A More Surprising City Than Ayutthaya: Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Kanchanaburi is located in western Thailand, bordering Myanmar, and is the third largest province in Thailand. It is mainly known for its natural scenery and World War II historical sites. During World War II, Kanchanaburi was the site of the construction of the "Death Railway," which was completed at the cost of countless lives. The Bridge on the River Kwai is a section of it, known as the throat of the "Death Railway." . I actually wanted to visit Kanchanaburi as early as last year, but at that time I went to Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, then went north to Chiang Mai for the Lantern Festival, so I temporarily gave up on Kanchanaburi. So after staying in Bangkok for a few days this time, I went to Kanchanaburi. . To be honest, Kanchanaburi left a pretty good impression on me. The entire city is a narrow and long shape, and the bus station is a bit far from the Bridge on the River Kwai. I temporarily stayed at a youth hostel near the bus station. When I first wandered around, I thought this city was a bit old, but after settling down and walking from the bus station to the River Kwai, I found it quite surprising. . 🌈I suggest walking along the old street of Kanchanaburi (📍Historic Pak Prak Road), from the Bridge on the River Kwai to the popular glass walkway (Skywalk Kanchanaburi City). This area is full of Portuguese-style buildings from World War II, and the whole street feels a bit like Chiang Mai, but more primitive than Chiang Mai. The entire old street is about 6-7 miles long, with World War II cemeteries, bar streets, and local farmers' markets. City Walk🧑‍🦯 is a great experience, especially the last section to the popular glass bridge. Although it's tiring, it's very pleasant. . This time in Kanchanaburi was not long, but overall it felt more fun than Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya is mainly about architectural monuments, but after seeing too many, you get a bit aesthetically fatigued. ☑️But Kanchanaburi is more diverse, with the Bridge on the River Kwai and World War II relics in the city, and the Tiger Cave Temple, one of the top ten most beautiful temples in Thailand, outside the city. There is also the pastoral MEENA Cafe; the elephant camp, where you can interact with elephants and bathe them; the Jasmine City, although not very impressive; the wildlife park, where you can take a photo with zebras but it costs 1,000 baht; Erawan National Park, with seven-tiered waterfalls... ‼️But the most troublesome thing is that these attractions are too far from the city, basically 20-56 kilometers away, and you can only reach them by chartering a car. After riding a motorcycle for a day this time, I felt too tired and didn't want to move. . But to be honest, if you like exploring niche routes, Kanchanaburi is worth a visit. There are not many Chinese people along the way, I only met a few Chinese speakers at the Bridge on the River Kwai, and almost didn't hear any elsewhere. It's a place worth visiting again if I have the chance‼️