National Parks Kanchanaburi

Muang Singh Historical Park

08:00 – 17:00. Hire a tuk-tuk/songthaew or motorbike, or take the train to Takilen station – it is about a 1.5km walk.

This ancient Khmer town, the ‘city of lion’, is situated on the banks of the Kwai Noi River – about 45 km west of Kanchanaburi. Built of deep red laterite, Muang Singh reached its apogee during the 12-13^th centuries when it flourished as a trading post linking Siam with the Indian Ocean. The city represents an artistic and strategic outlier of the great Cambodian Empire, and it is mentioned in inscriptions from the reign of the Khmer King Jayavarman VII.

Khao Phrang and Sai Yok Noi waterfall

Take bus 8203 from Kanchanaburi town (1hr). Buses leave every 30 mins between 06:45 and 18:00. It is 1km to the falls and 2km to the caves (the sign for the falls is in Thai only, so follow signs to the cave which are in English).

Some 60km northwest to Kanchanaburi on Route 323, Khao Phrang and Sai Yok Noi waterfall are only impressive in the wet season (July-September), and swimming in the pools below the waterfall is also best during this season. Close by are the Vang Ba Dalh caves.

Sai Yok National Park

Boats can be hired from Pak Saeng pier in Tambon Tha Saaw, about 50km north of Kanchanaburi town. A boat (maximum 10 people) to the park (including the Lawa caves and Soi Yok Yai waterfall), should cost B1200 per boat (sitting 10-12 people) (or go on a tour) and the trip will take 2 and a half hrs upstream and 1 and a half down. There are also buses from Kanchanaburi to the park, 1hr. See also sleeping. The best time to visit is from May to December.

Soi Yok National Park lies 104km northwest of Kanchanaburi. The park’s main attraction is the Sai Yok Yai waterfall. Also near Sai Yok Yai are the Daowadung Caves (30 minutes north by boat from the falls and then a 3-km walk). Tigers and elephants still inhabit this wild region of stunning scenery, stretching the Burmese boarder.

Erawan National Park

Open 06:00-18:00, B400 entrance fee to the park, Regular buses (no 8170) every 50 mins from 08:00 onwards from Kanchanaburi (1 and a half hrs, B26). The last bus back to Kanchanaburi leaves Erawan at 16:00. The best time to visit the falls is during the rainy season. It is 35-min walk from the bus station to the first of the series of 7 falls. There are also plenty of places to eat Thai food next to the bus stop. If you want to make like the locals it is considered the done thing to combine ahhan Isaan (Isaan food), such as som tam (spicy papaya salad), kai yang (grilled chicken) khao niaow (sticky rice) with nam tok (waterfall). At present National Park Authorities throughout insist on charging foreigners an incredible 10 times more that the locals.

Without doubt this is an area of great natural beauty, situated 65km north of Kanchanaburi, covering 550 sq km and containing the impressive Erawan Falls. Split into seven levels the first is popular with swimmers and picnickers. Level three is very beautiful, and level seven is well worth the steep climb with refreshing pools awaiting any intrepid trekker who makes the precarious climb up. The impressive Phrathat Caves, with huge and stupendous stalactites and stalagmites, are located about 10km northwest of headquarters, a good hike or easy drive.

Arguably the most striking waterfalls are those at Huay Khamin, some 108km northwest of town. The falls are awkward to reach independently but tour companies will provide arranged trips. The Thung Yai and Huai Khra Khaeng wildlife sanctuaries, where the falls are based, were once threatened by a proposed dam that would have destroyed rare stands of reverie tropical forest that exist here. Public pressure ensure that the plans were shelved, representing the first significant victory for environmentalists in Thailand. In 1992 the two sanctuaries were declared Southeast Asia’s first Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO, vindicating the environmentalist’s stand.

Tham Than Lot National Park

There are regular connections between Kanchanaburi and Nong Pru. The road to the park cuts off left the Route 3086 shortly before entering Nong Pru; the park entrance is 22km from this turn-ff. During the week it is usually necessary to charte a motorcycle or songthaew to the park, but at weekends there is a public service from Nong Pr.

The park encompasses a portion of the Tenasserim range of mountains that form the border between Thailand and Burma and includes small populations of Asiatic black bear, white-handed gibbon and elephant. There is even talk that there may be tigers here. The highest peak is Khao Khampaeng, which rises to 1260m. Within easy walking of park headquarters (where there is a visitors’ centre) is Than Lot Noi Cave, after which the park was named. The cave reaches around 300m into the mountain side. A trail leads from here for around 2km to another cave, Than Lot Yai, where there is a small Buddhist shrine.

Bo Phai

Take bus No 325 from Kanchanaburi bus station, one and a half hours.

Bo Phloi, 50km north of town, is one of Thailand’s main gem-mining areas. Here are eight open-cast mines – extracting sapphires, onyx and semi-precious stones – and a number of polishing plants. Local production techniques are displayed.