Perhaps best known among Westerners for being the site where blockbuster Bridge over the River Kwai was filmed, Kanchanaburi province lies northwest of Bangkok, in Central Thailand, and borders with the Karen and Mon states of Burma (Myanmar).
The provincial capital, the compact town of Kanchanaburi, is just 80 miles (128kms) from Bangkok and the meeting point of the Kwae Yai and Kwae Noi rivers. A tourist magnet with its war museum, WWII war cemeteries and stretches of the Death Railway running all the way to Three Pagodas Pass, the town is one of Thailand’s most visited destinations.
From Kanchanaburi town visitors can make day or overnight trips to the province’s national parks, where waterfalls, hot springs and wildlife await. While Erawan and Sai Yok national parks are the most popular, Khao Laem, Chaloem Rattanakosin and Khaoen Sri Nakarin national parks offer fewer crowds. Near Sai Yok is a ‘tiger temple’ where tame tigers can be touched.
At Three Pagodas Pass, remains of the Death Railway can be seen and an informative memorial museum commemorating those who lost their lives in the construction of the railway can be visited.
While many of the province’s hotels reside in the provincial capital, there are a number of guesthouses and resorts situated around the province at sites of interest, many set amid stunning natural beauty or along the province’s rivers.
A popular daytrip and weekend getaway for both Thai and international visitors, Kanchanaburi is easily accessible by train and bus from the Thai capital.