Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
human muscle that was involved in building the Death Railway. A better understanding
comes from a visit to the excellent Hellfire Pass Memorial, an Australian-Thai Chamber
of Commerce memorial and museum dedicated to the POW labourers, 75km north of
Kanchanaburi. A crew of 1000 prisoners worked for 12 weeks to cut a pass through the
mountainous area dubbed Hellfire Pass. Nearly 70% of them died in the process. An inter-
active museum is enhanced by several short films. Below the museum is a walking trail
along the track itself and through Hellfire Pass.
Hellfire Pass and the so-called Tiger Temple are accessed via the road running west
from Kanchanaburi to Sangkhlaburi and the Myanmar border. It's easy to arrange tours
from Kanchanaburi, or take a bus towards Sangkhlaburi (80B, 1½ hours, frequent) and
ask the driver to drop you near your destination. The last bus back to Kanchanaburi passes
here at 4.45pm.
ERAWAN NATIONAL PARK
(admission 200B; 8am-4pm)
Northwest of Kanchanaburi town is the area's natural play-
ground. Erawan National Park sports a watery mane of waterfalls and is visited by locals
and tourists out for a day trip of photographs, picnics and swimming.
NATIONAL PARK
SAI YOK NATIONAL PARK
( 0 3468 6024;
www.dnp.go.th
; 200B)
Sai Yok National Park has waterfalls, limestone caves, hot
springs and accommodation. Tour organisers in Kanchanaburi can arrange day outings to
these parks on various expeditions: river kayaking, elephant trekking, waterfall spotting
and bamboo rafting.
NATIONAL PARK
WAT THAM KHAO PUN
(admission by donation; 7am-4pm)
The limestone hills surrounding Kanchanaburi are famous
for their temple caves, an underground communion of animistic spirit worship and tradi-
tional Buddhism. Winding arteries burrow into the guts of the caves past bulbous calcium
deposits and altars for reclining or meditating Buddhas, surrounded by offerings from pil-
grims. Wat Tham Khao Pun is one of the closest cave temples, and is best reached by bi-
cycle. The temple is about 4km from the TAT office and 1km southwest of the Chung Kai
cemetery across the railroad tracks and midway up the hill.
CAVE
