"Sunday morning is a good day to go out. And because this is rainy season so the forest is the best destination we should go. Then Kanchanaburi is the best choice."

Kanchanaburi is around 3 hours away from Bangkok (depend where are you stay). There are many places in our itinerary today. We will visit temples, market, enjoy local food, relax at the coffee shops etc.,

DAY 1

The first stop is the Pak Bang Temple (Wat Pak Bang), Wat Pak Bang is located in Tha Maka district. This temple is famous for people visit to pray for their lucky in work and worship buddha images inside the old ubosot. I like this temple since first step when we arrived.

There is a man who have lots of information about this temple took us to see the old ubosot which was built since around 200 years ago. 

The small ubosot is surrounding with the green trees. When we get in to the ubosot. I noticed that the four walls are plain without any painting like other temple. 

I guess that because this temple is too old all the painting might be disappear and they might have plan to re-painting again. However, there are beautiful architecture above the door and windows.

But there are something difference from other temples. 

All buddha images have smiling face. 

We asked for more information from that old man about smiling buddha images but he does not have much details. However, we were happy to visit this temple.

We left Wat Pak Bang and heading to second temple called Wat Ta Kram En, this temple is famous for 

Thai people for sacred. People visit temple and pray for their successful and this is also our purpose to visit this time. 

Inside the ubosot is very beautiful with painting on the walls and story of ten life of Lord Buddha and the main golden buddha image also beautiful. 

There is black buddha image outside ubosot where there are many people worship with flower, candle and incense.

Now It is lunch time and we have chosen restaurant already. Krua Tha Rua Restaurant, this restaurant was recommended by a friend of my friend. 

She suggested shrimp tempura with seafood sauce which is signature here. We arrived the restaurant on good time. 

There are not much people yet. The venue is look nice, clean and comfortable. Staff take care all customer friendly.

We ordered lots of dishes as each have their preferred menu.

Actually, this area is famous for fresh water fish. So, we order many dishes with fish.

In my opinion, I like this menu the most.

But other menu are also not bad.

After lunch (so full) then we continue to visit another famous place “Kheng Siw Tua vegetarian cafeteria”, this is another place where my friend suggested to visit. 

There are many stories about this place. One of the stories is about the abbot who passed away since 1950 but the disciples keep his death body for worship 3 years and they realized that his body still look like sleeping. 

There are lots of Thai, Thai-Chinese people visit this place for worship and pray for their successful.

After worship and pray then we continued to “Tha Rua” Old Market which is a real local market nearby.

We walked to the market because we heard from local people at the temple that there are many old local food shops in this market which selling their food for many years so we want to try some.

And there are many graffiti in this community along the way to the main area of the market.

We were walking around the market and enjoy taking photos with those amazing graffiti by local artists.

And in the middle of the street there is a nice coffee shop called “Chai Samai”. The small house (from outside) which turned to be a nice coffee shop with fantastic graffiti on the wall.

We ordered drinks and desserts for share.

I got ice green tea.

And this is the desserts which we ordered (after full from lunch but still enjoy eating). This is nice café with decoration, painting, taste of the drinks and bakery. Most of all, the prices is reasonable.

After enjoyed drinks and relax then we continue walking to the market.

We tried many street foods.

I like this one, the crispy wonton wrapped with pork.

My friend got steam sticky rice with pork and bean.

We all got herb drink (only 5 Baht)

And we all sit down at the signature shop of the market to try something call “Khao Kriab Pak Mor” it’s look like pancake but she use the heat from the boiling water under the pan to make the round shape noodle. 

And then she put some vegetable, pork, bamboo shoot and wrapped all of them with that round shape noodle.

And the way to eat is put black sweet and sour sauce on top and then eat them with fresh vegetable.

So nice.

After enjoy street food at the market then we checked in at hotel. The name of hotel is “eurotel” a budget hotel in the city which opened around 5 years. This is small hotel but good service since we arrived to the lobby.

And the room is clean, size of the room is good for maximum 2 persons. Free wifi, good air-con, clean and comfortable bed. They provide shower gel, shampoo and shower cap. Two bottles of drinking water.

This is good enough for our one-night stay.

After checked in and refresh. Then we were out for dinner. And the dinner today will be on the floating restaurant.

The restaurant is only around 15 minutes away from hotel.

The name is Taraburee. Luckily that we got the table quickly. We each ordered one menu.

I order this stir-fried bitter cucumber with egg.

And this is must order menu for us whenever we travel, fish cake.

And we ordered some more dishes.

Totally, we order around 8 dishes (we are 8 people) and average cost of this meal is only around THB 300/person. 

Not bad but I suggested the restaurant should provide mosquito spray for the customer who chose the table on the floating area.

After dinner we return to hotel to take rest and prepare for the rest of program tomorrow.

DAY 2

Since we intend to have breakfast at local market (my idea). Then we booked room only at hotel and we checked out from hotel quite early and heading to the market.

We drove around 15 minutes from hotel and we found that there are small food stalls area close to the bus terminal. We walked around the area and decided to have breakfast here.

And this our breakfast. Grilled pork with sauce.

Clear soup with steam rice.

We were enjoyed the food and more happy when we found that the prices are very cheap.

After breakfast we continue to another check in point. The Giant monkey pot tree, a very big tree where lots of tourist visit for photo shots.

This tree is around 100 years old and this is very big and beautiful tree. Branches spread around the tress I think it should be 15 meters circumference. 

When we are under the shade and look up to the sky is amazing I guess that the high should be around 20 meters.

We got many shots from this place. And I think we spent around 30 minutes here.

After enjoy photo shooting for everyone. Then we left the tree and heading back to Bangkok. On the way we dropped at small coffee shop called Mulbery Mellow as one of my friends need caffeine. 

I’m not coffee mania but I love to see decoration of coffee shop so I got in to see around. 

However, smell of their banana cake was so nice then I bought one. 

The taste is so good, not too sweet but because they put lots of banana so this cake have very good smell.

We all got in the van. We completed our holiday in Kanchanaburi and now it’s time to exchange photos and talk about each place that we visit.

In my opinion, Kanchanaburi is the destination which we can go any time but rainy season is the best because of this province is green by the forest and national parks. After the rain then every where look fresh and green.

If you do not have much time you can even come for day tour from Bangkok (just start from Bangkok more-early). But I suggest to stay at least one night here then you can have good experience for dinner on the floating restaurant. Try breakfast like local people and visit more places but not too rush. KANCHANABURI is one of the good destinations to go.