• About Us
  • Affiliates
  • Contact
  • Our Home
  • Staycation
  • Travelogue

Singapore Family Travel Blog

Thailand Travel

Kanchanaburi Day Trip to River Kwai and Death Railway with Trazy 1-Day Tour

August 22, 2018January 22, 2019

Located 150 km to the west of Bangkok, Kanchanaburi is the third biggest province in Thailand. It was the place where prisoners of war were exploited under the Japanese army during World War II. They worked to build the rail route from Thailand to Myanmar, and now that rail route is called “Death Railway”.

The brutal story of the POWs was made into a movie in 1957 called “The Bridge Over the River Kwai”. I have yet to watch it, what about you? 🙂 Since then, Kanchanaburi became a popular tourist destination. Besides the rich history, the province is also filled with magnificent landscapes and natural charming beauty.

Truth be told, I’m not a history buff. When V suggested to visit Kanchanaburi, I wasn’t keen at all because it is quite far from Bangkok and doing a day-trip can be tiring (reminds me of our last day trip from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai). Much to my surprise, Edison was keen to go too – he doesn’t mind the van ride. 😆

So I searched for various one-day tours from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, and finally settled with River Kwai & Death Railway (Kanchanaburi) 1 Day Join-in Tour from Bangkok on Trazy. Price wise, this tour is the cheapest with lunch, admission fees and train-ride included. For a flexible schedule and more freedom, you can also consider Kanchanaburi (Death Railway/River Kwai) 1 Day Private Taxi Tour from Bangkok which costs ~S$180 per car for 6 pax.

Talking about join-in tour in Thailand (if you haven’t been to one), I’ll share some info with you. The tour is usually conducted in a minivan with a capacity of 12, a local tour guide and a driver. You’ll join tourists from other countries. Once your booking is confirmed, the operator will provide their contact info and pick-up time. Do note that the pick-up time is the starting time when the driver picks-up tourists from various hotels. If you’re the last one to be picked-up, you may have to wait up to 30mins or more, depending on the traffic conditions.

For this tour, our pick-up time was 6:30am. Luckily, our hotel breakfast started at 6am, we could have our breakfast before the tour starts (plus we were the last to be picked up). The driver took about 45 mins to pick-up all the passengers before departing Bangkok, and we arrived at our first destination – JEATH War Museum at about 10am.

JEATH War Museum

Situated about 4 km from Kanchanaburi town is the River Kwai bridge. JEATH War Museum is located next to the bridge. JEATH, as its name says, stands for 5 countries who have participated in the war – Japanese, English, Australia, Thailand and Holland. Admission is only 40 Baht (included in the tour).

JEATH War Museum
Minivan that we took from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi

The museum isn’t big, so we covered the whole area in less than half an hour. It showcases a collection of items connected to the building of Death Railway during World War II, how the POWs lived and were treated during that time. Personally, I felt that the museum is lack of maintenance. Lots of the information written on the walls was faded and the displays were greatly neglected. 😦

JEATH War Museum
Old steam engine at the entrance of the museum

JEATH War Museum

JEATH War Museum

JEATH War Museum

JEATH War Museum

JEATH War Museum

JEATH War Museum

Bridge over the River Kwai

We took a step into the past and spent the day paying remembrance to the horrific history of the Death Railway. As mentioned above, the Death Railway was constructed by the blood and sweat of WWII prisoners of war and Asian slave laborers.

During WWII, the Imperial Japanese Army had taken over South East Asia and accumulated tens of thousands of skilled prisoners of war, which were later used as laborers to support their war efforts. One of the major projects that these POWs were funnelled to work for was building a railway from Thailand to Burma.

Originally called the Thailand-Burma Railway, it earned the nickname “Death Railway” because 16,000 POWs and about 100,000 slaves died during its 16-month construction between 1942 and 1943. 😢 Once completed, it stretched 250 miles from Ban Pong, Thailand to Thanbuyuzayat, Burma. Many more POWs died in the camps until 1945.

Bridge over the River Kwai
Now, the picturesque bridge spans a beautiful and serene area of the countryside

Bridge over the River Kwai

Bridge over the river kwai

Bridge over the River Kwai, which marks the beginning of the Death Railway, is the most famous part of the railway. You can walk across the sturdy iron bridge on foot; you can also take a memorable ride along these rail tracks, sheer cuttings and wooden bridges. You’ll get to see great views as the train slows down when passing by the river and cliffs. For your own safety, just make sure not to place your head too far out from the window.

River Kwai Bridge
Waiting to board a train at the River Kwai Bridge

The train ride was included in our tour. It took about an hour and we alighted at Sai Yok station. I gotta be honest here. Don’t expect any luxury on the train ride – it’s very warm (there’s no air-con, only fans), the seating is uncomfortable, and it gets crowded too. Don’t ever go near the toilet. You’ve been warned ‼

Inside the train

The train, boarded mostly by tourists, also picked up locals along the way. It still functions as a local transportation that goes all the way to Bangkok. During the ride, there were vendors continually walking through the train carriages selling pre-packed food and fruits, drinks as well as souvenirs.

We felt SO relieved the moment we got off the train (it was too warm for comfort). Our driver picked us up and drove us to Sai Yok town for lunch at a floating restaurant. The food was ordinary, but we ate a lot because we were so hungry LOL.

Kanchanaburi
The train
Kanchanaburi
Scenery along the train ride
Another beautiful scenery
Another beautiful scenery
floating restaurant
Lunch at a floating restaurant

Floating restaurant Kanchanaburi

Sai Yok Noi Waterfall

Sai Yok Noi Waterfall
Sai Yok Noi Waterfall

Some of you may have known that Kanchanaburi has many rivers and waterfalls. We made a pit stop at Sai Yok Noi Waterfall after lunch. “Noi” means small; this is a small waterfall close to the main road. Overall, the area doesn’t offer much. You can expect many locals having their picnic near the waterfall. After a quick walk here, we travelled back to Kanchanaburi for our last destination before returning to Bangkok.

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

The graves of those who died during the construction of Death Railway (except for the Americans, whose remains were repatriated) were transferred from camp burial grounds and isolated sites along the railway into three cemeteries at Chungkai and Kanchanaburi in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar.

Immaculately maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is the largest. Of the 6,858 soldiers buried here, nearly half were British; the rest came mainly from Australia and the Netherlands. As you stand at the cemetery entrance, the entire right-hand side contains British victims, the front-left area contains Australian graves, the rear left honours Dutch and unknown soldiers.

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

Honestly, I felt more emotional here as compared to the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai. These are the real heroes that people should be flocking to see. Even now, after SO many years, fresh flowers of remembrance and honour are still laid here.

Kanchanaburi War Ceemetery

It is easy to spend 30 mins or so wandering through the graves and seeing how young some of these men were; it’s so hard to imagine them being in a battle situation. Before leaving, we took a solemn moment to reflect those who have given their lives to the construction of the railway.

After the war cemetery, we returned to Bangkok and arrived at our hotel at ~6:30pm.

My Concluding Thoughts

The trip is inexpensive and takes about 12 hours, but it’s well worth it to witness and feel the hardships that the POWs went through during the construction of the bridge. The train ride was not as pleasant as I thought, but the sights were gorgeous and took my breath away. All in all, we enjoyed the tour especially for Edison who likes war history. 😀

Going on a day trip from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi is doable although quite rush. While there are many accommodation options, ranging from budget guest houses in Kanchanaburi town to luxurious floating hotels along the River Kwai, you can also consider staying 1 night here.

Kanchanaburi has a lot of deep and sensitive history, but even if you’re not so much into history, there are many outdoor nature activities to discover. The popular Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple, which I have yet to visit, is also a popular tourist attraction in Kanchanaburi.

If you’re keen to join a day tour from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, these are the tours that I would recommend 👉

☑ River Kwai & Death Railway (Kanchanaburi) 1 Day Join-in Tour from Bangkok on Trazy. Adult S$ 43.6, Child S$ 33.9, duration 11.5 hours, book 3 days in advance.

☑ Kanchanaburi (Death Railway/River Kwai) 1 Day Private Taxi Tour from Bangkok on Trazy which costs ~S$ 180 per car for 6 pax.

☑ Kanchanaburi Highlights Private Day Tour on Klook

☑ Full Day River Kwai Tour with Speedboat and Train Ride on Klook. S$ 83.75 per person.

Have you ever visited Kanchanaburi? Do you enjoy it? Share it with me! 🤣.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. (What is this?)
Share
previous post
Chocolate Ville: A European Style Dining Park You Shouldn’t Miss in Bangkok
next post
5 Days in Clark and Subic – Itinerary for First Timers

Recommended For You

Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Review: Family-Friendly Resort in Patong

EmilyOctober 26, 2019November 17, 2019

Holiday Inn Resort Phuket: Newly Renovated Busakorn Studio Room

EmilyOctober 19, 2019June 15, 2020

Chocolate Ville: A European Style Dining Park You Shouldn’t Miss in Bangkok

EmilyAugust 12, 2018January 22, 2019

Pullman Bangkok King Power – Easy Access to Shopping, Dining and BTS

EmilyJuly 15, 2018March 18, 2020

Maeklong Railway Market: The Famous “Umbrella” Market in Thailand

EmilyJuly 7, 2018January 22, 2019

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Tour from Trazy: A Unique Thai Experience

EmilyJuly 3, 2018January 22, 2019

Shangri-La Horizon Dinner Cruise: Romantic Dinner under the Night Light of Bangkok

EmilyJuly 2, 2018January 21, 2019

It’s Back to Bangkok Again!

EmilyJune 8, 2018January 22, 2019

Bangkok with Kids: Itinerary and Family-Friendly Attractions

EmilyMarch 4, 2018January 22, 2019

2 comments

Evelyn September 11, 2019 at 12:18 PM

Hi Emily, hope you’ve been well! This post was really useful as I’m planning a Kanchanaburi day trip! 🙂 We’re going with a custom-tour option that I found on Tripadvisor.

Reply
Emily September 11, 2019 at 8:04 PM

Hi Evelyn,
So nice to see you here! I’m fine and I hope that you are doing well too. 🙂 Enjoy yr trip to Kanchanaburi. I didn’t know that there is custom-tour on Trip Advisor. Thanks for sharing with me.

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Search

Klook.com

trazy.com

Latest Reviews

Obagi C10 Vitamin C Serum for Brighter, Tighter and Smoother Skin

EmilyFebruary 22, 2019February 25, 2019
February 22, 2019February 25, 20190

Mao Shan Wang Durian from Durian Delivery: Delicious, Fresh and Fast Delivery

EmilyJuly 22, 2018January 21, 2019
July 22, 2018January 21, 20190

6 Things I Really Love about Superstar Teacher: Learn without Leaving Home!

EmilyFebruary 20, 2018January 21, 2019
February 20, 2018January 21, 20194

Editor's Picks

What to Wear for Winter in Japan: Guide for First Timers

EmilySeptember 8, 2019September 17, 2019
September 8, 2019September 17, 20195

Hokkaido Travel Tips: Public Transport in Hokkaido

EmilyMarch 5, 2019July 28, 2019
March 5, 2019July 28, 20192

10 Travel Packing Hacks Anyone Can Use

EmilyMarch 30, 2018January 21, 2019
March 30, 2018January 21, 20192

Home & Decor

Brandt Induction Hob Completes My Kitchen with Style and Safety

EmilyApril 22, 2018March 12, 2019
April 22, 2018March 12, 20197

Doob Bean Bags & SoftRock Bohemian Review: Comfortable and Versatile

EmilyAugust 10, 2017January 22, 2019
August 10, 2017January 22, 20190

Create Our Brick Wall with Nippon Momento Travertino

EmilyApril 14, 2017January 22, 2019
April 14, 2017January 22, 20192
logo
This is a Family Travel Blog based in Singapore that features family-friendly travel destinations, authentic experiences, honest reviews and useful travel tips.
Copyright © 2020 Our Little Smarties. All Rights Reserved.
This site uses affiliate links and clicking on or purchasing via an affiliate link may result in commission for this site.
Privacy Policy
Singapore Family Travel Blog
FacebookTwitterInstagramPinterestFlickrEmail
  • About Us
  • Affiliates
  • Contact
  • Our Home
  • Staycation
  • Travelogue
Singapore Family Travel Blog
  • About Us
  • Affiliates
  • Contact
  • Our Home
  • Staycation
  • Travelogue
@2020 - Our Little Smarties. All Right Reserved.
FacebookTwitterInstagramPinterestFlickrEmail