Title - The bridge of old ghosts

Remember the scene when the train built by Lt. Colonel Nicholson’s men in the classic World War II film, The Bridge Over the River Kwai, hurtles into the river by the commando Warden? Today, the bridge is as charming as Kanchanaburi itself, the Thai town where the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai rivers converge into the Mae Klong river. The bridge was part of the Burma Railway, also known as the 415-km-long Death Railway, that connected Thailand with Burma built by the Japanese during their occupation to bring troops and supplies to its army fighting the allies in Burma. The bridge was built with forced labour comprising Asians and 60,000 allied prisoners of war (POWs) working in brutal conditions; 90,000 labourers and 16,000 allied POWs died. You can’t feel their desolate ghosts  now, but Kanchanaburi, like Ayutthaya, the erstwhile capital of Thailand, is definitely a centre for disaster tourism. Pretty much everything here, like the war cemeteries and museums, are reminders of World War II.

The bridge has cafes and restaurants, and floating hotels for neighbours. You can hire a speedboat for a ride on the river. The present bridge, however, is not the original one (which is in the War Museum), though the two central ‘boxy’ spans were rebuilt after the war to replace three sections destroyed by allied bombing.

Kanchanaburi is a laidback little town, with one central road called Saeng Chuto Road, catering both to the young and old alike. Lodging range from the extremely cheap, backpacker refuges to luxury stays. It is a paradise for gourmands and gourmets alike—on the menu is Burmese, Continental and exotic (read insects and snakes).

The twon is the gateway to the nearby provinces, including the Erawan waterfalls and the national parks in the area. A minimum of three days are recommended to take in the town. Adventure opportunities like bamboo raft rides (not as romantic as you think), elephants rides and long trek abound. Kanchanaburi is a spiritualist’s second home, being the birthplace of the famous Buddhist monk Phrabhavanaviriyakhum; the Wat Tham Phu Wa temple dedicated to him is hidden within the limestone caves nearby. At the famous Tiger Temple, the fearless traveller may cradle a tiger in his lap and live to tell the tale. A word of warning to souvenir hunters—beware of touts who try to sell you “authentic” pieces of rock, steel or currency notes as war remnants. It pays to remember that anything related to WW II can be found only in museums and they are NOT for sale.

Lesser known facts

1. The Bridge on the River Kwai was shot in Sri Lanka

2.The bridge is built over Mae Khlung which was changed to River Kwai (1960) after David Lean’s film proved that the original book about the bridge was wrong

Things to know

1. Bangkok has a visa on arrival policy

2. Thai’s are very friendly people. Return the courtesy

3 It is acceptable to bargain when shopping

4. If in doubt, visit the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) offices. They are most reliable source of tourist info.

Getting to Kanchanaburi

From Bangkok: Train: Board the train from Thonburi Station (ticket costs 100 THB)

Bus: Southern Bus Terminal, Thonburi

Private cars/tours are other options—takes three-four hours to complete the distance

Nearby attractions:

1. Tiger Temple (Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua): Perhaps the only place where you can cradle a tiger in your lap

2. Kanchanaburi War Cemetry: Over 6,000 POW from the Commonwealth Nations are buried here

3. Hellfire Pass: Asian labourers cut and blasted through rock by hand to clear this pass for the Death Railway during WWII

4. Erawan Waterfalls: The 7- tiered waterfalls are an absolute must visit. Be prepared for some serious trekking

5. Elephant camps: Many in the area, however Taweechai Elephant Camp is the biggest and better organised.