Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [174]
Kheuan Khao Laem, known locally as Vachiralongkorn Dam, is 9km northwest of the town. Among those who enjoy the views from the top of the dam is a troop of monkeys.
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Sleeping & Eating
There are several guesthouses along the main road, and some hotels near the dam.
Som Jainuk Hotel (0 3459 9001; 29/10 Mu 1; r 200-500B; ) Close to the market, this hotel has simple fan rooms or comfortable stone-walled bungalows with balconies. Ask for June, who can offer invaluable travel advice.
Barn Cha Daan (0 3459 9035; Mu 1; r 450B; ) Near the main entrance to town, with split-level rooms set among a wooded courtyard. Rooms include TV, hot water and air-con.
Ban Suan (0 3459 98412; off Hwy 3272; r 650-1200B; ) Outside of town, Ban Suan has great views of the dam, good facilities and an English-speaking manager, something of a rarity in these parts.
Restaurants around town reflect the large Burmese and ethnic communities who live here: the large metal pots full of tempting curries are typically Mon. The three-tiered Krua Tom Nam restaurant behind the market has views of the river. A few restaurants near the town’s main entrance offer local dishes, but usually at night you’ll see more cats than people.
Getting There & Away
Air-con buses leave from opposite Siam City Bank on the main road. Tickets are sold at the back of the Krua Ngobah (0 3459 9377) restaurant. Buses to Bangkok’s northern terminal (202B, five hours, every 90 minutes) depart until 3.40pm, while buses to Sangkhlaburi (67B, 1½ hours, four times a day) also leave from here. Local buses leave from the market.
Getting Around
A good option is to negotiate with the motorbike taxi drivers at the market, as they will rent their bikes out for around 300B a day, depending on your bartering skills. Sŏrng·ta·ou run up and down the main road and should cost no more than 10B for rides within town.
Sangkhlaburi
pop 47,147
For most travellers Sangkhlaburi is the end of the line, but for many residents it marks the start of a new journey. Few places in Thailand have such a blend of ethnic identities, with Burmese, Karen, Mon, Thai and some Lao each calling this home. Many cross the Burmese border driven by economic need or through fear of oppression. The result is a melange of cultures, beliefs and even languages.
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HELPING TO NURTURE NATURE
Covering 6200 sq km, Thung Yai Naresuan and Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary form the largest mainland conservation area in Southeast Asia. Designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1991, the sanctuaries host an incredible range of fauna and flora.
Set in the northeastern corner of Kanchanaburi and sprawling into neighbouring provinces, the sanctuaries are largely a mountainous wilderness with rivers and streams separating the grassy lowlands and valleys.
In the past 50 years the amount of natural forest cover in Thailand has been drastically reduced but burgeoning environmental consciousness has seen more conservation and less destruction. The sanctuaries are protected areas, not national parks, so visitors require prior permission to get in. Despite this, some unwelcome visitors do still gain access to carry out illegal logging or hunt wildlife.
The sanctuaries are one of the last natural habitats for around 700 tigers, although a recent report suggested the area could sustain up to 2000 of the animals, if they were effectively protected. The Western Forest Conservation Club (WFCC; www.thungyai.org) monitors tiger activity. Sharing space with the tigers is a wide variety of wildlife; at the last count there were 400 types of birds, 96 reptiles and 120 mammals, including leopards, gaur, bears and maybe even Javan rhinoceroses. Living within the sanctuaries are 34 internationally threatened species. Reports suggest that one of the most sought-after animals around the Three Pagodas Pass area is the Gan monkey,