Greetings. As the university is currently on break, my friends and I are planning a trip together.

This is our second trip together. On the way there, we will take a sightseeing train and spend one night on the train. On the way back, we will take a van back. This is a rough plan.

To make the story more enjoyable, let's get to know our travel companions a little better. There are four of us on this trip. My name is Som, or my friends call me "Sao". I love taking pictures. She also likes it, but I like her more (I mean the mountains, haha!!). So most of the pictures will be from my camera. Please follow me, hehe. I will be in charge of almost everything on this trip, such as finding accommodation, planning activities, and deciding where we will go and how we will travel. But I will also discuss it with Nan, Ui, and Gam. Actually, there are five of us in our group, but Aok couldn't come because of business.

What is a special train or a tourist train? Oh, I'm so curious!?

The tourist train operates only on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. The special train to Kanchanaburi (Waterfall) is train number 909. It departs from Hua Lamphong Railway Station and terminates at Nam Tok (Sai Yok Noi) Station. The train departs at 6:30 am and arrives at Nam Tok Station at approximately 11:30 am, according to the information provided by the staff when booking the ticket. However, on the actual day, we arrived at Nam Tok Station at 12:20 pm. Therefore, it is advisable to allow extra time for the journey.

Seat reservation process

For inquiries and seat reservations, please contact the State Railway of Thailand's Call Center at 1690, which is available 24 hours a day. The staff is well-trained and can answer any questions you may have. Please be patient as lines may be busy at times.

The Thai Railway offers an additional booking channel: online reservations through the website https://www.thairailwayticket.com/eTSRT/. However, for special trains, reservations must be made by phone at 1690. Tickets can be booked up to 60 days in advance.

When making a seat reservation, the staff will ask: Where is the starting point? Where is the destination? What is the travel date? How many people are there? After checking, they will inform you how many seats are available and the type of train, which is a 3rd class fan train. Then, they will ask for the ID card number and the full name of each passenger. Therefore, before making a call, you should prepare the necessary information to avoid wasting time on the phone. You may miss an opportunity. For example, when we first called to inquire, we did not have the information of our friends who would be traveling with us. So we told the staff that we would call back later. At that time, there were 45 seats available. When we called back in the evening after gathering the information, there were only 38 seats left. You see, it only took a few hours. Before hanging up, the staff will review the details to make sure they are correct. They will also provide travel details such as the train number, carriage number, seat number on the train, and the code to collect the ticket at the designated station.

1. Bangkok, Samsen, Bang Sue Junction 1, Bang Sue Junction 2, Bang Khen, Lak Si, Don Mueang, and Rangsit

2. Makkasan, Mae Nam, Khlong Tan, Hua Mak, Ban Thap Chang, Lat Krabang, and Hua Ta Khee

3. Thon Buri, Bang Bamru, Chum Thaling Chan, Sala Thammasop, and Salaya

4. Wongwian Yai and Talad Phlu

Reference: State Railway of Thailand

Ticket collection process

We need to pick up the tickets the next day after calling to book. The pick-up time is before 10:00 PM. We can pick them up at the designated station and bring the ID cards of all passengers. However, my friend and I live in different places. We can use a photocopy of our ID cards or even take a picture of our ID cards and send it to our friend to print as a document. The ticket price is 120 baht per person for a round-trip ticket on a third-class fan train.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

We departed from Rangsit University at 4:30 AM. We used Grab Taxi to reach Hua Lamphong Railway Station around 5:00 AM. First, we explored the area to get our bearings, and then we went out to find something to eat.

We ate at a restaurant next to 7-11, opposite the station. It's a made-to-order food stall. Overall, it was good and edible. The sukiyaki dipping sauce was delicious, but the vegetables were a bit tough. The chicken rice soup was tasty.

It is almost 6:00 AM. Let's go into the station and wait.

The train staff announced that passengers on train 909 to Nam Tok could now store their luggage. Since we booked our tickets late, we were worried that we wouldn't get good seats. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we had been assigned a comfortable three-person seat that faced the train staff. Initially, we were concerned that this might hinder our conversation, but it turned out to be a non-issue as we were able to move around freely. Furthermore, we were fortunate that the passengers who had booked the seats next to us did not show up, giving us more space and privacy. Nan and I sat together, while Gam sat with Ui. Similarly, the passengers who had booked the seats next to them were also absent, allowing them to enjoy the extra space.

The train crew consisted of a driver, a police officer, another official, and a repair technician. After the train departed, the official and the police officer came to check tickets and asked if anyone would be staying overnight so they could verify the passenger count. All the staff were cheerful, polite, and even humorous, especially the police officer, who kept cracking jokes to entertain the passengers.

Our first stop was Nakhon Pathom Station, arriving around 8:00 AM. We decided that it would be too late to enter and pay respects to the Buddha, so we worshipped at the entrance and then went out to find something to eat. Of course, Nakhon Pathom Province is famous for its delicious food. The morning market has a wide variety of food to choose from, including savory and sweet dishes, fruits, vegetables, tea, and coffee. There were also monks walking around collecting alms. If you want to make merit, you can buy food from the market and offer it to them. It's very convenient.

Time flies, and we returned to the train to continue our journey. After Nakhon Pathom station, the train driver changed. Some people ran to get on the train. The staff said that four people had fallen off the train, so we had to make up some time. They won't wait for us, so we have to be on time!

As we embarked on our journey, a police officer announced a list of local delicacies that could be purchased as souvenirs. The officer's enthusiastic descriptions were reminiscent of a cooking show, making our mouths water. However, as we were not returning home, we had to forgo these culinary delights. Among the items mentioned, I recall dried noodles, boiled fish balls, steamed curried fish custard, fresh palm sugar, and palm cake. While there were many other dishes listed, my memory fails me at this point.

At 10:10 am, we arrived at the Saphan Kwai Yai Station. We took photos with the bridge over the River Kwai. There were quite a lot of people because it was a holiday.

As the train crossed the bridge, the driver opened the front door and drove slowly to allow everyone to take pictures. The driver noticed that I liked taking pictures, so he called me to the front. I ended up with a VIP spot at the very front, with no one in front of me. I have to thank him so much. But I also sat down below to let others take pictures.

11:20 am. Arrival at Tha Kilen Station. The journey is surrounded by lush greenery, especially during the rainy season. The cool, cloudy weather provides a refreshing and visually pleasing experience. Before entering the historic railway line, the driver slows down to allow passengers to take pictures. On the left side, we can see the view of the River Kwai, while the right side is adjacent to a cliff face. The police officer suggests touching the cliff face and making a wish, then touching your forehead (personal belief).

12:20 pm. We have arrived at the waterfall station! Hooray!

Before disembarking from the train, we had the opportunity to thank the train driver. He kindly recommended sightseeing spots and onward travel options for us. He was so lovely! Thank you very much! : ) So we took a picture.

We had an appointment with The River Life Resort for a 1:30 pm pick-up. This gave us time to walk around and take photos.

It was lunchtime, and we were looking for something to eat. As we walked, we passed by many shops selling snacks and souvenirs. Most of the shops sold similar items, such as banana chips, fried sweet potatoes, and fried taro. These snacks came in various flavors, including salty, sweet, and barbecue. We tried some and liked them so much that we bought four bags for 100 baht. A little further down the road, we saw a shop selling pomelo. The pomelo looked delicious, so we bought one for 50 baht. It was ready to eat, and the owner had peeled it beautifully. The pomelo tasted great, and we were very happy with our purchase.

The restaurant we chose for dinner is located near a 7-Eleven. I can't remember the name, but it has many picture frames on the walls, mostly of Thai royalty and family photos. This can serve as a landmark. The food doesn't take long to arrive, and it's delicious. I especially enjoyed the grilled chicken, which wasn't too dry and had just the right amount of flavorful sauce.

Around 1:20 PM, the resort called to inform us that they were on their way to pick us up. They would be waiting near the 7-Eleven store. After we finished our errands, the driver called again and said that they were parked a little past the 7-Eleven in a white, four-door Ford. We initially asked for the license plate number, but the driver couldn't seem to recall it. We figured it wouldn't be too difficult to find them, though. We walked a short distance and spotted a suspicious-looking car, which turned out to be the right one. Moments later, the driver came out to greet us. It was time to head to our accommodation. On the way, we chatted like old friends catching up after a long time. We doubled the fun by cracking jokes about everything we saw along the way. The scenery was breathtaking, with rolling hills stretching out in the distance, some higher than others. The mountains, however, were only visible on one side of the road.

On the way, we passed cassava fields, cornfields, and pomelo orchards. We glanced at the driver from time to time, fearing that he might be annoyed by us. But he seemed kind and smiled at us. As we approached our accommodation, my friends in the back seat argued about the type of tree growing along the roadside. The driver then spoke up, "It's a corn plant." This was the first sentence we exchanged on the car. We didn't ask his name, and we weren't sure who he was. But one thing was certain: he provided us with excellent service and had a pleasant voice. He sounded handsome, and he was quite charming. We were all smitten with him.

The resort we chose to stay at on this trip is called The River Life Resort. We liked the look of it from the pictures on their page, and our friends were also okay with it, so we decided to book it. This is the entrance.

The resort is located 13.6 km from the waterfall station. It takes less than 30 minutes from the waterfall station.

The resort offers a variety of accommodations, including:

• Loft zone: 1,900 baht with 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) for 2 people
• Raft zone: 3,500 baht with 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) for 2 people
• Building zone: 2,800/2,500 baht with 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) for 2 people
• Bamboo rafting activity: 150 baht per person
• Extra person: 800 baht (1 person per room) with extra bed and 2 meals (breakfast and dinner)

For further information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/theriverliferesort.kancha...

Phone: 081-8305630, 089-2515111 or Email: [email protected]

Reference from: https://www.facebook.com/theriverliferesort.kancha...

-----------------This review is not sponsored, but I was so impressed that I wanted to share it-----------------

We opted for the "Raft zone," which involves sleeping on a floating raft. After checking in, we paid 150 baht per person for the raft ride and a 500 baht deposit for the room, which was refundable upon checkout and returning the key. While we were checking in, we noticed a young man with a cute puppy, likely a Spitz breed named "White," based on the conversation we overheard. He mentioned having another dog but couldn't locate it at the time.

Let's put our belongings away. Someone will help us carry them. He asked if there was anything he could help with. Ms. Uei immediately replied, "Yes, there is." Well, this one is done with Ms. Uei. As for the other friends, they will carry their own belongings. They are already strong and sturdy, haha. The interior decoration of the room is in a modern style. The main material is wood. The room has a large bed that can accommodate two people, a sofa, and several pillows. We are very happy because we love pillows and need more than two. It's a good fit, haha. Amenities include towels, face towels, blankets, pillows, a refrigerator, and two bottles of water in the refrigerator. The resort's packaging design is beautiful. The amount of water is just right, not too big or too small. There is a hairdryer, which we like very much because we have long hair. Those who come to stay here don't need to bring their own. There is a TV, a table for placing things, and a clothes drying rack in the room that is attached to the wall. Let's go to the bathroom. There is a toilet with a bidet, a water heater, a sink, and a shower. We tried turning on the water, and it was great. The water pressure is strong, and the shower head is large. When you take a shower, it's clean and refreshing! There is a bottle of shampoo and shower gel, and there is a faucet under the shower head.

Let's explore outside. Open the large sliding door to reveal a multi-level wooden balcony. Two reclining wooden chairs are placed in front of the room, and a bamboo platform extends outward. We can sit down, watch the boats passing by, or dip our feet in the water from our room.

Our bedroom was divided into two adjoining rooms. Gam and I slept in one room, while Nann and Ui slept in the other. We had informed the resort in advance that we wanted adjoining rooms, and they were able to accommodate our request. This allowed us to easily walk between rooms and play with our friends.

Let's rest for a while to save our energy for the bamboo raft ride. At 4 pm, the raft docked at the pier. The other guests who were staying with us came out one by one to wait for the raft. It was a bamboo raft with iron buoys on both sides that could float on the water. As far as we could tell, the room we were sleeping in downstairs also used the same type of iron buoys, so it was definitely strong and safe! There were life jackets prepared for everyone who was going on the raft ride, so there was no need to worry.

After a short wait, it was finally our turn! Our raft held four of us: the guy from the room next door and his girlfriend, and two other guys from a family who had to join our raft because theirs was overcrowded. In total, there were eight of us on the raft, which was perfectly comfortable. The rafts were tied together in groups of three, with ours in the middle. As we started to drift away, we realized we hadn't brought our phones or cameras because we planned to go swimming. We regretted this decision almost immediately, as the view from the raft was breathtaking. We could see the mountains stretching out in the distance, with a light rain falling and low-hanging clouds. The white of the clouds against the green of the mountains created a perfect contrast. It was simply magical.

Dipping your feet in the water while the raft slowly drifts by is truly a relaxing experience. The surrounding trees and forests provide a serene backdrop for reflection and conversation with friends and fellow travelers. After a while, our raft separates from the others, leaving us to enjoy the tranquility of the river alone. Each raft is equipped with two oars and a guide, and with nine people on board, we have ample space to move around. The resort's rafts have convenient ladders at the back, making it easy to get in and out of the water for a refreshing swim.

The boys wasted no time and jumped into the water immediately. I followed suit, but I was hesitant at first because I had never swum in a large river like this before. I had only ever swum in swimming pools. However, all four of them knew how to swim, so I decided to take the plunge. We agreed that my friend would climb up and we would jump in together. Okay, the three of us, except for Uai, who didn't go in because she was a girl. The boys didn't understand and turned to ask their girlfriends. I remember screaming because I was so excited. I needed to gather my courage for a moment. 555 Plus, we pushed me and Gam down with a flourish. Boom! Oh, hey, that was fun. Once I jumped in, it wasn't that difficult anymore. Now it was fun. When we got close to the resort, we climbed up and sat on a raft to rest. We went up to shower and get ready to go out for dinner. I forgot to tell you that Nin, who was on the same raft as us, couldn't keep up with the raft while swimming, so he was left behind. He had to get on the raft that followed. I felt a little sorry for him, but Nin said he was okay. 555 He seemed so chill. 555 I saw Nin again at dinner. We were sitting with our backs to each other. He told me that he ended up swimming to the resort. He said he was very tired. Well, you deserve it, brother. 5555

After expending our energy playing in the water, it was time to refuel with dinner. However, we were late to the table, causing the resort staff to come looking for us. Our tardiness was due to our playful photo session (oops!). As it was drizzling, we couldn't dine outside, so we settled upstairs. The ambiance was delightful, with a cool breeze and an open front featuring two large swings on either side. Glass doors on the sides allowed for fresh air circulation. The temperature was perfect, and the warm, orange-toned lighting created a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.

We enjoyed our meal immensely, with great music playing throughout the dinner. The international music selection was fantastic. The five-course dinner included deep-fried fish with three flavors, mixed glass noodle salad, stir-fried vegetables with catfish, and jungle curry with chicken. All dishes except the fried fish were refillable. Drinks included free refills of ice water and large glass bottles of water. We were a bit worried about breaking their beautiful glass bottles, though.

After dinner, other tables gradually returned to their rooms, leaving three tables to continue drinking. Of course, one of them was our table. In addition to plain water, there were a variety of brands of drinks to choose from. At a glance, there were Hoegaarden rosee, Hoegaarden wit blanche, Heineken, Leo, Spy, and Breezer. There were also soft drinks available.

We started playing drinking games, starting with a word guessing game using the Chayen app. Whoever got the lowest score had to drink. After a while, we switched to a different game that required a bit more focus. The rules were to count numbers consecutively, but with a twist. We set specific numbers, like 3, 7, or any other number, as "forbidden" numbers. If someone reached a forbidden number, they had to clap instead of saying it. Anyone who made a mistake or was slow had to drink. We played until Gam and Ui had finished their drinks, leaving Nan and me in the game. As the numbers changed frequently, I started to lose track, feeling like a computer that had been running all day without a break. We both started making mistakes more often, so we decided to count in intervals instead of aiming for a specific number. We set goals of 20, 30, and so on, gradually increasing the numbers. It was hilarious and a lot of fun. The game ended around 10:30 PM, with Nan emerging as the victor. I had to raise the white flag!

After ten o'clock in the evening, we went out to sit by the river. We saw the room next door. Why did they come out to sit in the dark? At first, we turned on the lights, but when we lay down and looked at the sky, we saw stars, so we turned off the lights and brought pillows to sleep outside. We lay down and watched the stars, listened to music, and relaxed. Oh, it was great. I was happy. The night sky is beautiful. In Bangkok, you don't see many stars. You only see the lights. The dark sky allows you to see the stars. We played for a while and went to bed around midnight. We packed our things and prepared to travel back tomorrow.

On the morning of July 16th, our friends woke up around 5:00 am, almost 6:00 am. However, we had stayed up late the night before, so we woke up at 6:30 am. We went to the bathroom to wash our faces and brush our teeth, then went out to sit and play in front of the room. Afterwards, we went out to capture the surrounding atmosphere.

At approximately 7:30 am, we ascended to the dining area to await breakfast. The meal was scheduled to be served at 8:00 am, so we opted to consume Ovaltine and bread to satiate our hunger pangs. Shortly thereafter, the food arrived. The breakfast spread consisted of bread, butter, fruit jam, a toaster, Ovaltine, coffee, rice porridge, fried rice topped with a heart-shaped fried egg, and sausages.

After we finished recharging, we made an appointment with the resort at 10:00 AM to take us to the bus station to catch a bus to Kanchanaburi city.

We returned to collect our belongings and check out of the accommodation to receive our security deposit refund. On the way back, another staff member drove us. We asked him his name, and he said it was Kwan. He was a man, probably around the same age as us or younger (we are 22 this year). We asked him about getting into town, and he said he would drop us off at the bus stop, which is just past the waterfall station, in front of the police station.

The buses are either air-conditioned or fan-powered, depending on your luck. Buses are frequent and arrive every 20 minutes. We asked Khwan how to get around town, and she suggested hiring a two-wheeled taxi for the day. The driver would recommend places to visit. Our destination was Tiger Cave Temple. On the way, Khwan played a guessing game with us, just like on the way there. She asked, "Do you know what this road is called?" We don't remember if anyone answered correctly. The answer is "One-Sided Love Road" because there are mountains on only one side of the road. We asked how she knew, and she said she had heard it. We were confused because she hadn't picked us up on the first day. After some questioning, we learned that Khwan had heard the joke from the driver who picked us up on the first day. It was a joke we had played on the first day. We were a little embarrassed because we had played a lot of jokes, some funny and some not, but we laughed all the way. Khwan is friendly and asked if we liked it here. She also suggested when to come for the best views. Let's just say she made us want to come back to Kanchanaburi again.

We waited less than 20 minutes for the bus, and it arrived right on time. The front of the bus displayed a sign that read "Kanchanaburi-Sangkhla Buri." The waiting passengers began to board. Confidently, we asked the driver if the bus went to Kanchanaburi town. He said yes, so we got on. On the way to town, we passed Mallika City. We only saw it from the outside, and it was crowded. If we have the chance to visit again, we'll have to stop by. The fare from Sai Yok Noi Waterfall to Kanchanaburi was 50 baht per person. The driver drove slowly, and the bus was air-conditioned. It took about 2 hours to reach Kanchanaburi Bus Station.

The time was around 1:00 PM. As we got off the bus, several vans and shared taxis approached us, asking where we were headed next. However, from this point forward, only three of us would be continuing the journey. Gaem had to return to work, so we dropped her off at a bus back to Bangkok. We met a shared taxi driver named Uncle Odd and agreed on a price and destinations. He offered to take us to two places for 500 baht, which we happily accepted. The two places were Wat Tham Sua (Tiger Cave Temple) and Wat Baan Tham (Cave Temple). Uncle Odd suggested the latter as it was on the way to Wat Tham Sua.

The distance from the transportation to Wat Baan Tham is approximately 17.1 km. It takes less than 30 minutes to reach the temple. We visited the temple without any prior information, simply following Uncle Od's recommendation. Uncle Od got out of the car and briefly explained that Wat Baan Tham is a temple with a long history, built during the Sukhothai period by a wealthy man. He created a gilded Buddha statue inside a cave and later built a temple at the foot of the hill. There is also a legend about Khun Plan and Mae Bua Klii, where Khun Plan lured Mae Bua Klii and cut open her stomach to take the child to make a Kumarn. Uncle Od suggested climbing the stairs and focusing on our desires while ascending to achieve our goals (personal belief).

As we approached the bottom of the stairs, we couldn't help but gasp in awe. The climb seemed daunting, but we were determined to reach the top. We purchased garlands to offer to the Buddha statue enshrined within the cave.

After a short hike, we reached the cave. We paid our respects to the Buddha statue and offered alms to the monks. We rested for a while to catch our breath, and then we descended. My legs were shaking so much! Some of us were groaning. For those who are worried about the climb, there are vending machines and restrooms available at the top.

In the cave, there is a large statue of Luang Pho Yai Chinna Rat.

The cave has openings that allow sunlight and wind to pass through, creating a cool and refreshing atmosphere.

We continued our journey to Wat Tham Sua. We had seen a picture of Wat Tham Sua taken from a high angle on the Unseen Tour Thailand page, so we set a goal to visit it on this trip. And we were not disappointed. The picture was beautiful, but seeing it in person was even more stunning.

After paying respects at the temple and making merit, we boarded a van back to Bangkok. The van fare was 120 baht per person. There were many van companies to choose from, and the vans departed frequently. The van was bustling with both Thai and foreign tourists. Two Japanese tourists joined us on our ride. The journey took about 3 hours, and we arrived at the Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal.

We were looking for a van to go to Future Park when we came across a sign for a bus to Ang Thong. However, the bus stopped at Future Park, so we got on it. We asked the driver if it passed by Muang Ek, as it would be very convenient for us. We also asked where it passed closest to Rangsit University. The driver told us that getting off at Future Park was the closest, and that he could only let us off at the van stop. He couldn't let us off anywhere else. We understood. The van fare was 30 baht per person. The driver joked with the passengers that only one person on the whole bus was going to Ang Thong, while the rest were getting off at Future Park. When we arrived at our dorm, we put our things away and went out to find something to eat. For this trip, we decided to end with shabu because we were very hungry. We ate a lot!

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