A real Thai experience - Kanchanaburi (Kanchanaburi)

Member Name: michelleleatham

Product:	Kanchanaburi
Date:	07/08/09 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap accommodation, plently to see and do

Disadvantages: None - I love this place

Kanchanaburi is a truely wonderful place in Thailand, certinaly one of my favourite places in Thailand. It is a small little town which is about an hours bus ride from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. We really loved Kanchanaburi, it was a total contrast from Bangkok and we were relieved that we could now walk down the street without being offered tailored suits (which really isn't the case in Bangkok!) Kanchanaburi is very serene and peaceful right next to the River Kwai and surrounded by beautiful mountains.

There are lots of accommodation options of Kanchanaburi which are really good value for money (one of the cheapest places in Thailand). I would recommend Sugar Cane's which overlooks the River Kwai and offers small wooden huts with fan for a really reasonable price.

Whilst staying in Kanchanaburi there are lots of things to see and do. We visited a place called the Tiger Temple which we really enjoyed, although it has received a lot of criticism as some people believe that the tigers are drugged. I must state here that I truely believe that the tigers are NOT drugged and they are extremely well looked after. After saying this, I would recommend anyone to visit the Tiger Temple whilst in Kanchanaburi as it is an amazing experience. For those of you who haven't heard of the Tiger Temple before it consists of meeting Tigers up close and being able to stroke them. The reason you can do this without getting your arm torn off is because the tigers are used to human contact because the tigers have been brought up by Buddhist monks, after they found a tiger cub orphaned after its mother was killed by poachers. It is a surreal experience.

Another must see sight whilst in the Kanchanaburi area is the Erawan National Park which is about a 1 hours drive from kanchanaburi and home to a stunning 7 tiered waterfall. The public can swim in the second tier (don't be put off by the fish nibbling your feet whilst you are getting in!) and can go for a trek through the tropical forrest to reach all seven tiers of the waterfall.

Kanchanaburi is most famous for the Bridge over the River Kwai, which can be reached by following the main street to the east and following the river, where you will find the bridge. The Death Railway gets its name from the thousands of prisoners of war who died whilst building it from inhumane treatment from the Japanese during WW2. You can still ride on the death railway today which makes for a good experience, especially if you get off at the Bridge over the River Kwai. Today the bridge just looks like an ordinary bridge so it's hard to imagine all the suffering and deaths that the bridge caused during its construction.

Overall, Kanchanaburi is a really amazing place to spend a view days.

Summary: Head to Kanchanaburi for a true Thai experience.