Kanchanaburi
The River Kwai, the Death Railway, and turquoise waterfalls. A sobering slice of WWII history along the river, paired with the seven-tier Erawan waterfall and floating raft houses. An easy trip west of Bangkok.
Getting There
From Thonburi station
Trains leave Thonburi station, west of the river (cross by Chao Phraya express boat to Wang Lang pier, then a songthaew). Two a day, 7:45am and 1:55pm, about 2 hours 35 minutes, a flat ฿100 for foreigners however far you go, continuing along the Death Railway to Nam Tok. Third class only, with fans and open windows.
Khao San & Southern Terminal
Air-conditioned buses and vans run from the Khao San area and Bangkok’s Southern Terminal (Sai Tai Mai), from about ฿150 one way.
Fastest door to door
A private car or taxi is quickest, roughly 2 to 3 hours. Worth it for late arrivals or with luggage and kids.
What Is Worth Your Time in Kanchanaburi
Two threads run through this province: the Death Railway and the waterfalls upriver. Give the history a full day and treat it seriously, then go and swim.
The Bridge over the River Kwai
FreeThe black steel bridge in town, still carrying trains. Walk across it early, before the coaches arrive, and look at the curved spans: those are the original ones; the straight sections are postwar replacements.
The Death Railway & Tham Krasae
฿100 flat fareThe train from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok, two departures a day, third class only. The stretch that matters is the Wang Pho viaduct at Tham Krasae, a wooden trestle bolted to a cliff above the river.
Hellfire Pass
FreeThe deepest cutting on the line, hacked through rock by hand, with an Australian-funded memorial museum above it and a walking trail down the old formation. The most affecting site in the province.
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
FreeNearly 7,000 Allied prisoners of war buried opposite the train station, in rows kept immaculate. Ten minutes, and it puts the rest of the day in order.
JEATH War Museum
Small feeA reconstructed bamboo prisoner hut on the riverbank at Wat Chaichumphon, run by the temple, with photographs, drawings and objects from the camps. Plain, cramped and closer to the reality than any polished display.
Erawan Falls
300 bahtSeven tiers of turquoise pools in Erawan National Park, an hour and a half northwest, with fish that nibble your feet and a climb that gets rougher after level five. Go early and bring water shoes.
Huay Mae Khamin
300 bahtAlso seven tiers, deeper into Khuean Srinagarindra park and much harder to reach, which is why you may have a pool to yourself. Worth the extra drive if Erawan sounds too busy.
The Thonburi service cannot be booked online. Tickets are sold at the station on the day for a flat ฿100 for foreigners however far you go, so arrive 30 to 60 minutes early. Buses, vans and private cars can all be booked in advance.
How to Spend 1 to 2 Nights
Don’t Miss
A 1 to 2 night loop from Bangkok, often with Erawan. See how it all connects on the map and overview.
Best Areas to Base Yourself
Riverside
Floating and raft-house stays along the Kwai.
Town
Near the bridge, restaurants, and transport.
Related Guides
Written by Belle, a Thai American who travels to Thailand every other year and has family in Bangkok. Everything here comes from my own visits unless the text says otherwise. Prices and journey times are typical cases rather than quotes, so recheck anything time-sensitive before you pay. Brand mentions are never paid placements, and the guide is reader-supported: some links may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
How we research →Photographs on this page that are not mine are used under the licenses below and hosted on this site rather than hotlinked. Uncredited photographs are my own.
- Wide shot: the bridge over the River Khwae with the valley behind itNiels Mickers, CC BY 3.0 nl, via Wikimedia Commons. View source
- Hellfire Pass, the railway cutting hacked by hand through solid rockNina R from Africa, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. View source