Kanchanaburi
Lots of tourists make the journey west of Bangkok to Kanchanaburi to ride the infamous Death Railway. The Thailand-Burma Railway, as it was officially known, was built by allied POWs during the second world war and it is possible to ride the remaining section from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok.
Kanchanaburi, as well as being the location of the famous bridge over the Khwae Yai river, is also the site of two allied war cemeteries. Visiting these and learning the story of the railway at the excellent Thailand-Burma Railway Centre proved a moving experience. My Grandfather had spent time in India and Burma during the second world war and it made be consider how close he might have come to suffering the same fate as these men.
As well as taking the train to Nam Tok and visiting the excellent Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum we also took a day out on bicycles to explore the area. After much nagging, Rhian finally coaxed me into visiting the Kanchanaburi Monkey School.
Eating in Kanchanaburi is a no-brainer. The excellent night market provided a fantastic selection of vendors and the food was excellent value. Rhian was particularly fond of the banana and condensed milk rotis for dessert.
