River Kwai & Kanchanaburi is 130 klms west of Bangkok and about a 3 hour drive from Bangkok. Kanchanaburi is ln the valley of Mae Nam Mae Klong amongst hills and sugar-cane plantations. During World War II the Japanese used Allied prisoners to build the infamous Death Railway. Thousands of prisoners died as a result of the brutal treatment they received from the Japanese. Many of them are buried there.
Highlights:
- Death Railway Bridge was built in 1943, bombed several times during the war and rebuilt after the war.
- Death Railway was 415kms long and built within 16 months, and caused the death of 16,000 prisoners.
- Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery has beautiful green grass and healthy flowers and is the burial ground of many Australians.
- Hellfire Pass Memorial was built in 1998 in honor of the allied POW's and is a joint Australian-Thailand Chamber of Commerce project.
- Erawan National Park is the most visited national park in Thailand and one of the most beautiful. It has 7 levels of waterfalls over a 2 klm walk. Good swimming in the water holes.
- Tiger Temple is a unique experience where you can enter the Buddhist Monastery for a small fee for your opportunity to pat tigers. They are not tied up or restrained and are free to move around and one at a time you are able to walk up and pat the tigers. Quite an experience.
- Elephant riding.
- Raft trip down the river.
