Kanchanaburi Adventure: A Perfect Road Trip from Bangkok
Driving in Thailand
Kanchanaburi is about 2 hours from Bangkok by car. There are several options to travel to Kanchanaburi either by train, bus, or charter taxi. We decided to rent a car because it gave us flexibility to visit our destinations. Our service allowed us to pick up the car from the airport, but there are other locations in the city. The process was simple and all we needed was an international drivers permit, passport, and driver’s license. They walked us to our car, explained the process and everything we needed to know about the car.
In Thailand, they drive on the left side of the road which is opposite from the U.S. This was Michael’s first time driving on the left side of the road, so we were pretty nervous. He is a great driver and he was able to switch automatically so we had no issues. I however am extremely directionally challenged, so I did not participate in driving. The rules of the road are similar to the U.S. but it is illegal to drive in Thailand without your shirt, which is useful to know if you plan on visiting a beach.
After the Rain Coffee & Gallery
Our first destination was After the Rain Coffee & Art Gallery. It’s a cute coffee shop located an hour outside of Bangkok. When arriving at the cafe, there was limited parking out front. I would look on Google for their slow hours so you can get a spot. Luckily, the cafe is walk-in so no need to worry about making a reservation. Also, they don’t accept credit cards so it would be best to use cash on this trip just to be safe. Inside, there is a beautiful gallery highlighting local art, as well as tables and private rooms lining the canal.
We chose to sit under a canopy and enjoyed the view of the lush greenery. There’s a lot of variety on their menu, but we went for breakfast since it was so early in the day. We ordered honey toast, sweetheart waffles, anchan lime juice, and a latte. Anything with ice cream on top is a win for me. The food is decent but the main reason you come here is for the beauty.
If you purchase a drink or a meal, you can row a boat through the canal for free. If not, you need to pay a small fee. It was shocking that we were in a cafe because we felt like we were in a different world. I highly recommend taking the row boat after finishing eating to continue to explore the beauty of the cafe. I am very bad at rowing so I am thankful Michael knows how to since I am that person who will be stuck in the canal.
Wat Sam Phran
Wat Sam Phran is located about an hour and a half west of Bangkok. This Buddhist temple is a massive tower with an iconic pink color and large dragon spiraling towards the top. The dragon represents the human journey of life and the seventeen floors represent the heavenly realms in the afterlife. Even though it is 17 stories, don’t be overwhelmed as it’s easy to get to the top. When entering the temple, you must take off your shoes and place them outside. There is no entrance fee but a small donation is encouraged. Once you enter, there are signs directing you where to go. You can climb through the dragon which is a tunnel that leads up to the top where you can see an amazing view of the countryside.
Since this is a religious site, men and women need to cover their knees and shoulders. Whenever I visit a religious space, I always bring a shawl or a cardigan to ensure I am covered up enough to enter the site. Don’t worry, the workers at the temple were very nice, and seemed to be quite relaxed about rules. Several of the ladies welcomed us with compliments and warm smiles.
You could easily spend an hour or two at this temple, the hardest part is getting to it at all. Aside from the main tower, there are many paths through gardens, as well as other temples and a large golden Buddha statue. We didn’t have time to visit everything, but just the tower alone was worth it. Usually, it is not very busy because it’s so far out, but we still recommend you come early as it gets quite hot inside.
Safari Park Kanchanaburi
Safari Park Kanchanaburi is an animal park where you can experience being close to exotic animals. We visited because we wanted to experience feeding giraffes up close. It is recommended to book your experience a few months in advance as slots fill up quickly. The cheapest way to book is through their Facebook page, which is what we did. The entry fee includes animal shows, petting zoo, and a safari bus tour, with the animal feedings being an extra fee.
Leopard Holding
We arrived at the park about an hour early because we wanted to check our reservation and explore a bit. While waiting, we decided to pay extra for the private feeding of a leopard cub. There are animals at the front of the park in a small enclosure such as baby felines. The staff will accompany you and place the animals in your arms. This cat was a big baby! I was nervous but the baby leopard was very focused on his bottle and the big bone. The experience was about 10 to 15 minutes and the staff will take videos and pictures for you.
Giraffe Feeding
We waited by the entrance of the park and the staff notified us when the vehicle was ready. We took a quick 5 minute ride to the giraffe enclosure and met our new tall friends. The staff throw food on the vehicle as it will attract the giraffes over, and they can take your picture with your camera or phone. Since the enclosure also holds zebras, they joined the party as well leading to some amazing photos.
It was surreal being so close to these stunning creatures. From our experience, I don’t think giraffes have great spatial awareness as if we weren’t paying attention we could have accidentally got hit in the face by a giraffe. They seemed to swing their massive necks around without a care. The feeding time is 30 minutes, therefore you have plenty of time to hang out with the giraffes.
Safari Bus
Lastly, we rode the Safari Bus that was included in our general ticket. This tour drove us through enclosures with tigers, deer, giraffes, and more! If you don’t want to ride the bus, you are free to drive your car through the zoo. We had a rental car and I felt very nervous to drive in a tiger enclosure without a guide, so the bus was a great option. If you don’t do the private giraffe feeding, this bus tour is another chance to interact with giraffes as well.
Before you get on the bus, you can buy carrots to feed the animals during the tour. As you drive, you can open your window to feed the deer, zebras, and giraffes. Of course, you have to keep your window shut tight as you drive past the tigers. Towards the end you will enter the same giraffe enclosure as the private experience. The giraffes will stick their long necks through the windows reaching for food. It is such a hectic and fun sight and a different way to interact with giraffes.
Zoo
We finished up our experience by walking through the zoo. It’s not that large, but there are some interesting animals to see such as birds, farm animals, and alligators. The condition of some of the enclosures was certainly lacking, and there are some ethically questionable practices like elephant shows, which we explain in our elephant article. The staff seem to really care for the animals, but the infrastructure seems to be in need of repair and is not spacious.
We also had concerns about the cub experience. The cats seem very stressed and in far too small cages, which had us feeling uneasy. For what it’s worth, the rest of the enclosures on the safari bus seemed a lot higher quality. Feeding giraffes is still one of our top memories and I have no regrets taking the trip out there to do this experience.
CHAN Nature Cafe
Our final destination was CHAN Nature Cafe. We didn’t do too much research as we thought it was just a small cafe in a field. But oh boy, we were wrong. This cafe offers areas from bamboo forests, cactariums, rolling fields and beautiful buildings. It was Christmas time when we visited, and the establishment was decorated like a winter Japanese market. I’m not exactly sure why, but it was stunning to see all the red lanterns draping down.
CHAN specializes in matcha, with many matcha based drinks and desserts on the menu. We ordered a matcha mixed fruits drink and a matcha strawberry latte. I love matcha and it really hit the spot after such a hot day. We underestimated this cafe and wished that we scheduled more time there as there is a ton to see and do. There is also a restaurant called The Village Farm to Cafe which is right across the bamboo forest, as well as a large beautiful park attached to the cafe.
Finals Thoughts
We are so glad we took this road trip from Bangkok. It was nerve wrecking to drive on the opposite side in a new country, but it was so worth it. The countryside of Thailand is very different to the city, and there are so many unique experiences. If you have an extended stay in Thailand, I highly recommend you make your way to Kanchanaburi.
Travel Diary
