As I’m preparing to travel for the last quarter of the year, I’m reminiscing about my time in Thailand. There are still things I haven’t shared so be prepared to read about them.
After exploring the temples, we drove from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi with some stops along the way. Our tour guide kept emphasizing staying in the jungle, but it was one of the most peaceful moments of our entire trip. If you plan on visiting western Thailand, read more about some of the top things to do in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
About Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi is mostly known for the activity around the area during the second World War. Japanese forces had control of the area and forced Thai and Allied Prisoners of War to the construction of the death railway from Choom Thang Nong in Thailand to Than Be Au Sa Yai in Myanmar (formerly Burma).
There are a lot of things to do in Kanchanaburi city including visiting the number of museums and memorials honoring lives lost during this period. Getting to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok was easy for us was about two hours. If you do not want to go on a guided tour, you can take a public bus, taxi, or train ride independently from Thonburi Station in Bangkok.
Top Things to Do in Kanchanaburi
- Elephants World Elephant Sanctuary – After announcing our arrival in Bangkok, comments of riding elephants and petting tigers flooded my DMs. I dreamed of taking “cool pics” like those mentioned, but after reading and researching, my views on these activities have changed. Our group decided to visit Elephants World, an elephant sanctuary that rescues old, sick and abused elephants used for trekking, begging and entertainment. Here we spent a full day learning about the mission of Elephants World, feeding, bathing, and watching the elephants in a natural setting.
- Damnoen Saduak Floating Market – Our first stop from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi was to the floating market. The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is about two hours driving from Kanchanaburi, but definitely worth a day trip. Take a sampan boat on the journey and purchase street food, clothing, spices and other goods for friends and family. Don’t be afraid to negotiate final prices when purchasing goods, you’ll definitely get a good deal.
- Thailand-Burma Railway Centre & War Cemetery – The Thai-Burma Railway Centre (also known as the Death Railway Museum and Research Centre) is a museum and research center dedicated to the men who were forced to build the death railway bridge. It is a fully interactive facility that includes videos, photos and memorabilia from allied POWs and Asian laborers. Across from the museum is the Kanchanaburi war Cemetery which is the final resting place for the World War II POWs.
- River Kwai Bridge – Built along the Thailand-Burma Railway route, visitors can walk on the Bridge over the Kwai river. Around the area, you can see beautiful views of the River Kwai and purchase goods from vendors. Be careful when walking, there is an active railway within the bridge.
Other Activities in Kanchanaburi
Here are some other popular attractions in Kanchanaburi and the surrounding area that our group didn’t get to see on our visit:
- Visit the National Parks – For nature lovers, Khuean Srinagarindra National Park, Erawan National Park and Sai Yok National Park are about 65 miles from Kanchanaburi. These areas are well known for their waterfalls, hot springs, hiking trails, swimming and camping.
- Hellfire Pass – Hellfire Pass is a point within the Death Railway where laborers used hand drills, picks, and shovels to carve through the mountain. The Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum includes an audio-guided walking trail with informative panels for visitor’s education.
- Death Railway – Often done with a trip to the Hell Fire Pass, the Burma-Thailand railway (now called the Death Railway) was originally created as a passage through Burma (Myanmar) to transport Japanese soldiers, supplies and possibly invade India. This is a popular attraction where tourists often take a trip on the actual rail from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi.
Where to Stay in Kanchanaburi
Our full-day and two nights in Kanchanaburi was at the River Kwai Resotel, a 3-star property in the jungle. We didn’t get a chance to enjoy all the amenities, but this property has kayaking, boat tours, cultural dance shows, karaoke and offers services to said excursions. We also received some of the BEST Thai massages for reasonable prices.
Check out my room tour and more in my video below:
Although the time was short, staying in Kanchanaburi was different than the other popular tourist attractions we visited in Thailand and I enjoyed the peaceful and informative stay. You can easily do these activities within three days and it is well worth it if you’re a traveler that likes to visit historical sites.
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Have you heard of the town of Kanchanaburi?
I really want to go to Thailand. Staying huts looks cool. You are bold lol. It look like you had an awesome experience in Thailand. Love you video.
Thanks! It was a really fun experience.
I rarely ever see people traveling to Japan. Or is it me? Thank you for sharing your journey. I plan on traveling the world once my kids are older.
I know at least three people that have went to Japan this year. Kanchanaburi is in Thailand though.
It looks like you had a great time! Thailand is on my travel bucket list for sure. The floating market sounds awesome.
It was great! I brought back some spices and gifts for my sisters. They loved it.
I’ve always wanted to take a floating market ride. Your room looks so nice. I loved the rock shower.
That was our favorite part of the room. We felt like we were on some kind of retreat at that hotel
It looks like a great experience. Different from what I imagined but I like the stillness of it.
Yes! We were in the city initially, but it felt good to wind down for a bit.
You had me at elephants and waterfalls! I can only imagine what a great experience that must have been.
It was awesome. Can’t wait to go back
This was awesome!!! It looks like you had a great time. Thanks for sharing such beautiful pictures.
Thailand is definitely on my bucket list. Informative read! Love the elephants!
Thank you! It’s a beautiful place
I would love to visit the elephant sanctuary. It seems popular place because I always see pictured from people who visit Thailand there. I’m sure the entire experience is amazing.
A lot of people go to the one in Chiang Mai.
I’ve always wanted to visit Thailand. The floating market is on my to Do list.
Thank you so much for the suggestions!
It was really cool
I have wanted to visit Thailand for the longest time now. It’s nice to read about somewhere other than the more popular destinations, especially one with such rich historical excursions. I never knew about the Death Railway, that seems like something interesting (but sad) to learn about.
It was included in our tour with Gate 1, but I really didn’t know where we were going until we got there. It was a pretty emotional, but informative visit. The elephant sanctuary and river boat rides were very relaxing though.