Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [169]
AROUND KANCHANABURI
Step outside the provincial town and you’ll be greeted by a patchwork of streams, rivers and waterfalls.
Thailand’s largest area of protected forest offers opportunities to explore caves filled with glistening crystals, trek through untamed jungle and visit remote villages. It’s possible to see some of the highlights on one-day outings from Kanchanaburi, but generally speaking the further northwest you go, the better it gets.
Those that make it up to Thong Pha Phum and Sangkhlaburi are able to experience life in truly unspoiled towns where life drifts along at a relaxed pace. They are also ideal bases from which to explore nearby national parks.
The following sites are organised geographically along the major access highways to make it easier to visit via public transport.
The waterfalls outside of Kanchanaburi are best visited during the rainy season from June to October or in November and December, when water levels are at their peak.
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Erawan National Park
The seven-tiered waterfall at this 550-sq-km park (0 3457 4222; admission 200B; 8am-4pm, levels 1-2 to 5pm) is the best-known attraction, but there are several other natural features worth seeking out.
The waterfall’s top tier is named due its resemblance to Erawan, the three-headed elephant of Hindu mythology. Walking to the first three tiers is simple work, but after that good walking shoes and some endurance are needed to complete the 1.5km hike. Levels two and four are particularly impressive, but be wary of monkeys who may snatch belongings while you’re taking a dip.
Tham Phra That boasts a large variety of limestone formations. Guides with paraffin lamps lead visitors through the unlit cave, pointing out the translucent rocks, glittering crystals and bat-covered caverns. Geologists find the caves interesting due to a clearly visible fault line. You’ll need your own transport to reach the cave, which is 12km northwest of the park entrance, or you can try and negotiate a ride with park staff. The approach road is a dirt track and there’s a stiff walk up to the cave entrance. Another 5km north is the enormous and extremely scenic Si Nakharin Reservoir.
Around 80% of Erawan is forest, and many of the park’s various trees can be seen along three nature trails, which range from 1km to 2km. Birdwatchers try to spy hornbills, woodpeckers and parakeets from the camping areas and observation trails. Park bungalows (0 2562 0760; www.dnp.go.th; camping 90-150B, bungalows 800-5000B) sleep between two and 52 people.
Buses from Kanchanaburi stop by the entrance of the Erawan waterfall (55B, 1½ hours, peak every hour from 8am to 5.20pm, off peak noon, 2pm and 4pm). The last bus back to Kanchanaburi is at 4pm. Within the park, you can rent bicycles for 20B to 40B per day.
Prasat Meuang Singh Historical Park
This historical park (0 3459 1122; admission 40B; 8am-5pm) preserves the remains of a 13th-century Khmer outpost that may have been a relay point for trade along Mae Nam Khwae Noi. The restored ruins show a Bayon style of architecture and cover 73.6 hectares. They were declared a historical park under the administration of the Fine Arts Department in 1987.
All the park’s shrines are constructed of laterite bricks and are situated in a huge grassy compound surrounded by layers of laterite ramparts. Sections of the ramparts show seven additional layers of earthen walls, suggesting cosmological symbolism in the city plan. Evidence of a sophisticated water system has also been discovered amid the ramparts and moats.
The town encompasses four groups of ruins, although only two groups have been excavated and are visible. The principal shrine, Prasat Meuang Singh, is in the centre of the park and faces east (the cardinal direction of most Angkor temples). Walls surrounding the shrine have gates in each of the cardinal directions; the ponds and ditches around it represent the continents and oceans. A reproduction of a sculpture of