Kanchanaburi

Although Kanchanaburi is largely associated with the famous Death Railway (a railway line connecting Thailand and Burma, built in 1943 by thousands of prisoners of war under the Imperial Japanese army) and the bridge over the River Kwai (made famous by the numerous books and movies of the same name, the black iron bridge was built as part of the Death Railway), there’s so much more to it than just that. From the famous Tiger Temple where you can literally walk with tigers, to bamboo rafting down the River Kwae, taking a tour of the Khmer temple ruins, and making a trip to the new World War II museum, to shopping for precious jewellery at the gemstone village. In addition, there are a number of cool bars along the riverfront which come alive at dusk with karaoke and live music, and the food—try one of the many boat restaurants for an immersive experience—is amongst the most delicious in Thailand. You can take the bus or the train, though the hour-long train journey takes you through a more scenic route.