Kanchanaburi Full Day Tour: River Kwai and Erawan Falls
Description
Leave the hustle and bustle of Bangkok behind you for a full day visit to Kanchanaburi Province. While today it is a popular destination for travelers from around the world, the area is deeply connected to the tragic history of the Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway, built during World War II under extremely harsh conditions by prisoners of war and forced laborers. This full day tour offers a memorable combination of history and nature with visits to the JEATH War Museum and the famous Bridge on the River Kwai, a historic landmark spanning the Kwai Yai River. You will then continue to the beautiful Erawan National Park, where seven tiers of emerald-green waterfalls cascade through lush tropical forest. Here you will have time to relax, explore the walking trails or even take a refreshing swim in the natural pools, making it a perfect balance between history, culture and nature.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The JEATH War Museum is dedicated to the story of the men who worked on the Death Railway. The acronym JEATH stands for the different nationalities of the POWs that worked on the construction of the railway between 1942 and 1943: Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland (The Netherlands). The museum displays the actual items that were used for the construction of the Death Railway and it exhibits a large number of photographs taken by prisoners at the time. One of the three galleries featuring photos is housed within a bamboo hut that’s an exact replica of the shelters that the POWs (Prisoners of War) lived in during this time. The museum is also home to a bomb dropped by the allies to destroy the bridge but that failed to explode. NOTE: TOTAL TIME IS INCLUDING TRAVELING TIME FROM BANGKOK TO KANCHANABURI
The Bridge on the River Kwai was part of a strategic railway route to Burma in which the Japanese aimed to secure supplies with which to conquer other western Asian countries. It was 415 kilometres long and passed through the Three Pagodas Pass in Sangkhlaburi District, the northern most part of Kanchanaburi province. The Japanese Imperial Army brought the iron bridge from Java during the Japanese occupation of Thailand in World War II. It was then resembled by Allied Prisoners of War (POW) under Japanese supervision. Visiting the River Kwai Bridge and the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery encourages one to contemplate the intolerable treatment Allied prisoners of war, Thais, Burmese and Malayans were subjected to under the Japanese Imperial Army during the construction of the notorious Burma Railway, better known as Death Railway. The work on the railway was completed in 16 months, despite calculations by Japanese engineers that the construction would take at least 5 years!
Founded in 1975 as Thailand’s 12th National Park, the Erawan National Park is home to one of the most popular waterfalls in the country. The major attraction of the park is the 7-tiered Erawan Falls with emerald green ponds. The fall is called after the three-headed elephant from Hindu mythology as the top cataract resembles it. Here you have enough time for a refreshing swim right in the middle of the jungle or even walk to the top level of the waterfalls (if weather permits). Do not forget to bring swimwear and a towel. NOTE: TOTAL TIME IS INCLUDING TRAVELING TIME FROM KANCHANABURI TO BANGKOK
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Bring swimwear and a towel. We also recommend to wear proper walking shoes.
- 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 list, the designated meeting point will be our office on Chao Khamrop Road in Chinatown. IMPORTANT: The exact pick-up time will be sent to you via private message on the booking platform one day before the tour. Depending on the number of participants, hotel pick-up will be between 7:00 - 7:30 hrs. Please check your email (including junk folder) carefully the day before your tour to avoid any delays or missed departures.
- Bangkok’s traffic can be heavily congested. As our tours run on a group basis, we can wait a maximum of 10 minutes after the scheduled meeting time. After this grace period, the guide will begin the tour. If you cannot make it on time, please let us know before the tour starts. If possible, we’ll do our best to reschedule you for the next available day, though a rescheduling fee will apply. No refund will be provided in case of late arrival.
- Cancellations made at least 24 hours before the tour start time are eligible for a full refund. For cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance or in case of no-show, no refund will be issued.
- Our tours operate rain or shine, as tropical rain showers in Thailand usually don’t last long. If it rains heavily, we try to seek shelter and will continue as soon as the weather improves. During the rainy season, it’s a good idea to bring a raincoat or poncho. Please note cancellations due to weather are not eligible for a refund.
- Please note that Kanchanaburi is approximately a 3-hour drive from Bangkok (one way), depending on traffic conditions. Guests should be aware that a significant part of the day will be spent traveling.
Reviews(368)
Informative guide about the death railway, beautiful trip through the jungle and amazing views of the waterfalls and great swim spots. Afterwards was taken to eat at shop 7 and had such amazing Thai food and smoothies
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the fascinating history of the Death Railway, and the refreshing waterfalls. It’s also great to know you loved the authentic Thai food and smoothies after the tour. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Thailand soon!
Lovely time, thank you for the great experience🙏
Your kind words truly made our day. We're so happy you had a lovely experience, and it was our pleasure to be part of your journey. We can't wait to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure!
Amazing tour! Na the guide and Nuvo the driver were absolutely fantastic! Very engagand informative went above and beyond and treated me amazingly! Would definitely recommend and this tour is underrated value for money 10x
Thank you so much for your amazing review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a wonderful day with Na and Nuvo. They'll be delighted to know their care, enthusiasm, and dedication made your experience so special. Thank you for your recommendation and for recognizing the value of the tour. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Thailand!
Had the best time. Na was the best guide! Thank you
Thank you for leaving such a lovely review! It's fantastic to hear that you had such a great time and that Na took such good care of you. We will definitely share your feedback with her! Thanks for traveling with us, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon.
I loved this! Na was an excellent guide, she is full of life, smart and excellent at taking and guiding for photos. Na was very helpful, took us via the BEST and cheapest Thai restaurant, seriously best meal I’ve had. The whole thing was comfortable and well organised, I loved it.
Thank you for taking the time to leave such an amazing review. We are so happy to hear that Na's lively energy, photo tips, and amazing local food recommendations made your trip so memorable! It is wonderful to know you felt comfortable and well taken care of throughout the day. We will be sure to share your kind words with Na. Thanks for traveling with us, and we hope to see you again on your next adventure!
Once again Mr kraising didn't disappoint us.. We planned a couple trip to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok. The ride was long, but going up to the waterfall, having a natural fish spa at level 3 was amazing. The death railway train ride was enjoyable but it felt a bit dark with memories of the place. We thoroughly went through dinner at keeree mantra restaurant, sampling Thai authentic dishes. We recommend this guy.. @letmedrivethailand on Facebook.. This was our second time booking him for Thailand trips.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 💙 We're delighted to hear that you had another great experience with Mr. Kraising and enjoyed the beauty of Erawan Waterfall, especially the natural fish spa at Level 3! The River Kwai and Death Railway are truly unforgettable places with rich history, and we're glad you enjoyed the journey. Thank you for trusting Let Me Drive Thailand for the second time. Your kind recommendation means the world to us. We look forward to creating more amazing memories with you on your next Thailand adventure! See you again soon!
The tour to the was a great experience, the museum, The Bridge On The River Kwai and Eraean Waterfalls. Both our tour operator and driver were friendly and courteous. Lunch at Erawan Waterfalls restaurant was delicious. I highly recommend on going this tour with this company ❤️🙏
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We are absolutely thrilled that you loved the history at the River Kwai and the beauty of Erawan Falls—and that you enjoyed the delicious lunch! Our guide and driver will be so happy to hear that their friendly service made your day. Thank you for highly recommending Wander Siam! 💚
Such a wonderful experience, the place is amazing, many waterfalls, there are fishes that also do free pedicure 😂, the guide was so nice, told me many stories, helped me to get cheap souvenirs, really kind person.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful waterfalls and even the fish pedicure experience! 😊 It's great to know that your guide helped make the day even more memorable by sharing interesting stories and helping you find great souvenirs. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words. Thank you for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
Tour Guide Na was very accommodating, she was professional yet friendly at the same time. She was approachable and has good personality. The driver was also a good driver. I highly recommend booking the tour with the Tour Guide Na. The Tour gave us an amazing experience here in thailand. Will recommend to my friends in the future. Love from heart, from elisa and glorie from the Philippines.
Na was so happy to hear your feedback! Your review made her day! We hope you had a great time in Thailand and look forward to seeing you again on one of our tours.
We caught a grab to the travel office in Chinatown,we got there we got invited in inside,nice aircon,then our driver turned up,I forgot his name ,then we started our drive to bridge over river Kwai and erawan falls,it took us nearly 2.5 hrs to get there,we met our guide Na she was very good indeed, explained everything about the railway and the museum,the prisoners of wars ,were treated terrible by the Japanese soldiers,if you didn't work you were punished,then we caught a boat down the river to the bridge,that was excited,then walked over the bridge,the railway so to take 3 years,but they were made to it in 18 months,100,000 soldiers died,then we left there and went to the erawan falls in the national park,,which were 1 hr away,we got there Na walked with us to waterfall 2 ,my wife went by the waterfall and we took photos,then Na left us and we walked up to waterfall 5,that was hard work,but I did it,it made me proud at 54 yrs old,I beat some of the young people.then we walked back down,my wife got dressed put the life jacket back,then we got the buggy back to the entrance,I would say have lunch before you go to the falls. I enjoyed it so much.defintely recommend it.
Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review. We’re delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience visiting the Bridge over the River Kwai and Erawan Waterfalls. It’s great to know that Na’s guidance and historical explanations helped make the journey meaningful and memorable for you. We’re also glad you enjoyed the boat ride, the beautiful waterfalls, and the challenge of reaching waterfall level 5 — what an amazing achievement! Thank you as well for sharing helpful tips for future travelers. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you and your wife again on another memorable adventure in Thailand.
