Restaurant Ar-Par [ Ran Ar-Par ] |Kanchanaburi|

Restaurant Ar-Par [ Ran Ar-Par ]

The meaning of Ran is restaurant in Thai language. This is the driver's recommendation to us according to him Ar-Par is the best barbecue restaurant in Kanchanaburi city. I can judge the popularity of the restaurant with the amount of the dinners. It is buffet style so one can take as much as possible , but mind that waste will be penalized .

The barbecue in the center and the steamboat.

Som Tam [ A type of Thai Snack ]

Wat Arun [ Temple of Dawn ]

Wat Arun is one of the preserved temple of the Ayathaya dynasty. This is a place for sightseeing of the magnificent construction and the scenic sunset on the building. There are stairs that visitors are allowed to climb, a very steep stairs that is about 90 degree angle, the climb gives us a sense of undescribable fear of falling. Everyone minds every step in the stairs. besides the carving on the pagodas and the walls are very detailed and beautiful, definitely worth photo shooting.

The information of Wat Arun :

Admission Fee : 50 batt.

Hours : 8:30 am–5:30 pm [ Daily ]

Address: 
Wat Arun, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok, Thailand, 10600

Phone aka Contact number :  +66 2 891 2978

The sunset plays a scenic backdrop for the historic temple

Maeklong Railway Market

The market is situated on and along a stretch of railroad that is still in operation. However the major attraction of the market is to witness how the local hawkers clear the railroad as the train passes and reopen their stalls afterward. The train passes 4 times a day without following a fixed schedule. Once we reached we headed to the ticket counter to confirm the arrival time of the train. 

The weather was scorching. There are fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood, clothes, accessory and anything you can imagine in a market, however the prices are not exceptionally cheap. So we just walk around, snap some picture and wait for the train to come. 

A temple in on another street near the market

Their pineapple is so sweet and juicy

I guess the hawkers must be very annoyed by the boisterous crowd of visitors each day. Especially when the train is approaching, the whole crowd surrounds the end of market with cameras and video recording devices on hand scrambling to record the amazing culture. After the train passes through, the hawkers reopen their stalls and most of the crowd leave.  

Please be noted that the hawkers dislike people to stand in front of their stalls. They will be quite rude to you if you are standing there just to wait for the train. It is reasonable, they need to face this kind of disturbance everyday. Please be considerate when visiting this market.

The train arrival time for reference

More information on Mae klong Railway Market
Hours : 0700 : 1730
Address : 
Mae Klong Railway Station, Mae Klong, 
Samut Songkhram 75000, Thailand

Wat Pho

Wat Pho ( Reclining Buddha )

 

Wat Pho has the most huge Reclining Buddha in Thailand. The Buddha statue have gilt body, which is expressing dignity; especially formality or stateliness in appearance. The temple are flooded with tourists who are queuing to capture the magnificence of Reclining Buddha.

Wat Pho has a big compound. There are few pagodas, temples and also Buddha statues inside. While, I am curious as there are a variety of Buddha statues which include those Buddhism and Taoism. Does it mean that Buddhism accepts everybody as long as he/she has a good faith. Whatever, I like the buildings so much. The buildings are special where the walls are gilded with marbles and many Statues.

  

Walking further inside, there is a tall building and it has another tall Buddha statue. This is another Buddha Statue that has a gilt body. The hall is peaceful and is seemingly clad with the kindness of Buddha. There are many local Thai people kneel down and worship the Buddha. I can feel the sincerity and I do grab the chance to make a wish as well.

If you wish to know more information while visiting Wat Pho, Wat Pho also has good English speaking guides who will provide interesting information for around 200 - 400 baht, depending on how many people there are in your group and how good your negotiating skills are.

Another reason for visiting is the Wat Pho Massage School. You can learn how to give a proper, bone-crunching traditional Thai massage or experience one yourself.
Full body massage costs 480 baht an hour or Foot reflexology massage for 360 baht per 45 minutes.

The information of Wat Pho :

Admission Fee : 100 batt.

Area : 8 ha

Hours : 8:00 am–5:00 pm [ Daily ]

Address: 

2 Sanamchai Road, Phra Nakhon, 

Bangkok, Thailand 10200, Thailand

Phone aka Contact number : +66 2 225 9595

Kanchanaburi

First day
Kanchanaburi was our first destination of our Bangkok trip, it is a province in the western Thailand. The main purpose we visited was to get closer to the natural in this trip and pay a visit to the popular death railroad.

Reaching Kanchanburi:
From Don Mueang International Airport to Southern Bus Terminal
Meter-Taxi |300 Baht|, |1 hour travel|

From Southern Bus Terminal to Kanchanaburi Bus Terminal
Bus, |110 Baht per person|, |3-hour travel|

To get to our hotel we bargained with a lorry taxi driver, who also became our driver and tour guide for the next day. 15 Baht per person for a 3 km travel from the bus terminal to Sam's guest house. Quite a packed ride.

Sam's Guest House is a rather budget accommodation for tourists or backpackers, located in the city of Kanchanaburi, there are grocery stores, night pubs, and a night market in a walking distance. The condition of the room is quite cozy too (small and narrow) lol.

Info of Sam's Guest House 
Rate : Double room, |450 Baht per night|
Contact : (034) 51 59 56
Fax. : (034) 51 20 23
Address : 14/2 Maenamkwae Rd. Tumbon, Thamakham Amphur-Muang, 71000 Kanchanaburi City 
E-mail : sams_guesthouse@hotmail.com
Website : http://www.samsguesthouse.com

Night Market
After checking in and settle up, we went to the near by night market for dinner. There was a variety of local street food at a very cheap price

The 2nd Day

Getting Around
We bargain with the lorry taxi driver who agreed to take us getting around the tourist attraction for the whole day to 7 pm and the charge was 150 Baht per person. Without our carriages the space was of the tiny lorry taxi definitely ample for a group of 15 people.

Hellfire Pass Memorial  
It was a museum kointly established by the Thai and Australian government to commemorate the sacrificed souls of the war prisoners and labors who were coerced cruelly and to tell the story behind the construction of the 400 kilometers long Death Railroad that was completed in only 4 months.

There is a indoor showroom and one can also hike along the part abandoned railroad that stretches 3 kilometers long in a greenish jungle and the path will lead us to a cemetery where the some of dead were buried. It should have been fun to hike, but we just made it till the Hellfire Pass, the most difficult part of the railroad.

Information of HellFire Pass Memorial Museum
Admission Fee: Free of charge
Open hour: 9 am to 4 pm

The indoor show room of the museum

KraSae Cave
Next move to KraSae Cave, a cave with Buddha Statue, located just beside a wooden railroad bridge. We took a train back to Kanchanaburi City at 100 Baht per person in a very old "antique" train at 4 pm. One can walk on the amazing railroad bridge before the train arrives to snap picture and have a view of the river lies beside the railroad.

The train ride was very relaxing and it penetrates some of the most rural area and agricultural area of Thailand. Then it crossed the river on the popular River Kwai Bridge before the Kanchanaburi city.

An antique interior of the old coach

So bad we were on the train and unable to take a picture of the whole bridge

Restaurant Ar-Par

We have planed to dine in a barbecue restaurant, and the driver recommended us to Ar-Par according to him, this is the most popular Buffet style Barbecue restaurant in the Knachanaburi city. I could judge the popularity of the restaurant with the amount of the dinners. The Barbecue pork slice and beacon were especially tasty.