The next day found us having a nice breakfast on the river before heading to explore Kanchanaburi, to the beautiful Erawan falls and the famous Bridge on the River Kwai.

Kanchanaburi is about 100km from Bangkok and is the capital of this province. It is a quiet town with a diverse life.

The first stop was at the Erawan Waterfalls. An Amazing Experience – I had my first Hike, can you believe it!!! 😊

Erawan’s Falls is the 12^th National Park in Thailand. This huge park covers an area of 550km. It was established in 1975 and its one of the most famous national parks in my opinion.

What’s make it attractive is the 7-tier Erawan Falls with emerald green ponds, named after the three headed white elephant of Hindu mythology. The top tier of the falls is said to resemble the elephant’s head.

Getting to the top is well worth the effort….and it’s a big effort having to climb 1200 meters uphill mountain. It looks like its out of a fairy tale and when the sun shines through the dense forest and sparkles on the turquoise water, you can almost see mythical nymphs having a bath.

The national park is home to many kinds of birds and animals. It is said that wild elephants live deep in the forest as well as deer, wild board and gibbons. I have only seen wild boars after my hiking which was quite impressive as I have never seen one before. Obviously they stay away from people and from the waterfall, but its really exciting to know that there are still places in Thailand, where these animals roam freely.

During my hiking I have witnessed the beauty of cataracts, which were quite breath taking.  The sever levels of the waterfall had unique names. The first one called Lhai Keun Lung which was the easiest to get to as there were no hills and the terrain was pretty much flat. Even if you are not fit, you can easily get there on foot. The second level is called Wang Match, which is usually quite busy as there are a lot of people swimming. It’s a popular place as there is a small cave under the cascade. The third level is Pha Nam Tok, a great place to jump into the cool water and swim with the fish. The fourth (Oke Nank Phee Seah) and fifth (Bua Mai Long) level are very stunning. You cannot swim here but they are beautiful to look at. They are surrounded by tees and rock formations are great for a quick rest from hiking – which I really needed. The trail got rougher after the fifth level where we had to use rickety ladders and ropes to progress thorugh an even thicker lush vegetation….

On the sixth level named Dong Prook Sa, was another multi tiered cascade featuring a wide plunge at the foot. In order to reach the seven level (Phu Erawan) it needed more effort as it was particularly challenging. This last level featured the three steps that give their name to Erawan Waterfall. In fact Erawan is the name of a three headed Hindu God.

It took roughly around three hours to explore the total length of the fall and see the seven levels but it was totally worth it.

Guess what i made it to the Top !!! I’m a Conqueror!!!

After the hiking we went to eat a traditional meal by the entrance of the National Park, a real homemade cuisine which was totally worth it after a three hour hiking.

The adventure continued at the famous Bridge of River Kwai, one of the most historic remnants of World War 2 history in Thailand and we couldn’t come to Kanchanaburi without contemplating its story.

The Japanese used Allied prisoners of war to build a railway connecting Thailand with Myanmar over rugged and dense terrain, and conditions were so horrible that 13’000 POWs and 90’000 Southeast Asian slave workers died.  This bridge became a symbol of hardships and tragedy, and every year thousands of people come to pay their respects to the fallen.

Travel isn’t just about seeing beautiful places and eating delicious food. It’s important to study the history of nations as well so we can learn from the past.

The 1957 Oscar for David Lean’s The Bridge on River Kwai, catapulted the hitherto unknown remnant of WW II into limelight. Since then The Bridge has become the soul of Kanchanaburi in Thailand’s western region.

The Bridge on the River Kwai is as charming as the town of Kanchanaburi itself but with a more distasteful history. Though the evidence of the historical violence and suffering attached to it is long gone, the past clings to it in mysterious ways – tugging at your heartstrings each time you stare down into the dark river and visualize thousands of WWII POWs battling for their lives in the process of erecting a bridge commissioned by the Japanese Army.

The Bridge on River Kwai is the starting point of the Death Railway to Myanmar, attracts scores of visitors every year. You can easily walk over the Bridge or stop over the little steel platforms with fantastic views of the river on either side. The bridge is now surrounded by cafes and restaurants, floating hotels and you can even hire a speedboat for a ride on the river. The present bridge is however an incarnation (part of the original is in the War Museum), though the two central ‘boxy’ spans were rebuilt after the war to replace three sections destroyed by Allied bombing.

Kanchanaburi, like Ayutthaya, the erstwhile capital of Thailand, is definitely a centre for disaster tourism with pretty much everything here, like the war cemeteries and museums, connected to World War II.

The day passed so quickly exploring Kanchanaburi which was time to head on to our new Resort, this time we stayed at Good Times Resort. Whilst it is not a traditional, floating wooden hotel complex, it did offer everything we had been looking for. 

Based in the centre of town, close to many restaurants and attractions, The Good Times Resort offers variously styled comfortable rooms, a swimming pool, onsite restaurant with optional cooking classes and space to unwind.

However, by far one of the best features of this particular hotel was the waterfront restaurant and bar area.  It was here that we found ourselves spending our first evening in town, simply enjoying the view with a chilled beverage in hand watching the sunset.  Afterwards, as the darkness set in, we enjoyed freshly cooked curries and listened to the nocturnal bugs of the river come alive.

Other than evening meals, Good Times Resort also offered a sumptuous breakfast of cereals, meats and cheeses, fresh fruits, a variety of different egg options cooked to order and a different but typical thai-style breakfast choice each morning.  To me, it still seems strange to have a portion of fried rice each morning alongside my melon and pineapple slices but it appeared to be very popular with my fellow diners.

The Good Times Resort stood out for many reasons, but the one thing that made this part of our trip truly memorable was the staff.  Now I know that people say Thais are especially friendly and smile a lot, but the staff here were exceptional.  Nothing was too much; the service was unbelievable.  Any little thing we asked for, no matter how small, was met with smiles and warmth and even out on the streets staff recognised us.  No where we have been before, or since was quite like this.

If you ever decide to explore Kanchanaburi and the area around the River Kwai, the Good Times Resort is somewhere i highly recommend.