Tours/Bangkok/Erawan Waterfall and Kanchanaburi Private Tour [Optional Luxury]
Viator · Private tour

Erawan Waterfall and Kanchanaburi Private Tour [Optional Luxury]

5.0(67)Bangkok1 hour
VIATOR5.0(2)TRIPADVISOR5.0(65)

Description

Experience the wonders of Kanchanaburi on our 13-hour full-day tour, led by our expert guides with a wealth of experience. This tour blends natural beauty, cultural heritage, and historical landmarks into one unforgettable day. Highlights include Erawan Waterfall, the River Kwai Bridge, Wat Tai, the JEATH War Museum, Wat Tham Khao Poon, the historic Death Railway, Chong Kai War Cemetery, and a scenic long-tailed boat ride on the River Kwai. In the morning, explore Erawan Waterfall for three hours, swimming in its emerald ponds. After lunch, visit historical sites in Kanchanaburi, enjoy the River Kwai scenery from a long-tailed boat, and experience the thrill of a passing train. Select from our standard vehicle or upgrade to a luxurious option featuring plush seating, air conditioning, and complimentary refreshing drinking water. Whether you seek simplicity or indulgence, we customize the tour to ensure an unforgettable experience tailored just for you.

Tour Options

Luxury tour in English
  • Luxury vehicle: Your luxury tour will be in a luxury air-conditioned VIP van. Pickup included
Private tour in English
  • Standard Vehicle: Your private tour will be in a standard vehicle, suited to your group size: sedan, SUV, or van. Pickup included

Itinerary

Pass by

Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square is the center of our standard pickup service. We pick up travelers living in hotels along BTS skytrain.

Admission included180 min

Erawan Waterfall is recognized as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Thailand. The major attraction of the park is the 7-tiered Erawan Falls with emerald green ponds. Erawan has seven separate tiers spanning approximately 1,500 meters through the thick rainforest of the park. The park are named after "Erawan", the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology. The top tier of the falls is said to resemble an elephant head. Admission fee for foreigners are included in your tour.

30 min

Thanks to several films and books, the Bridge on the River Khwae has become famous and attracted both Thais and foreigners to the site. If an ordinary black iron bridge can tell a story, you can be sure it's a dramatic one. The bridge has steel plates over the ties to make it easy to walk over the span. There are also viewing platforms between the trestles to give you a view of the river as well as to give you a place to get out of the way if you're on the bridge when a train comes.

Admission included30 min

The name JEATH is derived from countries engaged in the WWII death railway construction from 1942 to 1945: Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland. The JEATH museum displays photographs and illustrations narrating the living condition of prisoners of war (POWs) during that cruel time, some of which were donated by former POWs who survived. The museum building itself was also turned from the detention hut, used during that period.

Admission included45 min

Wat Chai Chumphon Chana Songkhram, or Wat Tai, is an old temple that is invaluable to the people of Kanchanaburi province. In ancient times, Thai army had gathered many soldiers who were overwhelmed to join the ceremony to set up a shrine to worship the superstitious guardian angel. Our travelers will enjoy 45-minute Thai-style, long-tailed boat ride from here to Wat Tham Khao Poon and savor beautiful scenery of River Kwai.

30 min

Wat Tham Khao Pun is a cave temple with a fun labyrinth of illuminated passageways. The marked trail is a bit of a squeeze in some places, but ducking beneath limestone protrusions to discover these subterranean shrines is a special experience that you can't miss it!

15 min

Chong Kai War Cemetery is your optional visit. You can tell your guide to visit this place if you are interested in Thai-Burma history. Situated only 2 kilometers south of town on the bank of the Kwai Noi River, the cemetery occupies the site of the Chong Kai which once was the prisoner of war camp. Its tranquility reminds the visitors of the war and its after-effects.

Highlights

Admission fee to Erawan Waterfalls, JEATH War Museum, and Wat Tham Khao Pun
[Luxury Tour] A luxury air-conditioned VIP van (with a baby car seat; advanced notice required)
Hotel pickup and dropoff in Bangkok downtown
Licensed English-speaking guide
Delicious local lunch and drinks
Long-tailed boat ride in River Kwai (45 minutes, with life jacket)
Travel Accident Insurance (up to 1,000,000 THB per person)
[Private Tour] A standard air-conditioned vehicle

What's included

Included
Admission fee to Erawan Waterfalls, JEATH War Museum, and Wat Tham Khao Pun
[Luxury Tour] A luxury air-conditioned VIP van (with a baby car seat; advanced notice required)
Hotel pickup and dropoff in Bangkok downtown
Licensed English-speaking guide
Delicious local lunch and drinks
Long-tailed boat ride in River Kwai (45 minutes, with life jacket)
Travel Accident Insurance (up to 1,000,000 THB per person)
[Private Tour] A standard air-conditioned vehicle

Traveller Ratings

5.0
67 reviews
5
66
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
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Important Information

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Reviews(67)

Z
zeewaeik
July 30, 2025
Fun day and up close with the animals

Lin, our guide, and Kevin, our driver were always punctual and so friendly. The Kanchanaburi Safari was a hit with the family! Lin is also knowledgeable and gave us interesting historical facts during the car ride and at The River Kwai.

Operator response

Dear Zee Waei Kim, We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. We are so glad your family enjoyed the Kanchanaburi Safari! Thank you for highlighting the punctuality and friendliness of Lin and Kevin, and the interesting historical facts Lin shared. Warm regards, Thailand Insight Travel and guide Lin

D
DavidG15067
July 18, 2025
Fantastic day trip from Bangkok – nature, culture and history all rolled into one!

We enjoyed a wonderful and varied day trip from Bangkok. The absolute highlight were the impressive waterfalls, spread over several levels. The hiking trails via stairs are doable for anyone with normal fitness – we went up to the fourth level, but you can even walk up to the seventh level. Our guide Poppy created a pleasant, cheerful Mood from the start, making even the ride – which can be quite long depending on traffic – feel very pleasant and engaging. Along the way we made a short stop for a coffee and toilet break, where we could fortunately still buy suitable water sandals. They certainly proved useful for getting in and out of the water on the rocky surface – a must take! Poppy proved to be not only an enthusiastic guide, but also a great photographer! Thanks to her we have beautiful family photos as a memory. Afterwards we also got the time and space to explore the falls at our own pace... After the falls we drove on to a beautifully located local restaurant where we enjoyed a surprisingly tasty Thai lunch. This was followed by a short visit to a temple with breathtaking views, without too strict dress code. The day ended with a short trip in a longtail boat and a visit to the Bridge over the River Kwai, the museum and the war cemetery – an impressive and respectful tribute to history. Although the journeys can take a bit of time due to the distance (and traffic) we thought it was absolutely worth it. Thanks to our driver Tony and especially our fantastic guide Poppy, who made this day something unforgettable!

Operator response

Dear Valued Guest, Wat fijn om te horen dat jullie zo genoten hebben van de dag! Bedankt voor het delen van zo'n gedetailleerde en mooie review. We zijn blij dat gids Poppy niet alleen voor een gezellige sfeer zorgde, maar ook prachtige foto’s voor jullie maakte en handige tips gaf. Het klinkt als een onvergetelijke dag, en we geven jullie complimenten zeker door aan Poppy en chauffeur Tony! Hartelijke groet, Thailand Insight Travel en gids Poppy So happy to hear you enjoyed your day trip! Thanks for such a lovely and detailed review. We're glad Poppy helped create a cheerful and memorable experience and that you had a great time at the waterfalls, lunch spot, and historical sites. We'll make sure to share your kind words with Poppy and Tony!

M
matthewwV7438YV
May 12, 2025
Good experience

This tour was a great experience, Poppy was a friendly and helpful guide, and the destination was absolutely worth the drive. The Erawan waterfalls are a good hike and a good view, we had a tasty lunch and a fun trip on the river to finish the day.

Operator response

Dear Mr. Matthew, Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re thrilled to hear you had a great experience with Poppy and enjoyed the stunning Erawan Waterfalls, delicious lunch, and river trip. Your feedback means a lot to us! Best regards, Thailand Insight Travel and guide Poppy

S
Summer P
February 22, 2025
Eat, Shop & Explore Thailand

Prepare to have a day full of adventure and sightseeing! Our group had an amazing experience all thanks to Adam and Peter

Operator response

Dear Ms. Summer, Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re so glad to hear that you had an adventurous and exciting day exploring Thailand. Our guide, Adam, and driver, Peter, will be delighted to know they made your experience memorable. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again in the future! Best regards, Thailand Insight Travel and Guide Adam

F
F512BZsamuelc
February 14, 2025
Great day trip

Great time from start to finish. It’s a good itinerary and the team is great making the experience that much better. Will recommend them in the future.

Operator response

Dear Mr. Samuel, Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that you had a great time from start to finish and enjoyed the itinerary. Our team takes pride in making every experience special, and we truly appreciate your recommendation. We look forward to welcoming you again in the future! Best regards, Thailand Insight Travel team

B
Bruce R
February 13, 2025
A lovely hike up the seven waterfalls Go to top taking pictures Plenty of people on the way down Great guide

Great hike to seven waterfalls Take pictures hiking up Plenty of people and swimming on way down Hit all the sites on the way back to Bangkok The guide and driver were perfect

Operator response

Dear Mr. Rife, Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! We're thrilled that you enjoyed the hike to the seven waterfalls and capturing beautiful moments along the way. It's great to hear that our guide and driver made your trip even more memorable. We hope to welcome you back on another adventure soon! Best regards, Thailand Insight Travel team

O
O5874NTanniew
February 5, 2025
Eventful day trip to the falls, POW related locations, and the River Kwai main points

The Erawan waterfalls were really lovely to see and although there were other visitors as well, it wasn't crowded to point where you couldn't get nice pictures of just the falls or your group and the falls. Definitely a moderate hike from level 4 and up. Many many stairs, but worth it for the scenery. Although we didn't swim at the waterfall, we did dip our feet in the pools to have a little spa day with the local fish, recommended to us by our guide Adam. He made to take group photos for us at nice points as well. One other neat thing about the hike is that monkeys reside closer to the top area and they can get pretty close to you, not intentionally. After finishing at the top of the falls, we hiked back down to eat lunch at one of the restaurants, which was pretty delicious. From there, we went to a cave that now serves as more like a temple but used to be a hospital during a war. Pretty neat. Our guide gave us a little bit of history about the cave and the POW construction of the Thai-Burma railway before we headed off to take a boat ride down the River Kwai to the bridge that the railway goes through. We made it just in time to see the train pass by after walking the whole length so that was neat. Adam was an excellent guide for our trip, letting us set the pace for the hike up the waterfall tiers when it got much harder, along with encouragement to make it to the top. We got some breaks in between the long drives to get some snacks and drinks while our driver filled up the gas tank. Tony was a great driver, enough to lull us to sleep during the long rides between stops. I would definitely recommend this tour with our guide and driver for any groups and someone looking for a more private tour.

Operator response

Dear Ms. Annie, Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed and thoughtful review of your day trip with us! We’re thrilled to hear that your adventure—from the breathtaking Erawan waterfalls to the poignant historical sites along the River Kwai—was both enjoyable and memorable. It’s wonderful to know that the hike, with its moderate challenge and scenic rewards, provided you with the perfect backdrop for capturing beautiful moments, whether it was your group photos or those serene snapshots of the falls. We’re also delighted that you could experience a little “spa day” with the local fish—a fun and unique highlight recommended by Adam. We truly appreciate your kind words about Adam and Tony. Adam’s commitment to ensuring a pace that suited your group, along with his insightful historical tidbits, is exactly the kind of personalized service we aim to offer. Likewise, Tony’s smooth and comfortable driving helped make the long rides enjoyable and relaxing. Thank you once again for your recommendation and for sharing your experience so vividly. It means a great deal to our team to know that our efforts in crafting a private, enriching tour were met with such enthusiasm. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back on another adventure in the future! Warm regards, Thailand Insight Travel and Guide Adam

S
Sam M
February 3, 2025
Great day and great guide

From start to finish it was an amazing day, so much in one day . Our guide Adam was very friendly and had great knowledge about everywhere we visited. The railway market and floating markets are crazy and fun. The waterfalls were lovely and very refreshing. The bridge was very interesting and a great way to finish the day. Our driver Tony was brilliant too.

Operator response

Dear Ms. Sam, Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! We’re delighted you enjoyed your day with us and appreciated our Guide Adam’s friendly expertise and Driver Tony’s excellent service. It’s great to hear that you loved the vibrant markets, refreshing waterfalls, and the unique bridge. We look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable adventure. Best regards, Thailand Insight Travel and Guide Adam

B
Bec E
January 31, 2025
Erawan Adventure

Fantastic day and an amazing experience. Adam was very helpful and polite. It was a tough climb (family with kids) but the effort was worth it.

Operator response

Dear Bec, Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad you had a fantastic day at Erawan and that our guide Adam was helpful and polite throughout. The climb can be challenging, especially with kids, but we’re delighted to hear it was all worth it in the end. Hope to welcome you on another adventure soon! Best regards, Thailand Insight Travel and Guide Adam

C
Camper766423
January 3, 2025
Good Tour with many stops

Adam did a good job moving us around and keeping us on time. He coordinated our travel and was informative. I would recommend him again.

Operator response

Dear Darren, Thank you for your kind review! We're glad to hear you enjoyed the tour and appreciated the many stops along the way. Adam will be pleased to know his coordination and efforts made the experience smooth and informative for you. We truly value your recommendation and hope to welcome you on another tour in the future. Best regards, Thailand Insight Travel and guide Adam

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