Travelling To Kanchanaburi

[didinoel]

Hi everybody

Will be heading to Kanchanaburi this Christmas and would appreciate some advices

~ Transportation from Bangkok : I do understand that buses to Kanchanaburi departs from Northern Bus Terminal but there are also some comments that it departs from Southern too. How long does this buses actually take as the review said its 4 hours from Northern and 2 hours from Southern. Is that true? Trying to cut down travelling time if I can

~ Would be staying at Boutique Raft Resort, River Kwai - anyone stayed here before? Any comments .. I understand that this resort is about an hour away from Kanchanaburi town

Thanks much everybody .. Very much looking forward to this trip!

[asanee]

the same Q re transport (without the -ation) has been asked+answered here just 2-3 days ago. The MAIN big bus service-choice of 1st and 2nd cl of course runs from the south Term=Sai Thai, way west of BKK. takes 2 hrs or even a few mins less.

the bus from Mochit=North goes about 1/hour and most of these run onto Sangklaburi-hardly anyone knows about it. MOst people board it later on its way-which should be less as 3 hrs.

VANS-not that cramped, but not geared to take enormous luggages leave from BOTh the Victory Monument and along Ratchdamnern Avenue and in front of Royal Hotel-2 hrs nonstop. Those from Vict.Mon are brandnew-but to counter them they now discount to 100 bt/single from Ratchdamnern.

If that resort is not brand new I am sure other people will have stayed there-but not me. try sites like tripadvisor and the like-where about any rentable room gets described. if that 1 hr is walking, by elefant, by buffalo, by boat, by bike or by bus/car- I also cannot say.

[popshirt]

Didinoel, you wrote: ~ Would be staying at Boutique Raft Resort, River Kwai - anyone stayed here before? Any comments .. I understand that this resort is about an hour away from Kanchanaburi town

We just returned from there, it is a beautiful resort and a very nice experience to spend the night in a "floating room", the hotel is up to 5 star standards in my opinion, rooms are beautiful and the river is rushing along outside with ample deckchairs, etc. Best of all there is no development on the other side of the river so the view is just water and trees, nothing commercial. The food in the restaurant is good, beds comfortable, we did not experience mosquitoes and the staff were helpful and friendly. The rooms come with air con.

Not recommended for elderly people or those with physical handicaps as there are rather narrow wooden walkways (some without handhold) between the pontoon platforms for the cabins.

Yes it is about an hour out of Kanchanaburi town; we had a car, not sure what arrangements can be made for car and driver.

And it was quiet at night, a rare thing in Thailand, as the rooms have no tv or audio equipment!

[didinoel]

the same Q re transport (without the -ation) has been asked+answered here just 2-3 days ago. The MAIN big bus service-choice of 1st and 2nd cl of course runs from the south Term=Sai Thai, way west of BKK. takes 2 hrs or even a few mins less.

the bus from Mochit=North goes about 1/hour and most of these run onto Sangklaburi-hardly anyone knows about it. MOst people board it later on its way-which should be less as 3 hrs.

VANS-not that cramped, but not geared to take enormous luggages leave from BOTh the Victory Monument and along Ratchdamnern Avenue and in front of Royal Hotel-2 hrs nonstop. Those from Vict.Mon are brandnew-but to counter them they now discount to 100 bt/single from Ratchdamnern.

If that resort is not brand new I am sure other people will have stayed there-but not me. try sites like tripadvisor and the like-where about any rentable room gets described. if that 1 hr is walking, by elefant, by buffalo, by boat, by bike or by bus/car- I also cannot say.

hi asanee .. thanks so much for the repeating it here. just wanted to be sure as which one would take lesser travelling time southern it is, then!

i'm familiar with tripadvisor but unfortunately, there's not much there for this resort...

[didinoel]

Didinoel, you wrote: ~ Would be staying at Boutique Raft Resort, River Kwai - anyone stayed here before? Any comments .. I understand that this resort is about an hour away from Kanchanaburi town

We just returned from there, it is a beautiful resort and a very nice experience to spend the night in a "floating room", the hotel is up to 5 star standards in my opinion, rooms are beautiful and the river is rushing along outside with ample deckchairs, etc. Best of all there is no development on the other side of the river so the view is just water and trees, nothing commercial. The food in the restaurant is good, beds comfortable, we did not experience mosquitoes and the staff were helpful and friendly. The rooms come with air con.

Not recommended for elderly people or those with physical handicaps as there are rather narrow wooden walkways (some without handhold) between the pontoon platforms for the cabins.

Yes it is about an hour out of Kanchanaburi town; we had a car, not sure what arrangements can be made for car and driver.

And it was quiet at night, a rare thing in Thailand, as the rooms have no tv or audio equipment!

hi popshirt - thanks so so much for the review ; you have no idea how relieved i feel know to know that its an excellent resort and even up to 5 star standard. we are booked for 2 nights in the river suite - i'm planning a surprise trip for my hubby over christmas [ he's a christmas baby! ] so have not told him anything except that we are going for a trip - so the rooms and the surroundings will surely blow his mind away!

did you drive yourself to the resort? we will be from bangkok and the resort has asked us to take a bus direct to the nam tok but am just wondering if we want to take a bus to k'buri and rent a car from there instead. what do you think? we are spending 2 nights there so i dont plan to do the full day tours too much - perhaps just the erawan waterfall, the elephant trekking, river rafting, some rest time as its been a hectic year ... i read that we can drive to the waterfall on our own .. what did you do? any recommendation? also thought of going to the spa in k'buri so still thinking on how to fit that in ..

what's around the resort?

thanks so so much!

[MHM]

If the spa you mean is Suan Nanachaat you'd better book - they are very busy (and deservedly so). Great place.

[popshirt]

didnoel, we drove from Bkk in our car, about 1.5 hours to K town, then .5 hr more to the resort. It was useful to have the car, we chose to see the falls nearby instead of Erawan and took the extra time to see the Thai film studio sets at Prommitr (www.prommitrfilmstudio.com) and found it interesting and a great place for fotos. Didn't see the Tiger Temple, just a personal decision. Maybe next time...........