Noodles does Kanchanaburi

[English Noodles]

English Noodles In Kanchanaburi


Kanchanaburi (กาญจนบุรี) is in the west of Thailand and the capital of Kanchanaburi province, Kanchanaburi is located where the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai rivers converge into the Mae Klong river, where in 1942, under Japanese control, the famous Bridge on the River Kwai was built by prisoners of war (POWs).

The province is also home to the Erawan National Park, a 550-square-kilometer park founded in 1975, the Erawan National Park is the 12th largest in Thailand.

The major attraction of the park is Erawan Falls, a waterfall named after the erawan, the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology. The seven-tiered falls are said to resemble the erawan.

Getting to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok is easy:

BKS public buses (line 81) leave from pier 4 of The Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai). In Kanchanaburi, there are two separate but nearby bus terminals, with 1st class buses departing from an office off Thanon Saengchuto, and 2nd class buses from the larger terminal one block east.

• 1st class buses should leave Bangkok every 15 minutes from 05:00 to 22:30, take about 2 hours, and cost 99 baht, including a bottle of water.

• 2nd class buses (new route) leave Bangkok every 20 minutes from 03:30 to 19:00 and take about 2 hours.

• 2nd class buses (old route) leave Bangkok every 15-30 minutes from 04:00 until 18:00 and take about 3 hours.

There are also tourist minibuses directly to/from Khao Saan Road, departing Kanchanaburi at 13:30 and 18:30.

Getting from Kanchanaburi town to the Erawan National Park is also very easy, Public buses (No. 8170) leave Kanchanaburi bus terminal every 50 minutes between 08:00 and 17:20, fare 35 baht, duration 90 minutes.

The last bus returning from the park to Kanchanaburi town is at 16.00.

Anyway, we were staying in Kanchanaburi in a guesthouse located by the river, the guesthouse is called the Tamarin Guesthouse and we had a large clean room with large patio area overlooking the river, very well run place with friendly staff, our room was B500 though I believe they have rooms for B300 also.

Heres the view we had.



After breakfast we headed off for Erawan National Park, it was not long before we were there and, being a foreigner they tried to sting me for B400 admission fee, a polite request in Thai stating that I live, work and pay taxes in Thailand and the price was down to B40. Not bad, and no trouble at all.





So in to the park we headed, you are not alowed to take any foam packaging in to the park with you, which I personaly think is a great thing, there is nothing worse than seeing these foam food cartons littering the great outdoors.



They also make a log of any plastic water bottles you take in to the park with you too, you have to pay a deposit for each one you take in, the deposit is returned when you leave and show them the bottle.



Then it was off on the walk to the waterfalls, I have to say the water was crystal clear.



Plenty of fish too.



After the waterfalls we headed of for some lunch and then headed for a trip on the river on a bamboo raft.





We spotted a place for rescued elephants so decided to pop in and have a look, we ended taking a ride on one of the elephants and he decided to go in the river for a cool down.





We then headed back closer to Kanchanaburi town and took a short ride along hellfire pass on the so called death railway.







It was then time to head back to the guesthouse for a shower, then out for some cold beer and some good food.

[EmperorTud]

I've been on a train along that stretch of track. I got to drive it a bit later on which I didn't expect. Driver had the front door open so I was sat at the front of the train with my legs dangling down onto the track for a good part of the journey.

I took the 'tourist train' up there but I've no idea if it still running. It used to run at the weekends leaving about 5 or 6am and returning about 9pm. Don't let the name fool you, it was almost exclusively Thais. Cost was 100THB for the round trip stopping at all the major points along the way including the bridge, an old POW camp and a cemetery.

[hillbilly]

Now these are some great pics!

[kingwilly]

I took the 'tourist train' up there but I've no idea if it still running. It used to run at the weekends leaving about 5 or 6am and returning about 9pm. Don't let the name fool you, it was almost exclusively Thais. Cost was 100THB for the round trip

I think the thai's only had to pay 9 baht for that...

but an awesome trip!

great pics noodles.

[November Rain]

Good pics, Noodles. Is that you on the back of that elephant?

[Loombucket]

Now these are some great pics!

Agreed! Very good effort Noodles, more please.

[aging one]

Nice, very nice indeed. Its the wifes home province and we are looking at getting up there for a couple of days between Christmas and New Year.

[klongmaster]

being a foreigner they tried to sting me for B400

Must have been a long time ago EN:...price has been reduced to 200 baht for some time in line with government policy to encourage foreign tourists...

only Khao Yai persists with the 400 baht entry fee...when you point out that the price should be 200 baht they just ask 'do you want to go in or not?!'

oh. and before you come back with the 'I speak Thai so well so I only pay the Thai price nonsense' it doesn't help when you've got a van full of foreign visitors...

[AntRobertson]

I went to the cemetary at Kanchanaburi, pretty sobering experience. I was with a Japanese girlfriend at the time and she didn't have the foggiest what it was all about which I thought was quite telling. I've never forgotten one of the grave inscriptions either:

'A Soldier, Know Only Unto God'

[good2bhappy]

ironic you gain your freedom from pics of a place where so many lost theirs.
Great Pics good to see you back!

[EmperorTud]

Tourist train is still running according to this site.

Travelling Service

Same price as when I took it 8 years ago! 100THB non-aircon, 200THB aircon.

[klongmaster]

^price depends on how far you take the train
100 baht is normal price
50 baht if you just want to cross the Wang Pho Viaduct featured in OP's pics
Thai travel free all this year as this is a 3rd class train...

[Loy Toy]

Very nice Noodles.

Thanks for the effort and I will have to get up that way myself.

[gjbkk]

I've just come back from there this afternoon. It's a lovely place and I have just found a little retreat that I might move into to get away from Bangkok for a while.

Its about 17Km out of town but the rent for a 3 bedroom western style house set in 2 rai is just 1,900 Baht a month for a 6 month contract.

[Travelmate]

Not bad, a popular place to visit.

[Nawty]

^^ is it on the river....I would move also if it was on the river.

[Johnny Longprong]

My dad was a guest worker of the glorious Imperial Japanese Army. He walked and worked the entire length of the railway.

I reckon Anzac Day 25 April is a great opportunity for all expat Aussies, Poms and whoever else, to meet at Hellfire Pass (Sai Yok) for the dawn ceremony (at dawn in the cutting) to remember the forced labourers, some 250,000 people who died in the process of glorifing the Imperial Japanese Army objectives. Many of the few servicemen who returned home were either physically or psychologically affected ,and their lives were cut short or disturbed by what they had experienced.

I usually stay at the:
River Kwai Resort, River Kwai Hotel Kanchanaburi Thailand : River Kwai Village Hotel (River Kwai Jungle Resort) is the first jungle resort in River Kwai Kanchanaburi, ¡Ò[at]¨¹ºØÃÕ ÃÕÊÍÃì· ÃÔàÇÍÃìá¤Ç ÃÕÊÍÃì· ÃÔàÇÍÃìá¤Ç âÍàµÅ Thailand. - River Kwai Travel

I hope to see you there next year.

Thanks Noodles for keeping the memory of these people alive.

[gjbkk]

nah, Nawty is up in the Lopburi road out of town, last Lopburi turning on Saengchuto Road as you come from BKK. The house is on the edge of a small village.

There seems to quite a few places available.



Good photos Noodles, when were you there?

Prak Praek Road has an indian restaurant called the ali bongo and the food is quite good. Most of the bars were closed for HRH funeral but the 'no name' bar was business as usual.

[Thaiguy]

Nice Pics Noodles - I want to do that trip in the next couple of weeks - I will be in Udon - any advice on the best way to get there from Udon ?

[MHM]

The hot place to stay is the Oriental Kwai Resort, run by English speaking Dutch couple. Nothing is too much trouble for them, everyone on Tripadvisor.com loves them. Also check out the UK-owned spa at Suan Nanachaat, just wonderful. Kan is great for a visit, just 2 hours from BKK but altogether on another planet!

[klongmaster]

I reckon Anzac Day 25 April is a great opportunity for all expat Aussies, Poms and whoever else, to meet at Hellfire Pass (Sai Yok) for the dawn ceremony (at dawn in the cutting) to remember the forced labourers, some 250,000 people who died in the process of glorifing the Imperial Japanese Army objectives. Many of the few servicemen who returned home were either physically or psychologically affected ,and their lives were cut short or disturbed by what they had experienced.

We're doing our best to make ANZAC a special occasion for those who want to go for a couple of days...make sure you make yourself known to me next year JLP...
ANZAC Day 2009: Hellfire Pass Kanchanaburi Thailand

[klongmaster]

The hot place to stay is the Oriental Kwai Resort

If you're the owner of this resort you might like to take the 'Bath' out of your website pricing and replace it with 'Baht'...

[k1klass]

The hot place to stay is the Oriental Kwai Resort

If you're the owner of this resort you might like to take the 'Bath' out of your website pricing and replace it with 'Baht'...

lol

nice pic's noodles

[phuketbound]

Very nice pics! What is the name of the waterfall?

[farmerfloyd]

I just read a super book loaned to me from a Brit who thought I might enjoy. Was excellent but very sad. called The Railway Man by Eric Lomax all from the UK. Thousands died along those tracks, after 60 years he meets the person who caused him 1000s of hours of hate and pain meet in japan, all recorded in the news and goverment agencys.
I had the wife pick up my own copy for about $12.00 shipped in US. Amazon.com get a crying towel. I am in Pattaya now.