Kanchanaburi Trip

[Hannahcopacabana]

Mr Copacabana and I would like to visit Kanchanaburi for a few days with our family. What is the best way to get there from Bangkok? I'd pefer not to take them on the bus unless it's super-easy. Unfortunately, motorbikes are not an option.

Also, can you suggest an itinerary for us? His parents are quite elderly and not too agile, though they can cope with walking for a few hours over even ground.

-I fancy the Erawan waterfalls but don't know how accessible they'd be for the in-laws.

-We'd also like to visit Ayutthaya: Is this do-able from Kanchanaburi or does it make more sense to do it as a separate trip from Bangkok?

-Can you recommend somewhere to stay? By the river would be nice, a little colonial charm perhaps . Any indication of rates would be most useful too.

Many thanks and a festive greetings.

[farangene]

Google Felix River Kwai Resort for their website. Nice hotel grounds which they call 5 star and I would say is more like a 4 star. Big, quiet rooms, some next to River, within easy walking distance of the Bridge, good breakfast, clean etc. Nicely maintained level grounds. Rates are 3100-3700/night now and decline to 2500-3100 after Jan 10 on asiatravel.

This is the only K'buri hotel that I stay in when I visit once a year. We always drive there but think there is rail service available from Bangkok.

[donna]

the bus is by far the easiest way to get to kanchanaburi from bangkok. only 2 hours, and its a cruisy drive. when you reach the bus station, put the folks on to a samlor if you are staying in town. im sure they would absolutely love it.

another option is the train, which departs twice a day i think. the trip is considerably longer, but the experience is fun. again, the samlor blokes will be waiting to pick you up when you get off the train.

if you decide to stay up at Felix, you can get a songtheaw up there from the bus station,or the train station, easily enough.

to get to level 2 of Erawan falls is not a difficult walk. im sure the folks would love it there.

from kanchanaburi, you have to take two buses, totalling 4 hours, to ayutthaya. first bus goes to suphanburi, and the second takes you to ayutthaya. its a long drive on pretty boring roads, and there are NO air con buses doing this route.

hope this helps you a little.

[noise]

Mr Copacabana and I would like to visit Kanchanaburi for a few days with our family. What is the best way to get there from Bangkok? I'd pefer not to take them on the bus unless it's super-easy. Unfortunately, motorbikes are not an option.

Also, can you suggest an itinerary for us? His parents are quite elderly and not too agile, though they can cope with walking for a few hours over even ground.

-I fancy the Erawan waterfalls but don't know how accessible they'd be for the in-laws.

-We'd also like to visit Ayutthaya: Is this do-able from Kanchanaburi or does it make more sense to do it as a separate trip from Bangkok?

-Can you recommend somewhere to stay? By the river would be nice, a little colonial charm perhaps . Any indication of rates would be most useful too.

Many thanks and a festive greetings.

Have you considered renting a van and driver for the day since there seems to be at least 4 of you? Makes the cost fairly reasonable. Since everything is within driving distance of BKK, plan your itinerary, rent the van, and drive to all your sites in comfort, on your schedule, not the bus's or train's schedule. You will then have transportation to Kanchanburi, to the hotel, to visit different sites, and back to the hotel. Since you said the parents are a little elderly, you might want to go back to the hotel early, so the van could return to BKK and you would not have to pay for the driver to stay over night.

Plan your pick up day, drive to Ayutthaya, sight see there, spend the night or return to BKK.

We frequently use the van method when two or more couples are traveling together, using keeping the driver over night, because the convenience of having our own transporation but no parking worries makes the trips so much more enjoyable. We can go back and forth from the hotel during the day. The van drops us off anywhere, anytime we want, and picks us up with only a quick call on the cell phone. Takes us out to dinner at night. Makes us feel like part of the "rich and famous" crowd but without the cost (but also without the limo and liveried driver).

[Hannahcopacabana]

Thanks, all for the great advice. In the end, we did get a big taxi to drive us up and it worked out about the same as getting public transport (cost-wise).

Stayed at a lovely place called Thai Garden Inn (650/night for a fan bungalow, pool, free push bikes to borrow, 5 mins ride from town) which was a lovely little place, very intimate and with the most amazing chef ever - I've never had gai phad ghing like it! Highly recommended for the medium-budget holiday-maker.