Attraction

The Bridge over the River Kwai internationally famous, thanks to several motion  pictures and books, the black iron bridge was brought from Java by the Japanese Army  and reassembled under Japanese supervision by Allied prisoners of war labour as part  of the Death Railway linking Thailand with Myanmar. Still in use today the bridge was  the target of frequent Allied bombing raids during 1945, and was rebuilt after the war  ended. The curved spans of the bridge are the original sections.

War Museum This museum, located near the River Kwai Bridge, displays the collection  of weapons, tools and utensils of the Allied prisoners of war and Japanese soldiers  during the Second World War.

The JEATH War Museum This enclave in the riverside precincts of Wat Chaichumphon  has been constructed largely in the form of an Allied Prisoners of War camp. The name  JEATH is derived from Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand, and Holland. The  thatched detention hut with cramped, elevated bamboo bunks contains photographic,  and physical memorabilia dating from the Second World War. The museum is open  daily from 8.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

Kanchanaburi Town Gate This is located on Lak Muang Road near the meeting point of  the Kwai Yai and Kwai Noi Rivers. It is built in 1833 during the reign of king Rama lll  after the town was moved from the original site at Tambon Latya, 18 kms. away.

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery On Saeng Chuto Road, opposite the Railway Station, it  contains the remains of 6,982 prisoners of war who perished during the construction of  the "Death Railway".

Chong Kai War Cemetery 2 kilometres south of town on the bank of the Kwai Noi River  this occupies the former site of the Chong Kai prisoner of war camp. This second  cemetery is more peaceful, attractively landscaped, and contains some 1,750 remains.

Wat Tham Mangkon Thong Situated 4 kilometres from town on the bank of the Kwai Noi  River, it is well known for the incredible performance of the nun floating in a pool. There  is small museum where a variety of ancient objects are on display.

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

Somdet Phra Sri Nakarin 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 in its large area.

Wat Tham Sua and Wat Tham Khao Noi Located at Tambon Muang Chum, 4 kilometres  beyond Wachiralongkorn Dam, these two adjacent temples house very beautiful Thai  and Chinese style buildings and a huge Buddha image situated on the mount.

Wat Pa Lelai This ancient temple is 18 kilometres away from the provincial capital. It is  located at Tambon Lat Ya, which once was an ancient border town involved in battles  between the Thai and the Burmese during the Ayutthaya period to the early Bangkok  period. Another nearby temple called Watkhun Phaen houses a ruined pagoda dating  back to the early Ayutthaya period.

Kanchanaburi Cultural Centre The collection centre of human lifestyles from the past till  the present displayed at the Rajpatara institute of Kanchanaburi,14 Kilometres out of  town on the route to Sai Yok.

Ban Kao National Museum The museum, some 35 kilometres from town, was  constructed beside a Neolithic burial site discovered by Dutch prisoners of was during  the construction of the "Death Railway". Specimens of Neolithic remains are on display.  It is open daily from 9.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m.

Prasat Muang Sing Historical Park This ancient site is 43 kilometres out of  Kanchanaburi on the bank of the Kwai Noi River. The principal structure, the Khmer  Prasat Muang Sing (Tower of the City of Lions), is believed to have been the  westernmost outpost of the Angkor-centred Khmer empire. A wide range of artifacts  including temple carvings, religious statues, implements, and pottery shards indicate  the once-thriving city must have been inhabited from approximately the 12th to 14th  centuries.

Namtok Sai Yok Noi Also known as Namtok Khao Phang, some 60 kilometres from town,  this roadside cascade is best visited between July and September when water is most  plentiful. Travelling by train from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok Station is recommended for  visitors wishing to experience trips on the historic railway, and then continue by local  transport to the waterfall, which is only 2 kilometres away.

Hell Fire Pass This is a part of the Death Railway, constructed during the Second War  now abandoned. The site is located in a thick forest near km. 66 of Sai Yok-Thong Pha  Phum Road. A long passage made through the stone mountain by the Allied prisoners  indicates the extreme difficulty in constructing the Death Railway.

Thong Pha Phum is 159 kilometres north or the provincial capital. Besides limestone  waterfalls, which are the major attractions in the area, there is the following:

Khao Laem Dam this hydro-electric dam is situated on the Kwai Noi River, 6 Kilometers  north or Thong Pha Phum or 165 Kilometres north of Kanchanaburi. The dam, 1,019  metres long and 92 metres high, forms a scenic reservoir extending to the north  towards Sangkhla Buri district. An overnight stay in comfortable resorts or raft-houses  also offer a relaxing holiday for visitors.

Namtok Kroeng Krawia This roadside waterfall, 32 kms. north of Thong Pha Phum, is  often visited by passers-by. The water cascades down a limestone rock face shady  trees. It is most beautiful during the rainy season.

Namtok Dai Chong Thong Travel 2 kms. beyond Namtok Kroeng Krawia, then turn left  and go on for 6 kms. It is rather a large waterfall which cascades down towards Khao  Laem Dam.

Namtok Pha Tat This huge waterfall in the area of the national park is easily accessible.  Visitors can travel north of Thong Pha Phum along Route 323 and turn right at km. 105,  then go on for 12 kms. to the waterfall.

Hin Dat Hot Spring This hot spring with a pond for bathing is at km. 107 off Route 323 or  2 kms. beyond the entrance to Pha Tat Waterfall. It was discovered beside the stream  by a Japanese soldier during the Second World War.

Pilok Some 70 kilometers west of Thong Pha Phum on Route 3272, there was once a lot  of mining of wolfram and tin in the Tanaonwasi Mountains marking the Thailand- Myanmar border. Nowadays, temperate fruit and decorative winter plants can be seen  and bought at Pilok and the villages en route. Visitors are advised to take four-wheeled  drive vehicles for travelling along this route.

Sangkhla Buri This small settlement, some 225 kilometres from Kanchanaburi, edges  on the northernmost extremities of Khao Laem Dam. The scenic 75-kilometre route from  Khao Laem laregely parallels the reservoir passing several raft complexes and  roadside cascades.

Wat Wang Wiwekaram This extensive temple on the southern outskirts of Sangkhla  Buri edges on Khao Laeem Dam. The complex is constructed in an unusual mix of Thai,  Indian, and Burmese Buddhist architectural styles, and the abbot "Lauang Pho Uttama"  is highly revered among local people, including tribal folk and Burmese.

Mon Village This Mon community is linked with the district by a long wooden bridge.  Mon is an ethnic minority whose origin is in Myanmar. Here, they live peacefully and  their tradition has been continually practised.

Three Pagodas Pass 22 kilometres from Sangkhla Buri, this is a group of three similar  pagodas which has been constructed as memorial for an important trooping route  during the wartime of the Ayutthaya period. It also marks the rugged Thailand-Myanmar  border and is the site of a small thriving border market. Visitors are allowed to enter the  neighbouring Burmese settlement.

Elephant Trekking Elephants in Sangkhla Buri are raised by Karen hilltribes for working  purposes. When not working, they are available to tourists to ride. Some travel agents  offer one-day elephant trekking in combination with rafting tours in the vicinity of Thong  Pha Phum and Sangkhla Buri. [MORE]

Namtok Erawan This is a 7-tiered waterfall, widely regarded as one of Thailand's  loveliest cascades. It is in the area of the Erawan National park, 65 Kilometres from  Kanchanaburi along route 3199.
Tham Phra That This cave is 10 kilometres north of Namtok Erawan. It contains  monumental stalagmites and stalactites.

Sri Nakarin Dam 69 kilometres from Kanchanaburi, and just 4 kilometres north of the  Erawan National park, this massive structure marks the southernmost extremity of an  extensive reservoir, which is part of yet another national park.

Namtok Huai Mae Khamin This waterfall with many beautiful cascades is located by the  Sri Nakarin Dam, some 108 kilometres from Kanchanaburi. The 1-hour boat ride to the  waterfall starts from the Tha Kradan Pier 12 kilometres from Sri Nakarin Dam. Many  resorts in the form of raft houses are available at Tha Kradan.

Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park - Tham Than Lot 97 Kilometres from Kanchanaburi,  and north of Bo Phloi, along Route 3086, this 54-square kilometre park encompasses  peaceful forests, waterfalls, and several caves. There is a 2.5-kilometre hiking trail  along the stream which is laced with several small cascades. The stream flows through  Than Loy Yoi and Than Lot Noi Caves which house beautiful stalactites and  stalagmites.

Huai Ongkot Royal Project This is a site for the royal project which is planned to  develop the infertile area around the Ongkhot basin. It is located at Tambon Somdet  Charoen, Nong Phru district, 130 kilometres from Kanchanburi. The area also houses a  Royal Residence and the excavation of Neolithic remains.