Giant Rain Tree, Kanchanaburi

The tree is a chamchuri, Samanea saman, the rain tree - a South American species introduced to Thailand and widely planted for shade - and this one is well over a century old with a crown that spreads more than fifty metres across, standing on its own in open ground so the full canopy is visible from every side. Rain trees fold their leaflets in the evening and in rain, which lets water through to the ground beneath and is where the English name comes from. The site is privately managed with a small entry charge, a raised boardwalk built around and partly under the canopy to keep feet off the root zone, and the usual stalls and photo points; it became popular through Thai social media rather than any older tradition. It takes twenty minutes and functions as a stop on the way to or from Kanchanaburi rather than a destination. Standing on the roots and climbing the tree are prohibited for good reason.

What you actually see

• The crown - over fifty metres across on a single trunk.
• The boardwalk - raised walkway protecting the root zone.
• The isolation - the tree standing alone in open ground.
• The species - chamchuri, an introduced rain tree, not a native.

When to go

November to February for comfortable weather; the tree is there year-round. Early morning avoids both heat and the crowd at the photo points. Half an hour covers it.

Honest expectations

It is one tree - a twenty-minute stop, and it is charged for. Busy with photographers at weekends. Do not climb or stand on the roots; compaction damages the tree.

Nearby

Kanchanaburi town and the bridge over the Khwae are close; Erawan is north.