We will take a long ride west of Bangkok to Kanchanaburi. We go to see the Buddha inside Krasae cave which was used as a camp site for war prisoners and then we take a short walk on the wooden railway bridge to catch a view of the river and the mountain. We then reach the furthest point of the tour, Hellfire Pass, the long drive of more than 3 hours is worth it. This is the most impressive war memorial in Kanchanaburi province. The railway cutting, famed for its cost in life, is part of the ‘Death Railway’ that was constructed during World War II by war prisoners. The memorial is well maintained and the museum is very informative. A walk through the pass reminds us of the harsh and cruel conditions the prisoners of war had gone through. It is said that for every railway sleeper, one life was lost.
We stop for lunch at a nice riverside resort.
Then, we visit Kanchanaburi’s most popular attraction: the famous Bridge over the River Kwai. We take a speed boat ride to enjoy the views of both the bridge and the Kwai river.
The trip’s final stop is Don Rak War Cemetery to remember those who lost their lives during World War II, the cemetery contains the remains of 6,982 allied war prisoners who perished during the construction of the ‘Death Railway’.
This private tour from Bangkok is organised exclusively for you, no others will join.
Phil and Sarah –
A brilliant and interesting day out. The car journey was very comfortable. The car was spacious air conditioned and the driver gave us refreshing cold water and towels. Air also made sure we had plenty of snacks for the journey and gave us plenty of interesting information on the way and lunch was superb. Hellfire Pass was moving, scenic and the museum was very informative. We also went to a beautiful spot on the railway line which we were able to walk along and we found a family name in the war cemetery. An excellent and memorable day. Would def recommend this tour.
Jennifer M. –
Excellent tour. Professional and helpful. Ms. Raht was informative and patient with our group. Best tour we booked in Thailand during our stay.
Brian R. –
After extensive research online and looking at reviews on BKK Tours we were not disappointed.
Good communications from Michiel via email made the booking process very easy.
On the day our guide, Air and the van driver were on time and throughout the whole day Air was friendly, very good English and was very well informed on the locations we visited.
Our journey took us to Hellfire Pass, Bridge River Kwai, Jeath Museum and other locations. It is a long day and the drive out to Hellfire Pass takes at least 2.5 hours depending on traffic.
Hellfire Pass and the museum does give insight to what took place there on the Death Railway and you can still see the the remains of the original railway like the teak sleepers, drill holes in the rocks for blasting etc, seeing how the prisoners of war and the locals were treated and how the poor their living conditions were was a rather sobering experience.
Trip included a long boat ride up the Kwai Rover for about 15 minutes which was rather good.
Overall we were so glad we choose BKK Tours and would certainly recommend them as a tour guide/company.
Virginia –
We thoroughly enjoyed our day with Air. All the visits were timed well and very thorough. We really enjoyed our delicious lunch as well. Thank you.
Mike –
Great guide and very nice tour full of things to see. Raht my guide knew her stuff and was very helpful. Plenty of water and snacks during day plus a very nice lunch along the river. Ended day with boat ride. Good transport with WiFi and Airco. A very nice day well worth the money would certainly do another tour with BKK Tours. Thank you Raht.
John B. –
“Air” did a phenomenal job as our guide. Answered a wide variety of questions. Very accommodating to all our needs. Highly recommend her! Driver by the way did a tremendous job with the Bangkok traffic.
Peter T. –
From the moment we met Air we knew we were in for a fantastic day. Air made our day so enjoyable and ensured we saw the most of everything. She was very informative and a real pleasure to have with us. From start to finish our tour was fabulous and we were shown all the sites mentioned in the web site. We had ample time at Hell Fire Pass and the lunch was delicious. Our guide made sure we enjoyed the tour the whole time. Absolutely loved this tour and would recommend it to all.
Lori (Perth) –
Our guide was calm and knowledgeable. Raht did not bombard us with too many facts and figures, but she knew what we wanted to know about places when we asked her. Terrific for our group of 8 adults from Australia. Recommend this tour and the company BKK. Very good communication. Oh and must mention the driver was excellent and his BEST activity was giving out icy cold towels each time we returned to the most comfortable van ever. Plus we were given lots of cold bottles of water. Also of note was the delicious Thai meal served near River Kwai Bridge.
Sharron –
From start to finish it was an amazing experience. Nothing was too much trouble for our guide Air and driver Don. Would not hesitate to recommend to others. The whole day was excellent, however lunch was outstanding, good company and beautiful location.
Lizm –
This trip was fabulous – would recommend this company highly. I have been to the River Kwai before but this was far more comprehensive and the service was great. Petch was fabulous, very knowledgeable and great company. She was interested and keen to help. One of the best guides we have had.
Pete Morris –
A great tour. Very comprehensive and informative. Although we covered a lot of ground in 12 hours we never felt rushed. Excellent guide and driver and vehicle. Can not speak highly enough of Air. Very informative, easy to talk to, easy to understand. Willing to share so much knowledge. We had fun as well.
Sandra C. –
Tour with Air was all we hoped for. New Interpretive Centre at Hellfire Pass is very well done together with the walk to the Khwae Noi Valley Lookout and going through Konyu Cutting alone was quite an emotional experience. We didn’t feel rushed at all and the delicious lunch, Mr Dorn’s van and Air’s lovely, fun personality made for a great day. Booking process and all communication with Michiel was first class.
Hermie –
A great experience. We could not fault both our guide and driver who were professional, friendly and great company for the day. Being Australian this was an important day for giving us the opportunity to visit and pay homage to the many allied soldiers who worked and perished on construction of the railway. We would make special mention of Ms Petch’s obvious genuine respect for the Australians and other allied soldiers.
Gerard –
Overall a very good day. Ms Air was a very competent and pleasant guide.
Youldena –
Had an amazing day with our guide Air, she was both friendly and informative. Our driver was courteous and very helpful. Definitely recommend this tour, but if you have mobility problems Hell Fire Pass would probably be a challenge. Ironic I am posting this on ANZAC day. What those poor souls went through is incomprehensible, very very sad.
Note from BKK Tours: for clients with mobility problems, upon request the staff at Hellfire Pass can arrange transport into to the pass.
James S. –
Exceptional. I had high expectations and the tour exceeded all of them. The professionalism of both the guide and driver made sure the tour ran timely and smoothly, but it was their attention to detail and caring for our comfort that really impressed. We saw absolutely everything we wanted to see and not once were we ever rushed or pressured about time. The food at lunch was great and we were given lots or water and cold wet towels every time we returned to the van. Air bought coffee and snacks for us as well to add to the enjoyment of the experience. It was just wonderful to be looked after like that as we were able to enjoy the features that we came to see so much more.
Definitely value for money.
Tom –
Very good, provided with a delicious Thai lunch and a refill of cold water and cold towels every time you got back on the van as it was a very hot day. A perfect day for everyone. A great tour guide, Raht was very friendly and knowledgeable, spoke great English and really added value to our day. Initially we thought this tour was expensive just for three of us, but by the end of the day we thought it was worth every cent. The price included private tour, all entry paid for, fantastic lunch.
David E. –
Petch is a credit to your company, she is a diamond at her work, best guide in town. BKK Tours is not the cheapest, but the best by far.
Lisa A. –
The day was perfect from start to finish. Ms Air and our driver Mr A looked after us so well, making us feel very special and imparting lots of relevant history about the places we visited. Also they were great fun to travel with and it was wonderful to have so many delicious foods and drinks provided along the way. They really were perfect hosts and we cannot wait to travel with them next time!
Simon J. –
Air was totally amazing very informative, knowledge of the tour, and points out interesting things on the drive there. Wasn’t expecting all the wonderful things Air got for me to try as a chef I really appreciated them all.