Kanchanaburi vs Nakhon Si Thammarat
See how these destinations compare for your trip.
Choose two different destinations to compare.
Not sure where to go? Find my destination
Copyright of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
More striking natural scenery
River landscapes, forested hills and waterfalls make the surrounding scenery a major reason to visit.
Slightly easier exploring without a scooter
Walking works within heritage areas, with local rides between separated sights and arranged transport for countryside trips.
Side by side
What feels different
Our editorial assessments · Select a factor to see how we scored each place.
Why we rate Kanchanaburi 0/10
Kanchanaburi is inland, so there are no sea beaches.
Why we rate Nakhon Si Thammarat 2/10
Provincial beach outings are possible, but the city is a cultural base with no immediate beach-holiday setting.
What we assess
Beach appeal, convenient access and variety during a beach-focused stay, within the destination itself.
Why we rate Kanchanaburi 9/10
River landscapes, forested hills and waterfalls make the surrounding scenery a major reason to visit.
Why we rate Nakhon Si Thammarat 5/10
Nearby green countryside provides outings, while the normal city stay is primarily an urban experience.
What we assess
The visual impact of natural surroundings and how central those landscapes are to a typical stay.
Why we rate Kanchanaburi 8/10
The Death Railway, museums, memorials and historic town sites offer substantial cultural and historical depth.
Why we rate Nakhon Si Thammarat 9/10
Wat Phra Mahathat, historic streets and living shadow-puppet traditions give the city exceptional cultural depth.
What we assess
The variety, depth and practical access to historic places, temples, architecture, traditions and cultural experiences during a typical stay.
Why we rate Kanchanaburi 7/10
Local Thai food, riverside restaurants and markets make for a good range of meals during a typical stay.
Why we rate Nakhon Si Thammarat 8/10
Southern curries, khanom jeen, coffee shops and markets give the city a strong regional dining identity.
What we assess
Food quality, variety, distinctive local cooking and how readily visitors can find good places to eat, regardless of price.
Why we rate Kanchanaburi 3/10
Riverside bars and casual venues provide relaxed evenings, but late-night choice is limited.
Why we rate Nakhon Si Thammarat 5/10
Pubs, local music venues and evening eating areas offer a useful scene with less visitor-oriented breadth than larger hubs.
What we assess
The choice, variety and liveliness of evening venues, their opening hours and how easily you can enjoy a typical night out.
Why we rate Kanchanaburi 6/10
Riverside and countryside stays can be peaceful, while the central town and popular sights are busier.
Why we rate Nakhon Si Thammarat 5/10
A quieter hotel base is possible, though the cultural centre is also a busy working city.
What we assess
How easily you can enjoy a peaceful stay, considering traffic, nightlife noise, crowds and practical quieter bases.
Why we rate Kanchanaburi 0/10
Kanchanaburi is inland and has no sea-island excursions.
Why we rate Nakhon Si Thammarat 0/10
The city is not a practical island-hopping base; reaching an island ferry requires a separate onward journey.
What we assess
The variety of worthwhile sea-island trips, convenient departures, journey times and flexibility under normal operating conditions.
Why we rate Kanchanaburi 6/10
Tours, taxis and local transport cover headline sights, but waterfalls, railway stops and town bases are spread out.
Why we rate Nakhon Si Thammarat 7/10
Walking works within heritage areas, with local rides between separated sights and arranged transport for countryside trips.
What we assess
Freedom to explore without renting a scooter, using walking, public transport, taxis, tuk-tuks, ride-hailing or boats; transport price is assessed separately.
Why we rate Kanchanaburi 8/10
Affordable guesthouses, local food and low-cost rail and river activities make Kanchanaburi good value.
Why we rate Nakhon Si Thammarat 8/10
Simple city rooms, local meals and modest-cost sightseeing support a budget stay; wider excursions add transport costs.
What we assess
How easily you can enjoy a typical stay on a modest budget, including simple accommodation, food, realistic transport and characteristic activities.
Scores out of 10 · Higher means more of that characteristic About these scores
How to read the scale
Scores run from 0 to 10 and describe how strongly a destination offers each characteristic.
Higher does not always mean better
A higher nightlife score means a livelier scene. A higher quietness score means a calmer atmosphere. The right balance depends on your trip.
Close scores mean similar experiences
Small differences should not decide your trip on their own.
Kanchanaburi
Choose Kanchanaburi if...
- You want to explore the Death Railway, wartime museums and memorials.
- You want river scenery and waterfall outings alongside a town stay.
- You prefer a relaxed base with affordable guesthouses and local food.
The trade-off
The main nature outings and railway stops are spread well beyond the centre. Allow time and budget for transport rather than treating every attraction as a short trip from town.
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Choose Nakhon Si Thammarat if...
- Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan
- Historic streets and surviving city-wall heritage
- Suchart Subsin shadow-puppet heritage
The trade-off
The city is spread out; beaches and mountain attractions require extra travel.
Plan your trip
When to go
See how temperature, rainfall and travel conditions change through the year. Select a month to focus your comparison.
| Factor | Kanchanaburi | Nakhon Si Thammarat |
|---|---|---|
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 31°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 8 mm | 262 mm |
| Rainy days | 1.1 | 13.6 |
| Crowds | High | Unknown |
| Stay prices | High | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 35°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 18 mm | 77 mm |
| Rainy days | 1.5 | 5.8 |
| Crowds | High | Unknown |
| Stay prices | High | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 37°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 39 mm | 139 mm |
| Rainy days | 3.4 | 7.2 |
| Crowds | Moderate | Unknown |
| Stay prices | Typical | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 38°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 66 mm | 107 mm |
| Rainy days | 5.3 | 8.1 |
| Crowds | Moderate | Unknown |
| Stay prices | Typical | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 36°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 139 mm | 160 mm |
| Rainy days | 12.7 | 14.9 |
| Crowds | Low | Unknown |
| Stay prices | Typical | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 35°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 99 mm | 120 mm |
| Rainy days | 13.7 | 12.8 |
| Crowds | Low | Unknown |
| Stay prices | Typical | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 106 mm | 117 mm |
| Rainy days | 15.3 | 14.2 |
| Crowds | Low | Unknown |
| Stay prices | Typical | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 101 mm | 135 mm |
| Rainy days | 16 | 15.4 |
| Crowds | Low | Unknown |
| Stay prices | Typical | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 219 mm | 156 mm |
| Rainy days | 17.8 | 17.3 |
| Crowds | Low | Unknown |
| Stay prices | Typical | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 206 mm | 286 mm |
| Rainy days | 14.5 | 20.4 |
| Crowds | Moderate | Unknown |
| Stay prices | Typical | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 30°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 45 mm | 638 mm |
| Rainy days | 4.6 | 21.7 |
| Crowds | High | Unknown |
| Stay prices | High | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 30°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 7 mm | 511 mm |
| Rainy days | 1.2 | 19.1 |
| Crowds | High | Unknown |
| Stay prices | High | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average daytime high | ||||||||||||
| Kanchanaburi |
33°C
|
35°C
|
37°C
|
38°C
|
36°C
|
35°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
| Nakhon Si Thammarat |
31°C
|
32°C
|
33°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
33°C
|
32°C
|
30°C
|
30°C
|
| Monthly Rainfall | ||||||||||||
| Kanchanaburi |
8 mm
|
18 mm
|
39 mm
|
66 mm
|
139 mm
|
99 mm
|
106 mm
|
101 mm
|
219 mm
|
206 mm
|
45 mm
|
7 mm
|
| Nakhon Si Thammarat |
262 mm
|
77 mm
|
139 mm
|
107 mm
|
160 mm
|
120 mm
|
117 mm
|
135 mm
|
156 mm
|
286 mm
|
638 mm
|
511 mm
|
| Rainy days | ||||||||||||
| Kanchanaburi | 1.1 | 1.5 | 3.4 | 5.3 | 12.7 | 13.7 | 15.3 | 16 | 17.8 | 14.5 | 4.6 | 1.2 |
| Nakhon Si Thammarat | 13.6 | 5.8 | 7.2 | 8.1 | 14.9 | 12.8 | 14.2 | 15.4 | 17.3 | 20.4 | 21.7 | 19.1 |
| Crowds | ||||||||||||
| Kanchanaburi | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | High | High |
| Nakhon Si Thammarat | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Stay prices | ||||||||||||
| Kanchanaburi | High | High | Typical | Typical | Typical | Typical | Typical | Typical | Typical | Typical | High | High |
| Nakhon Si Thammarat | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Sea conditions | ||||||||||||
| Kanchanaburi | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Nakhon Si Thammarat | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Temperatures are historical average daytime highs, not the highest temperatures you might experience. Rainfall and rainy days are monthly averages, not a forecast. A rainy day need not mean rain all day.
Stay prices are relative to each destination’s usual rates. Holidays can bring extra crowds and higher prices. Sea conditions vary by beach and day; check local conditions before boat trips.
Kanchanaburi: Thai Meteorological Department — KANCHANABURI, 1991–2020.
Nakhon Si Thammarat: Thai Meteorological Department - NAKHONSI THAMMARAT (48552), 1991-2020.
Keep exploring
Considering somewhere else?
Copyright of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
Copyright of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)