Must-see attractions in Kanchanaburi

  • The Death Railway, bridge over the River Kwai

    Death Railway Bridge

    Kanchanaburi

    Constructed by POW labour, this 300m-long bridge is heavy with the history of the Thailand–Burma Railway. Its centre was destroyed by Allied bombs in 1945…

  • Thailand–Burma Railway Centre

    Kanchanaburi

    This excellent museum balances statistics and historical context with personal accounts of the conditions endured by POWs and other imprisoned labourers…

  • Wat Ban Tham

    Kanchanaburi

    In the countryside around Kanchanaburi, cave temples are almost as common as convenience stores are inside the city, but this is one of the most…

  • Allied War Cemetery - the final resting place for World War II prisoners who died building the Thailand-Burma railway. Kanchanaburi, Thailand.

    Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

    Kanchanaburi

    Immaculately maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, this is the larger of Kanchanaburi's two war cemeteries, and is right in town. Of the…

  • Wat Tham Seua

    Kanchanaburi

    The centrepiece of this hilltop temple is a striking 18m-high Buddha covered in golden mosaic. One of the merit-making ceremonies for devotees is to place…

  • Wat Tham Khao Pun

    Kanchanaburi

    The nearest cave temple to Kanchanaburi town is a fun labyrinth of illuminated passageways. The marked trail is a bit of a squeeze in some places (and can…

  • JEATH War Museum

    Kanchanaburi

    This small museum, opened in 1977, mostly focuses on the terrible ordeals of the POWs who built the Death Railway. Their harsh living conditions are shown…

  • Heritage Walking Street

    Kanchanaburi

    A stroll along this city centre street offers a glimpse of a bygone Kanchanaburi. Many buildings date to the 1920s and '30s and their Sino-Portuguese,…

  • Chungkai War Cemetery

    Kanchanaburi

    The site of one of the biggest Allied POW camps, Chungkai honours 1426 Commonwealth and 313 Dutch soldiers. Prisoners built their own hospital and church…

  • WWII Museum

    Kanchanaburi

    Close to the Death Railway Bridge, at this eclectic museum you'll see trains, Japanese motorcycles, anchors and old helmets, plus a great view of the…

  • Wat Thewa Sangkharam

    Kanchanaburi

    This sizeable temple in Kanchanaburi is worth a wander to admire its grand, bell-shaped stupa near the river and various Thai-style shrines. In particular…

  • Wat Chaichumphon

    Kanchanaburi

    Next to the JEATH War Museum, this temple has some interesting statues and shrines, including one fashioned from a WWII-era boat dredged out of the river.

  • City Gate

    Kanchanaburi

    This restored original city gate (built 1831) is a remnant of Kanchanaburi's once mighty defensive walls, which linked six fortresses. Just behind it is a…

  • Chinese Cemetery

    Kanchanaburi

    In contrast to the manicured uniformity of the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery next to it, this Chinese cemetery is somewhat overgrown but contains some large…

  • Japanese Memorial

    Kanchanaburi

    The Japanese erected this memorial column to their victims in 1944, before their surrender. In a cold bit of historical irony, they forced the POWs to do…

  • Lak Meuang

    Kanchanaburi

    Behind the City Gate stands this small, gold-trimmed shrine for Kanchanburi city's guardian spirit.