Tham Kaeo Sawan Bandan, Kanchanaburi s located in Tham Kaeo Sawan Bandan Meditation Centre near a small mountain. Each cave has a specific name based on their characteristics; such as Tham Badan with knee-leveled water, Tham Phopu Ruesi, Tham Kaeo Morakot, Tham Keao Sawan Bandan, and Tham Kaeo with stalactites and stalagmites that glitter like a powder of diamond when light shines on them.
Please dress neatly with comfortable shoes. Be careful when visiting some caves which have a sloping stone mound; also in some caves you have to kneel down and crawl through the stone holes. It takes at least 6 hours to visit all caves.
To get there, take the route Sangkhla Buri-Three Pagodas Pass and turn right at Km. 16 near the roadside shelter. Drive along the dirt road for about 800 metres then turn right. Go on for 200 metres until you arrive at the meditation centre where the cave is situated. Tourists can ask for more information about the cave from the monks who reside in the meditation centre area.
Vajiralongkorn Dam, Kanchanaburi
Vajiralongkorn Dam, formerly known as Khao Laem Dam, located at Tambon Tha Khanun 153 km. from Kanchanaburi on Highway 323, 6 km. to the north of Amphoe Thong Pha Phum. It is a rockfill dam with a reinforced concrete surface measuring 92 metres high. Its crest is 10 metres wide and 1,019 metres long stretching across the Khwae Noi River. It is a multi–purpose hydro–electric plant with natural beauty and a scenic lake where rafting boats for rent are available. There is also floating accommodation and cruising boats available 3 km. beyond the entrance to the dam. A boat trip on the lake with a stop at a coconut grove (Maphrao Kathi – a fleshy variety of coconut) on an island in the lake takes 1 hour from the dam. Advance bookings with the Thong Pha Phum District Office is required. Accommodation and boat (for group visitors) is provided. For more details, please contact the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Tel. 0 3459 9077 ext. 2502 and 2506, 0 3459 8030 or Bangkok, Tel. 0 2436 6046 – 8.
Prommitr Film Studio, Kanchanaburi
Prommitr Film Studio
Located at Surasi Military Camp, Tambon Lat Ya, Amphoe Mueang Kanchanaburi, in Western Thailand, this studio was the location of the great historic film "The Legend of King Naresuan". This epic trilogy of historical movies reflects the relationship between the Siamese Kingdom of Ayutthaya and the Hongsawadi Kingdoms, which are located in present-day Burma. The events in the films lead up to the declaration of Ayutthaya's independence from the Burmese, by King Naresuan the Great, in 1584. Lavish and expensive, this production represents the pinnacle of Thai film-making.
Within the 700-acre compound of wild land, magnificent buildings were created through meticulous historical research. Visitors can enjoy magnificent palace replicas and gleamingly gilded halls, pagodas, temples and ancient villages of both the Ayutthaya and Hongsawadi Kingdoms. One of the highlights from past Ayutthaya is Sanphet Prasat Palace, which has been left as a ruin due to Ayutthaya’s 2nd loss to Burma when everything was totally razed and burnt; at present only the brick foundations of this palace can be seen. The Palace showcases the incomparable magnificence of the Ayutthaya Court.
Other interesting highlights are the Weapons Storage Room, Hongsawadi Wall, the Lion Throne, the Dungeon, the Portuguese Gun Exhibit, Ayutthaya Wall, and the Props Storage Room. Visitors tired out by a long day of sightseeing may want to relax with a traditional Thai massage, which is available on-site. Furthermore, visitors can also enjoy various activities such as dressing in traditional historic costumes (a unique souvenir photo opportunity!), as well as horse, elephant and cart riding. The studio compound also includes souvenir shops.
A pair of huge Singha statues (mythical lions mixed with other creatures) welcomes visitors at the entrance to the compound. A brochure and map, as well as a brief introductory lecture about the Studio are provided at the Information Centre where visitors pay the entrance fee. There are also guide lecturers stationed at various spots, and plasma screens giving historical background and describing scenes from the Naresuan films. The guided sightseeing walk takes approximately 2 hours.
Getting There: By car: Prommitr Film Studio is about 24 kilometres away from Kanchanaburi Town. Take Route 3199 Kanchanaburi – Srinakarin Dam for 18 kilometres to Lat Ya Intersection. From there, take the right turn and continue past Surasi Military Camp for another 3 kilometres till you reach the studio entrance. Follow the signs for another 2 kilometres.
By public transportation: Take a song thaew (a pickup truck with two rows of bench seats down the sides) from Kanchanaburi Town to Lat Ya Intersection. From this intersection, visitors will have to set an appointment with a driver and negotiate the price.
For more information, contact Prommitr Film Studio Company, tel. 0 3453 2057 or 0 3453 2058, fax. 0 3453 2056. Bangkok Office tel. 0 2736 2300 www.prommitrfilmstudio.com
Erawan National Park, Kanchanaburi
The national park is 65 kilometers from Kanchanaburi along Route 3199. The park, covering 550-square-kilometers, is the site of the seven-tiered Erawan waterfall, one of Thailands loveliest waterfalls. The second tier has a pool, which is ideal for swimming and is particularly picturesque. However, the most popular activity in the park is trekking. Bungalow accommodations and camping facilities and a daytime food market are available.
Shelters and camping are available for tourists in the park. Admission is Bt400 for adults and Bt200 for children. For more details, please contact the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok at Tel. 0 2562 0760 or ‘www.dnp.go.th’ or Erawan National park Tel. 0 3457 4722, 0 3457 4234
Visitors may take a bus departing from the Kanchanaburi Bus Terminal to the waterfall every 50 minutes from 8 a.m. to 5.20 p.m. The journey takes 1.5 hours.
Sri Nakharin Dam, Kanchanaburi
It is the largest rockfill dam with a clay core in Thailand, situated on the Khwae Yai River, approximately 4 km. from Namtok Erawan in the north of the Khwae Yai River. We can take advantage of this multi-purpose dam in irrigation, flood damage relief in the Mae Klong Basin, electricity generation, and fishery. The place above the dam ridge is suitable for relaxation, as it has some attractive sights.
Srinagarindra Dam is 70 km. from the provincial city on Highway 3177 (Kanchanaburi-Si Sawat). Accommodation for tourists is provided at the dam. For further details, please contact the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), at Tel. 0 2436 6046-8. For accommodation and cruising restaurants, please contact Tel. 0 3457 4001 ext. 2455, 2457.
Sri Nakarin National Park, Kanchanaburi
Sri Nakarin National Park The park, which covers an area of 1,532 square kilometers, is situated 105 kilometers from Kanchanaburi.
It was announced on 23 December, 1981, to be a national park with an area of 953,500 rai (1,496,800,000 square metres). Interesting tourist attractions are as follows:
Tham Sawan The cave has just been discovered in the area of Khuean Srinagarindra National Park, near Ban Ton Maphrao, Tambon Mae Krabung, Amphoe Si Sawat. The characteristic of the cave is a natural hole which is 9 metres wide, 9 metres high and 150 metres long. There are also prehistoric cave paintings. To get there, the cave is situated on the way from Namtok Huai Mae Khamin to Namtok Erawan. Turn right at Ban Ton Maphrao School and go straight on for 1.5 km. until getting to Ban Ton Maphrao. Take a car from the village to the entrance of the cave another 500 metres. A four-wheeled drive car and a local guide from Ban Ton Maphrao are suggested.
Tham Neramit It is a massive cave divided into many rooms with amazing strangely-formed stalagmites and stalactites, located 10 km. before Namtok Huai Mae Khamin. Go along the way to Wat Tham Neramit for 2 km. and walk on for 300 metres. 4 km. from the cave; another three large caves; Tham Nam Mut, Tham Phra Prang and Tham Phra Kho, are situated. Please contact guides or Khuean Srinagarindra National Park officials. Travelling by a pick-up or four-wheeled drive car is recommended.
Tham Nam Mut It is situated in the area of Khuean Srinagarindra National Park in Ban Nam Mut, Tambon Mae Krabung. Its entrance is 15 metres in width and 10 metres in height. It contains a deep hole and stream continuously flowing out of the cave.
Tham Phra Prang It is another massive beautiful cave of Kanchanaburi, located in the area of Khuean Srinagarindra National Park in Ban Nam Mut, Tambon Mae Krabung. It is divided into many rooms with stalagmites and stalactites. To get there, take the route to Namtok Erawan, 11 km. before getting to Namtok Huai Mae Khamin. Turn left, pass through Wat Nam Mut for about 500 metres and park the car at the foothill behind the temple. Use the lane to climb up to the cave about 400 metres to reach the entrance of the cave. From the car park, in the northwest with a height of 130 metres, you can find Tham Phra Kho.
Namtok Huai Mae Khamin It is situated near the National Park Office on the Srinagarindra Dam lakeside, 108 km. from Kanchanaburi. Covered with diverse kinds of plants, its water source is on the dry evergreen Kala Mountains in the east of the park flowing down to Srinagarindra Dam. It is one of the most beautiful cascades with 7 levels; named, Dong Wan, Man Khamin, Wang Na Pha, Chat Kaeo, Lai Chon Long, Dong Phisuea and Rom Klao. The national park has made a pathway for people climbing up to each level along the natural study route. Visiting the waterfall in October to April is suggested. Accommodation and camping site are available for tourists including restaurants and slide projecting at night. Admission is Bt400 for adults and Bt200 for children. For more details, contact the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok, at Tel. 0 2562 0760 or www.dnp.go.th.
To get there, By Car Route 1: Drive along Highway 323 passing Kanchanaburi, then take the route ‘Kanchanaburi-Namtok Erawan’ (Highway 3199) passing Tham Phra That, Huai Phu Mut (Wat Phu Mut). Take the laterite road for 104 km. until getting to Namtok Huai Mae Khamin. A maintained powerful car is needed; otherwise, rent a Song Thaeo from the town or Khuean Srinagarindra Market.
Route 2: Bring the car crossing the river by ferry. Take Highway 323, passing the town then take the ‘Kanchanaburi-Tha Kradan-Mae Lamun Route (Highway 3199).’ Park the car on the ferry at Mae Lamun Pier crossing to Amphoe Si Sawat Pier for 15 minutes. Car fee is Bt50 each. Drive on for another 10 km. to get to the ferry pier crossing to Huai Mae Khamin Pier for 30-45 minutes with a charge of Bt150 per car. Then drive on another 7 km. to Namtok Huai Mae Khamin.
By Boat Charter a boat at Mong Krathae Pier or Tha Kradan Pier, 12 km. from the intersection leading to Srinagarindra Dam. It costs Bt1500 (10 persons)-Bt3000 (30 persons). When arriving at Huai Mae Khamin Pier, walk upwards another 200 metres to the waterfall. By Bus Take a Song Thaeo from Wat Thung Lat Ya in Amphoe Mueang passing Ban Ton Maphrao, Ban Nam Mut, Phut Ta Sian and Namtok Huai Mae Khamin. The car departs at noon (12.00 a.m.) and takes about 4 hours to get there. (Note: The departure time is changeable.)
Sai Yok National Park, Kanchanaburi The park covers approximately 300-square-kilometers and contains several interesting caves and the nations famous Sai Yok Yai waterfall. The park has dense forests, including majestic teak trees and an abundance of small mammals such as squirrels, bats and deer, as well as numerous bird species. IN addition, the park is home to what is probably the smallest mammal in the world, the two-grammed Kittis Hog-nosed Bat, which was first discovered in 1973 by a Thai naturalist. The park is 104 kilometers from Kanchanaburi via Highway No. 323 and can also be reached by chartered boat from the Pak Saeng Pier. The park is very popular during the weekends. Bungalow accommodations, river rafts, camping facilities, and a daytime food market are available. Sai Yok Yai Waterfall (Namtok Sai Yok Yai), which is located 104 kilometers from the town, flows directly into Khwae Noi River. Its idyllic beauty has been repeatedly celebrated in Thai poetry and songs. A rope bridge enables people to cross the river to view the waterfall. Rafts are available for a river trip along the riverbank but advance booking is recommended. Lawa Cave and Daowadung Cave are two caves, which house numerous stalactites and stalagmites. Of the two caves, the Daowadueng Cave, which entails a river trip and 1-kilometer walk, is the more popular cave. Tham Wang Badan or Tham Sawan Wang Badan, located within the area of Erawan National Park at Tambon Tha Sao, Amphoe Sai Yok, some 63 km. from the province. It is accessible from behind Namtok Sai Yok Noi where there is a direction sign of 3 km. to the national park’s safeguard unit, a location of the upstream of Namtok Sai Yok. Another 1,500–metre walk from the safeguard unit will lead to the cave with nature interpretation signs along the way. Tham Wang Badan is a small but deep cave of 500 metres long. It is a 2-storeyed limestone cave with a small hole at the mouth to be entered one by one. Its upper storey houses various chambers of beautiful stalagmites and stalactites of different shapes. The lower storey contains a stream to look like a tunnel of water under a large boulder.
Sai Yok Noi Waterfall (Namtok Sai Yok Noi) is also dubbed as Khao Phang Waterfall. It is situated 60 kilometers from town via Highway No. 323. The place is best visited between July and September.
To get to Sai Yok Noi Waterfall:non air-conditioned buses leave Kanchanaburi Bus Station every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. until 6.30 p.m. The journey takes 2 hours and costs 25 baht.
Alternatively, visitors can take a train from Kanchanaburi to Namtok Station and continue on foot or by local transport to the waterfall, which is 2 kilometers away. Trains depart from Kanchanaburi at 6.11 a.m., 11 a.m. and 4.37 p.m. and return from Namtok Station at 5.25 a.m. 1 p.m. and 3.15 p.m. The one-way rail trip takes about 2 hours and costs 17 baht. (Please check the current schedule from TAT Kanchanaburi or the railway station before departure.)
Sai Yok Elephant Village, Kanchanaburi Located at Mu 3 Ban Lum Phueng, Tambon Lum Sum and offering a 30-minute nature trek on elephant and rafting. There is a daily elephant show during 8.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. To get there, from Kanchanaburi, take the Sai Yok – Thong Pha Phum route for some 30 minutes to around Km. 45, or a train and get off at Wang Pho Station. Open daily during 8.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. For a group visit, please contact in advance. Tel. 0 3459 1255, 0 3459 1102, 08 1878 9979.
Prasat Mueang Sing Historical Park, Kanchanaburi Muang Singh town was built between 857 and 1157 when the Khmer Kingdom was still prosperous. It was later abandoned until the reign of King Rama I when Muang Singh was rebuilt as a Kanchanaburi border town. The only archeological site with a religious structure built in the middle of the city is the Khmer Prasat Mueang Sing (Tower of the City of Lions) where the heavy influence of the late Lop Buri arts is clearly visible. The ancient site is located on a steep bank of Khwae Noi River where the waterway narrows and becomes fast flowing. The city walls, which were made of rectangular laterite, are approximately 800 meters in width, 1,500 meters in length and 5 meters in height. The compound is believed to have been the westernmost outpost of the Angkor-centered Khmer empire. Remains dating back some 2,000 years have been discovered, and artifacts, including temple carvings, religious statuary and pottery shards indicate that the city must have been inhabited from approximately the 12th to 14th centuries. The historical park is open daily from 8 a.m.- 4.30 p.m. Admission fee is 40 baht. Call 0 3458 5052-3 or 0 3451 1200, 0 3451 2500 for additional information. Visitors can take a train from Kanchanaburi to Tha Kilen Railway Station and continue on foot or by local transport to Prasat Muang Sing, which is just 1.5 kilometers away. Trains depart from Kanchanaburi Railway Station every day at 6.11 a.m. (arriving at Tha Kilen at 7.28 a.m.), 11 p.m. (arriving at 11.59 a.m.) and 4.37 p.m. (arriving at 5.42 p.m.). To return to Kanchanaburi, trains depart from Tha Kilen Station at 6.22 a.m., 1.51 p.m. and 4.31 p.m.
Somdet Phra Naresuan Maharat Moument, Kanchanaburi The site, which is located close to Don Chedi Archaeological site, was built using money donated by locals to honor the victory of King Naresuan the Great over the Crown Prince of Burma.
The Nine-Army Battle Historical Park, Kanchanaburi
The Nine-Army Battle Historical Park Established by the Royal Thai Army, the park is located at tambon Chong Sadao, approximately 40 kilometers from town on Highway No. 3199.
Established by the Royal Thai Army, the park is located at tambon Chong Sadao, approximately 40 kilometers from town on Highway No. 3199. It was built to commemorate the great battle under the command of King Rama I to defend the kingdom against the invasion by King Bodawpaya of Burma in 1795. Thais know this event under the name of the Nine-Army Battle. The park is a center for historical research and conservative tourism that also provides information on the great battle. A sand table displaying battlefields and diagrams depicting the battle strategy are on display. Open daily from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Call 0 3458 9233-5 ext. 51015 for more information.
The JEATH War Museum, Kanchanaburi The name JEATH is derived from countries which engaged in the WWII death railway construction from 1942 to 1945, which included Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland. Located in the area of Wat Chai Chumphon, the museum is a reconstruction of the POWs thatched detention hut with cramped, elevated bamboo bunks. On the wall of the huts, photographs and illustrations of the POWs living conditions are on display. POWs who survived from the camp have donated items to enhance the museums atmosphere and authenticity. The museum opens daily from 8.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission fee is 30 baht.
The Bridge on the River Khwae, Kanchanaburi Thanks to several films and books, the Bridge on the River Khwae has become notoriously famous and attracted both Thais and foreigners to the site. If an ordinary black iron bridge can tell a story, you can be sure it's a dramatic one. The bridge spans across Maenam Khwae Yai which is a branch of Maenam Mae Klong. During the Japanese occupation of Thailand in World War II, the Japanese Imperial Army brought the iron bridge from Java. It was then resembled by Allied Prisoners of War (POW) under Japanese supervision. The bridge was part of a strategic railway route to Myanmar in which the Japanese aimed to secure supplies with which to conquer other western Asian countries. It was 415 kilometers long (about 303 kilometers in Thailand and about 112 kilometers in Burma) and passed through the Three Pagoda Pass in Sangkhlaburi District, the northern most part of Kanchanaburi province.
Construction started on September 16, 1942 at Nong Pladuk, and was completed on 25 December 1943. It is estimated that over 16,000 POWs from England, Australia, Holland and America died while building the bridge which was a target of bombing raids in 1945. In addition to this, approximate 90,000 laborers from Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia died during its construction.
Rebuilt after WWII, the bridge is still in use today with the curved portions of the bridge being that of the original. An attraction of note is the annual light and sound event at the bridge to commemorate the Allied attack in 1945.
The railway currently ends at Ban Tha Sao or Namtok Station, a distance of some 77 km. from Kanchanaburi Station. A special train running from Bangkok to Namtok Station is available on weekends and national holidays. For further details, please contact the State Railway of Thailand, Tel. 0 1690, 0 2220 4334 or www.railway.co.th.
Thailand - Burma Railway Centre, Kanchanaburi
The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre in an interactive museum, research and information centre dedicated to presenting the story of the Thailand-Burma Railway built during the World War II.
The centre is on the western side of the main Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Don Rak), approximately 100 metres from the cemetery entrance. The centre open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission : Adults 80 baht and children (under 8 - 14 years old) 30 baht. For more information, call 0 3451 2721 or visit www.tbrconline.com or E-mail: tbrconline.com
Kanchanaburi City Gate, Kanchanaburi An interesting site to see in the remains of Kanchanaburi town is the Gate which was built in 1831 during the reign of King Rama III. It is located on Lak Mueang Road near the meeting point of the Khwae Yai and Khwae Noi Rivers.
Kanchanaburi Cultural Centre, Kanchanaburi The centre is located in the Rajabhat Institute of Kanchanaburi, 14 kilometers out of town on the route to Sai Yok. Within the centre is a collection of displays on human lifestyles from the past until the present. Open daily from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Art Gallery and War Museum, Kanchanaburi Located not far away from the Bridge on the River Khwae is a private museum which features the World Wide II story and art objects such as war weapons, army uniforms, photographs, jewelry, etc. The museum is open daily from 7.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Admission fee is 40 baht/person. For further information contact Tel. 0 3451 2596
Kanchanaburi Safari Park, Kanchanaburi The Safari Park is located approximately 40 kilometers from town along the Kanchanaburi-Bo Phloi route. It is home to numerous African and Asian mammals, including giraffes, zebras, lions, tigers and bears that dwell in beautifully landscaped environs. Visitors can drive their private car to explore the park or use the bus service provided by the park. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission fee is 300 baht for adults and 150 baht for children. Call 0 3453 1888, 0 3453 1999, 0 3450 0089 or fax. 0 3450 0088 for further information.
Prommitr Film Studio
The national park is 65 kilometers from Kanchanaburi along Route 3199. The park, covering 550-square-kilometers, is the site of the seven-tiered Erawan waterfall, one of Thailands loveliest waterfalls. The second tier has a pool, which is ideal for swimming and is particularly picturesque. However, the most popular activity in the park is trekking. Bungalow accommodations and camping facilities and a daytime food market are available.
It is the largest rockfill dam with a clay core in Thailand, situated on the Khwae Yai River, approximately 4 km. from Namtok Erawan in the north of the Khwae Yai River. We can take advantage of this multi-purpose dam in irrigation, flood damage relief in the Mae Klong Basin, electricity generation, and fishery. The place above the dam ridge is suitable for relaxation, as it has some attractive sights.
Sai Yok Noi Waterfall (Namtok Sai Yok Noi) is also dubbed as Khao Phang Waterfall. It is situated 60 kilometers from town via Highway No. 323. The place is best visited between July and September.
Located at Mu 3 Ban Lum Phueng, Tambon Lum Sum and offering a 30-minute nature trek on elephant and rafting. There is a daily elephant show during 8.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. To get there, from Kanchanaburi, take the Sai Yok – Thong Pha Phum route for some 30 minutes to around Km. 45, or a train and get off at Wang Pho Station. Open daily during 8.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. For a group visit, please contact in advance. Tel. 0 3459 1255, 0 3459 1102, 08 1878 9979.
Established by the Royal Thai Army, the park is located at tambon Chong Sadao, approximately 40 kilometers from town on Highway No. 3199. It was built to commemorate the great battle under the command of King Rama I to defend the kingdom against the invasion by King Bodawpaya of Burma in 1795. Thais know this event under the name of the Nine-Army Battle. The park is a center for historical research and conservative tourism that also provides information on the great battle. A sand table displaying battlefields and diagrams depicting the battle strategy are on display. Open daily from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Call 0 3458 9233-5 ext. 51015 for more information.
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