Attractions information

Kanchanaburi Province

Kanchanaburi Province which borders Myanmar (Burma) to the north-west is the third largest Thailand's of seventy six provinces.

It is located 130 km west of Bangkok and has a population of about 735,000 of which 54,000 live in Kanchanaburi town itself. This is a most picturesque part of Thailand.

Kanchanaburi town was originally established by King Rama I as a first line of defence against the Burmese, who might use the old invasion route through the Three Pagodas Pass on the Thai-Burma border.

The magnificent landscape & charming beauty of Kanchanaburi have resulted in major tourist attractions including the well-known Erawan Waterfalls, caves which were once inhabited by Neolithic man, pristine national parks, tranquil rivers, virgin forests, and reservoir.

Together, they offer an intriguing experience whether you are visiting for the first-time or returning for another visit.

Whatever your personal interest: fishing, rafting, canoeing, mountain biking, bird-watching, star-gazing, golfing, elephants, tigers, jungle trekking or even living on bamboo rafts, Kanchanaburi takes pride in offering them all.

Local residents of Kanchanaburi are engaged in agricultural activities as this is one of the most fertile provinces. Most of the locals are of Thai ancestry with notable Mon and Karen minorities.

Attractions information

Don Rak War Cemetery Kanchanaburi

The Don Rak War Cemetery in Kanchanaburi is the final resting place of 6,982 Allied POWs who perished during the construction of the Death Railway during World War II.

There is another cemetery at Chungkai just outside Kanchanaburi.

Don Rak War Cemetery in Kanchanaburi is maintained in beautiful condition by the Australian Government and is a sober reminder of those who paid the supreme sacrifice so that we could live in peace.

The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is only a short distance from the site of the former 'Kanburi', the prisoner of war base camp through which most of the prisoners passed on their way to other camps.

The graves are marked with horizontal bronze plaques set into the grass. Scarlet, purple and white bougainvillaea tumbles over the surrounding walls and flowering trees and shrubs dot the grounds. It seems a strange thing to say, but this is truly a beautiful place.

Within the entrance building to the cemetery will be found the Kanchanaburi Memorial, recording the names of eleven men of the army of undivided India buried in Muslim cemeteries in Thailand, where their graves could not be maintained.

The Don Rak War Cemetery is the location of the ANZAC Day Wreath-laying Ceremony held on 25th April each year.

Important Information

On wet days, the lawn cemetery is off-limits to the public.

If you wish to see a specific grave, please bring the number with you as there are two main cemeteries in Kanchanaburi.

Attractions information

Death Railway Wang Pho Viaduct

The Death Railway is a section of the Thai-Burma line which was built to support the Japanese occupation of Burma during World War 2. The Wang Po Viaduct is a wooden lattice structure that supports the railway line around a cliff wall with the River Kwai below and is quite spectacular.

The twice-daily train service runs from Thonburi to Nam Tok station, which is the end of the line now. It is a slow trip as the third class train stops at every little station on the way and the scenery is not so interesting.

However, once the train arrives in Kanchanaburi, everything changes. First off, the train crosses the Bridge over the River Kwai and then follows the river providing some spectacular scenery.

The highlight of course, is the train crawling around the Wang Pho viaduct and it will allow you time to reflect on the 100,000 conscripted Asian labourers and 16,000 Allied POWs who died during its construction. The two main viaducts followed the bottom of the cliff for some distance. A ledge had to be carved out of the cliff face to form a base for the bridge and embankment construction.

Near the station is the Krasae Cave, which houses a fine Buddha figure and offers a spectacular view over the River Kwai. This cave was used by the POWs as a hospital during the construction of the railway.

Attractions information

Lunch in a Thai Restaurant

Thai food has a range of tastes to suit all pallets so please don't make the mistake of thinking that all Thai food is spicy. Some dishes are very spicy but there are many which are not spicy at all. Rather, they are a wonderful combination of sweet and sour.

Thai dishes are normally shared by all.
Thai Cuisine is well-known for being hot and spicy and for its balance of the five fundamental flavors in the overall meal - hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty, and bitter.

Thai food has four regional cuisines corresponding to the four main regions of the country: Northern, Northeastern (or Isan), Central, and Southern, each cuisine featuring locally grown food.

Southern curries, for example, tend to contain coconut milk and fresh turmeric, while northeastern dishes often include lime juice. The cuisine of Isan is heavily influenced by Laos.

Many popular dishes eaten in Thailand were originally Chinese dishes which were introduced to Thailand mainly by Teochew people who make up the majority of the Thai Chinese. Such dishes include Jok, Kway teow Rad Na, Khao Kha Moo and Khao Mun Gai.

Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh rather than dried herbs and spices as well as fish sauce.

Attractions information

Hellfire Pass Museum

The Hellfire Pass Museum is co-sponsored by the Thai and Australian governments to commemorate the suffering of those Prisoners of War involved in the construction of the railway connecting Thailand and Burma during World War II.

You can walk down into Konyu Cutting itself and along the old track.

Hellfire Pass or Konyu Cutting was a particularly difficult section of the line to build, not only because it was the largest rock cutting on the railway, but also because of its remoteness and the lack of proper construction tools during building.

The Australian, British, Dutch and other allied Prisoners of War were required to work 18 hours a day to complete the cutting and many died from cholera, dysentery, starvation, and exhaustion during the six weeks it took to complete.

A new walkway has recently completed down into the cutting which has made things a lot easier. You can say a quiet word of thanks to the builders on the way down. However, you'll still need decent shoes because the rail bed is stony and the rocks are hard on your feet.

From Konyu Cutting, the walking trail follows the alignment of the original Burma-Thailand railway for approximately four kilometres from Hellfire Pass to beyond Compressor Cutting.

Attractions information

Hellfire Pass Museum

The Hellfire Pass Museum is co-sponsored by the Thai and Australian governments to commemorate the suffering of those Prisoners of War involved in the construction of the railway connecting Thailand and Burma during World War II.

You can walk down into Konyu Cutting itself and along the old track.

Hellfire Pass or Konyu Cutting was a particularly difficult section of the line to build, not only because it was the largest rock cutting on the railway, but also because of its remoteness and the lack of proper construction tools during building.

The Australian, British, Dutch and other allied Prisoners of War were required to work 18 hours a day to complete the cutting and many died from cholera, dysentery, starvation, and exhaustion during the six weeks it took to complete.

A new walkway has recently completed down into the cutting which has made things a lot easier. You can say a quiet word of thanks to the builders on the way down. However, you'll still need decent shoes because the rail bed is stony and the rocks are hard on your feet.

From Konyu Cutting, the walking trail follows the alignment of the original Burma-Thailand railway for approximately four kilometres from Hellfire Pass to beyond Compressor Cutting.

Attractions information

Don Rak War Cemetery Kanchanaburi

The Don Rak War Cemetery in Kanchanaburi is the final resting place of 6,982 Allied POWs who perished during the construction of the Death Railway during World War II.

There is another cemetery at Chungkai just outside Kanchanaburi.

Don Rak War Cemetery in Kanchanaburi is maintained in beautiful condition by the Australian Government and is a sober reminder of those who paid the supreme sacrifice so that we could live in peace.

The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is only a short distance from the site of the former 'Kanburi', the prisoner of war base camp through which most of the prisoners passed on their way to other camps.

The graves are marked with horizontal bronze plaques set into the grass. Scarlet, purple and white bougainvillaea tumbles over the surrounding walls and flowering trees and shrubs dot the grounds. It seems a strange thing to say, but this is truly a beautiful place.

Within the entrance building to the cemetery will be found the Kanchanaburi Memorial, recording the names of eleven men of the army of undivided India buried in Muslim cemeteries in Thailand, where their graves could not be maintained.

The Don Rak War Cemetery is the location of the ANZAC Day Wreath-laying Ceremony held on 25th April each year.

Important Information

On wet days, the lawn cemetery is off-limits to the public.

If you wish to see a specific grave, please bring the number with you as there are two main cemeteries in Kanchanaburi.