Leave the bustling city of Bangkok behind for a full-day journey to Kanchanaburi, a province steeped in both history and natural beauty. This tour provides a moving glimpse into the legacy of the Death Railway while showcasing the lush landscapes of Erawan National Park.
Your day begins with a visit to the iconic Bridge on the River Kwai, a poignant symbol of courage and suffering during World War II. Built as part of a strategic railway to Burma, the bridge was constructed under brutal conditions by Allied prisoners of war, along with local laborers. Work that Japanese engineers expected to take at least five years was completed in just 16 months. The harsh reality of forced labor, malnutrition, illness, and mistreatment claimed the lives of more than 100,000 workers. Visiting the bridge is a powerful reminder of this difficult chapter in history.
From the bridge, embark on a short longtail boat ride along the river to the JEATH War Museum, taking in the scenic surroundings. The acronym JEATH stands for the primary nationalities involved in the construction of the railway: Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand, and Holland. This small museum displays original tools, photographs, and a bamboo hut replicating the shelters where prisoners lived. You can even see a dud bomb left from an Allied attempt to destroy the bridge.
After a reflective morning, we continue to Erawan National Park to immerse yourself in its stunning natural beauty. The park is home to the famous seven-tiered Erawan Falls, named after the three-headed elephant of Hindu mythology. The emerald pools invite a refreshing swim, while a hike to the top of the falls rewards you with panoramic views over the lush jungle.
At the end of a full day of history and nature, relax on the journey back to Bangkok, where you’ll be dropped off at your original meeting point, taking with you memories of both the region’s breathtaking scenery and its remarkable story.
Important notes:
- The journey from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi takes around 2.5 to 3 hours, with an additional 1.5 hours from Kanchanaburi city to Erawan National Park. It’s a long day, but packed with fascinating history and stunning natural beauty, making every moment worthwhile.
Pick up/Meeting point:
We provide hotel pick-up only from accommodations located on/near Khao San Road and on Siam Square.
If you are not an actual guest at one of the hotels in our pick-up area, the designated meeting point will be our office on Chao Khamrop Road in Chinatown. Our office in Chinatown is just a short 5-minute walk from Wat Mangkon MRT (metro) station.
For the exact location of our WanderSiam office on Google Maps, please click HERE.
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58 Comments
5
Great day trip
Had a great time on this day trip, didn’t feel rushed anywhere and we got to see all 7 levels of the falls and walk on the bridge over the river Kwai. Highly recommended, thanks to Surina our wonderful guide.
5
Fun adventure outside of Bangkok
Our guide, Noo, was so sweet and explained everything along the tour. She gave us ample time to explore the River Kwai Bridge and Erawan National Park. We had a blast playing in the water. Noon, the driver, provided us cold water and fresh towelettes to cool down after the waterfall hike. Since the drive was long, we made bathroom stops to and from Kanchanaburi and were able to purchase snacks and drinks at a variety of stores. Noo even grabbed us some fresh Japanese melon at a roadside stand. Thank you for a wonderful day!
5
Great time!
Had an awesome time on this tour! Sarina did a fantastic job and went the extra mile to make it memorable. We saw Jeath museum, River Kwai Bridge, had a fabulous lunch, then saw the magnificent Erewan falls.
5
Well worth your money
Great daytrip. It was just 4 of us in an SUV, so it felt more like a private tour. Only downside is that 2 of us had to stay in the rear raw seats which honeslty aren’t very confortable for so many hours (about 7h in the car round trip). The itinerary was well organized, we visited the war museum which is just a bunch of old photos, but the WW2 history if the place is worth the visit. Then we took a longtail boat cross the river to the bridge, Tony our guide gave us enough time to walk around and take some pictures, than off we went to the waterfalls which are as they describe them.
5
River Kwai
We had a privat guide Watcharaporn Ponpai and she was very nice helpful and smart🌸always smiling and explaining everything
We went to visit almost everything around the River Kwai and I’m so happy we had her as Guide
🌸🌸