A spot that has recently gained popularity in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, Baan Tao Than (บ้านเตาถ่าน) is becoming increasingly well known among Thai travellers for its majestic mountain views and wide green grasslands.
We visited Baan Tao Than ourselves and will guide you through how to get there, what to expect, and whether we think it is worth the trip.
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Why Visit Baan Tao Than
Dear Readers,
From a short stop for the view to a leisurely picnic at the far end of Vajiralongkorn Dam, Baan Tao Than offers scenery that feels quite rare in Thailand. Many people visit as a stop while exploring the wider Kanchanaburi area, while others plan a trip specifically for this place. We were among the latter, dedicating a day’s plan, setting out early in the morning and driving for around an hour just for the view.
When people think of Kanchanaburi, Erawan Falls and the Death Railway often come to mind first, but there are also places like Baan Tao Than that have the potential to stand out among the popular locations.
Located around Vajiralongkorn Dam, the landscape changes with the seasons. The view that made the area popular is one of green grassland stretching towards the mountains, with a stream running through it. During periods of heavier rainfall, when the water level rises, the grassland can become submerged and take on the appearance of a lake. Beyond it, the mountains stood almost like a wall in the distance.
The road leading to Baan Tao Than also passes through a more local landscape, lined with homes and farmland, including rubber plantations and passion fruit farms. When the water is higher, the area also becomes a spot for fishing.
How to Get There
On Google Maps, you may also find the spot listed as “สวิตเซอร์แลนด์เมืองไทย,” which translates directly to “Thailand’s Switzerland,” a name that may reflect the quality of the view there. The one marked as “บ้านเตาถ่าน” is the entrance when you turn away from the main road (3272); once you are there, simply continue driving along the road, and you will eventually arrive at the destination.
Probably the number one concern at the moment is how to get there.
The spot is reachable by car and motorcycle, passing through the village and up to the viewpoint; it is a dirt road halfway through. If you’re planning to visit and wondering whether you can drive up there yourself, we will show you what to expect.
Driving Yourself (personal/rental car)
A four-wheel-drive or high-clearance SUV or pickup truck is recommended, especially during the rainy season.
For motorcycles, you do not necessarily need a dirt bike. Most regular motorbikes should be able to manage the route, and locals often ride up on very simple everyday models.
According to our local guide, normal compact cars and sedans can still make the drive, and quite a few visitors do drive up there themselves. However, there have also been rare occasional cases of cars getting scratches and damage, with some drivers deciding to turn back, and one even lost their front bumper. Some people who would not drive there themselves are those who especially love their car, or are worried about their driving skill. If you are here with a rental car, we would strongly advise against driving up there yourself, unless your rental is suitable.
During the rainy season, when puddles form in sections, many also lose their license plate driving past; evidently, there is a tree where the locals hang visitors’ lost license plates on, with around a dozen on that tree.
Local Service
For those who do not want to risk driving up yourself, once you turn into Baan Tao Than, there will start to be signs (mostly in Thai) for car hire, where the locals will drive you up there in their trucks. For those who cannot read the sign or have the ability to call the numbers, you may stop by and ask the local; chances are they will be more than willing to offer the service or introduce you to someone who would.
During our visit, it cost us 500 baht; prices may vary.
When to Visit
As mentioned earlier, the landscape at Baan Tao Than changes noticeably with the seasons. During the drier months, you can expect lush green grassland with a stream running through it, while by the later part of the rainy season, the area can transform into something closer to a lake. The greener season is when you can enjoy the landscape most fully, walking across the grass or spending some time here with a small picnic.
- Our local guide recommends: May to June as the best time to visit, especially early in the morning.
- Weekends are generally when the area receives the most visitors.
- We visited in August, when the grassland had already become a lake.
One benefit of visiting during the rainy season or winter is the higher chance of seeing mist or fog hovering around the mountains. Winter also brings more comfortable temperatures, often around or below 20°C, with lows that can occasionally reach around 9°C.
- Recommended seasons for fog: Rainy season and winter.
The downside of visiting during the rainy season is that rising water can limit how far you are able to go. Once the water becomes too high, it is no longer possible to drive further into certain parts of the area.
If you are lucky, however, you may arrive when the water level is still low enough for local drivers to take you through some of the flooded sections. Our guide told us that, during the year we visited, this was still possible around late July to early August (the timing changes depending on rainfall). By the time we visited in late August, the water had already risen to around two metres.
The small huts you may see standing in the water are actually local fishing huts. During the high-water season, the area becomes a fishing spot for people living nearby. Apparently, it may also be possible to spend time at one of these huts if you know the right person to contact, so it is worth asking the locals for more information once you arrive
Is Baan Thao Than Worth Visiting
In our opinion, Baan Tao Than is worth visiting even during the rainy season, when the water has already filled much of the grassland, especially if you are already travelling around Kanchanaburi and staying reasonably close to the area. The view is certainly memorable and not something you commonly see in Thailand.
For context, we stayed at Cherlynn Resort the night before our visit, around an hour away from Baan Tao Than. We left the hotel at 5 a.m., arrived at around 6:20 a.m., and still made it back to the resort in time for breakfast at 10 a.m.
During the greener months, when the destination is at its best, we imagine the visit would be even more worthwhile, as you can spend more time walking around and travel further into the area. Our local guide even told us about a group of foreign visitors who had hired a car from Bangkok specifically for a day trip here, along with a few other stops nearby. We would say that is quite an extreme way to visit, but it is certainly possible.
For us, Baan Tao Than is not only worth visiting once, but also somewhere we would happily return to on a future Kanchanaburi trip. Its seasonal character gives the place another layer of appeal, as the landscape can look completely different depending on when you come. The view during our visit was genuinely breathtaking.
We would recommend adding Baan Tao Than to your Kanchanaburi itinerary if you are travelling in this part of the province. If you are interested, you can also visit our Kanchanaburi itinerary, which includes a stop here.
With the area growing in popularity, there are also plans being discussed to improve the site for visitors, including the addition of portable toilets and other basic facilities. We are curious to see how the destination develops and what might be added in the future to make the visit even more convenient.
Have a great visit,
Travel Tegami