Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Don Rak)
Immaculately kept resting place of 6,982 Allied POWs (British, Australian, Dutch) who died building the Burma Railway. Rows of bronze plaques set in manicured lawns.
- Category
- Historical Sites & Ruins
- Entrance fee
- Free (Commonwealth War Graves Commission site).
- Hours
- Roughly 08:00-17:00 daily. As of 2026, confirm locally.
- Best time
- Morning, cool season; quiet and shaded. Anzac Day (25 April) has a dawn service.
- Time needed
- 30-45 minutes
About Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Don Rak)
This is the quiet, moving heart of Kanchanaburi's WWII story. Rows of bronze plaques sit in beautifully kept lawns, each one a POW who died building the railway. It's free, it's central, and it's the kind of place that puts the rest of your trip in perspective.
Come in the morning when it's cool and shaded and you'll often have the paths largely to yourself. It's a working memorial, so keep it respectful.
Right across the road is the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, and pairing the two gives you the fullest and most respectful understanding of what the railway cost. Do them together.
Highlights
- Immaculately maintained lawns and rows of bronze plaques
- Central location, walkable from most guesthouses
- Quiet, shaded and calm in the early morning
- Directly opposite the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre
- Dawn service held on Anzac Day, 25 April
Tips
- Visit in the cool of the morning for shade and quiet
- Treat it as an active memorial and keep noise and dress respectful
- Cross the road to the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre for full context
- Easy to reach on foot from town, no transport needed
How to get there
On Saeng Chuto Rd in the town centre, opposite the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre. Walkable from most Kanchanaburi guesthouses, or a short songthaew ride.