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
4.5
Good day trip with history and nature, but also lots of driving in the car.
The experience was really well put together. Everything was organized well and we felt well taken care of. Two things to keep in mind is that there will be a lot of driving around. 1) River Kwai and Erawan waterfalls are in very different locations, so there will be a two-hour drive, a 1-hour-drive, and finally a 3-hour-drive back. I wish I had known that before. 2) It can be challenging to understand all the historic details, so I recommend reading up on the history before.
5
The Jeath War Museum, River Kwai, Erawan Waterfalls
A great way to spend my last full day in Thailand. The Jeath War Museum was very sobering, but very informative. It was lovely to see the train go over on the Bridge on the River Kwai! At the National Park, after walking up to a few of the waterfalls (there are 7 in total!), I decided to stay at number 2. Hardly anyone there when I first arrived, except the fish!!!! Very relaxing swimming, sitting and having a massage under the waterfall, and exploring the wee cave. I even got used to the fish nibbling my feet! Thank you to our guide, Surina, and our driver, Mr Eak. Well worth the 2 hour drive to the museum and the other 1 1/2 hours to the waterfalls.
5
A great day walking in Nature and History
Had a brilliant day. The Jeath museum, although simple, captured the mood of what prisoners went through while forced to work in captivity. The boat trip was fast and exhilarating, and it was exciting to see the Bridge over the River Kwai as it first came into view. We were lucky that a train passed over as we were on the bridge which added to the sense of history.
The waterfalls were beautiful. I only walked to just beyond Tier 5 as I was finding it very HOT, but the views were very lovely and each waterfall looked very inviting.
So lots to see and do but really the day was made by the excellent guide, Koi, and driver, Nu. I was the only person on the trip and it still went ahead. Koi was interesting, well informed, funny, caring and just the sweetest person. I loved the biscuits she gave me. Nu, who didn’t speak English, was always helpful and friendly. He supplied me with lots of iced water and wipes to cool back down.
A great day topped off by excellent friendly and professional company.
3.5
Could have lived without this one
Let’s get this out there first. This day is LONG! You will be on the minibus for a while and will not have any time to do anything else on this day, so block it out if you’re going to do it. And whilst it’s a long day, you will only really get 2-3 hours of actual time off the bus too. I wish I knew that before I booked as if I’m honest, I wouldn’t have done it.
When you say a trip about History and Waterfalls – it’s always going to get my attention. I love learning new things and visiting special places, and waterfalls just have a special place in my heart.
What I got however, was a ‘museum’ which was just a bunch of photos about what conditions looked like (no history there), a trip on the river to a bridge (with no history to it – it’s not the bridge you think it is!), and then an overcrowded wait for a train to come along to take photos of.
The waterfalls almost saved the day, I mean some of them are beautiful – but it’s just a tourist hot spot with everyone vying for the perfect Instagram shot. If you try to relax you’re soon to be nudged out of the way, and no one is really appreciating the beauty of where they are. If there were less people this really would be a special place.
The trek to the top hot and sweaty, and you only had like 15 minutes up there before you had to come back down to leave.
I really wish I could promote this in a better way, but honestly, if you have limited time in Bangkok, I would not actively suggest doing this. There are far better ways to spend your time there.
If you are there for 2 weeks, are in no rush, and have nothing better to do, then crack on.
5
Great guide … Koi is very knowledgeable about the history and my second trip with wander Siam. Book with Wander Siam 5*
Great day learning more about the POWs under Japan rule to build the bridge over river Kwai and then the waterfalls ….. stunning