Kanchanaburi
5
Day Itinerary •
Thailand
Five days in Kanchanaburi and the western border provinces give you the full depth of the most historically significant and naturally extraordinary region in Thailand. Beyond the River Kwai bridge and the Death Railway lie the extraordinary tiger temple country of Sai Yok, the ancient Mon kingdom ruins of Muang Sing, the wild elephant sanctuary of Huai Kha Khaeng and the extraordinary Three Pagodas Pass at the Myanmar border. This route covers everything from the wartime history of the Kwai valley to the remote jungle of western Thailand's largest national park. The seven-tier Erawan Falls, the Hellfire Pass cutting, the floating raft villages of the Kwai Noi, the Neolithic cave paintings of Ban Rai and the extraordinary Sangkhlaburi lake with its submerged Mon temple are all within reach.
Best Time To Visit
November to February
Getting There
Bus from Bangkok Mo Chit, 2 hours. Train from Thonburi, 3 hours
Getting Around
Hired car or motorbike essential for Days 4 and 5
Budget Per Day
Approx 35 to 90 USD per person per day
Difficulity
Moderate, jungle trails and long driving days
DAY 1
RIVER KWAI TOWN
MORNING
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI AND THE THAILAND-BURMA RAILWAY CENTRE
The original steel spans of the Bridge on the River Kwai stand exactly as rebuilt after Allied bombing raids in 1945. Walk across the bridge above the Kwai Yai river on the exposed wooden sleepers. The extraordinary Thailand-Burma Railway Centre museum 200 metres away tells the complete story of the 415km Death Railway with remarkable and moving detail. Entry to museum approx 160 baht. Drive/Travel: 5 min walk
MIDDAY
THE JEATH WAR MUSEUM AND THE ALLIED WAR CEMETERY
The JEATH Museum recreates the bamboo huts in which Allied prisoners were held, with extraordinary personal accounts, photographs and artefacts. The adjacent Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery contains 6,982 graves in immaculate lawns, one of the most moving sites in Southeast Asia. The Don Rak cemetery is free to enter and requires respectful dress. Drive/Travel: 10 min by bicycle
AFTERNOON
THE RIVER KWAI BY LONGTAIL BOAT AND THE FLOATING RAFT HOUSES
A longtail boat upriver from Kanchanaburi town passes floating raft house villages, limestone karst outcrops and jungle-covered hills unchanged since wartime. The extraordinary Wat Tham Khao Poon cave temple is accessible only by boat, its caverns filled with Buddhist shrines in extraordinary natural chambers. Boat hire approx 600 baht per hour.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
Wat Tham Sua, the Tiger Cave Temple on the limestone hill above Kanchanaburi, is almost entirely unknown to international visitors. The 400 steep steps lead to an extraordinary hilltop chedi with panoramic views over the entire Kwai valley and the distant mountains of Myanmar. The bats emerging from the cave at dusk number in the millions. Entry free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Kanchanaburi morning market Boat noodles and grilled pork skewers at the covered market near the bus station. | Lunch: Apple's Retreat, River Kwai Road The finest Thai food in Kanchanaburi, beloved by repeat visitors. Green curry extraordinary. | Dinner: Floating restaurant, Kwai Yai river Fresh river fish, river prawns and Singha beer on the water at sunset.
DAY 2
HELLFIRE PASS
MORNING
HELLFIRE PASS MEMORIAL MUSEUM AND THE DEATH RAILWAY CUTTING
The most moving site in Kanchanaburi. The Hellfire Pass cutting was hand-drilled through solid rock by Allied POWs working 18-hour shifts by torchlight, hence the name given by the prisoners. The 4km walking trail follows the original railway alignment through the jungle. The museum, maintained by the Australian government, is extraordinary and profoundly moving. Entry free. Drive/Travel: 30 min by local bus
MIDDAY
SAI YOK NOI WATERFALL AND THE DEATH RAILWAY VIADUCTS
The Sai Yok Noi waterfall cascades directly onto the banks of the Kwai Noi river beside the Death Railway line, one of the most extraordinary natural and historical juxtapositions in Thailand. The original wooden viaducts of the Death Railway cling to the cliff face above the river, accessible on foot from the station platform. Train from Nam Tok station approx 100 baht. Drive/Travel: 20 min by train or road
AFTERNOON
NAM TOK AND THE END OF THE DEATH RAILWAY
Nam Tok is the current terminus of the Death Railway, the line having been cut back from the original Burma junction at Three Pagodas Pass after the war. The extraordinary Tham Krasae viaduct, a wooden trestle bridge clinging to the cliff directly above the Kwai Noi, is the most photographed section of the line. The train crosses it at walking pace.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Three Pagodas Pass at the Myanmar border, the original destination of the Death Railway, is accessible as a long day trip from Kanchanaburi and is one of the most extraordinary border crossings in Southeast Asia. The three small chedis marking the ancient trade route between Thailand and Myanmar have stood here for centuries. Entry free on the Thai side.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Guesthouse breakfast, Kanchanaburi Most raft house guesthouses serve a Thai breakfast. Eat before the early bus. | Lunch: River Kwai Resotel, Nam Tok Outstanding riverside Thai food near the Nam Tok waterfall. Local fish dishes. | Dinner: Night market, Kanchanaburi The evening market near the bus station has the finest grilled river fish in the province.
DAY 3
ERAWAN FALLS
MORNING
ERAWAN NATIONAL PARK, THE SEVEN-TIER EMERALD WATERFALLS
The seven tiers of Erawan Falls are among the most extraordinary in Thailand. Each tier forms a different emerald-green swimming pool filled with Mahseer fish that feed from your hands. Tier 2 is the most beautiful with its natural arch. Tier 7 requires a 2km jungle trek and is almost entirely free of visitors. Arrive at park opening at 8am. Entry approx 300 baht. Drive/Travel: 30 min by local bus
MIDDAY
ERAWAN UPPER TIERS AND THE JUNGLE TRAIL
The upper tiers of Erawan from Tier 4 to Tier 7 require an increasingly challenging jungle trail through extraordinary primary forest. Tier 7, the source pool of the falls, is accessible to fit walkers and offers the most extraordinary swimming in Thailand in a completely natural jungle setting. Fewer than 10 percent of visitors reach Tier 7. Trail well marked. Drive/Travel: 45 min bus back to town
AFTERNOON
KANCHANABURI TOWN AND THE RIVER KWAI FAREWELL
The final afternoon is best spent on the river. Rent a kayak from one of the guesthouses on River Kwai Road for approx 150 baht per hour and paddle upstream past the bridge and the war cemetery. The golden hour light on the river and the bridge is extraordinary. The night market near the bus terminal opens at 5pm for the finest farewell dinner in the province.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Lawa Cave at Wang Badan, accessible from a small road 15km north of Kanchanaburi town, is one of the most extraordinary cave systems in western Thailand, an enormous cavern with stalactites, stalagmites and an underground river almost entirely unknown to international visitors. Local guides available at the cave entrance for approx 100 baht. Bring a torch.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Erawan park entrance stalls Buy sticky rice and grilled corn before entering the park. Last food until Tier 1 cafe. | Lunch: Erawan Tier 1 restaurant Simple Thai food in the national park. Eat early before the lunch crowds arrive. | Dinner: River Kwai Road night market The finest grilled river fish, papaya salad and cold Chang beer in the province.
DAY 4
SANGKHLABURI
MORNING
THE DRIVE TO SANGKHLABURI THROUGH THE TENASSERIM HILLS
driving The 220km drive north from Kanchanaburi through the Tenasserim Hills on Highway 323 is one of the finest road journeys in Thailand, passing through teak forest, Karen villages and the extraordinary Khao Laem reservoir. The road climbs through jungle over 600-metre passes with views over Myanmar. Stop at the Ban Kao Neolithic Museum en route for extraordinary prehistoric artefacts. Entry approx 30 baht. Drive/Travel: 20 min to lake
MIDDAY
SANGKHLABURI LAKE AND THE SUBMERGED WAT SAM PRASOB
The Khao Laem reservoir flooded the valley of Sangkhlaburi in 1984, submerging an entire Mon town including the extraordinary Wat Sam Prasob. In the dry season the temple spire and ruins emerge from the water in an extraordinary image. A longtail boat to the submerged temple costs approx 200 baht. The lake with its forested islands is one of the most beautiful in Thailand. Drive/Travel: 10 min walk
AFTERNOON
THE MON WOODEN BRIDGE AND THE MON VILLAGE OF BAN WAENG KA
The longest wooden bridge in Thailand crosses the Songkalia river at Sangkhlaburi, linking the town to the extraordinary Mon village of Ban Waeng Ka. The Mon people fled Myanmar centuries ago and maintain their language, architecture and Buddhist traditions with remarkable purity. The village market and the extraordinary Wat Wang Wiwekaram are both extraordinary. Entry free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The submerged chedi of Wat Sam Prasob at full emergence in the dry season is one of the most extraordinary photographic subjects in Thailand, the ancient spire rising from perfectly still water surrounded by drowned forest. The best light is at dawn when mist lies on the reservoir. Longtail boats depart from the pier below the Mon bridge from 6am. Approx 200 baht per boat.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Highway 323 roadside stalls Stop at the Karen village market near Si Sawat for extraordinary forest honey and grilled meats. | Lunch: Khao Laem Dam viewpoint restaurant Simple Thai food with extraordinary reservoir views. Local fish and sticky rice. | Dinner: Mon restaurant, Sangkhlaburi Extraordinary Mon cuisine, distinct from Thai. Try the Mon fish curry and fermented rice.
DAY 5
THREE PAGODAS PASS
MORNING
THREE PAGODAS PASS, THE ANCIENT GATEWAY BETWEEN THAILAND AND MYANMAR
The Three Pagodas Pass at 1,400 metres marks the ancient trade and invasion route between the kingdoms of Siam and Burma. The three small white chedis that give the pass its name have stood here for centuries and are among the most historically significant monuments in Thailand. The extraordinary mountain scenery and the Myanmar market just across the border are both extraordinary. Entry free on the Thai side. Drive/Travel: 1 hour drive
MIDDAY
HUAI KHA KHAENG WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE JUNGLE
The Huai Kha Khaeng sanctuary is the largest protected forest complex in mainland Southeast Asia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wild elephants, tigers, leopards and gibbons inhabit the extraordinary primary forest. The visitor centre near the Thung Yai boundary has extraordinary wildlife photography and a guided nature trail. Entry approx 200 baht. Drive/Travel: 1 hour drive back
AFTERNOON
BAN RAI CAVE PAINTINGS AND THE KWAI NOI VALLEY
The Ban Rai cave near Sangkhlaburi contains Neolithic paintings estimated at 3,000 years old, depicting humans, animals and geometric patterns in extraordinary ochre pigment on the cave walls. One of the least visited prehistoric art sites in Thailand. The drive back through the Kwai Noi valley in the late afternoon light is extraordinary. Local guide required, approx 200 baht.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The P'lou Karen village at Pilok near the Myanmar border is one of the most remote and extraordinary communities in Thailand, accessible only by a 4WD track through the jungle. The old tin mining ghost town of Pilok itself, abandoned in the 1980s, has decaying colonial shophouses and an extraordinary jungle atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the country. Local guide essential. Approx half day from Sangkhlaburi.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Guesthouse, Sangkhlaburi Mon breakfast of rice porridge with fish at the wooden bridge end. | Lunch: Three Pagodas Pass market Thai-Myanmar border food including extraordinary Shan noodles and grilled meats. | Dinner: Sangkhlaburi final dinner Return to the Mon restaurant for a farewell dinner before the drive back to Bangkok.
Where To Stay
Kanchanaburi, Nights 1 to 2 Floating raft house or River Kwai Road guesthouse. Approx 30 to 90 USD per night. Sangkhlaburi, Nights 3 to 5 Grandma's Guesthouse or Phanoen Thung Resort on the lake. Approx 25 to 70 USD. Budget Option Blue Star Guesthouse, Kanchanaburi or P Guesthouse, Sangkhlaburi. Approx 10 to 20 USD.
Top Tips
1. Erawan on weekdays only. Arrive at 8am opening. Tier 7 is worth the full jungle walk.
2. The Death Railway train to Nam Tok is one of the finest short rail journeys in Asia.
3. Sangkhlaburi requires a hired car or motorbike. Public transport to Three Pagodas Pass is very limited.
4. Submerged Wat Sam Prasob is most dramatic in the dry season (Jan to April) when the spire fully emerges.
5. Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife is best at dawn. Arrange a guided walk the evening before at the visitor centre.
6. The Mon village across the wooden bridge is best visited at the morning market before 9am.
Total Budget
28 to 115 USD/day