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Kanchanaburi

Beyond its hectic modern center and river views, Kanchanaburi (กาญจนบุรี) has a dark history, paid tribute to at excellent memorials and museums. During WWII, Japanese forces used Allied prisoners of war (POWs) and conscripted Asian laborers to build a rail route from Thailand to Burma (Myanmar). The harrowing story became famous after the publication of Pierre Boulle’s book The Bridge Over the River Kwai, based very loosely on real events, and the 1957 movie that followed. War cemeteries, museums and the chance to ride a section of the so-called "Death Railway" draw numerous visitors to Kanchanaburi.

Kanchanaburi is also an ideal gateway to Thailand's wild west. There are some excellent national parks and an array of lush riverside resorts to the north, and many of them are accessibly by public transport.

Explore Kanchanaburi

Death Railway Bridge
Constructed by POW labour, this 300m-long bridge is heavy with the history of the Thailand–Burma Railway. Its centre was destroyed by Allied bombs in 1945…
T
Thailand–Burma Railway Centre
This excellent museum balances statistics and historical context with personal accounts of the conditions endured by POWs and other imprisoned labourers…
W
Wat Ban Tham
In the countryside around Kanchanaburi, cave temples are almost as common as convenience stores are inside the city, but this is one of the most…
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
Immaculately maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, this is the larger of Kanchanaburi's two war cemeteries, and is right in town. Of the…
W
Wat Tham Seua
The centrepiece of this hilltop temple is a striking 18m-high Buddha covered in golden mosaic. One of the merit-making ceremonies for devotees is to place…
W
Wat Tham Khao Pun
The nearest cave temple to Kanchanaburi town is a fun labyrinth of illuminated passageways. The marked trail is a bit of a squeeze in some places (and can…
J
JEATH War Museum
This small museum, opened in 1977, mostly focuses on the terrible ordeals of the POWs who built the Death Railway. Their harsh living conditions are shown…
H
Heritage Walking Street
A stroll along this city centre street offers a glimpse of a bygone Kanchanaburi. Many buildings date to the 1920s and '30s and their Sino-Portuguese,…
C
Chungkai War Cemetery
The site of one of the biggest Allied POW camps, Chungkai honours 1426 Commonwealth and 313 Dutch soldiers. Prisoners built their own hospital and church…

Death Railway Bridge
Constructed by POW labour, this 300m-long bridge is heavy with the history of the Thailand–Burma Railway. Its centre was destroyed by Allied bombs in 1945…
T
Thailand–Burma Railway Centre
This excellent museum balances statistics and historical context with personal accounts of the conditions endured by POWs and other imprisoned labourers…
W
Wat Ban Tham
In the countryside around Kanchanaburi, cave temples are almost as common as convenience stores are inside the city, but this is one of the most…
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
Immaculately maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, this is the larger of Kanchanaburi's two war cemeteries, and is right in town. Of the…
W
Wat Tham Seua
The centrepiece of this hilltop temple is a striking 18m-high Buddha covered in golden mosaic. One of the merit-making ceremonies for devotees is to place…
W
Wat Tham Khao Pun
The nearest cave temple to Kanchanaburi town is a fun labyrinth of illuminated passageways. The marked trail is a bit of a squeeze in some places (and can…
J
JEATH War Museum
This small museum, opened in 1977, mostly focuses on the terrible ordeals of the POWs who built the Death Railway. Their harsh living conditions are shown…
H
Heritage Walking Street
A stroll along this city centre street offers a glimpse of a bygone Kanchanaburi. Many buildings date to the 1920s and '30s and their Sino-Portuguese,…
C
Chungkai War Cemetery
The site of one of the biggest Allied POW camps, Chungkai honours 1426 Commonwealth and 313 Dutch soldiers. Prisoners built their own hospital and church…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kanchanaburi.

See
Death Railway Bridge
Constructed by POW labour, this 300m-long bridge is heavy with the history of the Thailand–Burma Railway. Its centre was destroyed by Allied bombs in 1945…
See
Thailand–Burma Railway Centre
This excellent museum balances statistics and historical context with personal accounts of the conditions endured by POWs and other imprisoned labourers…
See
Wat Ban Tham
In the countryside around Kanchanaburi, cave temples are almost as common as convenience stores are inside the city, but this is one of the most…
See
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
Immaculately maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, this is the larger of Kanchanaburi's two war cemeteries, and is right in town. Of the…
See
Wat Tham Seua
The centrepiece of this hilltop temple is a striking 18m-high Buddha covered in golden mosaic. One of the merit-making ceremonies for devotees is to place…
See
Wat Tham Khao Pun
The nearest cave temple to Kanchanaburi town is a fun labyrinth of illuminated passageways. The marked trail is a bit of a squeeze in some places (and can…
See
JEATH War Museum
This small museum, opened in 1977, mostly focuses on the terrible ordeals of the POWs who built the Death Railway. Their harsh living conditions are shown…
See
Heritage Walking Street
A stroll along this city centre street offers a glimpse of a bygone Kanchanaburi. Many buildings date to the 1920s and '30s and their Sino-Portuguese,…
See
Chungkai War Cemetery
The site of one of the biggest Allied POW camps, Chungkai honours 1426 Commonwealth and 313 Dutch soldiers. Prisoners built their own hospital and church…

Guidebooks

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