The town of lies to the southeast of Erawan National Park within Kanchanaburi Province, approximately 120km west of Bangkok.

In the late 18th century, Kanchanaburi was established by King Rama I as a defensive outpost against possible Burmese attacks in what is now Lat Ya Sub-district.

In 1833, the town was moved about 16 km to the southeast along the river to its present site during the reign of King Rama III.

It is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southeast of the Buddhist temple Wat Tham Phu Wa which features a series of grotto shrines within a large limestone cave system.

It is the easiest access point to the nearby Tiger Temple (closed) and is also home to a Vipassana meditation center.

[10] After the completion of the railway line, most prisoners were concentrated in the Kanchanaburi area, and often sent on to Japan or French Indo-China.

The monsoon season runs from May through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.