Magic and loss

The well-worn tourist trail that leads from Bangkok to the islands is best avoided in place of the wonder of Kanchantaburi says Emma Browne

The town of Kanchantaburi is usually associated with the novel and film The Bridge over the River Kwai. Unfortunately, it has now become better known as the place where two British tourists were shot in September, apparently after a fight with the part-owner of a local restaurant (a man who was also a police sergeant).

The bridge is the main attraction for tourists coming to Kanchantaburi and was constructed by Japanese prisoners of war (POW's) – Australian, Dutch, British and American – who were treated appallingly and subject to extreme working conditions while in captivity during World War II. The bridge was built as part of the 415km Thai-Burma railway that was needed as a crucial link between Japan's newly acquired territories in Singapore and Burma. 16,000 POWs and 100,000 labourers died in its construction – little wonder it is now known as the "Death Railway".

The best way to view the bridge is – perhaps obviously – from a train, so we did just that as part of a day trip and were able to get off the train and walk on some of the more precarious parts of the track. The railway clings to a sheer cliff, with a considerable drop into the River Kwai. But from the vantage point of the bridge there are amazing views to the surrounding mountains, the River Kwai and the not so distant Burmese border.

Also part of the day-long excursion from Kanchataburi was the elephant trekking and river rafting. The sheer size of an elephant is overwhelming, but it's a surprisingly comfortable ride. Just avoid drinking the local tipple (whiskey that is 70% alcohol, Red Bull and Coke) the night before, though.

At the sanctuary we got to meet the local who ran it and they told us of the dwindling elephant numbers in Thailand. 100 years ago there were 100,000 elephants, now there are 5,000; 2,000 in the wild and 3,000 in captivity.

The river rafting was "Thai style" – lazy and tranquil, as opposed to the white water hell raisers that tourists normally encounter on holidays.

In the afternoon we went to The Erawan National Park, which covers 500 kms of high mountains and valleys. The highlight of the Erawan National Park is a seven tiered waterfall, but the tour guide argued there was another highlight – a free massage.

This sounded like a bonus; the fact that the word "fish" slipped in there seemed to go unnoticed with the unassuming foreigners. They made it sound like a pleasant experience, but it is not to be recommended. It involves hundreds of fish nibbling at your flesh; although harmless it is a disquieting experience. The Thai children laughed at us ridiculous foreigners who couldn't handle it.

On a Sunday, the park is crowded with locals trying to get some relief from the heat. It is a serious climb to the seventh waterfall but well worth the trek as there are beautiful views along the way. There is also the Pra That cave featuring stalactites and stalagmites. If you are lucky you might see elephants, gibbons, cobras and pythons in the park.

Kanchantaburi town itself has lots of accommodation. We stayed in the Apple Guesthouse. The rooms are bamboo-style bungalows situated around lovely gardens. The guesthouse is famous for its restaurant, and also offers cookery classes. The food was the best we had in Asia.

There is also a travel agency available and you can book all your tours through them for a reduced rate. Most of the accommodation in Kanchantaburi is situated along the river in floating houses. Although you cannot swim in the river it is nice to look out from your balcony over the water lilies.

Kanchantaburi also has a great nightlife, with plenty of bars to choose from. We went out to several of the bars, each with their own unique attraction – at one spot, we had to avoid the advances of a thirsty ostrich.

In Bangkok it is mainly Westerners in the bars, but in Kanchataburi you can mix with the locals. There are plenty of great restaurants as well. Although Kanchataburi is not that big, it has managed to pack in the bars and restaurants without becoming the strips of Bangkok and Ko Samui.

There are lots of other attractions linked to the bridge in the surrounding Kanchantaburi area. The Jeath War museum, which is managed by a Thai monk, commemorates the POW's who died building the Bridge and recreates an allied prisoner of war camp. The Kanchantaburi Cemetery contains the graves of 6,892 soldiers who died building the bridge. 35 km from Kanchanaburi is the Ban Kao National Museum. When they were building the bridge they discovered a 4,000 year old Neolithic burial site. The museum displays skeleton remains and artifacts from the resulting archaeological dig.

Kanchantaburi is a great break from the insanity and overdevelopment of Bangkok. It is a peaceful (well until that one shooting incident) and laid back town. So many tourists head to the islands, but this is a really interesting part of Thailand. There are many indigenous hill tribes to visit further up in the mountains and numerous national parks allowing you to see the vegetation and wildlife of Thailand. It only takes two to three hours from Bangkok, facilitating a quick two- day break from the city. An essential stop for any Bangkok- weary traveller in need of serenity.

?More Getting there: There are regular buses from Bangkok to Kanchaburi.

The Apple Guesthouse cost €4 a night for a double room, fan and private bathroom.

Flights from Ireland: USIT offers flights for all ages for €610 Dublin – Bangkok via London.