Star Watching
Kirdkao Observatory is situated in Tambon Lum R00ang,
Amphoe Bo Phloi. From Bangkok, take Highway 323 and
turn into Highway 3086 (Kanchanaburi-Bo Phloi). At
Km 49, a direction sign of Air Marshal Samroeng Kirdkao’s
farm is on your left. Turn left and keep on for 3
km. This is a place where you can gain knowledge about
stars and nature. If you are interested in astronomy,
you will love this. They have arranged a corner for
star-watching, an observatory in a dome shape and
accommodation in a capsule shape. Please contact Captain
Thakun Kirdkao at Tel. 08 1927 4140, or Khun Anna
Kirdkao at Tel. 08 1848 6482, or www.kirdkao.org or
postal address: Kirdkao Observatory, P.O. Box 3, POB
Royal Thai Air Force, Bangkok 10213.
Forest Trekking
There are many routes to travel through the forest
to learn about nature. However, tourists often take
national park routes, or routes towards tourist attractions
where they cannot drive as follows:
Route 1: From Tham Than Lot Noi to Tham Than Lot Yai
in Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park. 2 hours by
foot.
Route 2: To Namtok Krateng Cheng in Khao Laem National
Park. 3 hours by foot. Various kinds of plants and
waterfalls.
Route 3: At Tao Dam Mine in Amphoe Sai Yok with various
kinds of plants, wildlife and waterfalls.
Route 4: Nature study route of Dr. Boonsong Lekhakul
in Khao Namphu Wildlife Conservation Promotion and
Development Station. 3 hours by foot.
Route 5: From Namtok Pha Tat to Namtok Pha Sawan.
Mountain Biking
Tourists can travel by mountain bike along routes
in the province to any tourist attractions to experience
the beautiful geographical features of Kanchanaburi.
The well-known routes are as follows:
1. From the province crossing Somdet Phra Sangkharat
Bridge to Wat Tham Khao Pun-Somdech Phra Srinagarindra
Stone Park-Tham Phu Wa. Approximately 20 km on an
asphalt road.
2. From Resotel Kaeng Lawa Resort to Tham Lawa. Approximately
1.5 km. on a dirt road.
3. From the entrance of Ban Khao Lek, Tambon Khao
Chot, Amphoe Si Sawat to Tham Than Lot Yai. Approximately
18 km. on a laterite road.
4. Bicycle route surrounding Ban Nong Khao to explore
the local people’s ways of life around the village.
Approximately 5 km. on a laterite-concrete road.
Tourists can choose other routes up as they desire.
Rafting, Canoeing
Tourists who love adventure on a swift tide can contact
tour agencies in the province to guide and provide
rafts and canoes. For further details, please contact
the TAT Kanchanaburi Office. The well-known rafting
and canoeing routes in Kanchanaburi are as follows:
1. Noi River: From Ban Maenam Noi to Namtok Sai Yok
Yai. (canoe and bamboo raft; 3 hours).
2. Khwae Noi River: From Namtok Sai Yok Yai to Tham
Lawa or Jungle Raft Resort. (canoe; 3 hours).
3. Khwae Yai River: From the Bridge over the Khwae
River to the front of the town. (canoe; 3 hours).
4. Song Ka Lia River: From Ban Sane Phong to Ban Song
Ka Lia, Amphoe Sangkhla Buri. (canoe, rubber dinghy,
bamboo raft; 4 hours) and others.
Please contact tour companies and choose the routes
by yourselves.
Elephant Trekking
Kanchanaburi has many elephant camps providing elephant
trekking. For more information, please contact the
TAT Kanchanaburi Office or choose a tour agency service
which might have an elephant riding and rafting programme.
Bird Watching
In Kanchanaburi, we can do bird-watching at national
parks that consist of fertile ecology and are suitable
to be the habitat of birds.
Well-known sites for bird-watching are as follows:
-Khao Namphu Wildlife Conservation Promotion and Development
Station, Tambon Tha Kradan, Amphoe Si Sawat
-Around Kroeng Krawia Swamp near Namtok Kroeng Krawia,
Amphoe Sangkhla Buri.
-Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary and Salak Phra
Wildlife Sanctuary
-Tao Dam Mine Forest, Amphoe Sai Yok
-Srinagarindra Dam and Vajiralongkorn Dam (Khao Laem
Dam)
Cultural Tourism
Ban Nong Khao is one district in Kanchanaburi, about
12 km. away from the province. Villagers here still
live simply in an agricultural society and old-style
houses practicing culture and traditions which has
been transmitted from generation to generation. Tourists
can experience rice pounding, Thai typical desserts,
molded sugar production, tonsuring ceremony, rice-growing,
Phleng Yoei and Phleng Phuang Malai folk singing.
To get there from Kanchanaburi, take Route 324 (Kanchanaburi-Suphan
Buri) for about 12 km. If you want to travel in a
group, please contact TAT; Central Region Office,
Region 1. Officials will provide cultural performances
concerning local culture and traditions of Ban Nong
Khao villagers with a local cuisine dinner served
by Ban Nong Khao villagers. Otherwise, contact Wat
Inthraram (Wat Nong Khao) directly at Tel. 0 3458
6003.
Homestay at Ban Khao Lek : Ban Khao Lek is a small
Karen village in Tambon Khao Chot, Amphoe Si Sawat.
The village is in the middle of a valley in the area
of Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park with splendid
nature. Most villagers earn a living by farming and
collecting products from the forest. They live a simple
life and mainly rely on nature. They practice Karen
culture from generation to generation.
Visit to experience another way of life of the local
people in Ban Khao Lek. At present, they provide a
homestay for tourists to spend the night and rest
in the village with meals and guided tour to Tham
Than Lot Yai, forest trekking route, and tiger mountain
biking. Tourists can get there by themselves by taking
the route from Ban Tha Lamyai, driving up to the mountain
on the way to Amphoe Si Sawat, with a total distance
of 25 km. Then you will find a laterite road leading
to the intersection to Ban Khao Lek another 14 km.
Otherwise, contact the Kanchanaburi Hill Tribe Development
and Welfare Centre at Tel. 0 3451 2452 or 0 3451 2694.
Agrotourism
In Kanchanaburi, there are 2 seedless raisin vineyards
for visiting.
Rai Khun Mon in Tambon Nong Kum, Amphoe Bo Phloi,
about 35 km. from Kanchanaburi on the Kanchanaburi-Bo
Phloi Route (Highway 3086) or 1 km. before the Safari
Park (opposite to Wat Nong Krathum).
It is a mixed cultivation farm with organic vegetables
and plants of various kinds of processed agricultural
products such as corn milk, vegetable juice, dehydrated
banana or jack-fruit, vegetable juice-coated Krayasat
dessert, bio-diets for health.
In the area of 150 rai (240,000 square metres), it
has advanced machines and can offer jobs for the local
people. Tourists can get to the agricultural farm
to experience the production process closely and buy
products. Please contact Khun Monrat in advance at
Tel. 08 1944 7971, 08 1915 6758 Fax 0 3453 1487.
Suan Onanong Chuan Chom is opposite to the Talat
Khet Public Health Centre in Amphoe Phanom Thuan,
about 40 km. from Kanchanaburi on the Kanchanaburi-Suphan
Buri Route (Highway 324). It is the largest desert
rose (‘Chuan Chom’ in Thai) garden in Kanchanaburi
with an area of 40 rai (64,000 square metres). Tourists
can visit the garden to experience various kinds of
desert rose and to buy some breeds of the flowers
to take back home. Please contact Khun Onanong at
Tel. 08 1856 7799, 08 1905 5299, 0 3457 1193.
For further information about agrotourism, please
contact the Kanchanaburi Provincial Agricultural Office
at Tel 0 3451 1254 ext. 13, 0 3451 2924.
Folk Culture and Traditions
Ram Yoei is a local dance of the Kanchanaburi local
people that has been performed for more than 500 years.
They perform Ram Yoei on Songkran Day and New Year,
etc. Men and women must form a circle, one person
will lead to sing and another will sing to the other’s
lyric in reply, and Luk Khu (chorus) will sing along
and clap their hands together. While the latter one
sings, each pair of men and women will dance to the
rhythm of Klong Yao drums. The men will dress with
Chong Kraben and round-necked shirt with pha khao
ma or loincloth on their shoulders. Women will be
dressed in Thai typical costumes with Sabai Chiang,
a breast cloth worn over one shoulder. At present,
Ram Yoei is played only in Amphoe Phanom Thuan.
