancient trade stop and there are still local people from Thai and Burma who live around the area.
Enjoy The Local Food
There are plenty of restaurants around the town, you only need to pick one and order some local Thai food.
Some Thai typical meals that you may try are Kalamae, Tom Yam, Phad Thai, Khao Phad, Som Tam, Tom Kha Kai, and much more.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, there are things to do in Kanchanaburi such as you can visit museums around the Death Railway as well as seeing the bridge built over the River Kwai back in World War 2. There is also an elephant sanctuary, you can stop by a few temples in the area, or visit Sri Nakarin National Park, and there are more.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on things to do in Kanchanaburi Thailand has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.
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