Kanchanaburi (Thailand) – August 25, 2016 (travelindex) – The small town of Kanchanaburi is still a hidden gem for most travelers to Thailand, but it offers a fascinating blend of rural charm and history. If you'd prefer to spend every day of your vacation on the beach in Phuket, Pattaya, or Koh Samui, then you can stop reading now.

Kanchanaburi is an ideal destination for those who want to add an adventurous touch to their relaxation. The perfect base for exploring this fascinating region, 130 km west of Bangkok, is the Felix River Kwai Resort – overlooking the tranquil river and the famous Bridge on the River Kwai.

Once a Sheraton and later a Novotel, this is a resort with real charm; peaceful and authentic with many Thai guests.

Australians who come here mainly visit the bridge, take a trip to Hellfire Pass, visit the numerous war cemeteries and museums, as well as the many temples.

The city's location on the edge of a mountain range means that it is significantly cooler there than in the other provinces of central Thailand.

Other attractions in the region include rides on rustic regional trains through the remote countryside, the Wat Tham Phu Wa temple with its grotto shrines in a large limestone cave system, and several elephant sanctuaries. Thankfully, a temple where visitors could pose with tranquilized tigers was recently closed.

Kanchanaburi was under Japanese occupation during World War II. Asian forced laborers and Allied prisoners of war, including many Australians, were forced to build the infamous Burma Railway, including the bridge and Hellfire Pass, which was about an hour's drive away. Nearly half of the prisoners involved in the project died from disease, mistreatment, or accidents.

In Kanchanaburi there is a monument and two museums commemorating the dead, as well as two impeccably maintained war cemeteries.

Both at the hotel and in the surrounding area, you get a glimpse of authentic Thailand. The food isn't simplified for tourists, and many locals speak little to no English. Pointing can be a very effective means of communication in Kanchanaburi's lively night markets.

The hotel, from which you can walk across the bridge into town, has 255 rooms and suites, all with private balconies, as well as a log cabin retreat for VIP guests. There are two large and very clean swimming pools, extensive gardens, and a riverside promenade. Streams meander through the gardens and are home to enormous carp. There are also two tennis courts.

There are wellness and fitness facilities, bicycles and canoes for hire, as well as large rafts that serve dinner on the river at weekends.

Those feeling adventurous can grab a longboat and head down the river to one of the many floating restaurants.

Since many of the guests at the Felix are locals attending conferences during the week, the food is tasty and reasonably priced – and there is also an upscale Chinese restaurant on site, as well as a pool bar, a karaoke bar and a cocktail lounge.

It's a charming, if somewhat dated, hotel where you can relax for a few days, and the staff's friendliness is infectious. The very spacious rooms can be booked online from around $90 per night – good value for money.

Felix River Kwai Resort Kanchanaburi, 9/1, Thamakham 12 Alley, Tha Ma Kham, Muang, Kanchanaburi 71000, Thailand. +66 34 551 000. www.felixriverkwai.co.th.