Kanchanaburi Side Trip from Bangkok.

Bridge Over River Kwai, a Cave Wat & Ancient Khmer Temple Ruins!

We had an awesome side trip from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi. I booked 2 nights at the X2 River Kwai Resort, on Agoda. It’s a contemporary resort in a quiet, serene location. We were ready for a break from Bangkok traffic and shopping malls. But there was a different kind of traffic jam here.

We enjoyed our stay! I posted a review on Trip Advisor with details. My TA name is “photostoryteller” if interested. Most guests come with cars and there isn’t anything to walk to. But the restaurant was really good, there were current newspapers and magazines in the library and room, and we enjoyed the stunning view and infinity pool from our private deck.


The resort arranged our round trip taxi. And a taxi for our sightseeing day. We travel adventurously and this trip that paid off big time.

We visited the River Kwai Bridge and related Historic sites. There was a stunning newer temple near our hotel with an interesting Cave Wat. It’s called Wat Tham Khao Pun. We were the only westerners visiting there! Probably there was a cave Wat here for a long time. The infrastructure and two Buddha’s outside are newer. Very large, very interesting and very beautiful.

The surprise gem of this trip was to learn that there was a 12th century Khmer Temple site about 20 minutes away. The Muang Sing Historical Park showcases a well preserved ancient temple, and another large archeological site too. This is the westernmost remaining site from the Khmer Empire 8-12th Century. Who knew we could see exquisite ruins just like you find at Angkor Wat in Cambodia, at a well manicured site without hundreds of tourist buses or thousands of other tourists. How lucky we feel. Muang Sing alone is worth this trip!

We did not get to the waterfalls or hot springs in this province. There are many more things to do there within about 75 km.

We enjoyed just relaxing at the resort. There are kayaks and bikes for the guests, and the setting is tranquil and serene.

Next we are heading 3 hours south of Bangkok to Hua Hin. Stay tuned & thanks for reading my blog!
Nancie

Tip: In Thailand I use Agoda for Hotel Bookings with great ease & success. I cross check the Agoda reviews with Trip Advisor and usually we are happy with our choices. It’s reliable & works great!