Thread: Riding the Best Road in Thailand - Kanchanaburi Province.

That's what a guidebook said - The Best Road in Thailand. Thong Pha Phum to Sangkhlaburi in Kanchanburi Province.



Might as well check it out eh.

Day 1 and it's BKK to Thong Pha Phum:



Nice easy ride, and by 11am it's a 200b oil massage and pat kapao lunch in Kanchanaburi. The guy in the restaurant was telling me about this famed road of legends... 'very butiful, all mountain and lake, very very butiful. But 200km to Thong Pha Phum just normal road, boring'.

Sounded good. Must say that the normal boring road looked rather fine to me.







Stopped off in Hellfire Pass about 80 klicks up the road. Which I'm sure you're all familiar with.

Hellfire Pass - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia











So it's back on the road and up to Thong Pha Phum.

Have seen worse entrances to towns.





Arrived just in time to watch a parade and make some friends.





Pretty poor on parade scale it must be said. Amazing how friendly and helpful everyone is though.

A nice bit of grub on a pleasant wooden veranda...



160b for large beer, french fried, rice, fried chicken n garlic and omelette, with the change from 200 going to the lovely waitress who insisted on jumping on the back of my bike to show me the way to my hotel.

Unfortunately this didn't end up in lots of hot Asian girl sex, like I hoped.

Looks very nice indeed. Thank you for the pics.

Driving a car, how long would it take to get to Thong Pha Phum? Thanks.

So on the right of the town, there's a wat and Buddha on a pinnacle over looking the town. Had read something about this but it had mentioned being able to cross a wooden bridge over to it... sounded good.



Up we go.

Unfortunately there's no wooden bridge, or anything else besides lots and lots of steps.

Not a bad view. But as most of the blood in my body was filling my lungs I didn't really get to savour it.





Must say that I like Thong Pha Phum so much that was considering looking for a house and putting down a year's rent. Perhaps grow a beard, or something.

So off on this famed road and quickly made another friend.



Stopped off at Nam Tok Kroeng Krawia for a paddle.





Made some more friends.



Then back on the road.





As roads go, it was pretty bloody beautiful all right. Didn't get much pics as wasn't really safe to stop as it's all twists and turns and dips and inclines. Pretty much imagine a roller coaster with parts of it being wall to wall jungle, then opening up into vistas and valleys, and that's pretty much it.









Over the odd jungle river











And back to Kanchanaburi for some more friend making.

'ello Darlin.

Hi Mao.



Best road in Thailand? Surely not. For one the road between Khon Kaen and P'lok was more spectacular. Was a bloody nice few days of riding though...

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Looks very nice indeed. Thank you for the pics.

Driving a car, how long would it take to get to Thong Pha Phum? Thanks.

From BKK? I was on a bike, left about 9.00, got to Kan about 11.00. Relaxed for 2 hours with a massage, lunch and chat. And arrived in Thong Pha Phum at around 17.00.

Plus about an hour in Hellfire Pass. And relaxed riding speed.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Looks very nice indeed. Thank you for the pics.

Driving a car, how long would it take to get to Thong Pha Phum? Thanks.

I've made the drive a few times myself so all I can say is that there are a lot of variables depending on where you start, how fast you drive, traffic conditions and whether you make any stops ( and there are many interesting sites along the way ). If you were really on a mission you might be able to do it in 4 hours but realistically, leaving from Thonburi side, driving around 100kph and only making one stop you should allow 6 hours give or take 30 minutes.


PS Nice thread CM . Makes me want to do the trip again.
I thought the town of Tung Phaphum was nothing special. Its the countryside around that is worth the trip. Got some pictures of this trip myself but don't want to crash CM 's thread

Originally Posted by Bangyai

Got some pictures of this trip myself but don't want to crash CM 's thread

Go for it mate, the more the better. Some nice places to go exploring alright. Got the big dam to go relaxing at just behind the town. Half a dozen waterfalls around there too.

The people up there are mainly Mon too btw.

Good thread mate, thanks for that.

If you take the long way to Sanglaburi following the river on the inland road its bloody lovely up there.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

Originally Posted by Bangyai

Got some pictures of this trip myself but don't want to crash CM 's thread

Go for it mate, the more the better. Some nice places to go exploring alright. Got the big dam to go relaxing at just behind the town. Half a dozen waterfalls around there too.

The people up there are mainly Mon too btw.

Alright then....give me 30 minutes to load 'em up etc.

Thanks both.

I've often been up to Kanchanaburi on the train cause I lived very close to Thonburi train station, easy trip for a long weekend, but the missus would like to do a 3 or 4 day drive around, maybe in October when I've some free time; looks like a nice trip for a leisurely drive; easy to find accom as we go?

Many thanks, & lovely pictures.

So off on this famed road and quickly made another friend.

And very nice of him to take your photo for you.

Nice thread though, Mao. Looks good. Have to dish out a few greens before I can red you though.

Cheers.

O.K. then...if you follow CM to Kanchanaburi there is a temple out of town with an interesting little cave system you can explore for 20 baht. Can't remember the name of the temple but its pretty well known :

Mum and gf at the entrance :



Mums 75 but had no trouble exploring the cave. Mathos has also been down here and posted some pics in one of his threads. Got rid of mums red eye but gave her a blue pair instead !



On the road to Tung Phapoum and off to the left of the road a way ( before hellfire pass ) are the ancient Khmer ruins at Muang Sing. Worth a quick detour.








Finaly, about 20 minutes before you get to Tung Phapoum are my favourite hot springs in Thailand at Hin Dad hotspring. A stop here is a must as its a great place to relax. As you can see in the picture ,a cool mountain stream runs right next to the hot spring ( discovered by a Japanese soldier apparently ) and is a nice place to sit after you have sweated in the hot tubs.







Stayed at a log cabin kind of place in Tung Phapoum which was very romantic on my first trip there. Took my mother there and it was a disaster. Some construction workers booked all the surrounding rooms and cabins and had a drunken rave until 2.00 am then started again at 5.30.

The dam is not far from town and makes a nice little drive and there is also a road through the mountains to the west of town that runs up to the Burmese border.....but don't try it in the wet season as the road is very narrow and easily blocked by small landslides.

Who's that, Mao? Is it Nit or another hooker you have picked up?

What did Mum think of you using a prostitute?

Originally Posted by Bangyai

On the road to Tung Phapoum and off to the left of the road a way ( before hellfire pass ) are the ancient Khmer ruins at Muang Sing. Worth a quick detour.

Certainly are... pity I didn't know about them. Do for next time though, cheers.

Originally Posted by English Noodles

Who's that, Mao? Is it Nit or another hooker you have picked up?

Please poodles, be polite. She's a waitress at the restaurant where I stopped the day before. From the same town that I lived in in Isaan. After a bit of Isaan craic, and seeing my bike, it would have been rude to refuse her request for a shower in me hotel.

Nothing else happened sir.

Think next time I'll take the route up to Burma that by passes Sangkhlaburi.

On me to looking for a house to rent.

Nice report. What bike do you ride?

nice pics a green is sent

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Nice report. What bike do you ride?

Thanks, better not say, too many stalkers writing down all the information they can on me.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

Thanks, better not say, too many stalkers writing down all the information they can on me

Must be a honda Phantom
I wouldnt tell anyone if I had one

Originally Posted by Rigger

Must be a honda Phantom
I wouldnt tell anyone if I had one

Maybe in 50 years when me knees are gone.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

Think next time I'll take the route up to Burma that by passes Sangkhlaburi.

Check this bridge out once you get to Sanghlaburi.

Yup, this one I think.

Is that the same wooden bridge near Sanghklaburi that's supposed to be the longest wooden bridges in SEA? Where's the lake? That temple is supposed to be partially underwater!

Low lake water season up there this time of year.

Originally Posted by Rigger

I wouldnt tell anyone if I had one

It's a tough call to judge between a pick up or a 'choppa' which would be more embarrassing.