Kanchanaburi. The province and its sights. Tourism infrastructure in Kanchanaburi province. Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

The second city of our final trip to Thailand was Kanchanaburi. We came here to look at and on the Death Road. Read about them in further articles, but for now we want to take a walk with you around the city - the capital of the province of the same name, located to the west of Bangkok. The province of Kanchanaburi in the west borders Burma, ranks third among the rest of the country's provinces in terms of area and is distinguished by several national parks with caves, rivers and waterfalls, as well as a bridge over the River Kwai.

Kanchanaburi - evening walk around the city

We decided to settle near the bus station, in a cheap one for 250 baht per room per day. Many in Kanchanaburi budget hotels, the most interesting are located near the River Kwai.

It is better to search for hotels through a service that allows you to compare prices across many booking systems, such as booking.com (sometimes the price difference for the same room can reach 80%).

If you want to stay in an apartment or rent a room from the owners (often it comes out cheaper than a hotel), try Airbnb(follow and receive as a gift for the first booking - $ 25).

We arrived and left from the bus station, and minibuses go to the tiger monastery from there, so we decided to settle nearby.

Bus station

Sangchuto road runs through the whole city, and there are already many lanes from it, by the way, the bus station is located next to this street. We go from the bus station towards the river - the gate near the small park of Rama 3.

Gate near the River Kwai

On the banks of the River Kwai

An elderly Thai man is sleeping peacefully nearby, perched on a bench and basking in the rays of the setting sun ...

There are a lot of floating restaurants along the river, and it seems that in this part of the city they are more for locals, and the closer to the bridge over the Kwai, the cooler the restaurants are!

Floating Restaurant on the River Kwai

The city of Kanchanaburi is surrounded picturesque mountains covered with lush tropical vegetation.

We walked north along the embankment to the bridge, and there was a certain Buddhist monastery

Buddhist temple

Kanchanaburi looks like the real thing provincial town, with a quiet peaceful atmosphere, friendly local residents And inexpensive prices for all. A couple of photos of non-tourist Thailand

Houses on the River Kwai

Houses of local residents

We wandered into Pakprak Street, and it looks like it turned out to be Chinatown, with some old dilapidated wooden mansions.

Friendship House of Southeast Asian States?

And of course, nowhere without Chinese temple- indeed, the Chinese diaspora in Thailand is very large

chinese temple

In many Thai cities, they saw lampposts with figures of various animals, in Kanchanaburi - this is a fish

A popular way in Thailand to attract the attention of customers and customers is to put cats in the window of a store or cafe.

The sights of Kanchanaburi are very popular with tourists due to their proximity to Bangkok, only 130 km from the capital.

Attractions Kanchanaburi

First of all, this is.
national park Eravan is one of the most visited parks in Thailand. In the same place in the park, there is a seven-tiered Erawan waterfall.
Sai Yok National Park. Also known among tourists. Caves, waterfalls, teak forests are an integral attribute of this place.
Hin Dat Hot Springs
National khao park Laem
Si Nakharin National Park
. Very unusual place! Once a tiger cub was thrown into a Buddhist monastery, and since then this place has become a haven for dozens of tigers.

As you can see, the province of Kanchanaburi is rich in national parks and natural beauty, it's the same perfect place For active rest- trekking, kayaking, cycling.

How to get to Kanchanaburi?

Distance Bangkok Kanchanaburi can be overcome by bus, train, minibus, taxi.

Bus from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi

Can you get away from South bus station(Sai Tai Mai). Buses leave quite often from morning to evening, the journey takes 2 hours, the fare is about 100 baht.

From northern bus station(Mo Chit) buses leave every 90 minutes and cost about 120 baht.

Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi

Trains from the capital to Kanchanaburi do not depart from the main one, but from Thonburi station, which is on the other side the Chao River Praia from Royal Palace. They go, unfortunately, not often - twice a day - at 07.50 and at 13.55 departure from Bangkok. On the way, the train spends 3 hours.

IN reverse direction- Departure from Kanchanaburi at 07.19 and 14.48.

Fares for foreigners on any section of this railway- 100 baht, so it's better to go by bus or minivan. And you can see the Death Road on the Kanchanaburi - Nam Tok section, as we did. Read about this journey, as well as more details about the train schedule on this branch, in the article "Road of Death".

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For vacationers in the metropolitan area of Thailand or close to it, for example, in Pattaya or Rayong, one of the main excursion destinations is the province of Kanchanaburi. Unlike others central regions, represented by a typical Asian steppe, Kanchanaburi is a province with a partially mountainous and forest landscape, with rivers and lakes.

Proximity to Bangkok makes it a popular destination, not only among foreigners, but also among Thais, some of whom have a habit of coming here on weekends "to nature".

Kanchanaburi: geographical location and climate

Kanchanaburi Province, one of the largest in Thailand, is located in the west of the country and borders Burma. From the district capital of the same name to the Bangkok agglomeration - a little over 100 km. Natural national parks, which are of main interest to visitors to Kanchanaburi, are located in the north-west of the province, 50-120 km from the central city.

Low mountains, rivers, forests, lakes and waterfalls form the basis of the landscape natural parks, thanks to which Kanchanaburi is considered one of the ecologically clean regions of central Thailand, attracting tourists and residents from neighboring areas.

Although the province is landlocked, the relative proximity to the coast does not allow it to get away from the monsoon type of climate. Although here it has continental features, mainly associated with less rain.

The annual dynamics of the Kanchanaburi climate can be described by the following scheme:

February-May

The local summer lasts from February to May and is characterized by high daily temperatures - up to +40 degrees C and above. There is practically no rain. Because of this, the humidity is lower than at this time in most Thai resorts.

June-October

From June the temperature decreases and stabilizes at +30…+35 degrees C until October. The number of rains is gradually increasing: their maximum falls on September, but even in this month 15 days are sunny, precipitation is moderate.

November-January

From November to early February, staying in Kanchanaburi is most comfortable: daytime temperatures are about +30 degrees C or slightly higher, night temperatures are about +20 degrees C. There is no rain in the winter months.

National parks and attractions

Undoubtedly, Thailand is interesting, first of all, for its tropical nature. If on the coast it is represented mainly by underwater life and karst islands, then here, in the depths of the mainland, these are mountains covered with jungle. Where there are mountains, there are bound to be mountain rivers, along which you can raft, and waterfalls, which you can not only look at, but also swim in some.

In addition to exclusively natural parks, Kanchanaburi has areas of historical and cultural significance. Entrance to all parks is paid.

Erawan Park

The closest to the provincial capital - - is known for its 7 waterfalls. Perhaps this is not so much: one of the famous mountain gorges Caucasus boasts 33 waterfalls. However, Erawan attracts thousands of visitors every day during non-rainy times. The water in the waterfalls and the pools they form is not too cold. Numerous fish swimming in it create an additional entourage for bathing tourists.

Since the waterfalls in the Erawan park are of a cascade multi-level type, few people will master all 7: visiting the remote ones is associated with a long climb up the mountain. Most visitors are limited to viewing the next 2-3.

The park offers accommodation in tent camping or bungalow. Both options for additional fee. A kilometer from the entrance to the park there is a market where you can buy the necessary products.

Sinakharin Reservoir

The dam and the large artificial lake Sinakharin adjoin Erawan Park along its northeastern border. However, tours of the park do not include a visit to the lake and its surroundings, so this area is allocated to a separate natural area.

What you can see in the vicinity of Sinakharin:

source ;
numerous waterfalls and caves interesting to visit;
Mon people village

There are numerous Mon settlements on the border with Burma. As part of excursion program you are invited to visit one of them. Here you can buy hand-made souvenirs and unique items of local clothing.

Sai Yok Park

Located behind the Erawan Park closer to the border with Burma. It is considered the most beautiful of the Kanchanaburi parks. Rare species of birds and butterflies live here. There are several beautiful waterfalls.

Prasat Muang Sing Historical Park

The territory of the park is interesting for its dilapidated Buddhist temples, the remains of fortresses and walls built in the 12th century. and defending the Siamese kingdom from the Burmese. In addition, on the territory historical park there is an exhibition hall with exhibits found on the territory of the fortress city.

Prasat Muang Sing Park is located near the Sai Yok Noi waterfall at the southern end of the park of the same name.

elephant parks

There are several parks in Kanchanaburi, where dozens of elephants live under the supervision of people. They are also called elephant camps - elephant camp. Some of the animals were rescued by humans after being attacked by poachers or injured. Others are already born in these groups.

The entertainment program includes elephant riding through the jungle, acrobatic shows involving animals. Additionally - rafting on rafts on the river.

Taweechai Elephant Camp is located in the south of Erawan Park. Another one is in Sai Yok Park.

Hindad hot spring

Radon hot spring is located directly in the capital Kanachanaburi on Sangchuto Soi 16. There are several pools with different water temperatures.

Taking radon baths has a general tonic effect, normalizes metabolic processes, and is indicated for cardiovascular and other diseases.

River Kwai

The main tourist routes Kanchanaburi. Around it are artifacts related to the Second World War and representing excursion value. But the river itself has long become a place of rest, both for Thais and for tourists.

Various formats of rafting are organized along Kwai: restaurants, hotels, massage parlors and even something similar to nightclubs run along the river. Those who want more peace and serenity can stay in houses on the beach or directly on the water. You can buy food and souvenirs at the floating markets.

Landmarks related to World War II

The history of the River Kwai is closely connected with the Second World War. The Japanese aggressors, who were allies of Nazi Germany, occupied Thailand in December 1941. However, within a month, the Thai kingdom signed a peace treaty with Japan, so there were no military operations in the country as such. The Japanese used Thailand as a springboard for deploying their troops for further aggression against Burma and other territories.

During the occupation period, the Japanese were actively economic activity. In particular, the tasks of the war required the construction transport infrastructure: a bridge over the river Kwai, a railway through the jungle to connect Indochina with India. Everything, as was customary then, was built by the hands of people who worked under duress in the position of slaves.

The builders were mainly Thais, as well as captured soldiers who took part in the war on the Pacific front on the side of the Entente (mostly Americans).

The events of those times are captured in sights and museums.

Death Railway

Partially built during the Second World War, the railway is still in operation today, connecting Burma and Thailand. Since then, it has been modernized, so it does not represent any historical and cultural interest.

As part of the excursion program, they visit parts of it, one of which is located next to memorial museum"Hellfire Passage".

Hellfire Passage and Memorial Museum

Hellfire Pass - a passage of hellfire - a tunnel in the rock, laid by prisoners in the 1940s. Died during construction a large number of people: the technical capabilities of that time were small, the prisoners were fed poorly, numerous tropical diseases claimed thousands of lives.

Not far from the passage is the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, the exposition of which is dedicated to the events of that time.

Bridge over the Kwai

The bridge over the river continues the history of the construction of the railway. Every November, a festival is held on the territory adjacent to the bridge, the main event of which is a colorful light show.

Cemeteries with victims of that time

The death toll during the construction of the bridge, tunnels and railway is estimated to be at least 100 thousand people. Some of them are buried in memorial cemeteries, one of which is the Kanchanaburi military cemetery - located opposite the railway station on Saengchootoe Road.

Thai-Burmese Railway Museum Center

The exposition of the railway museum is considered the best in the history of the Second World War in Thailand.

The exhibits are presented by artifacts of that time, as well as interactive exhibitions. The museum center is located next to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery.

How to get to Kanchanaburi

By bus

From Bangkok, buses depart from both western Sai Tai and central (northern) Mochit. From Sai Thai flights are every 15 minutes from 5 am to 10 pm. From Mochit - hourly from 5 to 7 am, every two hours - until 12 noon and 2 more flights in the afternoon.

Travel time - 2 hours. The ticket price is about 100 baht.

By train

2 trains depart from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi daily: one in the morning, the second in the afternoon. You can board the train at the beginning of its journey at railway station or in the direction of travel at Thonburi Station, located in the west of the city.

Travel time is 2.5-3 hours. The ticket price is about 100 baht.

Today we will talk about the city of Kanchanaburi, which is the capital of the province of the same name in Thailand. It is located 150 km from Bangkok. We knowingly chose the capital to stop for a few days. Firstly, there are attractions in the city itself that are worth seeing. Secondly, from the city radially (that is, you don’t have to leave the hotel with suitcases and each time settle somewhere else) you can go on various interesting one-day excursions. Which is exactly what we did. Thirdly, the province of Kanchanaburi is famous for its caves, national parks and. Therefore, in addition to day trips you can ride around the province and enjoy its nature.

We took advantage of all these opportunities 100%.

Capital Kanchanaburi

We arrived in the provincial capital of Kanchanaburi from Bangkok. We traveled by bus for about 2 hours. We even managed to sleep. At the bus station, several taxi drivers immediately ran up to us. We chose the most smiling one, bargained for the price and went to ours, which we booked back in Russia. It is worth noting that in Kanchanaburi you will be looking for an ordinary taxi for a long time in our understanding. Taxi drivers use songthaews. These are specially equipped pickup trucks. There are two seats in front - driver and passenger. Behind in the open cabin can sit about 8-10 passengers. In addition to songteos, you can also take ordinary tuk-tuks.

After dropping us off at the hotel parking lot, we agreed with our taxi driver on two more trips: to the Tiger Temple and. Both are half an hour from Kanchanaburi. Therefore, we devoted 2 days to these amazing trips. About them and others interesting places in the province of Kanchanaburi we will cover in the following articles. follow the news.

If we talk about the city itself, at first it seemed small to us and I thought that we could get around it on foot. But everything did not turn out the way it looked at first glance. After all, we were taken by taxi to the hotel, and the bus station was not far, and we lived somehow successfully, by the River Kwai and did not hear the noise of the city. Kanchanaburi turned out to be larger than we thought, although we studied the Google map. If you want to explore the city on your own, it is better to rent bicycles, about 50 baht per day or scooters or motorcycles, 150/200 baht per day. Depends on quality and brand.

Attractions Kanchanaburi

Almost all the sights in the city of Kanchanaburi are associated with the period of the Second World War.

Bridge over the River Kwai

The main attraction of Kanchanaburi. This bridge was part of Burma's infamous Death Road, built by prisoners of war who worked for the Japanese under hellish conditions during World War II. More than 16,000 prisoners of war and 90,000 Asian workers died during the construction of this road. Horror. One can draw parallels with the construction of the Moscow Canal. There is still not set the number of dead and killed.

How to get to the bridge:

1. You can cross the bridge on foot. For tourists, everything is thought out - there are several special platforms between spans for sightseeing. These are "pockets" in which you can hide when the train passes. There are also railings, but there are no railings on some sections of the bridge, so walk carefully if you are traveling with small children!

2. The bridge is still working, so you can take one of the trains that cross it daily. It takes just over 2 hours to drive from Nam Tok Terminal Station to River Kwai Bridge Station.

Chongkai War Cemetery

Its other name is the Don Rak cemetery. Located 2 km from the city on the road leading to Wat Thaopoom

The cemetery serves as a reminder of the terrible events that took place here during World War II. It was created by Colin Claire Oakes, and is under the control of the Joint War Cemetery Commission.

Here are buried prisoners of war who died in inhuman conditions of the construction of the railway from Thailand to Myanmar (Burma). The project was initiated by Japan, whose soldiers needed support in Myanmar.

Kanchanaburi Military Cemetery Saeng Chuto Road

About 7 thousand prisoners of war are buried here, who gave their lives on the construction of the Death Road to Burma. The headstones of the graves are set in straight lines among the neatly trimmed lawns. On some graves, touching personal inscriptions can be seen. During the rainy season, the cemetery may be closed.

How to find it? The cemetery is located opposite the railway station.

Apart from these places, you can also learn about World War II in Thailand at the Thai Burmese Railway Centre, 73 Jaokannun Road (next to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, off the south end of Maenam Khwae Road).

There is also the World War II Museum and art Gallery, Maenamkwai Road (about 50 m from the bridge over the River Kwai)

But not everything is so sad in Kanchanaburi. Don't think that if you're not interested military history then you have nothing to do here. As I said above, there are many natural attractions near Kanchanaburi that you can visit on your own, with friends or family.

One of these not far from Kanchanaburi is Sai Yok Noi waterfalls. This national park has a large number of floating hotels, and of course very beautiful waterfalls.

Many swim there, so if you are going there, take a swimsuit. It has impenetrable jungles and fertile valleys, this park is open to visitors all year round, and the water in the river is warm and very pleasant for swimming.

The River Kwai is one of the most interesting rivers for tourists. Firstly, it is surrounded by picturesque shores covered with magnificent tropical greenery. Secondly, there are “inhabited areas” on this river - malls where you can buy souvenirs, fruits, vegetables right from the boat. Located on the water and mini-hotels. And thirdly, the story of the construction of a bridge by the Japanese during the Second World War is connected with the Kwai River.

The scenery of the river formed the basis of the Oscar-winning British-American film The Bridge on the River Kwai. It was after the release of this film that tourists from all over the world began to come to the river valley.

Bridge over the River Kwai

The bridge over the River Kwai was built in honor of the people who died during its construction, so the second unofficial name of the bridge is the name "Death Road". Relatives of the dead prisoners of war still come here.

This bridge was built by American prisoners of war during World War II. 16,000 Americans and 90,000 Thais died here. The bridge became very popular thanks to the American film of the same name, which has 7 Oscars. You can also learn more about the construction of the bridge in Pierre Boulle's book of the same name.

The bridge is located near the teak factory. Every year, a festival is held on the bridge, during which shows, fairs are held, educational activities, exhibitions, etc. This event continues throughout the week.

What sights of Kanchanaburi did you like? There are icons next to the photo, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Erawan Waterfall

Erawan Waterfall is located on the territory of the same name national park. Interestingly, it was the park that got its name from the waterfall, and not vice versa, as is usually the case.

The 831-meter-high waterfall is a 7-level cascade, reminiscent of the mythical Hindu elephant Erawan in shape - hence the name of the waterfall. The water that collects in the pool is a gorgeous turquoise color. Fish swim in it, which do a real peeling - they remove dead particles from the skin. The area near the first cascades is the most crowded. It is forbidden to carry food and drink beyond the first level. The third cascade is large swimming pool into which water falls from a height of 10 meters. The fourth waterfall flows down from two boulders and you can slide down from them, as with water slide. The climb becomes more difficult to the fifth and sixth cascades, and the seventh can only be reached by a steep bamboo staircase. Those brave enough to make it to the top are rewarded with stunning views of the magnificent surroundings.

Erawan National Park is well known in Thailand for its famous cascading waterfall in particular.

The national park, formed in 1975, occupies quite large area- 550 square kilometers. The most famous and popular part of it is the area where famous waterfall Erawan. Near it is almost always crowded - people walk around, swim in the waterfall, enjoy the spectacle.

The territory of the park is composed of mountains and valleys and is quite picturesque. But the rest is less popular, and therefore much more like a fragment of a virgin forest. Here you can meet rare species of plants, as well as animals - elephants, gibbons, Siamese hare and others.

For tourists, the park is equipped with several small hotels and set up a grocery store.

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

military cemetery Kanchanaburi is the final resting place of more than 7,000 prisoners of war who died during the construction of the Burma Death Road.

More than 13,000 people are known to have suffered as a result of the brutal treatment of workers and during the construction of the road. The prisoners of war were first buried in one place, and then some of the graves were transferred to another cemetery. On Saeng Chuto, gravestones are set among neat lawns, and some of them have personal inscriptions. The territory is protected by the Joint Military Cemetery Commission and is kept in immaculate condition.

On the territory of the cemetery there is a wall of memory with the names of Indian Muslims who suffered during the construction of the road to Burma. The military cemetery currently houses the bodies of over 6,000 soldiers and the ashes of 300 cremated people. Most of the dead were from the Netherlands, England, Australia.

Erawan Waterfall

The Erawan Waterfall is a landmark in the Erawan National Park.

It is divided into seven levels of water fall, the length of which is more than 1500 meters. The waterfall has a beautiful emerald hue of the water and the area is surrounded tropical forest, where you can see varieties of wild orchids and rare species of trees. In order to get to the waterfall, you need to follow the path leading to the sixth level of the Erawan waterfall, from where, after climbing the cliff, you can get to the seventh level.

The ascent to the rock is difficult, but the view of the falling high altitude the water that forms the bathing pools is worth all the effort. Erawan waterfall got its name because of the similarity with the three-headed elephant named Erawan, which existed in Hindu mythology.

Vajiralongkorn Dam

The Wajiralongkorn Dam is a dam that opens up new views of Thailand to tourists.

As a rule, this direction is included in the excursion to the River Kwai. Usually on the second day of the tour, early in the morning, tourists go to the dam, which was designed by the King of Thailand himself. Now this dam bears the name of the crown prince.

From here you can see majestic mountains and a lake formed artificially as a result of the construction of a dam.

Are you curious to know how well you know the sights of Kanchanaburi? .

Three pagoda pass

Pass of three pagodas popular place among tourists, located in the mountains of Bilauktaung at an altitude of 282 meters above sea level.

The pass was used by the military, Buddhist monks, merchants and other people, since it has connected Thailand with border territories. The three pagodas built on the pass symbolize peace.

During World War II, the pass was used by Japan as a waypoint Thai-Burma Railway. Now it has a memorial in honor of the dead people.

Now it is an absolutely peaceful place, which often hosts festivals, performances with folk dances and competitions.

The most popular attractions in Kanchanaburi with descriptions and photos for every taste. choose best places for visiting famous places Kanchanaburi on our website.

More attractions in Kanchanaburi