We will leave early morning and head westwards. Our first stop is the world-famous Damnern Saduak Floating Market. This is a place where traditional Thai lifestyles dating back many years continue to thrive today among a crowded environment filled with vendors and patrons buying, selling and trading a host of goods including fruits and vegetables. The Floating Market is an ideal place for tourists to see the old style and traditional way of selling and buying fruits, vegetables and other from small boats. Tourists will also be able to see traditional Thai houses and the way locals use boats in their everyday lives.
From right in the heart of Kanchanaburi, we will board the train a ride on the historic Death Railway Train (approximately 30 minutes – from Tha Ki Len to Tham Krasae), which passes through a lush forest along the original wooden viaducts. Internationally famous, thanks to several motion pictures and books, the black iron bridge was brought from Java by the Japanese Army and reassembled under Japanese supervision by Allied prisoners of war labour as part of the “Death Railway” linking Thailand with Myanmar.
We disembark at one of the local train stations along the railway.
Have lunch at restaurant near the train station.
After enjoying not a good and much-needed lunch yet also the stunning surroundings, we continue our way to the Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua (translated to ‘Tiger Temple in the Forest’) with more than 20 grown tigers and tiger cubs living within the temple grounds. Founded in 1994 as a forest monastery and sanctuary for numerous wild animals, Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua, or the Tiger Temple, is a Theravada Buddhist forest temple in the Saiyoke district in Kanchanaburi (not far from the border with Myanmar, along the 323 highway). Not only does it provide a shelter and sanctuary for tigers, a variety of animals are here under the devoted care of monks. Although fees are not demanded by any Buddhist temple, the temple claims entry fee is for feeding and its general upkeep, and to fund the building of a larger tiger sanctuary which
would allow the animals to live in an almost natural environment all day long.
The journey continues to Kanchanaburi, a place with a unique and important history relating to World War II. Sites guests will visit include the Allied War Cemetery and JEATH War Museum, which is a replica of prisoner of war camp and contains many photographs, artefacts and other memorabilia. Apart from the fascinating natural geography, this region has many major attractions affiliated with World War II: The Bridge over the River Kwai, still in use today, was the target of frequent Allied bombing raids during 1945, and was rebuilt after the war end. The JEATH Museum, an enclave constructed largely as an Allied prisoners of war camp, contains a collection of photographs. The War Cemetery is the final resting place for over 6000 prisoners of war who perished during the construction of the “Death Railway,” (also
known as Hell Fire Pass). Visitors to Kanchanaburi will be moved as they reflect on how these memorials have come to signify the harsh realties of war.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Kanchanaburi