River Kwai in Brief

Bangkok Trip Overview

One of Thailand’s largest provinces is also one of the region’s most talked-about ones. A good two and a half hour’s drive from Bangkok and snuggled against the eastern borders of neighbouring Myanmar, Kanchanaburi automatically instils images of vast, untouched forest and jungle with the two River Kwai rivers meandering through its landscape.

Yet what drives the interest is of course its past; seen as an important gateway between former Burma and further south, the Bridge over the River Kwai, the DEATH Railway and the numerous landmarks and monuments depicting a black page in Thailand’s history are essentials to take in when visiting the country. A compact yet complete overview of the true story behind the River Kwai.

Additional Info

Duration: 10 to 14 hours
Starts: Bangkok, Thailand
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours

What to Expect When Visiting Bangkok, Thailand, Thailand

One of Thailand’s largest provinces is also one of the region’s most talked-about ones. A good two and a half hour’s drive from Bangkok and snuggled against the eastern borders of neighbouring Myanmar, Kanchanaburi automatically instils images of vast, untouched forest and jungle with the two River Kwai rivers meandering through its landscape.

Yet what drives the interest is of course its past; seen as an important gateway between former Burma and further south, the Bridge over the River Kwai, the DEATH Railway and the numerous landmarks and monuments depicting a black page in Thailand’s history are essentials to take in when visiting the country. A compact yet complete overview of the true story behind the River Kwai.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, 73 Jaokannun Road BanNua, Amphoe Muang, Kanchanaburi 71000 Thailand

Once reaching downtown Kanchanaburi, we head over to the interactive Thailand – Burma Railway Centre. Located overlooking the famous war cemetery, the two-floors of this captivating museum showcases the time line of the construction of the DEATH Railway through scaled models, documents and tools from this era.

The air-conditioned facility is seen as one of the leading centres in preserving the stories of this part of Thai history.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, 284/66 Sangchuto Rd, Kanchanaburi 71000 Thailand

We continue to the cemetery, containing the graves of an estimate 6000 allied soldiers who lost their lives while constructing the notorious train tracks. These final resting places are among the most impressive sites today, providing the harsh reality of the casualties of war.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Bridge Over the River Kwai, Tha Makham, Kanchanaburi 71000 Thailand

Next is the famous Bridge over the River Kwai. Still in use today, the bridge was the target of frequent Allied bombing raids during 1945, and was rebuilt after the war ended. The curved spans of the bridge are the original sections. After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, we board a local train that crosses large parts of the original track, including traveling over an original wooden bridge.

Upon disembarkation from the train, your transportation awaits you for the 3 hour journey back to Bangkok via the main motor way. Depending on traffic conditions, expect to be at your hotel at around 6pm.

Duration: 2 hours

Compare Bangkok Similar Experiences