Kanchanaburi Travel Information
General Information || Attraction || Interesting Activities || Festival || To Shop || How to get there
National Parks : Kanchanaburi contains four major national parks, namely the Sai Yok, Erawan, Chaloem Rattanakosin and Srinagarindra national parks, which can be enjoyed year-round by botanists, ornithologists, and nature lovers alike. Each park offers bungalow accommodation, complemented by rafts and-or camp sites with cold-water and simple toilet facilities. Trekking along either well-defined waterfall trails, or nature trails, to visit cascades, caves, or to appreciate local flora and fauna, is a popular activity at each of the national parks. Three of Kanchanaburi’s most picturesque waterfalls are contained within the Sai Yok, Erawan and Srinagrindra national parks.
Note: Admission to the national park is 200 baht per person. Visitors intending to make overnight stays in the national park should make reservations through the Royal Forestry Department in Bangkok (Tel: 0-2579-5734, 0-2579-7223)
Rafting
Trips are available from the provincial capital and several holiday resorts. Raft trips leave from the famous bridge, or the Song Kwae Road waterfront area and the cost depends on the duration and destination. Trips may entail 7-10 hour return journeys, or include an overnight stay on either the Kwae Yai or Kwae Noi Rivers. Visitors are advised to contact TAT's office in Kanchanaburi for current information.
Rail Trips
Railway enthusiasts may travel along one of Southeast Asia's most historical tracks, namely the surviving stretch of the ‘Death Railway’, from the provincial capital to Namtok Railway Station near the Sai Yok Noi Waterfall. The winding track crosses the world famous bridge and provides a clear indication of how difficult constructing the original track (long since repaired and restored) must have been. One particularly exhilarating stretch sees the line parallel the curving Kwae Noi River on a wooden viaduct towering above the river and hugging a steep cave-ridden cliff.
Train Schedules & Fares Trains depart from Kanchanaburi Railway Station every day at 6.11 a.m., 11 p.m. and 4.35 p.m. to Nam Tok Railway Station. On return, trains leave Nam Tok station at 5.25 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3.15 p.m. Travelling time is about 2 hours. The fare is 17 baht.
Golfing
Undulating fairways and mountain backdrops characterise the terrain of most
Kanchanaburi golf courses. Golfers can test their skills at eight 18-hole or 27-hole courses scattered throughout the province, and at two smaller courses operated by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand at the Srinagarindra and Vajiralongkorn (Khao Laem) dams.
Some courses are attached to resort hotels. Most have sports complexes and swimming pools, particularly important for non-playing spouses and children. Few are fully booked during weekdays, meaning that walk-ins are almost always assured that greens are available. Because of Kanchanaburi’s comparative proximity to Bangkok, bookings are recommended during weekends and public holidays.
River Kwae Bridge Week
Each year, late November and/or early December, the world famous bridge becomes the focal point of celebrations. Highlights include exhibitions and historical and archaeological displays; a carnival featuring sideshows, roundabouts, folk entertainment, and cultural performances; rides on trains hauled by World War II vintage steam locomotives; and a nightly light and sound presentation re-enacting the bridge's Second World War history, including an Allied bombing raid.
Local Products
Jewels come mostly from jewel mines scattered in Bo Phloi district. The jewels are also on display at the Bo Phloi jewel exhibition centre and at several shop in the district.
Coconut jelly is a refreshing sweet available at Wimon shop on Saeng Chuto Road
Tha Rua grass noodle is renowned for its high quality, available on Saeng Chuto Road
Major souvenir shops are concentrated around the eastern approaches, and riverine environment, of the world famous bridge. Almost every handicraft produced in Thailand can be purchased there. Browsing to compare quality will ensure favourable prices for readymade leisurewear and other apparel and popular souvenirs such as jewellery and handmade handicrafts.
