Kanchanaburi: visit to Wat Tham Suea and surroundings

When you think of Kanchanaburi, you might think of the Bridge on the River Kwai and World War II museums. However, there are also much more peaceful and spiritual spots to discover in the immediate vicinity of the city.

During a short stay in the region—despite the rather gloomy weather—we took the opportunity to explore a little around Kanchanaburi. Wat Tham Suea, perched on its hill and visible from afar, was naturally one of the stops on our trip. And while we were in the area, we took the opportunity to discover other quiet and interesting places accessible without going too far.

Wat Tham Suea

To provide some context, this visit took place in the afternoon after attending a Kathina ceremony to which we were invited in the area. It was therefore the day after the main visits that I mention below, but I place it here first, because it is more logical to articulate this article around this temple which has become iconic in the region.

Since the temple is located not far from the Meena Café where we came from (I'll talk about it later), I took the opportunity to visit again. It wasn't my first time there, but I had never taken the time to climb the large tower that overlooks the complex. And above all, I hadn't had the opportunity to enjoy the view with the full rice fields and the green landscape at this time of year.

The temple seen from the parking lot.

This time, no funicular (20 baht option), I went up on foot, by the steps.

After a few photos of the imposing Buddha and the view of the rice fields, we headed up the large 7-story pyramidal tower — the Phra Chedi Khiri Borommathat Pagoda — to enjoy a superb view of the temple and its surroundings. At the top, there are several Buddha statues and a corner suitable for prayers, which Jitima did not fail to honor after the climb. (No elevator, it was included in its design, but to this day has never been completed...)

The site's configuration allows for a 360° panoramic view: on one side, the Mae Klong River; on the other, the mountains on the horizon and the rice fields all around. You can also clearly see the Chinese tower of the neighboring temple, the Wat Tham Khao Noi.

With all the walking, it wasn't a relaxing visit, but the atmosphere of the place, combined with the natural setting, made it for me a must-see in Kanchanaburi — and a great way to end this short stay.

The great tower of the temple.

The view from the side.

View of the Mae Klong River.

The tower of the nearby Chinese temple.

Cafes on the edge of the rice fields

Like almost everywhere in Thailand, Kanchanaburi is not immune to the presence of beautiful rice fields. This October, they were full, a vibrant green that naturally embellished the landscape.

And in recent years, the trend across the country has been to set up a cafe in the middle of fields, with a view. Over rice paddies, of course, but if it can be combined with a temple, a mountain, or a popular landmark in the background, it's even better. In a country where images dominate social media, any place that's even slightly "Instagrammable" can quickly become an attraction in its own right.

Here, in addition to the rice fields, you can enjoy a superb panorama of Wat Tham Suea, perched on a hill on the horizon, which dominates this small piece of countryside at the gates of the city.

This is where we started our mini road trip in the surrounding area: the day before the ceremony, we made our first stop at one of these cafes. I had already spotted this group of addresses planted in the middle of the rice fields during a previous visit to the temple a few months earlier, without having had the opportunity to test it. In the meantime, I had seen quite a few photos, and the spot that kept coming up was the Meena Café.

There were people…

So that's where we headed, after parking as best we could along a dirt road, lined with a swarm of Thai cars enjoying their weekend. It wasn't a very thoughtful choice at first, but the place looked well-appointed, with a good view of the temple... and, most importantly, something to eat—which was important given the time.

After a quick photoshoot (obligatory, let's be honest), we managed to find a nice spot to settle down. For me, a classic that worked well: a good Pad Kha Prao Moo, well seasoned, just the way I like them. Once we were full, we enjoyed the view a little longer despite the drizzle, before leaving. The rain clearly didn't discourage people: the spot remained very lively.

It turns out that before visiting Wat Tham Suea, we had just returned to the Meena Café, with a couple of friends in Jitima, who were also present at the ceremony. And even though I had been there the day before, I didn't miss taking some more photos, because this time it wasn't raining.

Just to have a dessert and out of curiosity, we then went to the neighbor's, which is more of a restaurant than a café. The latter is not at all laid out in the same way. No rice field in its midst, but a garden laid out around a pond filled with magnificent Koi carp of all colors, and always this view of the temple. The plus, scooters are made available to go around the said garden, the opportunity for a little dose of fun for this relaxing day.

A remarkable “rain” tree (Giant Raintree)

It is under this generic English term that you will see this tree spotted on Google Maps, also known under the scientific name ofAlbizia saman, often shortened to the single term "Saman". It is sometimes called " black wood from Haiti » or even Monkey Pod Tree, « monkey pod tree", in good French, it is also under this term that a sign indicates it once there.

A multitude of names therefore to name this species originating from South America, which became common in Southeast Asia after its introduction in the region. But in order to remain consistent, personally, I will simply call it " rain tree"

The question then arises as to why this term rain tree. One of the obvious assumptions is related to its very wide canopy, similar to a giant parasol, which can reach 40 m in diameter. But this is misleading, because although it offers a nice surface to shade under its trunk, this type of tree nevertheless willingly lets the rain pass between its leaves.

Its particularity comes precisely from its leaflets (compound leaves), which fold up at nightfall, to reopen the next morning. A phenomenon that also occurs when the weather becomes overcast or rainy, the water can then reach the ground at the foot of the tree.

If one of the most famous rain trees was the "Samán de Güere", located in Maracay, Venezuela, with a diameter of 60 m at the canopy level, the latter was torn off in 2000 following a strong storm, after 500 years of existence (estimated age). This leaves room for the specimen of Kanchanaburi as a good candidate with exceptional dimensions, because although of a more modest size than its elder from Venezuela, the rain tree of Kanchanaburi still reaches 52 m in diameter for a height of 20 m.

Given its proximity to the rice paddy café area, a visit was a must. Long ignored, the venerable century-old tree was until recently accessible via a simple parking lot with no development around it. It simply stood there on the edge of a small local road before the local authorities decided to put it a little more forward.

Under the rain tree in Kanchanaburi.

During our visit, in addition to a parking lot that was still unpaved but a little more marked, we found the inseparable small market with something to nibble on and the tree itself is now surrounded by a wooden platform allowing you to walk around it. The facilities also include a small flower garden at the foot of the tree.

It must be admitted that this kind of natural wonder does not leave one indifferent, the tree is imposing and well worth a short stop, especially since access remains free (and thankfully so). Casually, taking our photos and touring the site, we stayed for a good half hour before moving on to our next visit.

Its imposing trunk.

Its neighbor is of much more modest size.

The small local market at the parking lot.

Wat Tham Khao Laem

I was the one who had noted it in my "must see" list. The main reason being that this temple is currently building an imposing statue of Buddha, seated on the hillside. And Buddha + hill = view to match. To get there, we passed through the meadows and stud farms of the royal horses, used in particular during important ceremonies such as the coronation of Rama X (the road in question is only open to the public at specific times).

Out of curiosity, I also quickly stopped behind another small local temple, as we faced a mountainside and a path zigzagged towards the unknown...

Arriving at Wat Tham Khao Laem, the contrast with previous visits was striking: calm, silence, and a few monks accompanied by locals seemed to be finalizing preparations for a celebration, no doubt linked to an upcoming Kathina ceremony.

Since the large Buddha statue was still under construction, I inquired with the monks about whether it was possible to approach. That day, with no workers in sight—the green light given—I set off alone up the steps. Jitima, unmotivated and true to herself, preferred to pet the temple dogs.

Overview of Wat Tham Khao Laem.

The stairs leading to the Buddha under construction.

It's a special feeling to find yourself alone in the middle of this imposing construction site on hold, even if I can guess the presence of monkeys in the surroundings as evidenced by the paw prints in the dried concrete of the steps leading up to it.

I continue in explorer mode, climbing a few rickety ladders to the future platform at the foot of the statue. This is an opportunity to take some photos, so I can have a "before/after" picture, as I'm likely to return there one day. We can already feel that this place, once finished, will become a beautiful panoramic spot. From here, we overlook the entire south of Kanchanaburi, with the hills to the west and a clear view despite the overcast sky that day.

Below, we can see the famous River Kwai, crisscrossed by long barges and floating restaurants, often rented for private parties. And even from here, it's hard to ignore their passage: the saturated sound systems break the ambient calm and remind us that we're still in Thailand. After a few last shots, I slowly head back down to join the rest of our wanderings.

From this privileged spot, I can see across to the golden chedi of another temple, which dominates its small hill on the other side of the river (see box below).

Up there on the hill...

Note : Wat Tham Khao Pun, another interesting cave temple in the area, is located practically directly opposite Wat Tham Khao Laem, on the other side of the river. I have already presented it in my article dedicated to the death railway line, because it offers a beautiful view of the mountains, with the railway line passing at its feet.

Viewpoint from the chedi of Wat Tham Khao Pun.

The streets of Kanchanaburi Old Town

Contrary to popular belief, Kanchanaburi Old Town is not located around the bridge, which was actually built on the outskirts at the time. Kanchanaburi Old Town, which dates back mainly to the second half of the 2th century, is located less than 4 km southeast of the bridge and includes Pakprak Road and the area around the City Pillar Shrine.

In addition to the remains of the ramparts that protected the small town, there are some beautiful house facades, with in particular a Sino-Portuguese architecture that I particularly like, but also typical wooden houses and some more upscale shacks.

A view of the old city walls of Kanchanaburi.

A well-preserved piece of wall.

To be honest, and I'm the first to know, since the city's main attraction is the bridge, I'd never made the effort to visit the old town. When I heard there was some interesting architecture there, I always told myself I'd take a look. So the opportunity arose with this unplanned trip to Kanchanaburi.

As an aside, I parked behind the old paper mill, which dates back to the Second World War and produced paper pulp for banknotes. This venerable factory, a still little-known local attraction, is due to become a museum and houses a number of beautiful buildings in its large surrounding garden, one of which can be seen very clearly from the edge of the main road that runs through the town centre.

The abandoned factory.

The old main entrance gate of Kanchanaburi.

Parking nearby allowed me to take a few photos of the area and then walk along the old wall to reach the interesting part of the old town. What I didn't know anyway was that I wouldn't have been able to park further down the street that day, as it was a Saturday, the day of the night market (along with Sunday). Barriers were therefore being put up to block access and thus leave the field free for the merchants to set up their stalls.

Even though it was still mid-afternoon, and despite the bad weather, there were already a few stalls as we turned onto Pakprak Street. This is just past the section with the wall surrounding the old entrance to the old town.

After about a hundred meters, we came across a beautiful renovated house, with a yellow facade, which has become a café, the Baan Sitthisang. The drizzle becoming insistent, we tell ourselves that a little caffeine stop would not be too much. The interior is pretty and rather highlights the antique aspect of the building. Unfortunately, the quality of the coffee itself was not up to par and did not encourage us to hang around here while sipping our beverage…

So we left more quickly than expected, not without taking a look at their terrace, accessible via an external staircase, located behind the house.

Then we set off again into the street despite the rain that is no longer letting up. We pass a few more houses that are no longer young, the interiors of which have kept an air of yesteryear. An example with the Chuan Panich's house, which dates from 1929 and whose sign at the entrance tells us that Pakprak Street, where we are, once ran alongside the River Kwai, whose course has been diverted over time, today 200 m away.

The current owner was sitting at the back waiting for the customer, an opportunity for Jitima, curious, to ask a few questions. We stayed there for a good quarter of an hour chatting before continuing our walk, still in the rain. We then passed a few other beautiful facades, including the slightly curious one of Toem Thong Residence, whose entrance door looked like a Chinese temple.

Further on, we came across the old two-story shop, Boonchai Panich House, which mixes Chinese and European architecture. Further and further, we saw a sacred building, surrounded by its green setting, hidden behind the wall delimiting the property. Shortly after, we turned back because we could no longer see any other interesting houses and after 500 m in the rain, we felt tired, or at least, a certain weariness.

Boonchai Panich House.

Detail of the decoration of a beam of the Boonchai Panich House.

On the way back, we passed a shop with fresh vegetables, taking the opportunity to do some shopping, before making a detour to the Kanchanaburi fresh market (Mueang Kanchanaburi Fresh Market).

A few minutes later, we were back at the weekend market, which remained very quiet with this rotten weather, and that ended this little tour in the old town of Kanchanaburi, which is frankly well worth a little stroll if you like history and architecture. If it is certainly more pleasant with a beautiful sun, we still appreciated the discovery.

Accommodation suggestions in Kanchanaburi

I had already given you a selection of hotels where you can stay in my article summarizing the 6 Must-See Places to Visit in Kanchanaburi but because my favorite spot (the At Bure – Homestay) was not available, I had to fall back on another choice. And while I'm at it, why not try a new place!

• Latima Boutique Hostel was our joint choice, because it offered good value for money, judging by the photos. It is also close to the bridge for those interested, and there is a swimming pool. Although the establishment is on the main road, the noise did not bother us, as the rooms are not located on the road side. The bed was comfortable, the room is a reasonable size and everything is modern in appearance.

Although we were unable to try breakfast because we were leaving too early the next morning, we were able to try a local restaurant located on the street leading to the hotel behind (access to the car park, as opposed to the main road passing in front), while the annual Kanchanaburi fair was being held nearby.

We couldn't enjoy it because of the rain we had...

The restaurant not far behind.

The fair in the rain… Otherwise there would be more people.