Kanchanaburi Full Day Tour: River Kwai and Erawan Falls
Description
Leave the hustle and bustle of Bangkok behind you for a full day visit to Kanchanaburi Province. While today it is a popular destination for travelers from around the world, the area is deeply connected to the tragic history of the Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway, built during World War II under extremely harsh conditions by prisoners of war and forced laborers. This full day tour offers a memorable combination of history and nature with visits to the JEATH War Museum and the famous Bridge on the River Kwai, a historic landmark spanning the Kwai Yai River. You will then continue to the beautiful Erawan National Park, where seven tiers of emerald-green waterfalls cascade through lush tropical forest. Here you will have time to relax, explore the walking trails or even take a refreshing swim in the natural pools, making it a perfect balance between history, culture and nature.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The JEATH War Museum is dedicated to the story of the men who worked on the Death Railway. The acronym JEATH stands for the different nationalities of the POWs that worked on the construction of the railway between 1942 and 1943: Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland (The Netherlands). The museum displays the actual items that were used for the construction of the Death Railway and it exhibits a large number of photographs taken by prisoners at the time. One of the three galleries featuring photos is housed within a bamboo hut that’s an exact replica of the shelters that the POWs (Prisoners of War) lived in during this time. The museum is also home to a bomb dropped by the allies to destroy the bridge but that failed to explode. NOTE: TOTAL TIME IS INCLUDING TRAVELING TIME FROM BANGKOK TO KANCHANABURI
The Bridge on the River Kwai was part of a strategic railway route to Burma in which the Japanese aimed to secure supplies with which to conquer other western Asian countries. It was 415 kilometres long and passed through the Three Pagodas Pass in Sangkhlaburi District, the northern most part of Kanchanaburi province. The Japanese Imperial Army brought the iron bridge from Java during the Japanese occupation of Thailand in World War II. It was then resembled by Allied Prisoners of War (POW) under Japanese supervision. Visiting the River Kwai Bridge and the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery encourages one to contemplate the intolerable treatment Allied prisoners of war, Thais, Burmese and Malayans were subjected to under the Japanese Imperial Army during the construction of the notorious Burma Railway, better known as Death Railway. The work on the railway was completed in 16 months, despite calculations by Japanese engineers that the construction would take at least 5 years!
Founded in 1975 as Thailand’s 12th National Park, the Erawan National Park is home to one of the most popular waterfalls in the country. The major attraction of the park is the 7-tiered Erawan Falls with emerald green ponds. The fall is called after the three-headed elephant from Hindu mythology as the top cataract resembles it. Here you have enough time for a refreshing swim right in the middle of the jungle or even walk to the top level of the waterfalls (if weather permits). Do not forget to bring swimwear and a towel. NOTE: TOTAL TIME IS INCLUDING TRAVELING TIME FROM KANCHANABURI TO BANGKOK
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Bring swimwear and a towel. We also recommend to wear proper walking shoes.
- Bangkok’s traffic can be heavily congested. As our tours run on a group basis, we can wait a maximum of 10 minutes after the scheduled meeting time. After this grace period, the guide will begin the tour. If you cannot make it on time, please let us know before the tour starts. If possible, we’ll do our best to reschedule you for the next available day, though a rescheduling fee will apply. No refund will be provided in case of late arrival.
- Cancellations made at least 24 hours before the tour start time are eligible for a full refund. For cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance or in case of no-show, no refund will be issued.
- Our tours operate rain or shine, as tropical rain showers in Thailand usually don’t last long. If it rains heavily, we try to seek shelter and will continue as soon as the weather improves. During the rainy season, it’s a good idea to bring a raincoat or poncho. Please note cancellations due to weather are not eligible for a refund.
- Please note that Kanchanaburi is approximately a 3-hour drive from Bangkok (one way), depending on traffic conditions. Guests should be aware that a significant part of the day will be spent traveling.
- The exact departure time from the meeting point will be sent to you via private message on the booking platform one day before the tour. Please check your email (including your junk/spam folder) carefully the day before your tour to avoid any delays or missed departures.
- Depending on the number of participants, departure from the meeting point will be between 6:30 and 7:15 hrs.
Reviews(374)
We had a great entertaining day full of history thanks to our great guide Ken.
We're delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful day with Ken! It's fantastic to know that his knowledge and engaging storytelling brought Thailand's rich history to life and made the tour both entertaining and memorable. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Ken. Thank you for your lovely feedback, and we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Thailand soon!
The visit was very nice. Full of history and dreamlike places. Surina is very funny and expressive, she is a great guide who makes every moment feel very special. I highly recommend it!
We had a fantastic day with a short boat trip up the river khwae and crossed the bridge on foot. Our guide was very helpfull an informative. The national park was beutiful, but to swim in the first four levels you needed a life jacket, which removed some of the fun (only 20thb to rent). Still a fun trip, people in bad shape can enjoy the lower levels and people in avrage shape can enjoy a nice hike through the jungel all the way to level 7.
Really great tour, educational for the first part and some beautiful waterfalls to swim in for the second part.
We're so glad you enjoyed the tour! It's wonderful to hear that you appreciated both the educational experience and the chance to relax and swim at the beautiful waterfalls. Thank you for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Thailand soon!
Ja was an excellent guide and an excellent person
I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Kuhn Arjan was really helpful and knowledgeable. I am definitely returning on this trip again .
Informative guide about the death railway, beautiful trip through the jungle and amazing views of the waterfalls and great swim spots. Afterwards was taken to eat at shop 7 and had such amazing Thai food and smoothies
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the fascinating history of the Death Railway, and the refreshing waterfalls. It’s also great to know you loved the authentic Thai food and smoothies after the tour. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Thailand soon!
Lovely time, thank you for the great experience🙏
Your kind words truly made our day. We're so happy you had a lovely experience, and it was our pleasure to be part of your journey. We can't wait to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure!
Amazing tour! Na the guide and Nuvo the driver were absolutely fantastic! Very engagand informative went above and beyond and treated me amazingly! Would definitely recommend and this tour is underrated value for money 10x
Thank you so much for your amazing review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a wonderful day with Na and Nuvo. They'll be delighted to know their care, enthusiasm, and dedication made your experience so special. Thank you for your recommendation and for recognizing the value of the tour. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Thailand!
Had the best time. Na was the best guide! Thank you
Thank you for leaving such a lovely review! It's fantastic to hear that you had such a great time and that Na took such good care of you. We will definitely share your feedback with her! Thanks for traveling with us, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon.
