Things to do in Kanchanaburi

Q: What are the top things to do in Kanchanaburi?

The top things to do in Kanchanaburi are: Bridge on the River Kwai Erawan National Park (Erawan Falls) Burma Railway (Death Railway) Kanchanaburi War Cemetery JEATH War Museum

Q: What are the top activities in Kanchanaburi?

Top activities in Kanchanaburi include: Private Airport Transfer : Bangkok to/from Kanchanaburi Arrival Bangkok Airport Private Transfer : Hotel in Kanchanaburi Private Tour: Trekking Kanchanaburi Forest to Tham Than Lod Private Transfer from Kanchanaburi to Suvarnabhumi (BKK) Airport Private 1.5 - 2 hour morning SUP class for all ages and levels

Famous waterfalls and infamous railways

Just over two hours from Bangkok, the town of Kanchanaburi has a rich history and is home to some gorgeous natural beauty. There are plenty of things to do in Kanchanaburi, starting with a visit to the Bridge on the River Kwai. The JEATH War Museum and Kanchanaburi War Cemetery are also must-sees when you’re in town. To balance the heaviness of hearing about the tragedies that occurred during the railroad’s construction, take a trip out to Erawan National Park, where you can explore, dive, and relax in the tiered pools of the waterfalls.

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Top 11 attractions in Kanchanaburi

Tours & Tickets

Bridge on the River Kwai

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The iconic Bridge on the River Kwai is part of the world’s collective historical memory. The site of many POW’s deaths during World War II, it is now the site of the JEATH War Museum and is close to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery.More

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Erawan National Park (Erawan Falls)

1,589

Located in Thailand’s Kanchanaburi Province, Erawan National Park is one of the most famous natural areas in the country. Known for its impressive seven-tiered waterfall and abundance of native flora and fauna, the park is a popular weekend spot for locals from Bangkok and Kanchanaburi as well as for international visitors.More

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Burma Railway (Death Railway)

1,893

Built by forced laborers under the control of the Japanese Army at the height of World War II, Thailand’s Burma Railway (Death Railway) is a 258 mile (415 kilometer) long railway line designed to connect Thailand and Myanmar. Although its existence serves as a grim landmark of recent history, the Burma Railway remains one of the country’s key historical attractions.More

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Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

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The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, also known as the Don Rak War Cemetery, commemorates victims of the building of the Thailand-Burma Railway during World War II. The cemetery is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and contains the 6,982 graves of Australian, British, and Dutch POWs who were forced into labor by the Japanese.More

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JEATH War Museum

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Located on the grounds of a temple, this small museum showcases the plight of the Allied POWs who labored on the Thailand-Burma Railway (Death Railway). An acronym for the countries involved (Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland), the museum features three galleries, including a replica bamboo hut where prisoners lived.More

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Tham Krasae Bridge

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Thailand’s Tham Krasae Bridge is the longest railway bridge in Thailand. It’s a trestle bridge over the Khwae Noi River and part of the Death Railway, built during World War II by prisoners of war. The POWs had horrible working conditions, and more than 12,000 lost their lives. The railway stretched from Myanmar to Thailand to transport war supplies. Visiting this area will take you back in time to World War II.More

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Hellfire Pass

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The Hellfire Pass segment of the Burma-Thailand railway cuts through the Tenasserim Hills in western Thailand. It earned notoriety during the World War II construction of the railway by Allied POWS, who suffered high casualty rates due to the isolation, the amount of rock that needed to be removed, and the lack of proper equipment.More

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Hellfire Pass Memorial and Museum

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Located near Kanchanaburi, the Hellfire Pass Memorial and Museum pays tribute to the thousands of prisoners of war who lost their lives building the Thailand-Burma Railway (or Death Railway), during World War II. You can watch a movie and first-hand testimonies from former prisoners of war, and walk along the railway itself.More

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Sai Yok National Park

Sprawling over 370 square miles (958 square kilometers of forest right up to the Myanmar border, Sai Yok National Park offers elephants, raft resorts, magical caves, weird and wonderful wildlife, and more. Most travelers visit for small but beautiful Sai Yok Yai waterfall or Sai Yok Noi falls, near Nam Tok, the end of the Death Railway.More

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#10

Khao Pun Cave Temple (Wat Tham Khao Pun)

Check out the Buddhist temples hiding in the hills near Kanchanaburi, especially Khao Pun Cave Temple (Wat Tham Khao Pun), known as one of the best. Statues of the Buddha, Hindu deities, stalagmites, and stalactites all take residency in this impressive cave system.More

#11

Khao Laem Lake (Khao Laem Reservoir)

Khao Laem Lake in the heart of Kanchanaburi is an artificial reservoir but has become a vital haven for wildlife. Rich with biodiversity, Khao Lem has mangroves, swampland, and forests along its length of 37 miles (60 kilometers). Locals live on the water in houseboats, and there are houseboat hotels to stay in that keep you close to nature.More

Explore Kanchanaburi by interest

Top activities in Kanchanaburi

Private Airport Transfer : Bangkok to/from Kanchanaburi

From

$104.10

Arrival Bangkok Airport Private Transfer : Hotel in Kanchanaburi

From

$117.11

per group

Private Tour: Trekking Kanchanaburi Forest to Tham Than Lod

From

$108.67

Private Transfer from Kanchanaburi to Suvarnabhumi (BKK) Airport

From

$164.53

per group

Private 1.5 - 2 hour morning SUP class for all ages and levels

From

$16.73

Hot springs Spa & Massage

From

$45.76

Bamboo raft on the Kwai river

From

$10.87

Cycling in rural Kanchanaburi area

From

$25.09

Private 1.5 - 2 hour afternoon SUP class for all ages and levels

From

$19.52

Private Transfer from Kanchanaburi to Don Mueang (DMK) Airport

From

$172.21

per group

Private Tour: Kanchanaburi Local Thai Life and City Discovery

From

$140.13

Private Transfer from Ratchaburi to Suvarnabhumi (BKK) Airport

From

$91.04

per group

Private Transfer from Ratchaburi to Don Mueang (DMK) Airport

From

$98.72

per group

Thailand's Tour: Kanchanaburi, River Kwai, Markets, Lopburi, Ayutthaya - 3 Days

From

$404.12

E-Scooter Tour in Kanchanaburi

From

$30.67

CANOE KAYAK on the KWAI River

From

$21.45

Thai Cooking Class

From

$34.32

Full Day Emerald Pool and Wareerak Hot Spring Spa

From

$61.34

Cycling to visit Local Experience and Learn Culture with Local expert

From

$28.60

Discovery Bike Tour

From

$15.73

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All about Kanchanaburi

When to visit

The best time to visit Kanchanaburi is in the winter, from November through February. The weather is dry, which makes touring most comfortable. In the summertime you’ll face the monsoon, when rains can go on for days. Keep in mind that it will still be hot in the winter, so be prepared. Songkran (Thai New Year) happens in April, but it’s up to you whether or not you want to go searching for water fights in the streets.

Getting around

If you want to use a ride sharing app, Grab works really well in Kanchanaburi and all of Thailand. There’s no subway, but there are public buses around town. This works well to get out to Erawan Falls and back. Another fun option is to hire a bike and cycle around the town at your leisure, stopping to shop, eat street food, and observe local culture.

Traveler tips

Be sure to give yourself a break from the heaviness of the JEATH War Museum and the history of how the Thai-Burmese railroad and the Bridge Over the River Kwai were built. Take time out to wander around the street vendors outside of the museum, as it’ll no doubt be hot. Keep an eye out for the ice cream sandwich vendors who sell just that—two simple pieces of white bread with a scoop of ice cream in the middle. Genius.

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Things to do in Kanchanaburi

Famous waterfalls and infamous railways

Top 11 attractions in Kanchanaburi

Explore Kanchanaburi by interest

Top activities in Kanchanaburi

All about Kanchanaburi

When to visit

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