Destination guide
Things to Do in Kanchanaburi
The cutting at Hellfire Pass, the train along the cliff at Tham Krasae, Erawan's pools and a night on the river
The most important thing to do in Kanchanaburi is understand the Death Railway, the line the Japanese army built in 1942 and 1943 with the forced labor of Allied prisoners of war and Asian workers, tens of thousands of whom died. Walk the cutting at Hellfire Pass with the audio guide, ride the ฿100 train along the cliff on the Tham Krasae viaduct, and spend a morning at the War Cemetery and the Thailand–Burma Railway Centre before you see the bridge.
Then give a day to the other Kanchanaburi, swimming up Erawan's seven tiers and sleeping on a raft on the Khwae Noi. Below are eighteen things to do, ranked, with prices, hours and train times, day trips from town and from Bangkok, what to do in the rain, with kids and at night, and what to skip. Three nights covers it.
Arriving in Kanchanaburi
Where to stay in Kanchanaburi
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My pick at each price level in Kanchanaburi
Key Facts
The best sights are an hour or more out of town
The bridge, the War Cemetery, the Railway Centre and JEATH are in town and close together. Hellfire Pass is about 80 km northwest, Erawan about 65 km, and Sai Yok and Nam Tok are on the same road as Hellfire Pass, so plan the province in three days, not one.
The train ticket is ฿100 to any station
Foreigners pay a flat ฿100 at the window on the day, from Bangkok's Thon Buri station or from Kanchanaburi, and the same ticket covers the bridge, the Tham Krasae viaduct and Nam Tok. There's no advance sale.
The war sights are free or cheap
Hellfire Pass, the bridge and both war cemeteries are free. The Thailand–Burma Railway Centre charges ฿160 and the JEATH War Museum ฿40.
The national parks charge ฿300
Erawan and Sai Yok each charge foreign adults ฿300 and children ฿150. Bring cash. Erawan stops letting people in at 15:30.
Check the closing days before Hellfire Pass
It's closed on 1 January, 13 to 15 April, 5 December, 24 to 27 and 31 December, and for about three weeks in May.
November to February is the time to go
It's dry and cooler then. April averages highs of 38°C at the Kanchanaburi weather station, and September and October are the wettest months, when floods can close the railway and the waterfalls for a few days.
The 18 Best Things to Do in Kanchanaburi
Ranked by how much I'd prioritize each one on a first visit of three nights. The war history comes first because it's the reason Kanchanaburi matters, and I'd see Hellfire Pass and the Railway Centre before the bridge itself.
1. Hellfire Pass, Sai Yok district, about 80 km northwest
Understanding the Death RailwayThe cutting the prisoners hacked through solid rock in 1943, working through the night by torchlight, which is how it got its name. The Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre, run by Australia's Department of Veterans' Affairs, tells the story with photographs and personal accounts, and its free audio guide follows you out onto the old railbed. If I had one day in the province, this is where I'd spend it.
The short walk down to the memorial cutting is about 500 m and takes 45 minutes to an hour. The long trail carries on 2.6 km to Hintok Road, about three hours there and back, and you carry a free radio from the counter. There are no toilets on either walk, so go before you set out, and wear proper shoes.
- Getting there
- About an hour by car up Highway 323, or 1.5 to 2 hours on the bus toward Thong Pha Phum for about ฿60. Buses back stop opposite the entrance until about 17:00.
- When to go
- 09:00 to 16:00, audio guides until 15:00. Go in the morning, before the heat.
2. The Death Railway train over the Tham Krasae viaduct, Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok
The ride itselfBeyond the bridge the old railway still runs as far as Nam Tok, and the best stretch is the Tham Krasae viaduct, a wooden trestle that clings to a cliff above the Khwae Noi, where the train slows to a crawl. Beside the viaduct, Krasae Cave holds a small Buddhist shrine in the rock.
Train No. 257 leaves Kanchanaburi at about 10:30, crosses the viaduct around 11:38 and reaches Nam Tok at 12:05, and the 06:02 gets you to Nam Tok at 08:00 with the whole day ahead. Trains head back from Nam Tok at 05:20, 13:00 and 15:30. Floods closed the line beyond Tha Kilen in late September 2026 and it reopened through to Nam Tok on 3 October, so in the rainy season ask at the station first.
- Getting there
- From Kanchanaburi station or River Kwai Bridge station, ฿100 at the window on the day.
- When to go
- The 06:02 if you're adding Hellfire Pass, the 10:30 if you're not.
3. Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and the Thailand–Burma Railway Centre, Kanchanaburi town center
The history, in contextThe Commonwealth War Graves Commission's cemetery, known locally as Don Rak, holds nearly 7,000 Allied prisoners of war who died building the railway, most of them British, Australian and Dutch, in long rows of bronze plaques on an immaculate lawn. It's free, quiet and open every day. Dress and behave as you would at any war grave.
Next door, the Thailand–Burma Railway Centre is the museum to see if you see one. Its galleries set the engineering beside the human cost, and about 90 minutes is right. It opens 09:00 to 16:00 and charges ฿160. I'd come here first, before the bridge, because it turns the bridge from a photo stop into the place it is.
- Getting there
- Both are on Saeng Chuto Road, a short walk from Kanchanaburi railway station.
- When to go
- First thing in the morning, before the heat.
4. The Bridge on the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi town, north end
The famous crossingThe bridge carries the Death Railway across the Khwae Yai. The curved steel spans are the wartime originals, and the straight central ones replaced the spans destroyed by Allied bombing in 1945. You can walk across it at any time for free, stepping onto the side platforms when a train comes through.
Tour buses fill it from late morning, and the souvenir stalls around it sit oddly with what it commemorates. Come early or late, or ride across it on the train. Every year in late November and early December the River Kwai Bridge Week fair puts on a free light-and-sound show here.
- Getting there
- About 3 km north of the War Cemetery by songthaew, Grab or bicycle. River Kwai Bridge station is at the east end.
- When to go
- Before 09:00, or late afternoon into the evening.
5. Erawan Falls, Erawan National Park, about 65 km northwest
Swimming in turquoise poolsSeven tiers of limestone pools stepping up a forested hillside, the water a bright turquoise, with small fish that nibble your feet. The first three tiers are an easy walk and the busiest, and every tier above them is quieter. The path climbs about 2 km from the parking lot to the seventh, and three hours lets you reach the top and swim on the way down.
Entry is ฿300 for foreign adults and ฿150 for children, last entry is 15:30, and rangers start clearing the upper tiers around 15:00, so I'd be on the 08:00 bus. Food isn't allowed past the second tier. My Erawan Falls guide has the tiers one by one and the bus timetable.
- Getting there
- Bus 8170 from Kanchanaburi bus station, about 1.5 hours for ฿60, or about an hour to an hour and a quarter by car.
- When to go
- A weekday morning. The last bus back leaves at 16:30.
6. A night on a raft on the Khwae Noi, Sai Yok district, upriver
The night you'll rememberThe floating hotels on the Khwae Noi are the other reason to stay longer. River Kwai Jungle Rafts is the classic one, bamboo rafts moored along the river and reached only by boat, with no electricity, no internet and no hot water, and all meals included. One night is right for most people, and it puts you close to Hellfire Pass and Sai Yok in the morning.
The scheduled boats from the pier are free, and a private boat costs ฿1,200. Bring a power bank, because there's nowhere to charge a phone. For a raft with more comfort, Boutique Raft Resort River Kwai sits near the end of the railway at Nam Tok, and Erachon Raft Resort is a few kilometers from the Erawan gate.
- Getting there
- The pier is well over an hour by road from town, so ask the hotel about the transfer when you book.
- When to go
- Any night from November to April, when the river is calm.
7. Sai Yok National Park and Sai Yok Noi, Sai Yok district, northwest
Waterfalls on the way to Hellfire PassSai Yok Yai's two small falls drop straight into the Khwae Noi beside a suspension footbridge at the park headquarters, and it's a slower, quieter day than Erawan. Sai Yok Noi, the roadside waterfall a couple of kilometers north of Nam Tok station, is the easy stop if you ride the train to the end of the line.
The park charges ฿300 for foreign adults and ฿150 for children and opens 08:00 to 16:30. Both falls are at their best after the rains and much smaller in the dry season. After heavy rain the park sometimes closes Sai Yok Noi, as it did from 27 September 2026, so check before you go in the wet months.
- Getting there
- Sai Yok Noi is walkable from Nam Tok station. Sai Yok Yai needs a car or a tour.
- When to go
- July to November for the water.
8. Chungkai War Cemetery, West bank of the Khwae Noi, south of town
A quieter place to pay respectsThe second Commonwealth war cemetery in Kanchanaburi, across the river from town. About 1,700 men lie here, most of them British and the rest Dutch, and it sees a fraction of Don Rak's visitors.
It's free and open daily from 08:00 to 17:00. Give it 30 to 45 minutes, and pair it with the bridge on a bicycle or by Grab.
- Getting there
- A few kilometers from the center across the river, by Grab, scooter or bicycle.
- When to go
- Early morning, when it's cool and empty.
9. JEATH War Museum, Pak Phraek Road, south end of town
The prisoners' own storyA small museum named for the nations bound up in the railway, Japan, England, Australia, America, Thailand and Holland, with photographs, artifacts and accounts of the camps. It's smaller and more modest than the Railway Centre, and I'd see it second, not instead.
Entry is about ฿40, and it opens daily from about 08:30. It's on the same road as the Saturday Walking Street, so it fits an afternoon at the south end of town.
- Getting there
- A short Grab or a walk from the War Cemetery.
- When to go
- Late morning or afternoon, after the Railway Centre.
10. Kayak or paddleboard the river, Maenamkwai Road, by the bridge
The river from the waterKanchanaburi sits where the Khwae Yai and the Khwae Noi meet, and seeing it from a canoe is the best way to slow down between the war sights. River Kwai Canoe Travel runs guided paddles from Maenamkwai Road, and Paddle More Thailand does stand-up paddleboard tours on the same stretch, both fine for beginners.
Wear quick-dry clothes and sunscreen, and check river levels in the rainy season. Both operators take bookings through their own pages.
- Getting there
- Both start on Maenamkwai Road, between the cemetery and the bridge.
- When to go
- Early morning, from November to February.
11. Wat Tham Suea, About 14 km southeast of town
The view over the plainsA hilltop temple with an 18 m golden Buddha looking out over the rice fields and the Mae Klong valley, and an octagonal chedi beside it you can climb for the view. Despite the English name, Tiger Cave Temple, there are no tigers here, and it has nothing to do with the old Tiger Temple.
Climb the 157 steps or ride the small tram, which is the sensible choice at midday. It's a working temple, so cover shoulders and knees, and bring water, because there's little shade on the stairs.
- Getting there
- By scooter or Grab, about 20 to 30 minutes from town.
- When to go
- Late afternoon for the light. Open 08:00 to 17:00.
12. Elephants World, On the Khwae Noi, west of town
Elephants without ridingA rescue sanctuary for old, injured and disabled elephants, many of them retired from logging and tourism. A visit means preparing the herd's food, including sticky-rice balls soft enough for the old ones to chew, and watching them bathe in the river from a respectful distance.
The day program costs ฿2,500 for adults and ฿1,800 for children aged 4 to 11, with lunch. If you want an elephant day in Kanchanaburi, this is the kind of place to choose over the camps that still offer rides.
- Getting there
- Book on the sanctuary's own site and ask about the transfer from town.
- When to go
- Book a few days ahead in the cool season.
13. Mueang Sing Historical Park, Sai Yok district, west of town
Khmer ruins without the crowdsKhmer laterite temple towers from the 13th and 14th centuries, inside old walls and moats on a bend of the Khwae Noi, with a small museum. The ruins are modest, but you'll share them with a handful of people.
It opens 08:30 to 16:30, and foreign entry has been quoted at about ฿100 to ฿120. Pair it with Mallika and the Ban Kao National Museum, which are on the same side of the province, and bring insect repellent.
- Getting there
- By car or scooter. The turn off the main road is signed "Prasat Muang Sing". Grab drivers out here expect a tip to wait.
- When to go
- Morning, while it's cool.
14. The Skywalk at sunset, Songkwai Road, town center
The view of the river junctionA 150 m glass walkway 12 m above the riverside road, looking over the point where the Khwae Yai and the Khwae Noi join to become the Mae Klong, with the hills behind. It costs ฿60, there's an elevator up, and it's a 20-minute stop rather than an outing.
Go in the last hour before it closes at 19:00 for the sunset, then walk to the night markets for dinner.
- Getting there
- On Songkwai Road in town, walkable from the guesthouses.
- When to go
- The hour before 19:00.
15. The night markets, Kanchanaburi town
DinnerKanchanaburi Night Market, in the town center, opens from 17:00 every night and is mostly locals eating grilled meat, noodles and regional dishes. JJ Night Market, walkable from the train station, mixes food with clothes and a children's play area, and its listed hours, 17:00 to 22:00, skip Saturday.
On Saturday the Walking Street fills Pak Phraek Road from 18:00 to 22:00, among pre-war Chinese shophouses with signs telling each building's story, and it's the one I'd plan a night around.
- Getting there
- All three are in town, a short walk or Grab from the river guesthouses.
- When to go
- From about 18:00, when the most stalls are open.
16. Wat Ban Tham and Wat Tham Phu Wa, South and west of town
Cave templesAt Wat Ban Tham a staircase runs straight into a sculpted dragon's mouth and up through its body to a cave temple, and about 20 more minutes of steep steps take you to the peak and its view over the river. It's free and open 07:30 to 17:00, and the cave gets packed on busy days.
Wat Tham Phu Wa, out in Nong Ya, is a real limestone cave with 108 statues of Guan Yin and Buddha images among the stalactites. It opens 08:00 to 18:00, and early morning is the time for it.
- Getting there
- Both need a scooter, a Grab or a driver.
- When to go
- Early on a weekday. Wear shoes with grip.
17. Mallika R.E. 124, Sai Yok district, west of town
Families and photosA recreated Thai town of 1905, the reign of Rama V, with wooden shophouses, staff in period dress and a food street. You rent a traditional outfit at the entrance and swap your baht for old coins at a bank counter, because modern money isn't used inside.
It opens 09:00 to 17:00, and a few hours covers it. Buy tickets ahead on its own site, mallika124.com, to get in faster. It's on the same road as Mueang Sing, so the two make one half day.
- Getting there
- By car or scooter, west of town toward Sai Yok.
- When to go
- Morning, before the midday heat.
18. The Giant Monkey Pod Tree, Army grounds, outside Kanchanaburi town
A quick, strange stopA single rain tree whose crown spreads 60.4 m across, the widest of any living single-trunk tree according to Guinness World Records, on Thai Army land near town. It's free, and half an hour is plenty.
The last stretch of road runs through an official facility, so follow the signs and search for "Giant Rain Tree" in your maps app.
- Getting there
- By car or scooter. There's no public transport.
- When to go
- Morning or late afternoon.
Kanchanaburi Attractions, Hours and Prices at a Glance
| Place | Open | Cost | Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hellfire Pass | 09:00–16:00 daily, closed some holidays and ~3 weeks in May | Free, audio guide free until 15:00 | Morning |
| Death Railway train to Nam Tok | 06:02 and ~10:30 from Kanchanaburi | ฿100 to any station | The 06:02 or the 10:30 |
| Kanchanaburi War Cemetery | Daily | Free | Early morning |
| Thailand–Burma Railway Centre | 09:00–16:00 daily | ฿160 | Morning |
| Bridge on the River Kwai | Always open | Free | Before 09:00 or late afternoon |
| Erawan National Park | From 08:00, last entry 15:30 | ฿300 adult, ฿150 child | 08:00 |
| Sai Yok National Park | 08:00–16:30 daily | ฿300 adult, ฿150 child | Morning |
| Chungkai War Cemetery | 08:00–17:00 daily | Free | Early morning |
| JEATH War Museum | Daily from about 08:30 | About ฿40 | Afternoon |
| Wat Tham Suea | 08:00–17:00 daily | Bring cash, reported fees vary | Late afternoon |
| Elephants World | Day program, book ahead | ฿2,500 adult, ฿1,800 child aged 4–11 | Book ahead |
| Mueang Sing Historical Park | 08:30–16:30 daily | About ฿100–120 quoted | Morning |
| Skywalk | 08:00–19:00 daily | ฿60 | The last hour |
| Kanchanaburi Night Market | From 17:00 daily | Free | From 18:00 |
| Walking Street, Pak Phraek Road | Sat 18:00–22:00 | Free | Saturday evening |
| Wat Ban Tham | 07:30–17:00 daily | Free | Early |
| Mallika R.E. 124 | 09:00–17:00 daily | Tickets on mallika124.com | Morning |
| Tree Top Adventure Park | 09:00–15:00 daily | See its own site | Morning |
Hours come from each place's own site or its Google listing in our records, and can change on Thai public holidays. Park fees are the national parks' posted rates for foreigners. Train times are approximate and can run ten minutes either side.
Riding the Death Railway to Nam Tok
The train is the one thing in Kanchanaburi I'd never skip, and it costs ฿100. From town, the 06:02 reaches Nam Tok at 08:00 and leaves you the whole day, which is the one to take if you want Hellfire Pass as well. The 10:30 crosses the Tham Krasae viaduct around 11:38 and reaches Nam Tok at 12:05, and the 13:00 back gives you about an hour at the end of the line, enough for Sai Yok Noi but not for Hellfire Pass.
From Bangkok, the 07:45 from Thon Buri crosses the bridge at about 10:37 and runs on to Nam Tok, and on weekends and holidays an excursion train leaves Hua Lamphong at 06:30, stops at the bridge and returns the same evening for ฿120 in a fan coach or ฿240 with air-conditioning. The ordinary trains aren't sold online, so buy at the window. My Bangkok to Kanchanaburi guide has the full timetable.
Hellfire Pass is about 20 km beyond Sai Yok Noi on Highway 323, so the usual plan is the early train to Nam Tok, a driver or the bus up to the pass, and the road back to town. If you'd rather not juggle it, a tour does the same loop.
Waterfalls, Parks and Hot Springs
Erawan is the waterfall to see, and it gets its own day. Its pools are the best swim in the province, and my Erawan Falls guide covers the seven tiers, the 08:00 bus and where to stay nearby. Sai Yok is the easier stop on the Hellfire Pass road, with Sai Yok Yai falling into the river at the park headquarters and Sai Yok Noi by the highway near Nam Tok station.
With a car and another day, Huai Mae Khamin in Srinagarind Dam National Park, north of Erawan, is the waterfall people drive further for, and Tham Phra That, a limestone cave in Erawan National Park, makes a good stop after the swim, though it closes after heavy rain. Hin Dat Hot Spring, small natural pools beside a cold stream about 130 km out, only makes sense on a road trip past Hellfire Pass toward Thong Pha Phum or Sangkhla Buri.
All of them are fullest from July to November and much smaller late in the dry season, around March and April.
Day Trips From Town, and From Bangkok
From Kanchanaburi town, three days out cover the province. Go north to Erawan on the 08:00 bus. Go northwest on the early train to Nam Tok, then on to Sai Yok and Hellfire Pass and back by road. And go west to Mueang Sing, Mallika and the Ban Kao National Museum, which opens Wednesday to Sunday, in a half day by scooter or with a driver, with Wat Ban Tham and Wat Tham Suea to the south on the way home.
From Bangkok, a day trip gets you the town and the bridge. The 07:45 train gives you about four hours in Kanchanaburi before the 14:43 back, enough for the War Cemetery, the Railway Centre and a walk across the bridge. Hellfire Pass and Erawan are each more than an hour beyond town, so on your own they need a night, and a day tour from Bangkok is the only realistic way to see them in one day, with 12 hours or more on the road.
Further out, Sangkhla Buri, about 200 km northwest near the Burmese border, is the overnight trip, known for its Mon culture and the Mon Bridge, which both blogs I read call the longest wooden bridge in Thailand. It's three hours or more each way, so give it two nights.
On the River
The rivers are half of what makes Kanchanaburi pleasant, and it's worth getting onto one. In town, the stretch of the Khwae Yai between the cemetery and the bridge is lined with guesthouses and restaurants, and the canoe and paddleboard outfits on Maenamkwai Road put you on it for a morning. Upriver on the Khwae Noi, the raft hotels are the classic Kanchanaburi night, quiet, dark and reached by boat.
Sleep in town for the history and on a raft for one night if you can. The rafts near Sai Yok and Nam Tok also make the train and Hellfire Pass easier the next morning.
Arriving in Kanchanaburi
Top-Ranked Hotels in Kanchanaburi
The top of my ranked list of the 10 best hotels in Kanchanaburi. Each button opens the hotel on Booking.com with your dates filled in.
#2U Inchantree Kanchanaburi4.6 (1,969 reviews)
Upscale riverside resort on the Kwai with bright rooms, an outdoor pool, and terrace dining views.
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#3Good Times Resort4.6 (1,661 reviews)
A well-kept riverside resort on Maenamkwai Road with lush gardens, two pools, and easy access to Kanchanaburi's key sights.
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#7River Kwai Village Hotel4.4 (1,471 reviews)
A riverfront resort in Sai Yok with jungle views, activity packages, and onsen facilities along the River Kwai.
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What to Do in Kanchanaburi When It Rains
The rains run from about May to October and peak in September and October, at 219 mm and 206 mm a month at the Kanchanaburi weather station (WMO 1991–2020 normals), against about 7 mm in December and January. The Thailand–Burma Railway Centre, the JEATH War Museum and the museum at Hellfire Pass all work in the rain, and a cooking class or a long massage fills an afternoon.
The waterfalls are at their fullest and greenest in these months, but heavy rain can close them, and floods occasionally cut the railway beyond town. Both happened in late September 2026. Ask at the station before riding on to Nam Tok, check that Sai Yok Noi and Tham Phra That are open, and remember that Hellfire Pass closes for about three weeks of maintenance in May.
Things to Do in Kanchanaburi With Kids
Erawan is the best day out with children, because the first three tiers are an easy walk and the fish in the pools are a hit. Mallika's costumes and coins work for most ages, the Tree Top Adventure Park in Sai Yok has ziplines and canopy courses from 09:00 to 15:00, and the play area at JJ Night Market costs ฿30 for 20 minutes. Elephants World charges ฿1,800 for children aged 4 to 11.
The train ride over the viaduct is a highlight for kids, but the war museums are heavy going for small children, and the cemeteries ask for quiet. I'd keep the Railway Centre for older children and save the long Hintok trail at Hellfire Pass for teenagers.
Things to Do in Kanchanaburi at Night
Nights here are quiet. Catch the sunset from the Skywalk before it closes at 19:00, then eat at the night market or, on a Saturday, at the Walking Street on Pak Phraek Road. The bridge is lit after dark and much quieter than at midday, and in late November and early December the River Kwai Bridge Week fair stages a free light-and-sound show there.
For a drink afterward, my Kanchanaburi nightlife list has the bars.
What to Skip
Skip any elephant camp that offers rides or shows. Safari Park Kanchanaburi, which many day tours pair with the bridge, has elephant rides and animal shows, and I'd leave it off the list. Skip the old Tiger Temple too. Its tigers were removed by the authorities after welfare concerns, and it's not the same place as Wat Tham Suea, the Tiger Cave Temple, which is worth the visit.
Don't try to do Erawan, Hellfire Pass and the bridge in one day on your own, because they're in different directions, and don't make the bridge your only stop. Without the Railway Centre and Hellfire Pass it's just a busy bridge. And don't drive two hours to Hin Dat for the hot spring alone.
How Many Days, and Where to Stay
Three nights covers it. Spend the first day in town, with the War Cemetery and the Railway Centre in the morning, JEATH after lunch and the bridge in the late afternoon. Give the second to the early train to Nam Tok and Hellfire Pass, and the third to Erawan. Make one of those nights a raft on the Khwae Noi if you can, and add two for Sangkhla Buri.
Stay in town on the river between the cemetery and the bridge, where the restaurants and transport are. U Inchantree Kanchanaburi is my pick for being on the bridge before the tour buses, and Good Times Resort is on the river road where the Bangkok minibuses drop. My Kanchanaburi travel guide has the hotels, the rafts and getting there from Bangkok.
Plan the rest of the trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Things to Do in Kanchanaburi.
The Death Railway, the line the Japanese army built in 1942 and 1943 with the forced labor of Allied prisoners of war and Asian workers, and its bridge over the River Kwai. The province is also known for Erawan Falls and the raft hotels on the Khwae Noi.
Hellfire Pass with its audio guide, the train over the Tham Krasae viaduct, and the War Cemetery and the Thailand–Burma Railway Centre in town. Then Erawan Falls if you have a third day.
Yes. It's free, the museum and audio guide are excellent, and the walk to the memorial cutting takes 45 minutes to an hour. It's about 80 km from town and open 09:00 to 16:00, closed on a few holidays and for about three weeks in May.
Buy a ฿100 ticket at the window on the day at Kanchanaburi or River Kwai Bridge station and take the train to Nam Tok. The 06:02 reaches Nam Tok at 08:00, and the 10:30 crosses the Tham Krasae viaduct around 11:38. Trains come back from Nam Tok at 05:20, 13:00 and 15:30.
The town and the bridge, yes. The 07:45 train from Thon Buri gives you about four hours before the 14:43 back. Hellfire Pass and Erawan Falls are each more than an hour beyond town, so for those take a day tour or stay the night.
Hellfire Pass, the bridge, the Kanchanaburi and Chungkai war cemeteries, Wat Ban Tham, the Giant Monkey Pod Tree and the night markets are all free.
Elephants World is a rescue sanctuary where you prepare the elephants' food and watch them from a distance, with no riding. The day program costs ฿2,500 for adults and ฿1,800 for children. Avoid any camp that offers rides or shows.
No. Wat Tham Suea, the Tiger Cave Temple, is a hilltop temple with an 18 m golden Buddha and no animals. The old Tiger Temple is a different site, and its tigers were removed by the authorities after welfare concerns.
Watch the sunset from the Skywalk, which closes at 19:00, eat at the night market, walk the lit-up bridge, and on Saturdays browse the Walking Street on Pak Phraek Road from 18:00 to 22:00.
Where to stay in Kanchanaburi
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Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
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