The city and province of Kanchanaburi, west of Bangkok, may be the first destination in Thailand where tourism got a big boost from a Hollywood movie. The 1957 David Lean film "The Bridge on the River Kwai" had people seeking out the 'real' bridge featured in the movie. The problem is, the film, like the novel
it's based on, is pure fiction. There really wasn't ever a bridge over the River Kwai.
Take a day trip on the death railway
However, the Thai-Burma railway (commonly known as the 'Death Railway') built by the Japanese using prisoner and slave labor during World War II, is real, and the memorials to the many British, Australian and Dutch prisoners of war who died building it are still to be found in and around Kanchanaburi town (see cemeteries and museums).
Exhibit at the World War II and JEATH Museum.
Aside from the WWII and tenuous film connection, the main attraction Kanchanaburi these days is nature and adventure, with activities such as rafting, trekking and exploring caves.
Like most of Thailand, Kanchanaburi is best visited during the cool dry season from November to February (see weather). The rainy season can be a good time to visit, when there are fewer people and the scenery is lush and green, but it seems that many small tourist businesses close for the season, from May or June until September or October. However, hotels that do stay open all year usually offer quite attractive rates for the 'green' season.
Map of Kanchanaburi Move your mouse over any icon for more information, click for details. Although it's a rather small provincial capital by Thai standards, Kanchanaburi is quite spread out along the river. From the JEATH Museum at one end to the Bridge at the other is a distance of over 5 kilometers. This makes getting around a bit of a challenge, but there are a lot of options available.
The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre in Kanchanaburi There are three museums devoted to the World War II history of the area in Kanchanaburi town. They are all privately run, with no official standing. All are interesting, if you want to find out more about the construction of the death railway, and each presents the information slightly differently.
The World War II Museum near the bridge is the most unusual, with an eclectic collection of not only WWII memorabilia, but also costumes worn by Miss Thailand contestants, antique typewriters, and much more.
There are quite a few hotels in Kanchanaburi, although they are quite spread out around the city as well as far into the countryside. When choosing your hotel, you'll first want to decide whether you want to stay in the city, close to the museums, memorials and restaurants, or out in the countryside, where some of the accommodations are on rafts in the rivers.
The U Inchantree is a surprisingly good resort in an excellent location in town.
Stir-fried pork with banana chilies at a Kanchanaburi restaurant Like many tourist destinations, Kanchanaburi has lots of restaurants to choose from, but nothing particularly special. The 'thing' to do for dinner here is to eat in one of the big floating restaurants that you'll find near the bridge or close to the center of town. Some of these can be detached and towed up and down the river, but these are usually used for groups.
The Thais divide the year into three seasons: the cool season, hot season, and rainy season. For most westerners, this translates to "hot," "really hot," and "really hot and wet." Temperatures rarely drop below 25° C (70° F), although in the higher elevations around Kanchanaburi there can be some 'cold' nights in December and January. See the box at right for current conditions.
Historical Weather Patterns for Kanchanaburi The rainy season, which coincides with the European and North American summers, is not an entirely bad time to visit.
The spectacular trestle at Krachae Caves If you want to see the most dramatic sections of the Thai-Burma Railway, then you might want to consider riding the line from Kanchanaburi to the end of the line at Nam Tok. This makes a nice "DIY" day trip. There are four trains a day to Nam tok and back. The most convenient train leaves the station at the Kwai Yai Bridge at 10:50, reaches Nam Tok at 12:50 and returns to Kanchanaburi about 15:00.
Kanchanaburi is relatively easy to get to, although it is in that zone of places that are a long way from Bangkok, yet too close to for a flight to be practical. That leaves the train and bus as the two most practical options for getting to Kanchanaburi.
An old train in front of Kanchanaburi's main railroad station. Kanchanaburi by Train For some, the idea of traveling the route of the old "death railway" to Kanchanburi is appealing, and using the train for at least one way of the journey is something I'd recommend, although the trip from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi is more pretty than dramatic.
JEATH Museum Building The JEATH War Museum is one of two competing "JEATH" museums in Kanchanaburi town. JEATH stands for the main countries involved in the construction of the death railway: Japan, England, Australia, Thailand and Holland. The main building of this museum attempts to recreate a typical barracks building of the prisoner of war (POW) camps used during the construction of the railway. Inside are photographs, drawings, newspaper clippings and other mementos from the war.
The Allied war cemetery in Kanchanaburi town holds the graves of almost 7,000 Commonwealth and Dutch soldiers who died during the construction of the death railway. The cemetery is on or near where the main intake camp was located for the prisoners of war bought to Kanchanaburi to work on rail line. From this camp the prisoners were dispersed to other camps along the line.
The Allied war cemetery in Kanchanaburi.
Some Chinese mounds with the big reliquaries behind The Thai-Chinese ware cemetery is a stark contrast to the Allied cemetery right next to it. Unlike the well manicured uniformity of the western graveyard, the Thai-Chinese cemetery is a mix of styles, from pure Chinese graves in round mounds to more Thai styled small chedi reliquaries. Aside from the almost haphazard layout, the Chinese graveyard is also much less well kept that the Allied cemetery.
The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre in Kanchanaburi The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre is the newest of the museums around Kanchanaburi dedicated to the WWII era history of the area. The privately run center houses well-done displays about the history of the construction of the railway, as well as detailed descriptions of the lives of the prisoners who built the line.
The museum has collected a lot of memorabilia from private hands in Australia.
The number of people coming to Kanchanaburi to see 'the' bridge from the movie "Bridge on the River Kwai" are probably not as numerous as they once were. Still, there are those who still show up expecting to see the gerry-rigged construction of timber and bamboo (even though it was blown up in the movie). The concrete and steel bridge they're presented with is a bit less impressive.
Of course, the truth is that there never was a bridge over the River Kwai.
The dramatic cutting at the Krasae Caves The Thailand - Burma Railway was built by the Japanese during World War II to provide an efficient supply line to Japanese forces in Burma as they pushed into British-held India. The line became known as the "Death Railway" owing to the thousands of prisoners of war (POWs) and local laborers who died in its construction.
Japan invaded Thailand on December 8, 1941 from its bases in French Indochina, which it had effective control of via an arrangement with the Vichy government.
May 2011
Courtyard of the U Inchantree The U Inchantree hotel was the most pleasant surprise I've had with a hotel for quite some time. While you couldn't really describe it as a luxury resort, it nonetheless offered just about everything I really want in a place to stay. The Inchantree was right on the river, a short walk from the bridge. Rooms are comfortable, with all the necessities. In addition, the wireless was free, as were bicycles that guests could use to get around town.
The Allied war cemetery in Kanchanaburi. There are three main cemeteries around Kanchanaburi town for Allied POWs and Asian laborers who died during the construction of the Thai-Burma Railway. Two of them are right next to each other near the main rail station. A third is across the river.
Allied War Cemetery The Allied war cemetery in Kanchanaburi town holds the graves of almost 7,000 Commonwealth and Dutch soldiers who died during the construction of the death railway.
Old steam engine from the death railway. The WWII and JEATH War Museum has to be the most 'unusual' of Kanchanaburi's death railway museums. The truly eclectic collection covers not only the war, but also the history of the area, and there's even a room dedicated to all the ladies who have held the title of Miss Thailand.
Rail boxcars were used to transport POWs to work on the railway, then used as cells for prisoners that misbehaved.
