So many Kanchanaburi resorts "sold out" for late January 26 - normal?

[henrik2000]

Hello, i try to book a mid-range bungalow (below 1800/night) about 30 kms north-west of Kanchanaburi town for Jan 25-31 or so, in towns like Ban Tha Pong, Sai Yok or Wang Pho, on the way to Erawan and Hellfire Pass, roughly between rivers Kwae Noi and Kwae Yai.

There are a lot of bungalow resorts. Looking at many booking sites including meta booking sites, many resorts are "sold out" (see the markers with the red dots inside below), "sold out" now for next Jan 25, 2026.

I wonder:

• Do you know if they are really sold out?
• Or do they only open up for booking later?
• Or maybe websites like booking.com show resorts as "sold out", even if they have no connection with the resort? (To direct customers to resorts they can offer.)

The few places that actually do offer rooms on booking sites mostly don't offer free cancellation – if you book five nights now for next January, the money is gone.

 

 

 

NOT IMPORTANT REMARKS:

So much "sold out" and so little with free cancellation is very unusal for me, but I mostly book in less popular areas (and have no experience with Phuket or so).

I had cases where places were actually not sold out, but presented as "sold out" on booking.com or Agoda, booking.com showed even places as "sold out" that didn't work with booking.com at all. I tried a number of other booking sites as well, also rather local sites like thai-tour or choowap.

I had places shown as "sold out" on booking.com for early next year, but they were available on Expedia.

I understand that booking without free cancellation is good for the hotel and that some consider it as more fair.

Aware that the area in question is expensive and many resorts are above my budget of 1800 per night – still there are many within budget and fine for me.

I do speak enough Thai and could phone around, but I prefer online booking, even if the agency charges 20%.

Here I don't ask for specific recommendations regarding location, property, time of travel or vacation preparation.

[steven100]

That's a busy time for that area and many resorts are fully booked. 

[SLOWHAND225]

Theres 20 times more places to stay than your map shows.

Also, if you're looking at the booking sites and they say "sold out" call the resort directly. They sell blocks of rooms to those sites but ALWAYS hold rooms for direct bookings.
I'm a big fan of booking directly and most will price match the booking sites if they're not already cheaper.

[bkk6060]

December,  January, up until around Valentines day are very busy times. 

[Harrisfan]

21 minutes ago, henrik2000 said:

Hello, i try to book a mid-range bungalow (below 1800/night) about 30 kms north-west of Kanchanaburi town for Jan 25-31 or so, in towns like Ban Tha Pong, Sai Yok or Wang Pho, on the way to Erawan and Hellfire Pass, roughly between rivers Kwae Noi and Kwae Yai.

There are a lot of bungalow resorts. Looking at many booking sites including meta booking sites, many resorts are "sold out" (see the markers with the red dots inside below), "sold out" now for next Jan 25, 2026.

I wonder:

• Do you know if they are really sold out?
• Or do they only open up for booking later?
• Or maybe websites like booking.com show resorts as "sold out", even if they have no connection with the resort? (To direct customers to resorts they can offer.)

The few places that actually do offer rooms on booking sites mostly don't offer free cancellation – if you book five nights now for next January, the money is gone.

 

 

 

NOT IMPORTANT REMARKS:

So much "sold out" and so little with free cancellation is very unusal for me, but I mostly book in less popular areas (and have no experience with Phuket or so).

I had cases where places were actually not sold out, but presented as "sold out" on booking.com or Agoda, booking.com showed even places as "sold out" that didn't work with booking.com at all. I tried a number of other booking sites as well, also rather local sites like thai-tour or choowap.

I had places shown as "sold out" on booking.com for early next year, but they were available on Expedia.

I understand that booking without free cancellation is good for the hotel and that some consider it as more fair.

Aware that the area in question is expensive and many resorts are above my budget of 1800 per night – still there are many within budget and fine for me.

I do speak enough Thai and could phone around, but I prefer online booking, even if the agency charges 20%.

Here I don't ask for specific recommendations regarding location, property, time of travel or vacation preparation.

No, most booking sites dont go that far ahead. They likely have a 6 month limit.

[henrik2000]

Hello all, thanks for interesting input.

 

Well i am always wary of phone bookings, and i've been let down before (even if more phone bookings went well).

 

Interesting that some (not all) don't accept reservations more than six months ahead.

[KhunLA]

Booking sites will state 'sold out' as they themselves, simply don't have any rooms to sell.  Doesn't mean the hotel is full, and usually is not.  Especially this far away from the time you want.

 

Many times when researching for an outing, I'll go to booking.com for info or reviews and will show no rooms.  Rarely when we call are they full, or not cheaper than booking sites.  Can't remember last time I used a booking site to actually reserve a room, except Accor site.

[Harrisfan]

26 minutes ago, henrik2000 said:

Hello all, thanks for interesting input.

 

Well i am always wary of phone bookings, and i've been let down before (even if more phone bookings went well).

 

Interesting that some (not all) don't accept reservations more than six months ahead.

Its only super busy til Jan 15. Most tourists go home then. Stacks of resorts out there you can book a day ahead.

 

The best way is use Google maps first. 

[henrik2000]

13 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Many times when researching for an outing, I'll go to booking.com for info or reviews and will show no rooms.  Rarely when we call are they full, or not cheaper than booking sites.  Can't remember last time I used a booking site to actually reserve a room, except Accor site.

Then you trust the phone agreement more than i do. I've had phone bookings gone wrong, with staff 

• forgetting to put my name into their computer or 
• receiving an online booking 1 second before they could put my name into their computer (and then online booking comes first, i was told)
• accepting phone bookings beyond capacity out of confusion

 

I'd at least write via Facebook, which is possible with some resorts. When i search their phone numbers from Google Maps in Line, mostly they don't show up there.

 

When a place is "sold out", booking sites will not show their prices. I'd like to know the prices before calling, and often they don't have their own website, and on their Facebook they usually don't show prices.

[henrik2000]

1 minute ago, Harrisfan said:

The best way is use Google maps first. 

I do that.

[Harrisfan]

Sai Yok is nice. I stayed there on the river. I wouldnt bother booking til December. Most have a cooling off period.

[KhunLA]

5 minutes ago, henrik2000 said:

Then you trust the phone agreement. I've had phone bookings gone wrong, with staff 

forgetting to put my name into their computer or 

receiving an online booking 1 second before they could put my name into their computer (and then online booking comes first, i was told)

accepting phone bookings beyond capacity out of confusion

 

I'd at least write via Facebook, which is possible with some resorts. When i search their phone numbers from Google Maps in Line, mostly they don't show up there.

 

When a place is "sold out", booking sites will not show their prices. I'd like to know the prices before calling, and often they don't have their own website, and on their Facebook they usually don't show prices.

Always call to verify your booking, after booking made.  We book on the fly, usually night before or same day we are going to check in.  As we don't make plans ahead of time, as they seem to constantly change.  We don't do schedules.

 

And yes, booking.com will show prices, if they have rooms, for alternate date;

 

[henrik2000]

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

And yes, booking.com will show prices, if they have rooms, for alternate date

Thanks, yes, i forgot that option. Even though in January prices might be higher.

[Harrisfan]

https://www.kohresort.com/

 

This place is pretty good. 

[ChipButty]

8 minutes ago, henrik2000 said:

Thanks, yes, i forgot that option. Even though in January prices might be higher.

In January prices will be higher, 

Most of the online booking sites have the option how far in advance you want to open your calendar, most people don't realise they have that option, these resorts will be using a Channel Manager and might never log into sites like Booking.com, It's impossible for a resort to operate a multi booking platform without a channel manager program, it depends on how many platforms they are listed on,