:: City attractions

Major tourism attractions within the provincial capital are inextricably connected with the Second World War years of 1942 through 1945 when the Imperial Japanese army occupied Thailand.

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Don Rak) The immaculately maintained Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, opposite the main railway station on Saeng Chuto Road, contains the remains of 6,982 Allied POWs who perished during the construction of the ‘Death Railway'. An estimated 12,339 Allied POWs, and between 70,000 and 90,000 forced Asian labourers, including many Thais, died during the construction of the ‘Death Railway' and the bridge over the River Kwae. It is believed that one out of every five people who laboured on the railway perished during its construction.

Kanchanaburi Town Gate This is the remain of Kanchanaburi town built in 1831 during the reign of King Rama III. It is located on Lak Mueang Road near the meeting point of the Kwae Yai and Kwae Noi Rivers. Chong Kai War Cemetery A second cemetery, on the former site of riverbank Chong Kai POW Camp, contains some 1,740 remains in an equally immaculate and exceptionally tranquil and verdant setting.

Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park Situated in Kanchanaburi's Agricultural College at Tambon Nong Ya, 9 kilometres from town, it is also known as "the Stone Garden” which abounds with stones of different sizes and shapes.

Wat Tham Mangkon Thong Situated 5 kilometres from town, the temple is well known for the incredible performance of the nun floating in a deep pool. There is a small museum where a variety of ancient objects found in the area are on display.

Visitors can take a Kanchanaburi - Dan Makham Tia bus and get off at the temple.

Wat Tham Phu Wa The monastery in natural surroundings, famous for meditation, is 15 kilometres away from the provincial capital. There is a beautiful cave with plenty of stalactites.


Ancient Town of Kanchanaburi Located at Tambon Lat Ya, 18 kilometres away from the provincial capital, this ancient border town involved in battles between the Thai and the Burmese during the Ayutthaya period to the early Bangkok period. Several ruins are found in Wat Pa Lelai, Wat Khun Phaen, Wat Mae Mai and Wat Nang Phim.

The Nine-Army Battle Historical Park Located at Tambon Chong Sadao, some 40 kilometres from town on Highway No. 3199, the Nine-Army Battle Historical Park was initiated by the Royal Thai Army to commemorate the great battle under the command of King Rama I, in defence of the kingdom against the aggression of King Bodawpaya of Burma in 1795. The Historical Study Building houses historical data involving this great battle, a sand table displaying battlefields and dioramas showing the battle strategy. It is open daily from 8.30 a.m.-4.30 p.m. Call 0-3458- 9233-5 ext. 1122 for more information.

Kanchanaburi Cultural Centre The collection centre of human life styles from the past till the present is displayed at the Rajabhat Institute of Kanchanaburi, 14 kilometres out of town on the route to Sai Yok. It is open daily from 8.30 a.m.-4.30 p.m.

Ban Kao National Museum Some 35 kilometres from Kanchanaburi and overlooking the Kwae Noi river, the petite Ban Kao National Museum was constructed beside a Neolithic burial site discovered by an Allied POW during the construction of the ‘Death Railway'. Some 4,000 years ago, Neolithic man lived, roamed and hunted beside the Kwae 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 artefacts dating from that period.

It is open Wednesday-Friday except public holidays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is 30 baht. Call 0-3465-4058 for more information.

:: Sai Yok attractions

The Sai Yok District is 60 kilometres north of the provincial capital. Its landscape, generally rich in forests and mountains, is dotted with many natural attractions and historical places.

Sai Yok Noi Waterfall Also known as Khao Phang Waterfall, 60 kilometres from town via Highway No. 323, this roadside cascade is best visited between July and September, when water is most plentiful.

Getting There – Non air-conditioned buses leave Kanchanaburi Bus Station every 30 minutes from 6 a.m.-6.30 p.m. to Sai Yok Noi Waterfall. The journey takes 2 hours and costs 25 baht.

Alternatively, visitors can take a train from Kanchanaburi to Namtok Station and continue on foot or by local transport to the waterfall, which is 2 kilometres away. Trains depart from Kanchanaburi at 6.11 a.m., 11 a.m. and 4.37 p.m. and return from Namtok Station at 5.25 a.m. 1 p.m. and 3.15 p.m. The one-way rail trip takes about 2 ½ hours and costs 17 baht. (Please check a current schedule from TAT Kanchanaburi or the railway station before departure.)

Prasat Mueang Sing Historical Park Historical associations can savoured at the Prasat Mueang Sing Historical Park 43 kilometres outside the provincial capital or 6 kilometres away from Ban Kao National Museum. The ancient site is located on a steep bank of the Kwae Noi River where the waterway narrows and becomes fast flowing. The 800-year-old city ruins are of considerable archaeological interest. The principal structure, the Khmer Prasat Mueang Sing (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 artefacts, 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 A.D.

The historical park is open daily from 9 a.m.-4.30 p.m. Admission fee is 40 baht. Call 0-3459-1122 or 0-3459-1334 for further information.

Getting There – Visitors can take a train from Kanchanaburi to Tha Kilen Railway Station and continue on foot or by local transport to Prasat Mueang Sing, 1.5 kilometres away. Trains depart from Kanchanaburi Railway Station every day at 6.11 a.m. (arriving at Tha Kilen at 7.28 a.m.), 11 p.m. (arriving at 11.59 a.m.) and 4.37 p.m. (arriving at 5.42 p.m.). On return to Kanchanaburi, trains departs from Tha Kilen Station at 6.22 a.m., 1.51 p.m. and 4.31 p.m.

Krasae Cave Located some 55 kilometres from Kanchanaburi, beside the surviving remnant of the ‘Death Railway', overlooking the Kwae Noi river near Wang Pho Railway Station, this cavern contains sacred Buddha images. It can be visited on foot by walking less than 100 metres along the railway track from Wang Pho Railway Station.

Hell Fire Pass Memorial Museum The Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, opened on April 24, 1998, by the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. John Howard, and some 80 kilometres north of the provincial capital on Highway No.323, powerfully evokes the period when the ‘Death Railway” was constructed. A masterful display of contemporary photographs, maps, models, illustrations and physical memorabilia from the period is complemented by a moving 7-minute audio-visual presentation.

A 4-kilometre Walking Trail permits visitors to descend to the Hellfire Pass, and then explore the ‘Death Railway' railed in the area. Hellfire Pass was so named because of punishing night work when flickering bonfires illuminated emaciated POWS. The cutting is some 500 metres long, and 26 metres deep. It was completed within six weeks during 1943 by Australian POWs employing hand drills, picks and shovels, baskets and dynamite.

The museum is open daily from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Lawa Cave Located 75 kilometres from Kanchanaburi and 50 metres from the bank of the Kwae Noi river, this large cave can be visited either by boat and by car. Chartered boats are available at the Pak Saeng Pier (southwest of Namtok Railway Station), the trip takes 45 minutes and costs 800-1,000 baht per boat (loading 8-10 people). Visitors travelling by road can cross the bridge at Ban Kaeng Raboet and continue by foot. The cave contains beautiful stalactites and stalagmites in several chambers.

Sai Yok National Park This 300-square-kilometre park contains several interesting caves and the enduringly popular Sai Yok Yai Waterfall, which flows directly into the Kwae Noi River. The idyllic beauty of the waterfall has been repeatedly celebrated in Thai poetry and song. The Daowadueng Cave, which also entails a river trip and 1-kilometre walk for visits, is an even more popular cave.

Sai Yok's deciduous forests, including majestic teak trees, host small mammals such as squirrels, bats and deer, and numerous bird species, including wreathed hornbills and blue winged pitas. The park enjoys a maximum elevation of 1,307 metres, and is home to what is probably the smallest mammal in the world, the two-gram Kitti's Hog-nosed Bat , which was first discovered in 1973 by a Thai naturalist.

The park is 104 kilometres from Kanchanaburi via Highway No. 323 and can also be reached by chartered boat from the Pak Saeng Pier. The park is popular during weekends, but enjoys more somnolent ambience during weekdays. Bungalow accommodation, river rafts and camping facilities, and a daytime food market are available.