HOW to get to the River Kwai Jungle Rafts from Bangkok

By Train from Bangkok:

The Thonburi–Nam Tok route trains depart Bangkok Noi Railway Station daily at 07:45 am, arriving in Nam Tok Railway Station at 12:50 pm, and 01:50 pm, arriving 18:40.   They is the 3rd class – non–air conditioned.  Arrive at Namtok Railway Station rent a local mini bus to Resotel pier (10 Kilometres from the station - on left hand side of the 323 road).  Then take a long–tailed boat from Resotel pier to River Kwai Jungle Rafts.

By Car from Bangkok:

Driving directions: From Phra Pinklao Bridge; take Pinklao Road for 35 Kilometres until reach A2 junction. Turn right and follow the signs for Ratchaburi.  Pass through Nakhon Chaisri and Nakhon Pathom bypass.  About 5 Kilometers further from the bypass, take the flyover with the sign for Kanchanaburi and take A323 to Ban Pong.  From Ban Pong, follow the signs to Kanchanaburi (a further 50 Kilometres).  6 Kilometres from Kanchanaburi city, turn left at the junction and following the signs to the Saiyoke Noi Waterfalls.  The Resotel pier is located about 60 Kilometers from the city and about 8 Kilometers from the Saiyoke Noi Waterfalls.  The pier is 1.5 Kilometers from the entrance.  Then take a long–tailed boat from Resotel pier to River Kwai Jungle Rafts.

By Bus from Bangkok:

From Southern Bus Terminal, take blue–white public bus no. 81 to Kanchanaburi, (129 Kilometers / 2 hours).  From Kanchanaburi, take air–conditioned V.I.P. bus or van no. 8203 to "Sangkhlaburi" or no. 9918 to "Three Pagoda Pass".  Get off at 54th Kilometres post sign in Saiyoke district which is the entrance of Resotel pier (1 hour).  Then another 1.5 Kilometres walk to Resotel pier and take a long–tailed boat from Resotel pier to River Kwai Jungle Rafts.

• War Cemetery

• Thailand Burma Railway Centre

• Hellfire Pass Memorial

• Somdet Phra Sri Nakharin Park

• Art Gallery and War Museum

• Don Chedi Archaeological Site

• The famous Bridge over the River Kwai (Death Bridge)

• Prasat Muang Singh historical park

• Tiger Temple

• Erawan waterfall

• Lawa cave

• Sai Yoke Yai Waterfall & National Park

Hellfire Pass

This is a part of the Death Railway constructed during the Second World War using POW labor to cut through the mountain. Along a 4-kilometer walking trail made by the Allied prisoners visitors can envision the difficulties faced in constructing the Death Railway using simple tools. The pass is approximately 500 meters long and 26 meters deep. In 1943 Australian POWs employing hand drills, picks and shovels, baskets and dynamite completed it within six weeks.

There is also a memorial museum displaying contemporary photographs, maps, models, illustrations, etc. from the period.

Details: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

How to get there: The site is located in a thick forest near Km. 66 of the Sai Yok-Thong Pha Phum Road (Highway No. 323).

Lawa Cave

The cave is on the side of Kwai Noi River. The entrance to the cave is a bit narrow although the interior is spacious with several fascinating chambers including the music chamber, the throne chamber, and the curtain chamber with stalactites and stalagmites in full display.

Details: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

How to get there: 75 kilometers from Kanchanaburi City. The cave can be accessed either by boat or car. Chartered boats are available at the Pak Saeng Pier, the trip takes 45 minutes. Visitors traveling by road can cross the bridge at Ban Kaeng Raboet and continue on foot. Our guests can start their journey at RESOTEL pier and then take mountain bike to the cave. It takes about 15 minutes.

Tiger temple (Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yanasampanno)

A tiger conservation area where various kinds of wild as well as domestic animals live together freely in the nature such as barking deer, deer, hog, gibbon, peafowl, red junglefowl, horse, water buffalo, goat, etc. Wildlife of different species will be seen living together in peace and being friendly to the monks and visitors.

Details: Open daily from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (from 3.30 p.m. onward for tiger).

How to get there:  From Kanchanaburi bus station: take the bus number 8203 for Sai Yok and ask the driver to stop at the temple. The bus takes about 45 minutes to reach the temple and costs 25 Baht; from the bus stop at the temple follow the dirt road (1.5 km) all the way to the front gate. The walk takes about 30-40 minutes. Or, take a taxi to the temple cost about 200-250 Baht, take about 30 minutes

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Don Rak)

This is the place where the remains of 6,982 POWs died during the construction of the Death Railway are buried.

Details: Open daily from 8.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

How to get there: The cemetery, which is located on Saengchuto Road(Highway 323), Amphur Muang, opposite the Railway Station, just 1.5 kilometres from the TAT office.

Thailand - Burma Railway Centre

The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre in an interactive museum, research and information centre dedicated to presenting the story of the Thailand-Burma Railway built during the World War II.
Details: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How to get there: It is located on the western side of the main Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Don Rak) by approximately 100 metres.

Erawan Waterfall National Park

The park, covering 550-square-kilometers, is the site of the seven-tiered Erawan waterfall, one of Thailand’s loveliest waterfalls. The falls take the form of a series of cascades and pools over and among the rocks, and are supposed to be shaped like the divine Indra's three-headed elephant, hence their name.

The Bridge on the River Kwai (the Death Railway Bridge)

During the World War II, the Japanese wanted to seek to shorten the supply lines between Japan and Burma in preparation for an eventual attack on British India. The Japanese started work on a railway from Thailand to Burma through the river valley for a distance of about 415 kms. The Japanese enforced roughly 250,000 Asian laborers and 61,000 Allied prisoners-of-war to construct 260 kms of rail on the Thai side, approaching the Three Pagodas Pass on the border. Unfortunately, it is estimated that 100,000 Asian laborers and 16,000 Allied prisoners lost their lives during that period due to many factors.  Today there are daily trains running from Kanchanaburi to the terminus at Nam Tok station for a distance of 50 kms on this historical route. This journey is one of the very exciting things to do for tourists.

Details: Open daily 8.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

How to get there: It is located north of the city by about 4 kms. Special trains are arranged for tourists from Bangkok on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.