Kanchanaburi Hotels
Best known as the place where the Hollywood war epic ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’ was shot, remains a quiet, serene town surrounded by verdant forests and beautiful scenery.
Several thousands soldiers including Allied prisoners of war and Asian forced labourers were killed while building, what is termed as, the Death Railways for the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. Even today, the railway bridge over the River Kwai and the Hellfire Pass stand as testimony to those brutal and torturous times. The Jeath Museum in Kanchanaburi is a repository chronicling the details of those war worn times, photographs and artefacts that transport tourists back to those unfortunate days.
The Allied War Cemetery has graves of over 8000 prisoners of wars who were killed while working on the bridge and the railways during the Japanese Imperial Army rule. An extremely humbling experience, a walk through these perfectly maintained grounds of the cemetery is a must.
Besides the Bridge over the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi also has the longest wooden bridge in entire Thailand. Located in the Sangkhlaburi district this wooden bridge spans the Mekhong River.
Kanchanaburi is surrounded by the Erawan National Park which is located in the heart of a lush jungle and has a series of natural but small waterfalls that make their way deep from within the hearts of the hills they descend from to form a series of water bodies. The water is cool, clear and a perfect escape from the tropical humid climate.
When in Kanchanaburi also visit the Wat Tham Mongkom Thong that has become famous for its ‘floating nun’. The nun floats in a pool of water while meditating!