AKE - Khwae Yai River Kayak Route

This group lists three (3) kayak tracks along the Khwae Yai River which originates near the border with Myanmar in the Tenasserim Hills. The Kwae Yai River was before simply known as the Mae Klong River which empties into the Gulf of Siam at Samut Songkhram. When Pierre Boulle’s novel "The Bridge on the River Kwai" written in 1952, turned into a well-known motion picture in 1957, confusion reigned all over. While in the film, the famous bridge was built over the "River Kwai", in reality it was not built over the Khwae River, but over the Mae Klong River in Tha Makham. People are inventive, so the Mae Klong River was shortened and the stretch north of Kanchanaburi was renamed the Khwae Yai; the Khwae River became the Khwae Noi. As thus geographical denominations were adapted following the movie.

The kayak route starts below the Sri Nakharin Dam at Tha Kradan and ends near the Mae Klong Dam in Tha Muang District of Kanchanaburi.

The famous "Bridge over the River Kwai" is part of the last track.

Ayutthaya Kayaking Experience [AKE] is a sporting branch of Ayutthaya Historical Research [AHR]. AKE’s objective is to promote kayaking tourism in Ayutthaya, by having a kayak presence on canals and rivers.

Kayaking is the perfect outdoor recreation to explore the city island contours and its surroundings. Any visitor to Ayutthaya - with some kayaking experience or enough sportive stamina - interested in kayaking with AKE is welcome. More information can be found at the AKE’s website: http://AyKaEx.yolasite.com.