Two Days in Kanchanaburi, Thailand: Itinerary & Travel Guide

For the perfect short break from the bustle of Bangkok, travel less than three hours west and spend two days in Kanchanaburi!

After having to spend more time in Bangkok than we’d planned due to booking our sleeper train to Surat Thani too late, we decided to head out to some nearby areas. Our day trip to Ayutthaya was a great way to explore unique ruined temples; and we booked a slightly longer two day stay in Kanchanaburi.

Kanchanaburi is a town 140km to the west of Bangkok, in the Kanchanaburi Province of Thailand. Perched on the banks of the River Kwai, the town is home to the River Kwai Bridge, part of the historical ‘Death Railway‘. The town pays tribute to the tragic history of over 100,000 forced labourers who lost their lives with memorials and museums.

Beyond history, the town is surrounded by some stunning natural landscapes – including Erawan National Park with it’s Instagram-worthy waterfalls. The town itself offers laid-back riverside vibes, with plenty of accommodation and places to indulge in some tasty Thai dishes.

If you’re thinking about visiting Kanchanaburi for a two-day break, this guide covers everything you need to know!

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2 Days in Kanchanaburi: Travel Guide

How many days do you need in Kanchanaburi?

Two days in Kanchanaburi is the perfect amount of time to explore the town and surrounding area. The town is small, but there’s plenty of interesting history and nature close by. I’d recommend booking two nights and getting an early train up, to give you an afternoon and a full day there.

If you’re really short on time, you could consider booking a day trip to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok to tick off the highlights of Death Railway. However, if you have a couple of days in your Thailand itinerary, I found Kanchanaburi to be a super relaxing place to stay with plenty to see and do.

When’s the best time to visit Kanchanaburi?

The ‘cool season’ of November-February is a great time to visit Kanchanaburi, as temperatures are more pleasant (18°C to 30°C) than in high summer months. The River Kwai Bridge Festival, a celebration of history and culture, takes place in late November every year.

March-June sees temperatures soar as high as 40°C, which may get a little uncomfortable for sightseeing if you’re not used to the scorching weather.

July-October is considered the rainy season, with temperatures around 25°C to 35°C and high humidity. We actually visited towards the end of October and found the temperature during the day perfectly manageable. However, we did experience some quite heavy showers during both evenings!

How to get to Kanchanaburi

By train

The train journey to Kanchanaburi is a really enjoyable experience, as you’ll wind through lush Thailand countryside. Plus, it’s budget-friendly – a one way-ticket costs just 100 THB (around £39/$49)!

The train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi runs from Thonburi Station, around 15 minutes drive from the Khao San Road area. Two trains run daily from Thonburi to Nam Tok that stop at Kanchanaburi, both taking around 2.5 hours. You can buy your ticket directly at Thonburi station – I’d advise arriving 30 minutes early.

Train #257 departs at 7.45am, arriving in Kanchanaburi around 10.30am – this is the option we chose to enjoy a full afternoon in Kanchanaburi.

Train #259 departs at 1.55pm, arriving in Kanchanaburi at around 4.25pm.

Return trains from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok depart at 7.05am and 2.43pm. We chose the afternoon train and had a relaxed lunch before heading back to Bangkok. The route was very quiet, so we didn’t need to panic about getting seats!

By bus

Whilst the train is the most cost effective and in my opinion, best way to get there, buses may be more convenient based on where you’re staying. Travelling via minivan/small bus from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi takes between 2.5-3 hours. Prices start at 140 THB each way – find times and book your bus here.

On a guided tour

Kanchanaburi is an easy place to take a DIY trip, but if you want to save the hassle, you can book guided tours from one to two days in Kanchanaburi:

• If you’re specifically interested in the war history of the railway, this one-day tour from Bangkok includes Hellfire Pass, a Death Railway train ride, River Kwai Bridge and the War Cemetery.
• This Erawan and Kanchanaburi small group one day tour combines fascinating history with the awe-inspiring falls at Erawan National Park
• For a guided tour spending two days in Kanchanaburi, this Jungle Glamping tour has overnight accommodation in a luxury glamping tent!
• If you want to take a private guided tour and pick your own highlights, you can also book a custom tour from Bangkok for 1-3 days.

Getting around Kanchanaburi

The centre of Kanchanaburi town is relatively walkable, however you might want to get a taxi between some areas, depending on where you’re based. I’d recommend downloading the Grab app (like Uber), which was invaluable during our trip to Thailand. Our hotel, Sam’s House, was well-located between main attractions.

To get to other areas nearby, including Erawan National Park, we found hiring a scooter to be the most affordable (and fun!) way to explore. If you’re not comfortable riding a scooter, there are local buses towards Erawan Waterfalls, or you can book a day trip with a local company in town.

Where to stay in Kanchanaburi

We based ourselves for two nights in Kanchanaburi at Sam’s House, a unique riverside hotel with over-water bungalows. We’d initially chosen one of the interior bungalows, but decided when we arrived to upgrade to a Superior Bungalow directly on the riverfront for an extra 250 THB a night.

The room itself was good-sized and modern, but still with the cosy charm of a bungalow in nature. The comfortable bed was a dream, and we had plenty of natural light from the windows. Each bungalow has its own private balcony and private bathroom with hot shower, and our room had an enormous fridge. We ended up grabbing some drinks in town to enjoy on our balcony during a particularly heavy rainstorm one night!

Our two-night stay at Sam’s House in a Superior Bungalow cost 1700 THB (around £39/$49). The interior bungalows cost from 600 THB per night (around £14/$17).

Check availability & book your stay at Sam’s House – and read our full Sam’s House review for a deep dive!

More hotels in Kanchanaburi:

107 Hostel ($) – clean and simple dorms in the centre of town.
Pongphen Guesthouse ($$) – small, friendly hotel with river views and swimming pool
Latima Boutique Hostel ($$) – upmarket hostel with swimming pool, offering dorms and private rooms

Where to eat in Kanchanaburi

During our two days in Kanchanaburi, we ate well, with an abundance of local restaurants, street food vendors and night markets to indulge in some Thai classics.

I’m always on the lookout for the best vegetarian and vegan food when I travel, and our lunch at On’s Thai-Issan Vegan is one of my favourites of our Thailand trip! Huge portions, deliciously fresh and super affordable, it’s a must-visit for plant-based eating in Kanchanaburi.

I also had a delicious vegetarian khao soi at Kin Khao Lam Restaurant. Rich flavours, a good amount of heat and some friendly cats make this a great spot for dinner.

Kanchanaburi: 2 Day Itinerary

Booked your transport and accommodation? Find the best things to do in Kanchanaburi with this two-day itinerary:

Day 1: Death Railway and River Kwai Bridge

We arrived in Kanchanaburi at around 10.30am, and mercifully our guesthouse let us check in over 3 hours early. Top tip – make sure your hotel offers luggage storage for early arrivals, so you can get straight to exploring.

Once we’d had some lunch, we headed up to visit what Kanchanaburi is most famous for – the River Kwai Bridge. If you’ve seen the classic movie The Bridge on the River Kwai, you might know about the bridge’s history already. If not, here’s a quick intro…

During the Second World War, a 250 mile railway track was constructed by the Japanese to connect Thailand and Burma (now Myanmar). Prisoners of War and Asian slave labourers built the railway, under extremely harsh conditions. It’s believed that around 13,000 POWs and 90,000 Asian labourers died during the railway’s construction, and is referred to as the ‘Death Railway’.

Railway bridge 277 was constructed in June 1943, and is one of the most recognisable images of Death Railway. The original bridge was bombed in 1944 by the Allied forces, where three sections were completely destroyed. The bridge was reconstructed, and trains run across daily. If you go at the right time, you’ll actually be able to stand on the bridge as a train goes by – don’t worry, there are safe standing points along the bridge!

You can walk all the way across the bridge for some great views along the river and to see the tracks head out into the countrysing, before making your back towards town.

Next to the bridge, you’ll find the World War II Museum. The extensive museum features exhibits about the war history of Thailand and the construction of the bridge, alongside a gallery from the owner’s personal collection. The variety of exhibits (including a section on prehistoric times, for some reason) makes it a slightly unusual visit, but interesting nonetheless!

Admission costs 100 THB, and the museum opens from 9am-6pm

I’d also recommend visiting the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, to honour the POW who lost their lives constructing the railway bridge. It’s at the other end of town to the bridge, but it’s close to the night market. One of the most striking and well-kept cemeteries I’ve seen, it’s a moving and thoughtful experience to walk around and read the personal messages left for the young victims of the horrific conditions.

If you’re there before it closes at 4.30pm, you can also visit the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre. This small museum highlights the history of the Thailand-Burma Railway, and it’s a great way to learn more about the area’s history.

Admission costs 160 THB, and the musuem opens from 9am-4.30pm

Also in the area is the JEATH War Museum, a small museum dedicated to the horrific living conditions POWs and slave labourers endured during the construction of the railway. The name is an acronym for the countries involved in the construction: Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland.

Admission costs 50 THB, and the museum opens from 8.30am-6pm

In the evening, head to the Kanchanaburi Night Market to eat like the locals!

We tried a whole variety of street food delights, including curry puffs (like Thai Cornish pasties), filled dumplings and Thai fish cake scotch eggs.

Day 2: Erawan National Park Waterfalls & Hellfire Pass

For our second day in Kanchanaburi, we took a day trip to Erawan National Park to see the popular Erawan Waterfalls. Considered some of the best waterfalls in Thailand, they weren’t as Instagram-blue as they look at certain times of year, but they’re still absolutely stunning and well worth the trip from Kanchanaburi.

We chose to hire a motorbike to get there and found the ride really easy. However, if you’re not comfortable riding, you can get the local bus from Kanchanaburi Bus Station. They run around every hour, and a ticket costs 60 THB each way. Check out the current timetable here.

Alternatively, you can book a round trip minivan taxi for 600 THB per person. These will pick you up at around 8am in Kanchanaburi, and return from Erawan at about 2.30pm.

We decided to get ahead on the hike and make our way up to the top of the falls first. We then worked our way back down at a more leisurely pace!

The best thing about Erawan’s falls is you can choose how far you go. The first two waterfalls are an easy walk from the entrance. The third and fourth are accessible via steps and a sturdy path, with a longer, steeper section of trail connecting to waterfall five. At this point, the path is more rugged, but if you keep climbing through five and six up to seven, you’ll be rewarded with a sign that congratulates you on conquering the falls!

On our way back down, we took a welcome dip to wash off the sweat. We chose waterfall 4, although the way down into the water was a little trickier than some of the other falls.

Entrance to Erawan National Park costs 300 THB per adult, plus 20/30 THB for motorbike/car parking. The park is open daily from 8am-4.30pm – bear in mind some of the upper waterfalls will close earlier.

After a busy day, spend the evening enjoying dinner and drinks in Kanchanaburi. We found a bar, Ave, that sold Thai and imported craft beers, which fed my thirty-something beer loving soul. (And if you didn’t make it to the night market last night, now’s your chance!)

Summary: Is Kanchanaburi worth visiting?

Quite honestly, Kanchanaburi charmed me much more than I was expecting. Combining fascinating and moving history with striking natural beauty in the surrounding area, it’s the ideal short break from Bangkok.

Compared to the hustle and buzz of the big city, I felt incredibly relaxed during our two day Kanchanaburi trip, and I’d absolutely recommend adding it to your Thailand itinerary!