Getting Our Kicks on Route 66 by RV in AZ – Cool Springs, Winslow & Holbrook

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

April 2017 – Back in the 1930’s to the 1960’s, Route 66 was a 2,448 mile long road from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, that passed through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. It was established in 1926 but was gradually replaced with the US Interstate highway system starting in 1956.

We’ve been getting our kicks on Route 66!

Portions of it still remain, and we have been bumping into it in our RV travels through Arizona.

Cool Springs Station Museum on Route 66 between Kingman and Oatman

Route 66 is memorialized in all kinds of songs and folklore, and one of the most iconic songs was (Get Your Kicks) on Route 66 written by Bobby Troup in 1946.

Cool Springs cabins antique Mobil gas station Route 66 in Arizona

Antique gas pumps and an old Mobil Oil sign at Cool Springs Station Museum near Kingman

We’ve been getting our kicks on Route 66 lately starting with a stop we made at the Cool Springs Station Museum between Kingman and Oatman, Arizona last fall.

Antique Mobil Gas station Route 66 in Arizona

What luck – A retro Royal Enfield motorcycle pulled in and parked next to the antique gas pumps while we were there!

This is a cute stone building that has big antique gas pumps out front that will be familiar to our older readers and Mobil Oil signs that were familiar to us from our childhoods.

Inside we found all kinds of charming memorabilia from decades ago, and outside we saw several antique cars that at one time might have rolled down this famous American highway.

Mobil Lubrication or Mobil Oil Antique wooden sign Route 66

Ready to roll…in a bygone era

Cool Springs Station is in the northwest part of Arizona near Kingman. Way over on the northeast side of the state we stopped in at the town of Winslow in northeastern Arizona a few weeks ago.

Standin' on the corner in Winslow Arizona Route 66

Route 66 goes through Winslow Arizona

Winslow sits on old Route 66 but it is much more famous for the song Take It Easy, which was written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey and recorded by the Eagles, and features the very memorable lyrics:

Well, I’m a standing on a corner
in Winslow, Arizona,
and such a fine sight to see:
It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed
Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me.

Winslow has memorialized the Eagles song “Take It Easy.”

A painted mural reflection and the real thing:
“It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flat bed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me!”

This corner is now a favorite tourist attraction. Every year the town hosts a huge “Standin’ on the Corner” festival. This year’s event is on May 6, 2017 (link at the bottom of the page).

Five years ago on our way back to our boat in Chiapas Mexico we zipped through Winslow and got a selfie at the corner. This year the corner was a little busy with other people getting selfies, so we’ll just go with the old pic!

Standin' on the corner in Winslow Arizona

From the archives back in 2012!

Nearby, Mark found an electric guitar…

The opposite corner is dressed up with a vintage coffee and soda shop that has old fashioned seating on stools at the counter inside.

The other corner Route 66 Standin' on the corner in Winslow Arizona

This building won the Good Job Award in 2004. I like a town that gives out Good Job Awards!

Good Job Award sign Standin' on the corner in Winslow Arizona

The world needs more Good Job Awards!

Although Winslow sits on Route 66 it was also an important train depot for the Santa Fe Railroad.

Wandering around town, we came across La Posada Hotel and Gardens which is a meticulously and lovingly restored Grand Hotel from the heyday of the railroad era, built by Fred Harvey for Santa Fe Railroad and designed by Mary Colter.

Entrance La Posada Hotel Winslow Arizona Route 66

La Posada Hotel and Gardens in Winslow, Arizona

Built in 1929 to the tune of $60 million (in today’s dollars), La Posada Hotel and Gardens gave tourists a reason to take the train to Winslow. They could stay in an elegant hotel home base and visit Arizona’s many very cool sights that lie within a day’s chauffeured drive from town.

Balcony La Posada Hotel Winslow Arizona Route 66

La Posada was southwestern elegance at its best in the 1930’s and 40’s.

The hotel was beloved by the well-to-do from its opening in May of 1930 until it closed in 1957. When it closed, all of the museum quality furnishing were sold off, and the building was turned into offices for the Santa Fe railroad. Over the next 40 years it was slated to be demolished several times.

La Posada Hotel Winslow Arizona Route 66

The restoration has been lovingly done.

Chessboard table La Posada Hotel Winslow Arizona

Visitors can watch a fantastic video that explains the details of the original design and restoration.

Fortunately, when the Santa Fe Railroad planned to abandon the hotel, news of the its uncertain fate made its way to Allan Affeldt. After three years of negotiations with the railroad, in 1997 he moved in with his wife, Tina Mion and they began a $12 million restoration.

Hallway La Posada Hotel Winslow Arizona Route 66

We knew none of this when we walked in the door, but we were smitten with the beautiful renovations and artsy decorations in every room.

There are endless common areas where guests can relax and socialize.

The windows and French doors were thrown wide in every room, letting the warm air from outside flow in, and we wandered around the property enchanted by all we saw.

Room with a view.

Balcony overlooking courtyard La Posada Hotel Winslow Arizona Route 66

Let the outside in!

La Posada Hotel and Gardens is a fully functioning hotel today and there is a very popular restaurant that was packed to the gills when we stopped by. We didn’t stay to eat, but unusual goodies drew us to every corner of every room in the hotel.

Piano in La Posada hotel Winslow Arizona Route 66

Turning a corner, we came across a “hall of mirrors” which is part of the hotel’s gift shop.

Hall of Mirrors La Posada Hotel Winslow Arizona Route 66

Beautiful mirrors are for sale in the gift shop.

The gift shop had all sorts of things for sale, but the ones that really caught our eye were the adorable antique trailer bird houses!

A bird house for the RV crowd!!

Not far from Winslow, Arizona, we drove through Holbrook, Arizona, and just had to stop at the Wigwam Motel.

Wigwam Motel in Hobrook Arizona – A Classic Route 66 stopover.

Unlike the very upscale La Posada Hotel and Gardens in Winslow, this is a fabulous Route 66 motel that reflects the funky and slightly cheesy tourist traps that filled Route 66 in its day.

Wigwam Motel antique cars Route 66 Holbrook Arizona

Have you slept in a wigwam lately?

The wigwams still rent out each night, and we saw people loading and unloading their bags for a night’s stay.

Antique cars and tee-pees at Wigwam Motel Holbrook Arizona Route 66

Modern travelers come in modern cars, but antique cars were parked in front of each wigwam!

The motel’s owners have parked antique cars in front of each wigwam, lending an authentic air to this classic Route 66 stopover.

Antique cars Wigwam Motel Holbrook Arizona Route 66

Wigwam and antique cars Wigwam Motel Hobrook Arizona Route 66

Antique car Wigwam Motel Holbrook Arizona Route 66

Of course, there’s plenty of room for Wigwam Motel guests to park their modern cars by the front office, but part of the mystique of sleeping in one of these wigwams is the fun historical context of being immersed in early American car travel on old Route 66.

Antique Ford at Wigwam Motel Holbrook Arizona Route 66

Studebaker truck at Wigwam Motel Holbrook Arizona Route 66

If you are traveling east-west in northern Arizona, in the neighborhood of I-40, take a detour off the freeway to one of these stops near Kingman, Winslow and Holbrook and get your kicks on Route 66!

A service shop from yesteryear… Luckily we didn’t need a new muffler or garage mechanic!

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More info about Route 66, Cool Springs Station, Winslow, La Posada Hotel & Gardens and Wigwam Motel:

Route 66 Information – National Park Service
Route 66 Information – Tourist and History Website
Cool Springs Station – Official Website
Standin’ On The Corner Festival – May 6, 2017
La Posada Hotel & Gardens – Official Website
Wigwam Motel in Holbrook Arizona – Official Website
OK RV Park – A spacious and friendly RV park in Holbrook AZ
Locations of Cool Springs Station, Winslow and Holbrook, Arizona – Interactive Google Maps

Other blog posts from the vicinity:

Lake Havasu Arizona – Balloons and VW Microbus Madness – 01/17/15
Lake Havasu Arizona – More VW Microbus Mania – 02/01/15
Petrified Forest National Park and Route 66 – 05/29/12
Route 66 Memorabilia in Williams, Arizona – 08/28/11

Our most recent posts:

Buckskin Mountain State Park – Fun on the Colorado River! 01/31/26
How to Install Starlink Gen 3 in an RV? Use the Speedmount! 08/07/25
Escape to Paradise – Rocky Mountain Magic! 08/01/25
Is Forest River a Good RV? Well Built? Here’s Our Experience 06/20/25
Sunset Crater Nat’l Monument – Lava & Camels at Bonito CG! 06/06/25

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RV Camping with the Rock Art Petroglyphs in Gila Bend, AZ

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

For years we’ve driven back and forth between San Diego and Phoenix on I-8, zipping by the exit for Painted Rock Petroglyph Site. I’d always look out the window thinking wistfully, “Oooh, that must be so interesting!” but it is a ways off the interstate and we were always on a mission to get wherever we were going and didn’t have time to stop.

Painted Rock Petroglyphs Gila Bend Arizona

Sunset at Painted Rock Petroglyph Site near Gila Bend in Arizona

On a recent trip we decided to make Painted Rock Petroglyph Site our destination, and we scooted off the freeway onto a paved side road that wandered off into the desert.

Petroglyphs cover all the rocks and boulders at this site.

In a few short miles we arrived at the site and were delighted with what we found.

Some images are recognizable like the double parallel squiggly lines that probably indicate there’s water nearby.

The sun was setting and it cast a wonderful pink glow across the desert and the pile of rocks that is the centerpiece of the site.

Sunset on a sun rock!

Following a trail around the rock pile, we found that petroglyphs literally covered almost every boulder, rock and small stone.

Unlike so many petroglyph sites where the rock art is located high up on a wall or far across a canyon, these petroglyphs were right there in plain site at our feet.

On one side of the huge rock pile there’s a dry camping campground with lovely widely spaced sites. A few of the campsites are right alongside the trail where campers can have a view of petroglyph covered rocks right from the RV window!

The next day we wandered further and were amazed at the wide variety of patterns, designs and images we saw on these petroglyph adorned rocks.

Patterns Painted Rock Petroglyphs Gila Bend Arizona

A saguaro cactus stands watch over some petroglyphs.

Some of the designs were easy to decipher, like parallel squiggly lines that surely describe the water sources that can be found nearby in the Gila River.

Others were just crazy designs that seem indecipherable.

Crazy patterns!

Almost every face of every rock had at least one design on it.

Pattern Painted Rock Petroglyphs Gila Bend Arizona

There were also lizards with tails — very similar to the little guys we saw scurrying between the rocks — and some images of people too.

Bullseye Painted Rock Petroglyphs Gila Bend Arizona

A lizard and a bullseye.

It was also intriguing that there were quite a few bullseye types of designs. Some were concentric rings.

Man and Bullseye Painted Rock Petroglyphs Gila Bend Arizona

Bullseyes and animals Painted Rock Petroglyphs Gila Bend Arizona

Concentric circles form two bullseyes.

And some were spirals. Was this accidental or did the two styles of circular designs have different meanings? Or were these things just random doodles after all?

Spiral Painted Rock Petroglyphs Gila Bend Arizona

A spiral pattern.

It is thought that these petroglyphs were pecked out of these rocks by the Hohokam people who lived in this area between 350 AD and 1400 AD, the same time frame spanning the Mayans in Central America and the ancient Khmer in Cambodia and Thailand.

There are ancient dwellings and rock art sites all over the southwest and they are impossible to protect from roaming vandals. Sometimes they bear scars from bullets or spray paint and sometimes an over eager collector has cut the entire face of the rock off to take elsewhere.

Navajo pattern Painted Rock Petroglyphs Gila Bend Arizona

A cool and complex pattern defaced with bullet marks.

Stealing defacing petroglyphs Painted Rock Petroglyphs Gila Bend Arizona

Someone chiseled the whole surface of the rock off to take elsewhere.

But there are still thousands of pristine images carved on rocks all over this area that have survived as much as 1,000 years or more in the hot desert sun. Staring at them stirred my imagination as I pondered what motivated the ancient people to leave this legacy of art work strewn across the massive expanse of barren and inhospitable landscapes that makes up this part of the Sonoran desert.

If you find yourself traveling on I-8 with your RV about 18 miles west of Gila Bend, Arizona, take a detour off the highway and check out the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site!

Ta Prohm Temple – Exotic Ancient Ruins at Angkor Wat Cambodia

Posted on April 9, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

February 2017 – When we began planning our trip to Thailand, our friend that inspired us to go sent me an email saying, “As long as you’re going that far, make sure you go see Angkor Wat in Cambodia.”

As soon as I saw images of the fabulous and mysterious ancient Khmer ruins that dot the landscape deep in the jungle at this breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Site I was hooked and made plans for us to fly from Bangkok, Thailand, to the town of Siem Reap in Cambodia.

When we arrived in Siem Reap we were astonished by what we found.

Tuk-tuk driver with passengers at Angkor Wat in SIem Reap Cambodia

A tuk-tuk driver takes tourists to the ancient Khmer ruins at Angkor Archaeological Park in Cambodia.

Siem Reap hums with life and the streets are filled with people on motorbikes and tuk-tuks going about their daily business. We took a walk to the heart of town from our hotel and couldn’t believe the crazy traffic in the street as one motorbike or tuk-tuk after another whizzed by.

Families scoot around town on their motorbikes.

Whole families climbed aboard their motorbikes to get around town, often with mom, dad, the kids, and maybe even the baby all hanging on as the family zipped around town doing their errands. Sometimes even a teddy bear got to come along for the ride!

Family on motorbike with teddy bear Siem Reap Cambodia

Even Teddy gets a ride on the back!

Cars mingled with the busy two-wheeled traffic, and we saw little buggies of all kinds that weren’t familiar to us. We couldn’t stop our cameras from clicking constantly as we tried to capture the wild scene.

We saw some cool vehicles we don’t see back home.

Standing on an insanely busy street corner where four streets came together and crammed themselves into one before going over a bridge, I took my camera down from my face and closed my eyes to listen. Small engines and narrow tires whooshed past in a constant stream, but the air was filled with life and there was a peacefulness to it, a happiness and contentment I couldn’t put my finger on.

Tuk-tuk drivers in Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

Tuk-tuk drivers and motorbikes in Siem Reap, Cambodia

The rare toot of a horn was just a notice of “I’m here,” rather than an angry honk yelling “You’re in my way!” and everyone seemed to zig-zag around each other and get to where they needed to be without pushing or shoving or being mean.

Tuk-tuks and motorbikes Siem Reap Cambodia

The traffic was insanely busy and non-stop.

I looked over at Mark to say something about this to him, and noticed he was no longer taking photos either and was in the same kind of trance I was in. “It’s like flowing water,” he said, mesmerized.

We began to stroll along the river and suddenly saw bunches of schoolkids walking home from school, smartly dressed and carrying huge backpacks on their backs. A group of boys raced each other and bounced around on the sidewalk, laughing and teasing each other, and then they swung themselves into a tree to dangle from the thick vines in total glee.

What a cool place and what a great vibe!

Cambodian school children playing in Siem Reap

Schoolkids walking home from school stopped to take a quick swing on the vines.

The traffic of motorbikes and tuk-tuks continued to flow past us endlessly, and we saw vendors going about their business selling their wares from bikes and carts.

Bicycle with a heavy load in Siem Reap Cambodia

Rolling cart in Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

Junior gets a ride underneath!

And if anyone had a heavy load to carry but relied on a motorbike to get around town, well they just strapped it onto the back of the bike! Where there’s a will there’s a way!

Motorbike carrying a large cannister Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

Wide load!

Our friend who had suggested we go to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat had emailed me the most enchanting story of when he had hired a tuk-tuk driver to take him around town and show him the sights. I loved this idea and hunted around online for a tuk-tuk driver.

I found the website of a very sincere sounding young man of 25 that had started his own tuk-tuk business by investing in one of these unusual rigs and hanging out his shingle online as a driver (website here).

Tuk-tuk driver in Angkor Wat Siem Reap Cambodia

Mark with our tuk-tuk driver Pisal Rom.

His name was Pisal, and I emailed him a few weeks before our trip. I was tickled to get an email right back with a quote for his services. It would be about $20 a day to have him chauffeur us around town and take us to any of the temples we wanted all day long. Signing up with him was a no brainer, and a few email exchanges later we had worked out the days and times and which temples we would go see.

Siem Reap tuk-tuk driver for Angkor Wat in Cambodia Pisal Rom

Being a tuk-tuk driver is an entrepreneurial and independent business venture in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

He even came to the airport to greet us, and because I had sent him a link to our website he recognized us right off the bat! This was very handy because at least 50 cab drivers and tuk-tuk drivers greeted our plane holding up signs with names on them. All of us tourists were in a daze after going through customs and getting fingerprinted electronically (thumb and then all four fingers of each hand), and we stood there lamely trying to find our names in the sea of signs!

Tuk-tuk driver in Angkor Wat Siem Reap Cambodia Pisal Rom

Pisal picked us up at the airport when we arrived and took us to our hotel.

The next morning he picked us up at our hotel and took us to the Visitors Center where we bought tickets to the Angkor Archaeological Park. Just like the very formal process we had gone through at the airport where we had been fingerprinted in order to obtain printed visas in our passports to enter the country, our one day tickets to Ankor Archaelogical Park were adorned with our mug shots!

Angkor Wat National Park entrance tickets Cambodia

Our one-day tickets for the Angkor Archaeological Park had our photos on them!

We hopped in the back seat of the tuk-tuk and enjoyed a quick ride to our first temple of the day. Almost all the vehicles on the road were tuk-tuks like ours with tourists sitting in the back. In various spots we saw groups of tuk-tuks parked, waiting to take someone for a ride.

Hammock in a tuk-tuk at Angkor Wat temple Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

One tuk-tuk driver we saw had an ingenious way to relax between customers!

And then we arrived at Ta Prohm temple, a magnificent group of structures built in 1186 by the ancient Khmer king Jayavarman VII.

Entrance to Ta Prohm temple

Like most of the ancient Khmer ruins, the buildings are carefully positioned and laid out. Ta Prohm has entrance gates facing in each direction of the compass.

Ta Prohm ruins Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

I hadn’t fussed over the history of these ruins before our arrival, preferring instead to let the experience of seeing them wash over me as if I were an archeologist discovering them for the first time.

Courtyard Ta Prohm temple Siem Reap Angkor Angkor Cambodia

As we looked down a hallway with columns on one side opening into a courtyard, I was struck by how the shape of the arches was identical to that of the Mayan ruins we had visited at Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico.

The ancient Khmer temples were built about three hundred years after the Mayan empire fell, so who knows! Certainly, many aspects of the ruins reminded me of the Mayan ruins at Yaxchilan.

Hallway in Ta Prohm Angkor Wat ancient Khmer ruins Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

The shape of these arches reminded us of the arches in the Mayan ruins in Mexico.

We found all kinds of nooks and crannies to explore.

Ta Prohm temple columns Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

One of the things that is most impressive at Ta Prohm temple is that almost every stone used in its creation was carved with decorations. The carvings are on doorways, lintels, windows and in every corner.

Dancers stone carvings Ta Prohm temple Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

Almost all the stones on the walls, windows and doors were carved with wonderful sculptures.

I wandered down one hallway and found myself standing next to a wall that was intricately carved with a floral pattern from floor to ceiling.

Intricate stone carving Ta Prohm ruins Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia 2

This pattern was repeated, floor to ceiling and a few feet wide. Ancient wall paper!

Stepping outside, I noticed that the outer wall of one building had carved sculptures inset into the entire length of the wall.

Wall carvings Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

The outer walls had statuary built in.

Stone carving Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

The ancient Khmer people were Hindus when the temples were built and later changed to Buddhism.

The more we looked, both outside and inside, the more carvings we saw.

Elaborate carving at Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

Every inch has elaborate carvings!

The doorways — and there were dozens — were truly ornate.

Ta Prohm ancient Khmer ruins Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

The dozens of doorways were all similar but no two were exactly the same!

Oddly, the entire Ta Prohm temple ruin was strewn with enormous boulders that had once formed the walls and ceilings and floors of rooms that were no longer standing.

Doorway and fallen blocks Ta Prohm temple Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

Both outside and inside the temple buildings were rubble piles of large stones that had fallen. These piles were often waist high or more!

Ta Prohm temple ruins Angkor SIem Reap Cambodia

Wonderful columns — and lots of rubble, including a column piece to the left.

Rubble at Ta Prohm Temple Ruins Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

Beautiful – but what a mess!

Looking closely at the rubble, we could see stones that had been carved.

Carvings on blocks at Ta Prohm temple Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

Many stones in the rubble had carvings on them.

It was like an enormous jigsaw puzzle that just begged to be put back together again.

Ruins and fallen blocks at Ta Prohm temple Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

Sometimes it was easy to see how the stones had gone together before the wall or roof collapsed.

Carved stone rubble Ta Prohm ruins Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia 2

But what Ta Prohm temple is actually known for is the gargantuan trees that have enveloped the ruins with their roots. It is known as a “Jungle Temple” because it has truly been engulfed by the jungle.

Walking along the outer wall of the temple, we saw the most incredible tree and root system snaking over the wall.

Giant tree roots engulf wall at Ta Prohm temple Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

Ta Prohm temple is known for the Invasion of the Giant Trees.

If this looks like a modest tree and a knee high wall, look again:

Enormous tree covers wall at Ta Prohm temple Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

Yes… the Giant Trees!

Trees like this were all over the place, their gnarly roots reaching out across the walls and buildings.

Tree roots covering wall at Ta Prohm temple Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia

Huge tree roots engulf wall Ta Prohm ruins Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia 2

Jungle temple Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

In some places it seemed like the roots were flowing from the tree down across the temple buildings.

Tree roots on doorway Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

A waterfall of roots!

Roots on wall at Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

I turned one corner and noticed the head of a sculpture peeking out at me from between the tree roots!!

Face in tree Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

Hey… there’s a face in there!

Everywhere we turned, the trees and roots had taken over the temple.

Tree and roots engulf ruins at Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

The temple of Ta Prohm was used as a location in the movie Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie, and some of the places were recognizable to tourists and were favorite spots for selfies.

Tourists at jungle temple Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

Ta Prohm is undergoing renovation and construction to put various bits back together again and to make it easier for tourists to get around, and we saw construction crews here and there with hard hats and cranes.

Reconstruction at Ta Prohm ruins Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia 2

Construction workers in hard hats watch a stone being lifted to the roof.

Eventually we wound our way back to the entrance gate where the crowds were growing ever bigger.

Tourists at entrance to Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

When we returned to the entrance there were lots of tourists coming in.

We spotted a sign suggesting we slow down a bit.

Cambodian letters are not from the Roman alphabet.
But they’re not Thai letters either!

Nearby we saw lots of tourists who had been approaching Temple Sightseeing Overload (which is easy to do in this part of the world where Ta Prohm is just one of dozens of exotic ruins). They were taking a load off in the shade.

Resting at Ta Prohm Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

Time for a break!

But we were still fired up. We found Pisal waiting for us and hopped in the back of his tuk-tuk for more temple adventures!

Fabulous ancient Khmer ruin Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

This area is so rich with ancient Khmer ruins it would take many months to see them all.

We’ve seen quite a few ancient ruins in our travels now, and I found it fascinating to put together a timeline of who was building and living in which places at various times in history.

The meso-American ruins of Mexico and Central America predate all the others by a few hundred years. Interestingly, the ancient Khmer temples and kingdoms of southeast Asia were built about the same time as the cliff dwellings of America’s southwest!

600 BC – 850 AD – Monte Alban – Zapotec step pyramids near Oaxaca, Mexico
100 – 650 AD – Mitla – Zapotec ruins close to Monte Alban near Oaxaca, Mexico
359 – 808 AD – Yaxchilan – Mayan pyramids on the river between Mexico and Guatemala
431 – 800 AD – Palenque – Mayan pyramids in Chiapas, Mexico. One of Central America’s major Mayan sites
580 – 800 AD – Bonampak – Mayan site in Chiapas, Mexico, with truly evocative fresco paintings depicting battles and coronations
921 AD – Koh Kher – Ancient Khmer temples (upcoming post)
1113 – 1145 AD – Angkor Wat – Ancient Khmer temples (upcoming post)
1182-1225 AD – Wupatki Pueblo – Sinagua People multistory stone dwellings north of Flagstaff, Arizona
1186 AD – Ta Prohm – Ancient Khmer temple described on this page
1190-1300 AD – Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings – Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in southwestern Colorado
1200 AD – Angkor Thom – Ancient Khmer temple (upcoming post)
1330-1450 AD – Tonto Cliff Dwellings – Salado People in central Arizona

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More info about Ta Prohm, our tuk-tuk driver and our accommodations:

Ta Prohm Temple – Wikipedia
Siem Reap, Cambodia (WikiTravel) – A very cool town worth visiting for more than the 3 days we did!
Tonle Tropic Hotel – Our hotel…Excellent!
Pisal Rom — Tuk-Tuk Driver – He’s personable, prompt and goes the extra mile, literally! TripAdvisor reviews (all excellent!)
(email him here)

Asia Air – The airline we took from Bangkok to Siem Reap
Locations of Ta Prohm temple, Siem Reap airport, Siem Reap town, Tonle Tropic hotel – Interactive Google Map

Other blog posts from our travels in Thailand:

Snorkeling Ko Rok with Dive & Relax – Underwater Magic in Thailand!
Cheow Lan Lake Tour in Khao Sok with Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House
Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House – Khao Sok National Park… Wow!
Kanchanaburi, Thailand – History, Caves, Monkeys & Exotic Fruit!
Huay Mae Khamin – Thailand’s Most Beautiful Waterfall – Mellow Adventures
Erawan Falls – Jewel of Erawan National Park – with Mellow Adventures
Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi – A Ride Through Thailand’s Countryside
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market – Bangkok or Disney’s Epcot Center?
One Day in Bangkok – A trip on the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat!

More Glimpses of National Parks through our eyes:

National Parks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites – North America and SE Asia

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!

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Snorkeling Ko Rok with Dive & Relax – Underwater Magic in Thailand!

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

January 2017 – Thailand is a tropical country known for its stunning, palm tree lined, white sand beaches and exquisitely colorful reefs, and during our stay on the island of Ko Lanta in the southern part of the country, we took a fabulous snorkeling tour with Dive & Relax Tours to snorkel with the fish at Ko Rok in Mu Ko Lanta National Park.

Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour to Ko Rok on Ko Lanta Thailand

Hi there!

The Andaman Sea on Thailand’s southwestern shore is strewn with gorgeous islands. Each has a personality of its own, from busy tourist islands to crazy party islands. The island of Ko Lanta is known to be a quieter island, and it has nine huge beaches to explore.

Ko Lanta – An island of beaches.

Just offshore of Ko Lanta lies one of the best snorkeling and diving destinations in the country: the tiny uninhabited pair of islands known as “Ko Rok,” or more specifically, “Ko Rok Yai” (the more northern island) and “Ko Rok Noi” (its southern neighbor).

Because we would be renting our snorkeling gear as part of the tour, we visited the Dive & Relax office a few days prior to our tour to get fitted for the masks and fins we would be using. They’re located right on Long Beach (Pra-Ae Beach)!

Dive and Relax Dive and Snorkeling Tours Ko Lanta Thailand

The relaxing side of Dive & Relax!

On the morning of our tour they sent a shuttle over to our hotel to pick us up, and before we knew it we were on the Dive & Relax power boat headed out to Ko Rok. It felt awesome to be out on the water.

Boat ride Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour to Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

It was a blast zipping out to the Ko Rok islands on their speedboat.

Unlike many diving and snorkeling outfits on Ko Lanta, Dive & Relax specializes in intimate tours with small groups of snorkelers and divers. Our group had six divers and four snorkelers. To accompany our group of ten tourists there were three professional dive masters, the captain of our boat and an assistant.

A few years ago Ko Rok was relatively undiscovered as a diving and snorkeling destination, but it is such a phenomenal spot that it has recently become quite popular. However, these folks know the hidden spots around the island where they can tuck into a bay and be the only boat there.

After about 45 minutes of speeding along through the water, we arrived at Ko Rok Noi and our captain tied the boat to a mooring provided by Mu Ko Lanta National Park in a gorgeous bay. There wasn’t anything around us but the beautifully rugged shore and the shockingly clear aquamarine water.

The divers all climbed into their gear, and one by one they jumped off the back of the boat and were joined by two dive masters.

Diver jumps off boat Dive & Relax Ko Rok Snorkeling Tour Ko Lanta Thailand

One by one, the divers jumped in.

Then it was our turn to jump in. The water was wonderfully warm.

Snorkeler on Dive and Relax Ko Rok Snorkeling Tour Ko Lanta Thailand

Big fish!

Almost immediately we began to see fish all around us.

Snorkeling with fish Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour to Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

We saw beautiful fish within seconds of hitting the water.

Reef Fish Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

These guys were everywhere.

Reef Fish Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

Big fish, small fish, red fish, blue fish!

Our dive master kept us together and pointed out unusual things as we drifted slowly over the colorful spectacle below us.

Snorkeler on Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

Our snorkeling dive master free dove to the reef to point out special sightings.

First she pointed out a sea cucumber, something I never would have noticed on my own.

Sea cucumber Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

A sea cucumber!

Then she pointed at a fantastic giant clam with ruffled purple lips.

Purple clam Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

Wow… A giant purple clam!

Purple Clam Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

After about an hour in the water, we returned to the boat, and as we munched on pastries the captain took us around to the channel that separates the two islands, Ko Rok Noi and Ko Rok Yai. The water was breathtakingly clear and inviting.

Clear water Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

How gorgeous is that?!!

Clear water Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

The captain anchored our boat and we all climbed down the ladder off the back and waded onto the soft sand of this hidden tropical beach in paradise. I looked around and had to smile when I realized that ours were the only footprints in the sand.

On the beach with Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

We are the only ones on this remote beach.

Ko Rok beach Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Lanta Thailand

Suddenly the three dive masters spread out a blanket and brought out a collection of coolers that were filled with a yummy Thai lunch. We had all worked up an appetite after an hour in the water and we chowed down!

Thai lunch break Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

Our three dive masters set up a fabulous hot lunch for us on the beach.

As we explored this uninhabited beach, seeking shade under the trees, we got chatting with the other divers and snorkelers who hailed from all over the world. A German mother/daugher pair were our companion snorkelers, and our snorkeling dive master was a Japanese woman who has spent the last few years chasing seasonal dive master positions in all the most sought after tropical locations in the world.

What intrigued us most, however, was when we learned that two of the divers were a Swedish couple that had sailed across the Pacific with their kids twenty years ago in a 35 foot boat. They now had a 43 footer back in Sweden, and they were gearing up to go on a round-the-world cruise!

One couple was very seasoned divers who had come to Thailand for a few weeks specifically to go diving every day. They had signed up for just about every diving tour that Dive & Relax offers, and she even had a tattoo of a sea turtle on her foot!

Sea turtle tattoo Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

Talk about being a diving enthusiast —
One of the divers in our group had a sea turtle tattooed on her foot!

Soon it was time to go to our second snorkeling site and our captain started up the engine and took us around the bend. He dropped us off and we spent an hour slowly sightseeing along the reef and making our way into the next cove where he anchored the boat and waited for us.

Diving Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

Underwater sightseeing.

Ko Rok snorkeling Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour in Ko Lanta Thailand

Mark loves free diving.

We saw all kinds of marine life and coral that we had never seen before.

Ko Rok reef coral Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour in Ko Lanta Thailand

Fabulous coral is home to all kinds of pretty fish.

Coral reef at Ko Rok Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour in Ko Lanta Thailand

Suddenly I spotted the most exotic looking purple sea star in the distance.

Purple Sea Star Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour of Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

A purple sea star!

Mark grabbed the camera and free dove down towards it to get a closer look. Wow!

Purple Sea Star Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour of Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

A little further on we saw a sea anenome. And who was peeking out of the gently waving tendrils but Nemo!

Nemo clown fish Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour of Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

Hey… We found Nemo!!

Nemo wasn’t alone in this anenome. The soft tendrils swayed and a few more clown fish emerged.

Nemo clown fish Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour of Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

Clown fish swim around their anemone home.

During our lunch break the dive masters had been very excited because the water was especially clear on this day.

Reef fish Dive and Relax Snorkeling Tour of Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

As we entered the next cove we saw our companion divers deep below us. While we floated about twenty feet above them, their bubbles rose up from the bottom.

Divers Dive & Relax Snorkeling Tour of Ko Rok in Ko Lanta Thailand

Suddenly we saw the divers in our group below us.

Eventually we all reached the Dive & Relax boat and we gathered around the swim ladder — all smiles — and made our way back onto the boat and out of our gear.

As we zipped back to Ko Lanta, the dive masters made sure we not only had cold water and fruit juice to sip on, but they brought out a fantastic tropical fruit plate too.

Fruit snack aboard Dive and Relax snorkel tour boat Ko Lanta Thailand

A smorgasbord of tropical fruit!

We are both certified divers, but we loved the ease and simplicity of snorkeling on this trip and not worrying about the complexities of diving. I just wish we’d signed on for another tour with Dive & Relax, as there are many islands and reefs near Ko Lanta that they visit.

Dive & Relax Ko Rok snorkeling tour near Ko Lanta Thailand

Next time we’ll sign up for more than one tour!!

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More info:

Dive & Relax Tours – Official Website with PADI certification courses and lots of dives and snorkel tours
Snorkeling Tours with Dive & Relax – Snorkel tour descriptions
Ko Rok Tour – The tour we took
TripAdvisor reviews of Dive & Relax – They have been given TripAdvisor’s “Certificate of Excellence” — No surprise there!
Location of Ko Rok – Interactive Google Maps
Location of the Dive & Relax office on Ko Lanta – Interactive Google Maps

Other blog posts from our travels in Thailand:

Our snorkeling adventures in Mexico:

Sea Turtles and Eagle Rays in the Bays of Huatulco 01/13/13

Our most recent posts:

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Cheow Lan Lake Tour in Khao Sok with Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

January 2017 – During our stay at Greenery Panvaree floating raft house resort in Khao Sok National Park, we had an absolute ball with our cameras, taking endless photos of this incredibly scenic little fairy tale hideaway on Cheow Lan Lake in Thailand.

Photography at Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Taking sunrise photos on the main dock at Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House

Kayaks are available for guests to use any time for free, and I took off to explore the coves nearby. As I pulled into one small cove after another and drifted along the shore, I was amazed that each cove had a song of its own as one resident bird or another sang its heart out deep in the trees that clung to the steep slopes.

Kayak Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House

I jumped in a kayak and went for a spin through some of the small coves near the resort

The construction of Ratchaprapha Dam to generate electricity for all of southern Thailand ended up displacing many families that lived along the river as the waters rose and Cheow Lan Lake formed.

So, there is a unique tradition at Greenery Panvaree to honor the people whose lives were so terribly disrupted and to say thanks to river goddess and to the jungle for this beautiful and precious place.

Every night Greenery Panvaree combines their personal tribute to Cheow Lan Lake’s origins with a small reenactment of a traditional annual Thai ceremony called Loy Krathong (ลอยกระทง) that takes place nationwide on the full moon of the twelfth month in the Thai calendar (usually in November) .

After dark, all of us guests at The Greenery section of floating raft houses gathered on the main dock, and we were each given a candle embedded into a small loaf made from bread flour. We climbed into a longtail boat for a short ride to the next cove and soon found ourselves drifting silently on the silky water under a canopy of stars.

Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park

After dark, guests took a longtail boat ride to honor the spirit and history of Cheow Lan Lake.

As the boat rocked gently in the waves I looked up and saw Orion sparkling in the sky. The dark night air embraced us as our hostess, Yohke, told us a moving story that took place in this exact spot about 50 years ago when it was the edge of a river rather than the surface of a huge wide lake.

A young man named Jong Dong had lived and worked on the river, and he was deeply in love with his beautiful young bride-to-be, Kaew. Just days before their wedding, he had an accident with his boat and he died. His young fiancée was so overcome with grief that a few days later she died from a broken heart.

A spirit house, or shrine, stands on the shore of the lake near the place where he died and is dedicated to the memory of “Grandfather Jong Dong” and “Grandmother Kaew.” We couldn’t see the spirit house in the dark, but we were all very touched as Yohke told this story, first in Thai for the Thai guests and then in English.

Spirit House Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok Greenery Panvaree

The spirit house for Grandfather Jong Dong and Grandmother Kaew — in daytime.

As night’s gentle breezes caressed us, we each held out our candles and Yohke lit them. Then we each silently made a wish and thanked the goddess of the river and the goddess of the rainforest for the beauty of this unique spot.

One by one, we reached over the side of the boat and placed our candles in the water. The little bread loaves that carried the flickering candles slowly floated away. This is the essence of the Loy Krathong celebration in which the light of the candle venerates Buddha and the water symbolizes the cleansing away of one’s cares and frustrations.

To keep the National Park’s lake as “green” as possibly, by morning the bread loaves would disintegrate and become food for the fish.

Longtail boat Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Cheow Lan Lake at dawn.

The next morning we were up at the crack of dawn for another longtail boat excursion out onto Cheow Lan Lake. As we drove out onto the lake we learned that the name “Panvaree” is a fun play on words with “Pan” meaning “1,000” in Thai and “Varee” being the name of the owner’s mother as well as the word “river” in Thai.

Riding in a longtail boat Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand Greenery Panvaree

Along with our companion Greenery Panvaree guests (a local Thai family enjoying a family reunion), we took an early morning longtail boat ride with our hostess Yohke (left).

Mist and fog clung to the mountainsides as we cruised along.

Morning mist Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

In many places the tallest of the trees that once lined the river’s edge stuck up above the surface of the water.

Misty morning Chiao Lan Lake Chiew Larn Lake Khao Sok National Park Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House

And everywhere around us the jungle slowly awoke and the sounds of exotic birds and other creatures filled the air.

Eventually our driver stopped the boat and let us drift right up to the shore in one cove. He pointed up at a tree and we all gazed up in wonder as we heard something very big moving around in the tree.

Tree limbs shook and leaves rustled, and then we saw two huge Great Hornbills high above us. These are hefty birds that are about the size of a pelican, and they made guttural noises as they moved about on the branches. They seemed to be ignoring us in our longtail boat just below them.

Suddenly, one took off into the sky with a majestic sweep of his huge wings. Then the other flew away too. Wow.

Great hornbill Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

A Great Hornbill takes flight above us… Magnificent!

When Yohke had told us before the boat ride that we might see hornbills, I had no idea what she was talking about. But when we returned to our room and I into our bathroom, I suddenly recognized the image that was hand painted on the lovely ceramic sink basin!

Great hornbill on a plate at Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Khao Sok

The handmade sink basin in our room was decorated with images of Great Hornbills – Cool!

It was special touches like these that made Greenery Panvaree floating raft houses such a unique spot to visit. We learned that the great hornbills hang around in the jungle by the lake quite a bit, and they are a mascot for Greenery Panvaree.

We then had a traditional Thai lunch in the main raft house restaurant, and Mark got a wonderful photo of the pretty young women who had been taking care of us during our stay.

Greenery Panvaree Floating House Restaurant Khao Sok National Park Cheow Lan Lake

The staff at Greenery Panvaree took great care of us.

Then our captain brought our longtail boat around to the dock once again for an afternoon excursion on the lake.

Longtail boat Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

More adventures ahead!

Again, the exotic scenery of towering limestone cliffs in the background with lush jungle vegetation in the foreground caught our imagination as we slipped by on the lake.

Lush vegetation Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Incredible scenery on Cheow Lan Lake

Eventually we pulled into a cove where the mist of the rainforest moisture hung heavily in the air.

Coral Cave Tour (Pakarang Cave Tour) Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park with Greenery Panvaree Resort

A small settlement emerges on the misty shore.

We got off the longtail boat and began a trek through the jungle to another lake. The path was wide and it was an easy walk despite the truly sultry heat that enveloped us.

Suddenly, someone up ahead pointed into a tree. As we approached we saw something dark and then caught a glimpse of a pair of eyes peering out through the leaves.

Dusky Leaf Monkey Khao Sok National Park Thailand

A Dusky Leaf Monkey peaks out at us.

It was a dusky leaf monkey, and he was as happy as could be as he quietly sat in the shade of the leaves.

Dusky Leaf Monkey Jungle Tour Khao Sok National Park Thailand

What a cutie pie. Look at that tail!

We had seen longtail monkeys in Kanchanaburi when we visited the Lawa Cave, but this was a monkey of a different color and totally different personality. What wonderful good fortune that he was in the trees watching our parade of humans go by!

“Sittin’ on a corner watchin’ all the girls go by.”

The path opened up and some buildings appeared, and off to one side we saw a pineapple growing.

Down on the ground a pineapple was ready to pick!

Then we saw the lake we had been hiking to, complete with long bamboo rafts waiting for us on the shore.

Bamboo raft tour Coral Cave Pakarang Cave Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Long rafts made of bamboo logs were waiting to take tourists out to Coral Cave (Pakarang Cave).

These are very cool rafts that are 100% bamboo. Because the bamboo logs have sealed hollow chambers, they are extremely buoyant and easily support lots of people sitting on them.

Bamboo raft.

We all climbed aboard and our raft pilot maneuvered the engine to get us turned around and headed onto the lake.

Our pilot turned the bamboo raft around to head out on the lake.

We zipped across the small lake and were delivered to a very short hiking trail to Coral Cave (Pakarang Cave). The trail was a little slippery in one spot because of the moisture of the rainforest and the cave, but there were railings to help us keep our balance.

Once inside, we were greeted by fabulous stalactite and stalagmite formations. Some were very long fins.

Coral Cave (Pakarang Cave) Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Coral Cave was filled with beautiful formations.

Others were little crystaline formations and still others were like mammoth fall leaves or giant clams.

Coral cave (Pakarang Cave) formations Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Greenery Panvaree Floating House tour

After a refreshingly cool meander through the cave, we hopped back on the bamboo raft and hiked back through the jungle to our longtail boat which was waiting for us on Cheow Lan Lake.

Longtail Boat Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Tour

Our longtail boat was waiting for us!

Along with pretty flowers growing here and there, Mark spotted a wonderful pinwheel shaped dried flower on the ground.

Wildflower petals Khao Sok National Park Cheow Lan Lake Thailand

Nature’s pinwheel.

There were a few shops and resting areas under simple bamboo shade ramadas near the boat and we roamed around a bit.

Jungle hike tour Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Khao Sok National Park Thailand

We’d been drinking water like mad, but what fun it was to get a Coke with the beautiful Thai script letters on the side of the can!

Buying a coke at an outdoor shop in Thailand

Have a Coke and a Smile! (Or a Leo beer!)

As Yohke explained to me later, Thai people love to have organized activities as part of their vacations, and after a brief few hours of relaxing back at our delightful floating bungalow at Greenery Panvaree, we set out on one last longtail boating excursion on Cheow Lan Lake.

Raft houses Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Mountain views on Cheow Lan Lake.

The sun was setting and it cast a wonderful golden glow across the tall limestone rock formations on the water’s edge.

Longtail boat tour Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

What a ride!

Our captain took us to Little Ha Long Bay, which is named for the much more famous Ha Long Bay in Vietnam because of the resemblance in the rock formations.

Little Ha Long Bay Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park

Little Ha Long Bay is a miniature version of its renowned namesake in Vietnam

This is a favorite spot for selfies, and we all took turns getting our photos taken with the rocks behind us. What a hoot!

Our stay at Greenery Panvaree floating raft house will always be a treasured memory. It is an unusual destination that few foreign tourists know about, and we feel blessed that we found this jewel on the internet prior to our trip and arranged to spend a few days there.

More info and links below.

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More info about Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House:

The Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort – Official Website

Be sure to choose the “English Only” menu below the top photo on the home page to see the English language pages. To read the Thai language pages auto-translated into English, use Google Chrome and install the Google Translate plugin for Chrome. The resort’s owner Yohke speaks English fluently and she is the one who responds to email inquiries. Email here.

Rooms and Rates at Greenery Panvaree – Official Website

Rooms are booked in packages of 1 or 2 nights (you can opt to stay longer too). A jungle hike, cave tour, and longtail boat rides at dawn and after dark are included in the package, depending on how many nights you stay. Our 3 day / 2 night tour was 14,900 Baht or about $440 US total for two people (National Park fee of 600 Baht ($18 US) for 2 people paid separately).

Location of Greenery Panvaree and Coral Cave (Pakarang Cave) – Longtail boat – hike – bamboo raft trip
Greenery Panvaree Reviews – TripAdvisor Reviews
Western Union – The most common way for foreigners to put a deposit on a room booking

Other blog posts from our travels in Thailand:

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
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Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House – Khao Sok National Park… Wow!

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

January 2017 – While sitting in our fifth wheel trailer in Arizona and planning our Thailand adventure, I wanted to find the most exotic and beautiful landscape possible and to stay in some truly unique lodgings.

We found just that at the Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House on Cheow Lan Lake in Khao Sok National Park.

Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Thailand

We had 3 days in paradise at the Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House in Khao Sok National Park

Cheow Lan Lake — also spelled Chiewlarn Lake and Chieow Lan Lake — is the jewel of Khao Sok National Park in the southern jungles of Thailand. It was created in 1982 when the Ratchaprapha dam was built on the Klong Saeng River to supply electricity to the southern half of the country. No one knew at the time just how exquisite the scenery on this lake would soon become.

Now it is a little known gem that offers sublime beauty without the crowds of tourists that are found in other parts of Thailand.

The best way to see the lake is to get out onto it in a longtail boat, and when we arrived, lots of longtail boats were waiting to take people on day trips and to deliver them to unique overnight accommodations at floating raft houses scattered in little coves around the lake’s extensive shores.

We had arranged for a three day and two night stay at the Greenery Panvaree Resort floating raft house, the finest and most deluxe floating raft house on the lake.

Longtail boats Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Exotic Longtail boats shuttle tourists on exquisite Cheow Lan Lake

Before heading out on the boat, we needed to purchase a ticket to enter Khao Sok National Park, since we would be staying within the boundaries of the National Park. It was 300 Thai Baht per person, or a little less than $10 US. The ticket was very pretty!

Our entrance ticket to Khao Sok National Park – what a neat souvenir!

In no time, we boarded the longtail boat that was bound for the Greenery Panvaree floating raft house. We were joined by an extended Thai family of parents and grown kids (who all live abroad) with their significant others enjoying a family reunion vacation together.

Khao Sok National Park Thailand Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake longtail boat

We saw longtail boats in the distance as we traveled across the lake

The magic of this lake is not only the extremely clear green water but the towering limestone mountains that encircle it. As we rode along on the water, we were mesmerized by the views in all directions.

Longtail boat Khao Sok National Park Thailand Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake

Longtail boats were skimming across the water both near and far.

Limestone karst Longtail boat Khao Sok National Park Thailand Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake longtail boat

Limestone karsts rose up from the depths of the lake.

Longtail boat Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

The ride was about 30 minutes from the pier out to the Greenery Panvaree floating raft houses. When we turned a corner and saw the row of little bungalows perched on the water, a collective “Ahhh!” went up from all of us on the boat.

Greenery Panvaree Floating raft house Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Our first glimpse of the Greenery Panvaree floating raft houses. What a setting!

These charming little villas are nestled into a cove backed by enormous cliffs, and they looked utterly inviting and romantic.

Greenery Panvaree Floating raft house Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand Family Zone

What an exotic place to spend a few days.

There are two groups of raft houses on either side Greenery Panvaree’s small and private cove.

Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Khao Sok National Park Cheow Lan Lake Chiew Larn Lake Thailand

Greenery Panvaree has two groups of floating raft houses, the Family Zone (left) and Greenery Zone (right)

The Family Zone is made up of five raft houses with nine rooms that are designed for families along with a main raft house with a common kitchen and restaurant building where meals are prepared and served.

The Greenery Zone, where we were going to stay, is made up of four rooms on two floors designed for couples. They are all located in one building that has a breezeway hall on the first floor. The Greenery Zone also has a main raft building with a kitchen on the first floor and a lovely restaurant with a view on the second floor.

Greenery Zone Greenery Panvaree Resort Floating Raft House Resort Khao Sok National Park Cheow Lan Lake Chiew Larn Lake Thailand

The Greenery Zone has two floating raft buildings.
One has four rooms for guests (left) and the other has a restaurant and common area (right).

As we slipped by the Family Zone, we saw a collection of kayaks in a wonderful rainbow of colors tied up out in front of their restaurant building.

Kayaks at Greenery Panvaree Floating raft house Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Plentiful free kayaks were waiting for guests to take them out for a paddle at the Family Zone.

As our longtail boat slowed down, a couple paddled by us in a kayak. What fun!

Kayak on Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

When we arrived at the Greenery Zone, which is about 100 yards from the Family Zone, anchored to the bottom of the lake with its own mooring system, we stepped off our longtail boat at the dock in front of the main building and were greeted with a delicious and cold fruit juice “welcome drink” that was dark red and incredibly sweet and tasty.

As we sipped this ambrosia with our fellow guests and gaped at the views around us, our bags were whisked away to our room.

Longtail boat Greenery Panvaree Resort Chiewlarn Lake Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Our driver takes our longtail boat to its dock out back.

We hung out on the front dock of the Greenery Zone for a while, chatting with the staff and each other, soaking in this very unique spot.

The clear emerald water was warm, and the air was blisteringly hot and humid in the sun. One of the great things about staying here is not only enjoying the gorgeous setting but being able to jump in the water from anywhere, including right outside your own room!

The main dock by our restaurant raft house had both colorful kayaks for guests to use and big round floating couches and a swing set too.

Kayaks at Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House resort Cheow Lan Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand Chiewlarn Lake

Water toys.

We weren’t ready to swim just yet, so we made our way to our floating raft house room. When we looked down into the water we were floored that it was teeming with fish!!

Fish at Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park

The raft houses are linked together with floating walkways, and we were as excited as little kids as we strolled around this very cool and very unique kind of accommodations.

We spotted our longtail boat tied up to the raft house where the staff stay.

Floating raft house Greenery Panvaree resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

All the raft houses were connected by floating walkways.

For those who don’t want to walk, another great way to get around is by kayak!

Kayaking Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Not only were guests playing in the kayaks, people used them to get around!

“This is Our Happy Place”

We were absolutely smitten with the charm and beauty of this very cool spot.

Docks at Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Super cool…

As we approached our room, we entered an open air hallway, or breezeway, that had a fun waterfront view in each direction.

Hallway View Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

Looking one way down our “hallway.”

Looking the other way down our “hallway.”

When we got to our room, we just stopped and stared!

Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand Greenery Room

A beautiful waterfront room in every sense of the word!

The glass doors opened right onto the water with a small walkway, and a set of stairs led right into the water for easy access to go swimming right from our room!

Bedroom view Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand Greenery Zone

We opened the doors to our view…

Across the little cove, we could see the sweet floating raft houses of the Family Zone backed by towering limestone pinnacles.

Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

…And what a view it was from our room!

Our raft house was two stories high and had four rooms in it, two on each floor. Our curiosity got the better of us, and when we noticed that two of the rooms were still unoccupied, we snuck in for a look.

Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand King bed room Greenery Zone

Before anyone got settled in, we explored the other rooms in our Greenery Zone floating raft house. All wonderful!

Greenery Zone room Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

In the early evening, dinner was served in the dining room on the second floor of the main raft house. Staying at this resort is a very intimate experience, and dinner was served family style. The Thai family staying in the Greenery Zone with us was seated nearby at the next table, and they showed us how to eat some of the more exotic foods.

When we noticed a very yummy looking dark red drink being delivered to their table, I asked for one too. It is called Blue Pea Lime Juice. But it isn’t made from blue peas! It is actually made from a flower, and it is such a wonderfully refreshing drink I had it with every meal after that!

Blue Pea Lime Juice — Delicious (and not made of blue peas)!!

After dinner we wandered around the docks of this unique floating hotel in dusk’s magical light.

During the day, every so often the docks would move ever so slightly if a longtail boat went by on the lake and made a big wake or if the wind came up and rippled the water into waves. But as night fell the lake was still and the lights of the raft houses cast a warm light.

Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand Twighlight

The main raft house glowed at twilight.

Cheow Lan Lake is in Khao Sok National Park, and the Thai government prohibits any building construction along the lake’s edge.

There had been people living on the river before the lake was built, and the government gave them new tracts of land located about 10 kilometers away so they could move and build new homes and lives.

The people who owned land that eventually got buried by water were given permits to build bamboo raft houses since all construction on land was prohibited.

Twelve raft house permits were granted on Cheow Lan Lake, which is about 15 miles long and several miles wide, and the grantees built twelve very simple and truly rustic floating hotels around the shores of the lake. Some were so rustic, lacking electricity and other amenities, some upscale international tourists were a bit unhappy with the accommodations.

As tourism expanded, the government gave out four more permits for prospective raft house developers to purchase, but they required them to be made of better materials and built to a higher standard.

Greenery Panvaree was one of those properties, and the young Thai couple who owns the resort, Ton and Yohke, have created a spectacular retreat that is without doubt the most beautiful and well appointed raft house on the lake.

Twilight Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

The restaurant and kitchen building in the Greenery Zone.

Many of the raft houses, including Greenery Panvaree, are also used for packaged day trip tours. Mini-van based tour groups coming from the town of Khao Sok or Surat Thani or Khao Lak drive to the lake, jump in a longtail boat for a ride out to the raft house, spend a few hours enjoying swimming from the raft house or doing a hike in the jungle or to a cave and then return to their hotels by longtail boat and minivan.

I found it really difficult to figure out how to put together a visit to a raft house on Cheow Lan Lake that would be a 5-star adventure, despite reading endless TripAdvisor reviews and some blogs. Most people seemed to have arranged their tour to Cheow Lan Lake and a floating raft house once they arrived in a hotel that was within a one to three hour drive from the lake.

I also found travelers’ experiences at the raft houses varied tremendously, since some are simply too rustic for the tastes of many international tourists. But it was difficult to find detailed information about each individual floating raft house destination, especially contact information for the hotel managers, to be able to compare one hotel to another and get answers to questions.

Greenery Panvaree stood out as unquestionably the finest and most luxurious raft house on the lake, and reviewers loved their stays there, whether on daytrips or overnight. But again, I couldn’t figure out how to arrange to visit Greenery Panvaree specifically, as most pre-packaged tours don’t explicitly state which raft house would be on their itinerary.

Khao Sok Floating Raft House Resort Greenery Panvaree Chiewlarn Lake Thailand

I finally found the Greenery Panvaree website, but it was written mostly in Thai. I began to realize that this is a special resort that Thai tourists cherish but that international tourists don’t visit very often. How cool is that — visiting a place in Thailand where local Thai people choose to vacation!!

I emailed the resort, and the owner, Yohke, who is fluent in English and is very well traveled herself, answered all my questions.

When I met her during our stay at Greenery Panvaree, I found out she lived in Seattle for a year and she was also a flight attendant on international flights for over a decade. No wonder she is so comfortable with English!

Because this is a small operation, Greenery Panvaree requires a 50% deposit to book a room to insure that the customer is serious about coming. Because this resort has been primarily a destination for Thai people, the transaction is done via wire transfer, which is a common method of payment for Thais in Thailand.

Western Union is easy for foreigners to use, and even though it seems scary to wire money to a far distant country to book a room, the rich reward is an incredible experience at Greenery Panvaree.

Sunrise Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

The view of sunrise from our room was breathtaking.

The remaining 50% is paid at the resort. This remaining portion must be paid in cash because the floating raft house is so remote there is no signal for credit card transactions. There is a low grade cell phone signal some of the time, and the TV in the restaurant broadcasts a Thai station. But who goes to a place like this sit on Facebook or watch TV?

Sunrise Cheow Lan Lake Chiewlarn Lake Khao Sok National Park Thailand

A day of adventure awaits…

The owners of Greenery Panvaree are working on setting up PayPal so they can accept online credit card transactions for room deposits to make it easier for foreign tourists, but until that is up and running, tourists shouldn’t be concerned at all by the requirement to wire funds to book their room.

Greenery Panvaree was our home base for three glorious and fun-filled days. Pics and stories from those adventures will be coming soon!!

More info and links below…

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More info about Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House:

The Greenery Panvaree Floating Raft House Resort – Official Website

Rooms and Rates at Greenery Panvaree – Official Website

Location of Khao Sok Pier and Greenery Panvaree – The Longtail boat ride goes from the pier to Greenery Panvaree
Greenery Panvaree Reviews – TripAdvisor Reviews
Western Union – Send money online
General Info on Cheow Lan Lake Raft House Tours – This link is for reference only

Please note that all pre-packaged tours to floating raft houses on Cheow Lan Lake in Khao Sok, like the ones listed by the company at the above link, are as much as twice as expensive when booked through them as they are when booked directly with the raft house owners. The “tour package” you receive is identical. You are simply paying more to book through a third party.

Other blog posts from our travels in Thailand:

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
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Kanchanaburi, Thailand – History, Caves, Monkeys & Exotic Fruit!

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

January 2017 – As we toured Kanchanaburi with Mellow Adventures, visiting Erawan Waterfall and Huay Mae Khamin waterfall, we got a huge kick out of the road signs we saw. Familiar signs like “Stop” and “Railroad Crossing” took on a whole new look in the pretty Thai script.

Road signs in Thailand.

We asked our tour guide Mai what our names would look like in the Thai lettering, and she wrote them out for us. How cool!

Mai wrote out our names in Thai letters – How beautiful!

Our tour guide Mai from Mellow Adventures

On this second day of touring with Mellow Adventures, we started off by paddling downstream in a kayak while Mai followed us downstream in a longtail boat. We were mesmerized by the haunting calls of the birds in the trees on either side of us as we paddled.

Kayaking in Kanchanaburi

We then made our way to Lawa Cave. The entrance to this cave sits at the top of a very long staircase, and just inside there was beautifully lit golden statue of Buddha with a rug in front of it for praying.

Buddha statue in Lawa Cave Kanchanaburi Thailand

A beautiful golden statue of Buddha greets us at Lawa Cave.

We descended into the cave following a well lit trail.

Heading into Lawa Cave.

Lawa Cave.

There were lots of stalactites and stalagmites that made exotic sculpted patterns on the cave walls.

When we emerged from the cave, our guide Steffan noticed a woman selling fruits. She had a huge pile of what looked like gigantic pale green grapefruits in front of her.

“You’ve got to try these,” Steffen said excitedly. He said they were called “Som-oh” in Thai and he asked her to prepare one for us.

Pomelo fruits for sale (som oh) Kanchanaburi Thailand

Bigger than a grapefruit and deliciously sweet: “Som oh” or polmelo fruits

She peeled back the rind to and then put the sections back inside. The sections were just like an orange or grapefruit, but so much bigger and very delicious. It was sweeter than a grapefruit and very tasty. I have never seen this citrus fruit before, but I found out it’s called “Polmelo.” Yum!!

Pomelo (som oh) citrus fruit Kanchanaburi Thailand

Yum!

One of the really fun things about the jungle in Thailand is the unusual animals. Back on the road, we saw a monkey sign.

Long tailed monkey habitat Kanchanaburit Thailand

We hadn’t seen a road sign like this before!

And then we saw the real thing sitting in the middle of the road!

Long tailed monkey Kanchanaburi Thailand

The greeter…

There was a whole pack of them — parents and babies — milling around the edges of the road. They were hoping for treats from tourists.

A Long tailed monkey Kanchanaburi Thailand

These were long tail monkeys, and Mai told us they have big teeth and can be pretty nasty.

On all fours - a long tailed monkey in Kanchanaburi Thailand

Fortunately, none of them came after us, and viewing them from a little distance out the car window they seemed very cute!

Long Tail monkey face Kanchanaburi Thailand

Our next stop was at a wonderful little coffee bistro that is built on a series of decks overlooking a river.

Sign for Rim Nam Cafe Kanchanaburi Thailand

A gourmet espresso shop…in Thailand!!

It’s called the Rim Nam Cafe, and it’s owned by a young man named Oh. How wonderful it was to have a Hazelnut latte at this special spot!

Oh is the owner of Rim Nam Cafe.

Oh has created a wonderfully fanciful jungle retreat in the trees that is filled with unusual decorations and fun nooks and crannies that are perfect for curling up and reading a book or conversing with friends. Oh told us sometimes elephants come down for a drink at the water’s edge below!

Outdoor seating at Rim Nam Cafe Kanchanaburi Thailand

Wonderful outdoor seating overlooking the river.

The elephants didn’t show up while we were there, but we enjoyed roaming the grounds and taking photos.

River at Rim Nam Cafe Kanchanaburi Thailand

Sometimes elephants come down to the river for a drink!

Among the intriguing decorations we found two blue letters, an M and an E. What a coincidence that these are our initials. We just had to get a selfie!!

We found an M and an E among other eclectic and creative decorations at Rim Nam cafe

The city of Kanchanaburi is the site of the bridge that was made famous by the book Bridge on the River Kwai (also a popular movie) which tells the story of the horrendous Japanese WWII labor camps that built a 258 mile long railway to enable the Japanese to transport goods and troops between the coast of Thailand (then called Siam) and Rangoon, Burma.

In early 1942, the Japanese seized the colony of Burma from the British, and they needed an overland shipping route to avoid the many Allied submarines lurking in the sea. Between the fall of 1942 and the fall of 1943, the rails were laid and over 600 bridges were constructed. It was a monumental feat to complete the railway so fast.

Some 120,000 (or as many as 300,000) southeast Asians laborers and another 61,000 British, Dutch and American POWs endured horrific conditions in these camps. 20% of the POWs died while as many as 50% of the southeast Asians laborers (who had been enticed to come for “easy work and good pay”) perished. It came to be known as the Death Railway.

When we had first arrived in Kanchanaburi by train a few days earlier, we had passed the cemetery where 6,982 POWs are buried. Another 5,310 POWs are buried in two other locations on the railway route.

Gravestones of soldiers buried in Kanchanaburi Thailand

Kanchanaburi cenetary for POWs who died building the Death Railway in 1942-43

The “Bridge on the River Kwai” itself was a modest bridge that crossed a calm river, but the story of the starvation, forced labor and massive death toll that went into the building of the railway was gut wrenching to ponder as we walked across the bridge from one side of the river to the other.

Bridge over the River Kwai Kanchanaburi Thailand

The Bridge over the River Kwai (pronounced “Kway”)

The heat right now in the “cool” winter season was stifling. The sweat just poured down our faces. As we looked back across the river, the area was filled with buildings and air conditioned civilization, and a tall statue of Buddha looked out over the river.

I can’t even imagine what it was like to bush-whack the jungle to lay these train tracks in the middle of nowhere with almost no food and filthy, contaminated water.

Buddha statue at bridge over the River Kwai Kanchanaburi Thailand

20% of the POWs died. As many as 50% of the SE Asian laborers died too.

There are two places to see parts of the Death Railway in Kanchanaburi, and our guides Steffen and Mai took us to another location about 30 miles away.

As we were discussing the Death Railway, Mai pointed out that the correct pronunciation for the word “Kwai” actually rhymes with the word “way” and not the word “why” as it is most commonly pronounced by English speakers.

Buddhist monks on train tracks Death Railway Kanchanaburi Thailand

Monks walk on the Death Railway.

A tourist train runs on these tracks and passes both points. It is actually the same train that we had taken from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi a few days earlier.

Train at bridge on the River Kwai Kanchanaburi Thailand

Tourists hung their heads out the window and snapped pics as they passed us.

Death Railway train Kancahanaburi Thailand

The train continued along a bridge and disappeared around the bend.

Train on bridge Death Railway Kanchanaburi Thailand

The Death Railway.

There is a cave near this part of the Death Railway, and like Lawa Cave we had visited earlier, there was a golden statue of Buddha inside.

Buddha statue at Death Railway cave Kanchanaburi Thailand

It is not a deep cave, but it was fun to look around.

Cave at Death Railway Kancahanaburi Thailand

Looking out of the cave towards the train tracks.

When choosing which places to visit on our trip to Thailand before we left, it was very difficult to narrow down the many incredible options of things to see and do.

Looking back now, our two days of tours of the waterfalls, caves and historic areas of Kanchanaburi with Mellow Adventures was one of the true highlights of our month-long trip.

There is more info in the links below.

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More info:

Lawa Cave – Travel info from Bangkok Post
Rim Nam Cafe – Facebook page
Death Railway – Wikipedia
An interview with a survivor of the Death Railway – A British survivor, age 95, in 2013
Bridge over the River Kwai – 1952 book by Frenchman Pierre Boulle
Bridge on the River Kwai – 1957 Hollywood Movie
Railway Man – A 2014 movie on the Death Railway with a different twist
Locations of Lawa Cave, Rim Nam Cafe and the Death Railway – Interactive Google Maps
Mellow Adventures – Personalized, custom tours of Kanchanaburi, Thailand
(email Mellow Adventures here and see Tripadvisor reviews of Mellow Adventures here)

Other blog posts from our travels in Thailand:

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!

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Huay Mae Khamin – Thailand’s Most Beautiful Waterfall – Mellow Adventures

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

January 2017 – After we finished hiking Erawan Waterfall in Kanchanaburi Thailand, our tour guides from Mellow Adventures took us to a second and even more breathtaking waterfall deep in the jungle.

Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall Sri Nakarin Dam National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall – Breathtaking!

But before we hopped in the car to drive there, Mellow Adventures treated us to an amazing Thai lunch.

Back when I had been planning our tours with Steffen, the owner of Mellow Adventures, he had added a restaurant stop for lunch as part of our itinerary. However, I wasn’t keen on giving up precious time at the waterfalls to sit down for lunch at a restaurant.

“We can grab something on the run,” I said, explaining that we aren’t foodies and we wanted to maximize our time at the waterfalls.

However, Steffen insisted that food is an important aspect of Thai culture, almost to the point of being a national pastime, and he wanted to give us a proper in introduction to Thai cooking. So, as soon as we finished hiking, he took us to his favorite place tucked into a row of informal restaurants that line the edge of the parking lot at Erawan National Park.

Restaurants at Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Souvenir shops and eateries at Erawan National Park

Steffen started eagerly going back and forth in Thai with our guide Mai about what to order, and in no time Mai had written out a whole slew of beautiful Thai letters on a piece of paper. She handed it to the waitress, and in minutes, the most delicious array of platters arrived at our table.

With fried rice as a base, we had several yummy dishes that were so tasty we asked Mai to write them down for us in Thai so we could order them easily on our own during the rest of our stay in Thailand! Thai food connoisseurs might laugh, but this was a godsend for us!

Thai food order for restaurant in Kanchanaburi

Back on the road, we headed deeper into the jungle to our next destination: Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall in Sri Nakarin National Park.

This part of Thailand is very hilly, and we were soon driving up and down very steep grades. Unlike America, where the Department of Transportation places signs for steep inclines only at the tops of mountains to warn drivers about the descent ahead, we saw signs warning about steepness going both up and downhill.

12% grade driving steep hills in Kanchanaburi Thailand

And no wonder. At 12% and 14%, these hills were very steep!

Driving steep hills 14% grade Kanchanaburi Thailand

At last we arrived at Sri Nakarin Dam National Park, home of Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall.

Huay Mae khamin Waterfall National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand Entrance gate

Entrance to Huay Maekhamin Waterfall.

Because the Thai language has its own alphabet, words often end up with multiple spellings when the Roman alphabet is used instead. Sure enough, the waterfall had different spellings on the different signs out front: “Huay Maekamin” and “Huay Maekhamin” (with an “h” in there). The waterfall is often written as three words too: Huay Mae Khamin.

Huay Maekamin Waterfall Sign National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

When we pulled up to the entrance gate, Steffen asked the rangers if the National Park was busy. It was midday, afterall, which is the peak time for tourists.

“No,” the ranger replied, “There is no one here.”

What a difference from Erawan Waterfall where we had to arrive super early in the morning to beat the crowds!

Sri Nakarin Dam National Park Entrance Kanchanaburi Thailand

All is quiet at this National Park.

Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall is a gem of a waterfall that hasn’t yet made it onto Thailand’s tourism radar.

Steffen explained to me that he often combines a visit to Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall with a camping trip in the jungle as part of a multi-day trek to the Burmese border that goes through tiny rural villages that are quintessentially Thai and have no tourism whatsoever.

As he described that experience, I suddenly wished we’d arranged for a multi-day camping tour with Mellow Adventures. Next time!!

Vines and jungle Sri Nakarin Dam National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

The jungle is full of big, twisty vines.

The hike to the waterfall took us past wonderfully long and thick vines and a hollowed out tree that Mark couldn’t resist climbing into.

Hollow in a tree Khuean Srinagarindra National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Tree house!

All around us were dense clumps of very thick bamboo stalks. Bamboo is technically a grass, and it grows easily and densely in the Kanchanaburi jungle

Bamboo Grove Khuean Srinagarindra National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

A grove of bamboo stalks and a sign, “Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints.”

As I stood close to the bamboo stalks, I discovered they all had graffiti on them, most of it in Thai lettering! How cool is that?!

Bamboo Graffiti Sri Nakarin Dam National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

The beautiful and ornate Thai letters were carved onto the stalks and painted on as well.

Thai graffiti on a bamboo tree Khuean Srinagarindra National ParkKanchanaburi Thailand

I guess lovers declare their affection for each other on all kinds of trees all over the world in every language.

Thai graffiti on bamboo tree Sri Nakarin Dam National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Soon we heard the tell-tale sound of rushing water, and in moments we arrived at the first set of falls. Wow!

Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall Srinikarin Dam National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Unlike Erawan Falls, which is a hike from the lowest cascade to the highest, the hiking trail to Huay Maekhamin Waterfall brings you directly to the fourth of its seven tiers.

Huay Maekhamin Waterfall Khuean Srinagarindra National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

The water rushed over the flat slabs of limestone creating exquisite mini waterfalls.

We were mesmerized by the shapes of the falls and the trees surrounding them.

Tree roots Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall Khuean Srinagarindra National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

We had the place to ourselves, and we wandered all over the rocks and between the trees getting pics of each other in this glorious spot.

Steffen Mellow Adventures Tour to Huay Maekhamin Waterfall Khuean Srinagarindra National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Steffen, owner of Mellow Adventures.

Mellow Adventures Tour Huay Maekhamin Waterfall Sri Nakarin Dam National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Selfie!

Huay Maekhamin Waterfall has seven tiers, and we had hiked direclty from the parknig lot to the 4th tier. From there we could hike down to see levels 3, 2 and 1 or we could drive around to another entrance area to see the top levels.

Our guide Mai felt that the seventh tier at the top of Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall was the most picturesque, so we decided to go straight there. How right she was!

Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall Sri Nakarin Dam National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand Mellow Adventures

Top level of Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall.

We were bewitched. This was the waterfall image I had carried in my mind all the way from Phoenix, Arizona, where we had left our trailer in storage and our full-time RV lifestyle behind.

Turquoise pools Huay Maekhamin Waterfall Khuean Srinagarindra National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Travertine pools.

The waterfall images were framed by rich green jungle trees, and sprays of water fell from ledge to ledge and from pool to pool.

As much as we loved Erawan Waterfall, for me, this spot at the top of Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall was even more magnificent. I half expected fairies to emerge on the waterfall ledges or for angels to start singing!

Green pools Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall Sri Nakarin Dam National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

At that moment a jungle bird landed on a branch right in front of me and began to sing his heart out.

I listened for a while, mesmerized by his bright colors and vibrant song as his warbling and sweet songs filled the forest. I found out later he was a White Rumped Shama.

Tucked between the leaves we spotted a beautiful wildflower.

Wildflower Huay Maekhamin Waterfall National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

But it was the lush jungle pools and delicate sprays of waterfalls that will forever stay in our memory from our visit to Huay Maekhamin Waterfall.

Best Waterfall in Thailand Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall Khuean Srinagarindra National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Thailand has many stunning waterfalls, and lots of pre-packaged commercial tours take bus loads of tourists to visit them, especially the nearby Sai Yok Yai waterfall in Sai Yok National Park.

But the most beautiful waterfall in all of Thailand could easily be Huay Maekamin Waterfall, and amazingly, it isn’t promoted or dominated by the big commercial tour companies.

Most Beautiful waterfall in Thailand Huay Mae khamin Waterfall Khuean Srinagarindra National Park Kanchanaburi

7th Tier Huay Maekamin Waterfall.

What a thrill it was to work with Mellow Adventures to create a personalized waterfall tour and experience two of Thailand’s best waterfalls, Erawan Waterfall and Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall, and have them all to ourselves!!

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More info about Huay Maekamin Waterfall and Mellow Adventures:

Huay Mae Khamin Waterfall – Local website
Mellow Adventures – Personalized, custom tours of Kanchanaburi, Thailand
(email Mellow Adventures here and see Tripadvisor reviews of Mellow Adventures here)
Location of Huay Maekhamin Waterfall, Erawan Waterfall and Mellow Adventures

Other blog posts from our travels in Thailand:

Other blog posts from our travels with waterfalls, interesting trees and unique graffiti:

Kootenai Falls and Ross Creek Cedars in Montana – Montana’s answer to California’s Giant Sequoias
Colorado National Monument – Names and initials pecked on the edge of Lover’s Leap
Montezuma’s Well in Arizona – Antique graffiti advertisements!

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
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Erawan Falls – Jewel of Erawan National Park – with Mellow Adventures

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

January 2017 – When I started planning our month-long trip to Thailand, I wanted to be sure we saw some truly spectacular places. After doing many image searches for things like “the most beautiful places in Thailand,” I came across a photo of a waterfall that took my breath away.

Erawan Waterfall Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

One tier of Erawan Falls at Erawan National Park in Kanchanaburi Thailand

I found out it was Erawan Waterfall which is located in Erawan National Park in Thailand’s province of Kanchanaburi. Not only did this waterfall look like something out of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, the name sounded like it too!

Wondering if there were other gems like this in the province of Kanchanaburi, I found an image of Huay Maekhamin Waterfall in Khuean Srinagarindra National Park. If it was possible, that waterfall seemed even more stunning but was even more remote.

I wanted to be sure we would see these exotic waterfalls without any crowds, at our own pace and on our own terms, and I quickly realized it would not only be more efficient but would be more fun and we’d get more out of our experience if we worked with a professional and personal tour guide service.

Mellow Adventures, a company that has achieved TripAdvisor’s highest standard — the Certificate of Excellence — offers fully customized, private tours in Kanchanaburi that are designed to meet whatever unusual plans a traveler might have. When I emailed them that we wanted to be at Erawan Waterfall long before any of the commercial tour groups showed up, I got an email back saying: “We’ll pick you up at your hotel at 6:30 a.m.”

Perfect!

Erawan Waterfall

Not every vacationer wants to have an appointment at that hour, but we were on a mission to hike alongside these cascades without encountering anyone else on the trail, and we were thrilled at the prospect of photographing the many tiers of Erawan Falls for a few hours in total solitude.

The owner of Mellow Adventures, Steffen, is Norwegian and he is fluent in English and German and speaks Thai as well. He responded to my emails from the US very quickly, and in no time we devised a plan for two days of custom tours that would take us to both Erawan Waterfall and Huay Maekhamin Waterfall and also include a tour of a remote cave, kayaking on a river in the jungle and even sampling some good Thai food which he felt was critical to appreciating Thai culture.

When we finally met in person (rather bleary eyed) at 6:30 a.m. on the appointed morning, he introduced us to Mai, a young woman who had been a tour guide in Kanchanburi and at Erawan National Park for seven years before she joined the Mellow Adventures team last year.

As we drove to Erawan National Park together, we passed through an area that has several elephant encounter sanctuaries. Even though an elephant encounter wasn’t on our itinerary, it was fun to see the signs for these places on the road!

Elephant road sign in Kanchanaburi Thailand

An elephant road sign – How cool is that?!

Elephant road sign Kanchanaburi Thailand

…and with Thai writing to boot!!

Elephants are very important and much beloved in Thailand, and we saw many creative elephant decorations along the way, including elephant street lights!

Elephant lamp post decoration Kanchanaburi Thailand

Elephants decorate lots of things in Thailand.

Mai explained to us that the elephant is an integral part of Erawan National Park. In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the god of thunder, lightning and rainstorms, Indra, rides a huge white elephant across the sky. This elephant has three heads and is known as “Erawan” in Thai.

At Erawan Falls, the highest of the waterfall’s seven tiers has three parallel cascades that resemble the trunks of three elephant heads.

Sign for Erawan Waterfall Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Erawan Waterfall is named for a three headed elephant that is part of both Hindu and Thai mythological traditions.

In no time we reached the entrance to Erawan National Park and the Visitors Center.

Erawan National Park Entrance Sign Kanchanaburi Thailand

Now here’s a cool National Park sign!

The Visitors Center for Erawan National Park.

Our guide, Mai, has hiked to the top of Erawan Falls many dozens of times, and she described what we would see at each level as we hiked in. Erawan Waterfall is an extremely popular place to swim, as the waterfalls have many shallow pools filled with warm, turquoise water. There are posted guidelines for swimwear, but we found out later they aren’t strictly enforced.

Erawan Falls sign Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

This way to the waterfall — and please dress modestly if you go swimming!

The beginning of the trail is a wide, paved path, and it wandered through the jungle.

Hike to Erawan Falls Kanchanaburi Thailand

The hike began with an easy stroll on a paved trail.

Soon, we heard the sounds of rushing water, and then suddenly we saw the lowest part of the falls in front of us. The water was cascading from one flat slab of rock down onto the next.

Prettiest Waterfall in Thailand Erawan Waterfall Kanchanaburi Thailand

The lowest part of Erawan Falls has many wide, flat travertine slabs that form turquoise pools.

We ran to the water in glee, quickly scouting out the best angles to frame this tropical jewel.

Most beautiful waterfall in Thailand Erawan Falls Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi_

Look at those tree roots!

The pools of aquamarine water were so inviting, it seemed like a fairy land.

Best waterfall in Thailand Erawan Waterfall Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Erawan Falls is actually a series of seven waterfalls, each with its own personality and flair. The hike begins at the lowest level and gradually climbs to the top, passing by each level on the way.

Erawan Waterfall Pool at Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

As we hiked from one level up to the next, we found ourselves in the most deliciously thick jungle. The leaves of one plant were absolutely enormous!

Huge jungle leaves Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

The jungle leaves are huge and give great shade

We just loved the shapes of the rocks along these falls. There were so many places where the water formed a shallow pool on a flat rock and then fell over the edge, like Nature’s most perfect infinity pool.

The hiking trail wandered alongside the stream as we climbed higher and higher, and we got glimpses between the trees of the water spilling over the rocks here and there.

Most spectacular waterfall in Thailand Erawan Waterfall Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

We see a portion of the falls through the jungle trees.

At one point on the trail we came to a tree that was completely adorned in brightly colored women’s dresses. Mai explained to us that these dresses had been placed there as a token of thanks to the tree spirit Ta Kien Tong.

She told us that many Thai people ask this goddess for help or for blessings in their lives. When she responds by giving them what they requested, they show their appreciation by bringing her a beautiful dress.

Appreciative people said thanks to the tree goddess Ta Kien Tong by giving her a beautiful dress

The many dresses on this tree were placed here in thanks for blessings and good fortune that had been granted by the tree goddess, Ta Kien Tong.

The trees in the jungle are wonderfully gnarled with lots of exposed roots, and one had a fabulously twisted vine growing up its trunk.

A twisted vine climbs the trunk of a tree.

Some vines are so strong they make a natural swing.

Swinging on a vine Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Our guide Mai enjoys a brief swing on a jungle vine.

As we ascended the hiking trail from one level of Erawan Waterfall to the next, we found beautiful surprises at every turn.

Top waterfall in Thailand Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Each tier of Erawan Falls was different.

The water was so clear in some places that we could see fish swimming just below the surface.

Fish at Erawan Waterfall Kanchanaburi Thailand

Fish were swimming at the base of the falls in some places.

The aquamarine pools were so inviting…

Turquoise pool Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Gnarled roots of the jungle embrace the rocks in a turquoise pool.

Favorite waterfall in Thailand Erawan Waterfall Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

The jungle was filled with unusual plants that we didn’t recognize and we saw some magnificent flowers too.

Exotic tropical flower Erawan National Park

Exquisite!

Perhaps the most wonderful surprise for me came as I turned a corner in the trail and looked up to see this image right in front of me:

Erawan Falls National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

We rounded a bend to see this view!

We crept closer, tip-toeing between the exposed and curving tree roots.

Stunning Erawan waterfall Kanchanaburi Thailand

Again, we saw fish swimming near the edges of the turquoise pool.

Most beautiful waterfall Erawan Falls Kanchanaburi Thailand

This was just too gorgeous — time for a selfie!

Travelers at Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

Two very happy campers at Erawan Falls!

The trail had switched from pavement to well packed dirt a while ago, and we were glad to have sturdy trail running shoes rather than flip-flops to hike in. Now the trail suddenly headed straight up a long set of stairs.

Stairs to waterfall Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand_

A long staircase climbed up the hill to the next tier.

And at the top was another stunning pool surrounded by ancient trees with wonderful claw-like roots.

Swimming pools Erawan Falls Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

What an exotic place!

I moved a little to one side, and again, I was blown away by the beauty of Erawan Falls.

Cascade at Erawan Waterfall Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

We loved the endlessly changing cascades and pools.

We were now at Level 6 of the seven levels of the waterfall, and we paused to take stock. We had more hiking planned for the afternoon, and it was already very late in the morning.

It had taken us over three hours just to get this far, because we were so busy taking photos.

Sign for 6th level Erawan Falls Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

The seventh level of Erawan Waterfall is where the three namesake falls — the trunks of the three headed elephant — can be seen. However, because there hadn’t been much rain lately, Mai said they didn’t have much water.

Our cameras were already bursting at the seams with all the photos we’d taken, and the hike to the seventh level would involve some scrambling to reach, so we opted to turn around at this point and head back down.

What a shock it was to see how crowded the trail had become at the lower levels and to see all the people swimming in the pools. The gentle spirit of stillness and solitude we had savored all morning was gone. But the pools sure looked refreshing!

Swimming at Erawan Waterfall Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Thailand

A few hours earlier we had been alone at this spot!

As we hiked back towards the parking lot, we were surprised to see a warning sign for a cobra!!

We’ve never seen an animal sign like this one before — yikes!

We didn’t see any snakes, but the flowers were lovely.

At this point, we had completed only half of our first day of tours with Mellow Adventures, and we had a lot more in store!

There’s more info and more links for Erawan National Park, Kanchanaburi and Mellow Adventures below…

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More info and links:

Erawan National Park – Official website for the home of Erawan Waterfall
Mellow Adventures – Personalized, custom tours of Kanchanaburi, Thailand
(email Mellow Adventures here and see Tripadvisor reviews of Mellow Adventures here)
Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi – Our experience and a fun way to make the trip
Bure Homestay – Where we stayed in Kanchanaburi
Location of Erawan Waterfall and Mellow Adventures in the town of Kanchanaburi – Interactive Google Maps

Other blog posts from our travels in Thailand:

Waterfalls we have seen in our travels:

National Parks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Blog posts from our visits to these majestic places

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
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Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi – A Ride Through Thailand’s Countryside

Posted on February 2, 2017 by Roads Less Traveled

January 2017 – Our stay in Bangkok, Thailand, was filled with exotic sights and sounds, and at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market we got a peek at a way of life that had been uniquely Thai back in the days when the city was built on canals. But it was a train trip from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, about 75 miles west of the city, that made us feel like we were beginning to see the “real” Thailand.

Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

Thonburi Station in Bangkok, Thailand

The train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi is a 3rd class train that leaves from the Thonburi station in Bangkok. The station and the streets around it were absolutely teaming with people, as it sits alongside a huge market where anything and everything was for sale on a vast array of tables and carts.

Passengers wait for the train to Kanchanaburi

Tickets for the three hour train trip were just 100 Baht each, about $2.85 US, but we’d made the mistake of showing up without any notes worth less than 500 Baht. To our surprise, the ticket booth at the train station wouldn’t accept a 500 Baht note for 200 Baht worth of tickets.

So, I ran off through the market, passed by an ATM that was out of order, and finally found a lady selling juice from a cart who had an apron filled with bills of all denominations. Fortunately, she understood enough English and sign language that when I waved a 500 Baht note at her she figured out what I wanted. In no time I was back at the train station ticket window with exact change. Phew!

A train conductor and a station guard exchange paperwork through the train window.

There were quite a few “farangs” (foreigners) waiting for this train, as it is a popular trip for tourists to do. But all the other trains at the station were loading and unloading throngs of locals who were going about their daily business.

The Kanchanaburi train finally arrived, and we hopped on board. We hadn’t been sure what “3rd class” would mean, but it turned out to be just like the commuter rail trains I used to ride as a kid years ago, except the windows were all wide open.

Inside Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

The train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi is “3rd class” but we found it clean and comfortable.

As we headed out of Bangkok, the train narrowly missed hitting the corrugated metal rooftops of endless rows of houses, and we got a peek at the backside of Bangkok, as is so common when you take a train somewhere. We saw what amounted to being the “other side of the tracks” in some very poor neighborhoods.

Houses by window Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

The train skims past corrugated metal rooftops in Bangkok.

Once we got out of town a ways, we began to see classic Asian sights out the windows.

View from train window Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

Views from Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

We stopped at quite a few train stations along the way. Several stations were very ornate with uniformed guards standing watch, and most were decorated with memorials to the beloved deceased Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej who had died in October, 2016.

Train station Bangkok to Kanchanaburi train Thailand

A train station we stopped at on our route from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi

During our stay in Thailand we saw thousands of memorials to the king, often with photos of him either as a young man who appeared to be very studious, or as a middle aged man dressed in all his royal splendor and regalia.

Train station Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

A train station decorated with the black and white ribbons memorializing the recently deceased King of Thailand.

In general, when we walked on the streets, we couldn’t go 50 yards without encountering a memorial of some kind, and in a car or on this train the billboards and roadside shrines appeared several times per mile.

Memorials to King Bhumibol Adulyadej were everywhere in Thailand.

After about an hour, we stopped at one train stop and a group of vendors got on board. They walked up and down the aisle selling foods of various kinds.

Food vendor on the Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

A food vendor offers munchies to travelers on the train.

Each vendor took a turn in each train car, waiting for the vendor ahead of them to finish walking through the car before strolling down the aisle themselves.

Food vendor Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

Meanwhile, out the window, the ornate rooftops of temples and other buildings appeared between the trees.

Window view Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

Thailand views Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

In the seat in front of us, a little boy was as fascinated with what he saw out the train window as we were.

Looking out train window Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

The things we were passing were fascinating, and not just to us!

His sister hung her head out the window too, and we got such a kick out of watching these two adorable kids taking in all the scenery and pointing and commenting on it.

They were loving the train ride as much as we were.

Kids on Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

Their mom let them take shots out the window with her cell phone and then she got some pics of the two of them. We couldn’t help but take photos of them too!

Boy with cell phone on Kanchanaburi train

After a while, the little boy peeked over the top of the seatback at me, put his hands together and bowed his head in the Thai expression of respect. I was touched and told his mom her children were very beautiful and she gave me a huge smile.

Playing on the train Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

These kids were so adorable we got pics and so did their mom!

She and I tried to tell each other where we were heading, though, and our attempt at conversation was hopeless. I think she said they were going to the mountains, and I tried to tell her we were going to see some waterfalls. But sign language and giggles only go so far.

The train ride took us out into the countryside, far from the chaos of Bangkok, and soon we began to see the rural sights of farms and farmers tending their fields. Some of the farmers were tilling the land by hand.

Farming in Thailand Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

We passed lots of farm fields and farmers working.

Thailand farming Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

We passed a row of trees that was so perfectly lined up I just had to take a photo. I didn’t realize at the time that these trees were rubber trees. A few days later I would see these trees up close, each one holding a small mug-sized cup to catch the sap.

Rubber trees.

We also passed a cemetery filled with pointed shrines for deceased loved ones.

We caught a brief glimpse of a cemetery with lots of tombstones.

In no time, the trip was over. The three hours had zipped by, and we had arrived in Kanchanaburi.

Kanchanaburi Train Station Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Thailand

Kanchanaburi Railway Station

An agent came to the train and greeted all the foreigners as we got off the train. She asked each of us where we were staying and assigned us to a cab or tuk-tuk to get us there. We were staying at the Bure Homestay which is just a few kilometers from the train station.

Peering out the window of the cab, the town of Kanchanaburi seemed very inviting. We loved the fish that adorned the tops of all the streetlights.

Out on the streets of Kanchanaburi

Streetlight decoration Kanchanaburi Thailand

As we wandered around the town we noticed some very cool buses that were two stories tall and were painted up in wild colors and said “Mr. Beer” on the side.

There are many ways to travel in Thailand!!

We poked our heads inside one of these buses and were amazed to find that the entire first floor of the bus was a bar! The two bar tenders greeted us warmly, although they seemed to be a few sheets to the wind themselves, and we got a chuckle as we realized there are many ways to get around Thailand.

For us, the 3rd class train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi was a great way to go, and it felt very authentic and made for a very pleasant three hour ride.

Welcome to the Mr. Beer Bus!

But taking the Mr. Beer bus could always be another option!

There are a few tips for taking the 3rd class train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi below:

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More info about the 3rd class train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi:

Take small bills of 100 Baht and 200 Baht to the train station window to buy your ticket!
Train Schedule – Trains go twice a day from Thonburi Station in Bangkok and you can buy your ticket there
Location of Thonburi Station and Kanchanaburi – Interactive Google Maps
Bure Homestay – Where we stayed in Kanchanaburi (Bure Homestay location on map here)

Other blog posts from our travels in Thailand:

Other memorable train and bus trips we have taken:

A Bus trip in Chiapas, Mexico – A Day of Adventure

The Cog Railway in New Hampshire – The Little Engine That Could

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!

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Roads Less Traveled

Are you dreaming of RV living or the sailing life? We've been doing it since 2007 and we have lots of nomadic lifestyle tips and stories for you!

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Train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi – A Ride Through Thailand’s Countryside