Anyone stayed in Kanchanaburi ?

Post by **Pagey** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:14 am

Anyone spent any time in kanchanaburi ?

I had the obligatory day trip to the bridge and Jeath museum and cemetery in Jan 2003 but never spent any time in the town/village ?

I have been reading LP and a forum on the place and it seems a chilling place to live. Of course it does not have the fantastic long beach Hua Hin has for me to walk the length of but as an alternative does anyone have any experience of spending time there ?

Post by **buksida** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:27 am

Yeah, stayed for a while a few years back and have the occasional long weekend there these days.

Its a great place for a short break but not sure if I could live there, the river is nice and peaceful (except for the weekend disco barges), and there are some nice places a little further afield such as Sangklaburi up near the border.

Its quieter than Hua Hin in terms of shopping and nightlife and there is a cliquey little expat group that live there - it gets a lot of backpackers so there are plenty of discount accommodation and eating options down by the river.

Post by **gaijin** » Mon May 07, 2007 2:48 pm

The Floatotel, River Kwai Jungle rafts are an option. Felix River Kwai if you want standard hotel type place.
http://www.riverkwaifloatel.com/index_j_tour.htm

This site shows what to expect of the area:
http://www.jumboriverkwai.com/

The floating hotel is an interesting experience but is definitely not 5 star.

Post by **redzonerocker** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:09 am

nice place for a weekend visit, the bridge, river etc.
as for living there? wouldn't be my choice.

Post by **Pagey** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:04 am

Why Redzone ? Too quiet ?

Post by **redzonerocker** » Sat May 12, 2007 8:08 pm

hi pagey, wouldnt say to quiet, although its not as lively as most places i've been to.
being a tourist orientated place, seems its just a stop over for a few days type resort,a constant turnover of different visitors throughgout the year.
i suppose the comparison would be a seaside resort in the uk, ok in the high season, maybe not so in the remaining months.
just my opinion, but i'm sure there are people (expats) living there that enjoy that scenario.

Post by **thailooper** » Sat May 12, 2007 10:02 pm

Spent a week there last month. Some fantastic golf courses - very cheap. Good bars too - not as many ladies as HH - but I got a take away so it was fine ! Going there for 2 weeks next month. Hotels are ok and cheap too.

Post by **johnnyk** » Sun May 13, 2007 12:16 am

Stay at Sam's River House, bunglaows on pilings built out over the river, walk to the bungys on a steel catwalk network. Bungys are small but shower and a/c, wood and rattan on the inside walls, small verandas. A few bungys are 'family' size.
Two good covered bar/dining areas on separate levels on the hillside overlooking the river.
I paid about 400 baht in 2003.

Post by **Pagey** » Sun May 13, 2007 11:11 am

Thanks all.

If I went I would be living there as I am looking at a business proposition not a holiday break.

If I don't end up with a buying a business somewhere and fully retire then it will be to HH.

Anyone who has read my previous posts over the last month or so will gather I am looking to 'retire' but currently 46 yrs young so want an interest to while away the days and supplement my cash flow a wee bit. However, as we all know, working is near impossible and the main business area is to own a bar which has a lot of downsides!!

Post by **buksida** » Sun May 13, 2007 11:24 am

Pagey wrote:However, as we all know, working is near impossible and the main business area is to own a bar which has a lot of downsides!!

Another thing to note is that the bar scene in Kan is very quiet, the "strip" where the farang bars, guesthouses and restaurants are is along the river front - it attracts primarily backpackers. There are a couple of Thai venues that get busy at weekends with the Bangkok crowd but are dead during the week and the farang bars usually have the odd expat or two lurking in them but little else in the way of custom.

This was a year or so back, it may have changed now so get up there and take a look, its a nice chilled out place to spend a few days.

Post by **Pagey** » Sun May 13, 2007 2:09 pm

Buksida : I have been looking at a forum and I realise it is a lot quieter than say HH, but I am happy with an easy paced life. Only got back from Phuket 3 weeks ago so need to wait before I can go away again and waiting for more info and answers to my questions re the business then I will decide if it is worth going. Otherwise HH again prob July.

Post by **nevets** » Sun May 13, 2007 3:53 pm

My new friend Peter and his Filipino wife live there and think its great ,i have been on a couple of day trips and will be going back for a longer stay.

Post by **redzonerocker** » Mon May 14, 2007 12:14 am

i went there just after xmas 06 & its pretty much still the same as buksida describes.
nice place, but for me just a holiday visit.

Post by **webmaster** » Mon May 14, 2007 1:28 am

I have a few friends and customers in Kanchanaburi and I try to visit as much as I can, but for me it's a nice place to chill-out and visit them, not to live.

For starters, you will suffer a lot, if you can't speak and write in Thai more than an average foreigner, most of the locals don't speak English as much as the Hua Hin locals.

Business related; it's one of those day-trip towns or hippie-visitor towns, only one 4 star hotel (Felix) with a few 3 star hotels (River Kwai Hotel and alike) and the rest is the guest-houses selling rooms starting from 90 B (ninety Thai Baht) a night, obviously selling local beer more than 50 B is expensive, you do the math.

Any business owner also has to look in to the payments to the MIBs and local youngster gangs as well. Since the town has a bad reputation of foreigners getting shot-dead, raped, burgled, etc, it doesn't attract much business in the last 3 years.

Would I live there? Since it has a Tesco and a local market, it sounds right for the daily/home supplies, but itâ€™s not.

The majority of the foreigners living in Kanchanaburi, are from the 60s era, and they are not the big spenders or making the demands.

Thatâ€™s why; you couldnâ€™t get most of the home-brands/products as you would get in Hua Hin. Demand and supply cycle, as I have been through in the last 6 years in Hua Hin. Thais don't eat/know/demand Worcester sauce!

Some of the board members will remember those old days, for waiting for a decent butter almost 2 months in the Hua Hin Shopping Mall, I know itâ€™s all available now, butter, blackpuds, lamb, wine, most of the sauces, Bangkok Post, etc, but it wasnâ€™t 6 years ago in Hua Hin and I donâ€™t think Kanchanaburi will ever be as Hua Hin given another 10 years (or more).

I hope this gives you more insight to Kanchanaburi city.

Post by **Pagey** » Mon May 14, 2007 11:06 am

Excellent report Webmaster,thankyou.

I am still waiting answers to my questions as the owner has been away a few days. If I get satisfactory answers then I will visit and spend a few days hanging around and asking more questions like I did in Phuket last month before I decide anything else.

BTW, I was born in 1960 so I may fit in well !!