5 Places to Visit in Kanchanaburi (Near Bangkok)

1. Bridge over River Kwai

Accessible by both bus from kanchanaburi and train, this is one of the highlight of the Kanchanaburi. River Kwai bridge was forced to built by the locals during WW2 Japanese Occupation. Many were killed or tormented during the construction of this River Kwai Bridge.

2. JEATH War Museum

Located just a minute walk away from Bridge over River Kwai, you can find information and events of the WW2 in this JEATH war museum. It recounts the historical events that took place during WW2, especially the construction of death railway. JEATH refers to the nationalities involves during WW2; namedly Japanese English Americans/Australians Thai and Holland.

Entrance Fee: 50 Baht for foreigners

3. Wihan Phra Phothisat Kuan Im

Just across the bridge, one can easily spot the Wihan Phra Phoetisat Kuan Im Shrine by the iconic Kuan Im statue. Taoist and buddhist can also easily recognise many of the familiar statues inside the shrine such as Fu Lu Shou, the 12 chinese zodiacs, chinese folk religion deity Ne Zha etc.

4. Big Giant Raintree

100 years old and spans at a height of 20m, this majestic tree has gained its popularity over the years. Do visit if you are in the vicinity to see this spectacular insta-worthy tree. However there is not much other than some stalls selling food and drinks nearby the grand tree.

You may also consider visiting Wat Thammuninat (Wat Ruesi) along the way to the Big Giant Raintree. Some parts of it are still under construction. What sets it differently from other temples is the man-made cave with a reclining buddha built.

5. Erawan Falls (Erawan National Park)

Resides on the west of Kanchanaburi, one can do a day trip to the Erawan National Park. The highlight of the park is trekking through the jungle trails to see the 7 levels of waterfall. Depending on your speed and the time taken for snapshots, one may spend 3 hours or more. Level 6 and level 7 are more suitable for experienced trekkers as one will need to climb over boulders to reach the peak at level 7. Nonetheless, the view at the top is equally breathtaking with clear water gushing and flowing from heights.

A few options for travelling down to the Erawan National Park...

1. Rent a car

2. Ask your hotel to arrange for a ride

3. Take the bus (50 Baht) from Kanchanaburi bus station or anywhere along the main road. We had waited along Sangchuto Road just opposite of Big C and flagged the bus down. However it is advisable that you take the bus from Kanchanaburi bus station for a guaranteed seat.

If you do have some spare time, do plan ahead and visit Hellfire Pass. There is no public transport from Erawan National Park so you might want to take a cab or drive there. The last bus leaving Hellfire Pass is 4pm towards Nam Tok. However the last train leaving Nam Tok Train station is at 3:15pm.

We stayed at Kanchanburi City hotel during the trip and it was definitely a great experience. Do check out Kanchanaburi City Hotel here for their cheap rates and free bicycle rental.
We only recommend what we tried :)

Kanchanaburi is considered an outskirt of Bangkok and hence public transport is relatively limited. Locals may just flag the bus on the road, without having the need for a proper bus stop. If you would like convenience and travelling at your own pace, do check out the affordable car rental here.