PACKAGE TOUR 2 DAY/1 NIGHT (PT206)

Kanchanaburi – Kanchanaburi

Description

• DAY 1
• 06:30 Pickup from your hotel in Bangkok and travel to the Tiger Cave Temple which is also known as Wat Tham Sua located in Kanchanaburi. Wat Tham Suea is a temple which is famous for its huge sacred gilded Buddha statue. Wat Tham Sua is located upon a hilltop and provides breathtaking views of Kanchanaburi’s countryside including lush forests, rivers and local mountains. The giant golden Buddha statue at Wat Tham Sua stands at the top of a staircase and offers impressive panoramic views of the surrounding area. After Wat Tham Sua you will travel to the Elephant Haven (elephant sanctuary) in Kanchanaburi.
• Lunch at Elephant Haven (Thai vegetarian food).
• Elephant Haven is a famous elephant sanctuary in the beautiful Sai Yok district of Kanchanaburi which has introduced their elephant freedom project. This project has brought 7 elephants to freedom and your visit will support them to provide the best possible care for the herd. Elephant Haven operates a ‘saddle off’ policy and there is no riding of elephants at this sanctuary. The elephants at Elephant Haven herd have the freedom to roam, socialise, enjoy a mud bath and cool down in the River Kwai which runs through the sanctuary. In this beautiful setting you can observe the elephants behaviour and learn more about their complex social structure. You will watch the elephants playing in a mud pit and can walk with the elephants to the river and help bathe the elephants. You can then walk with the elephants through the forest back to the main project area and feed the elephants. A wonderful elephant experience.
• After Elephant Haven you will then visit the Kanchanaburi Skywalk. Kanchanaburi Skywalk is a 12m high and 150m long glass walkway that runs alongside the Kwae Yai river and is designed to give visitors a bird’s eye view of where the Kwae Yai and Kwae Noi rivers meet. From the Kanchanaburi Skywalk you will get beautiful views of the converging rivers flowing through lush green surroundings with mountains in the background.
• After Kanchanaburi Skywalk you will visit the Kanchanaburi Night Market where you can browse the many different stalls offering handicrafts, souvenirs, local foods and clothing items and where you can eat dinner in a local restaurant. After dinner you will be taken to your Kanchanaburi hotel.
• Stay overnight in Kanchanaburi hotel/guesthouse.
• DAY 2
• 07:30 Breakfast at your hotel in Kanchanaburi.
• 08:00 Pickup from your hotel in Bangkok and travel to the River Kwai Bridge which is a historically significant bridge located in Kanchanaburi province. It is one of the major attractions in this region and holds great historical importance due to its connection to World War II. During the Second World War the Japanese Imperial Army occupied Thailand and used forced labor including prisoners of war and Asian laborers to construct a railway line connecting Thailand to Myanmar (then Burma). The construction of the railway was a grueling and challenging task given the difficult terrain and harsh working conditions. The section of the railway that crossed the Mae Klong River (also known as the Kwai Yai River) required a bridge to span the river’s width.
• The River Kwai Bridge was built using wooden and concrete materials and was completed in 1943. The construction involved immense human suffering as thousands of laborers lost their lives due to the harsh conditions, maltreatment and disease. After the war the original wooden bridge was replaced with a stronger steel and concrete structure. Today the River Kwai Bridge stands as a symbol of the past and serves as a memorial to the thousands who lost their lives during its construction.
• After the River Kwai Bridge you will visit the JEATH War Museum. The name JEATH is derived from countries engaged in the Death Railway construction from 1942 to 1945 (Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland). The JEATH War Museum displays photographs and illustrations narrating the living conditions of the prisoners of war (POWs) during that cruel time, some of which were donated by former POWs who survived.
• After the JEATH War Museum you will visit the War Cemetery also known as the Don Rak War Cemetery. The Don Rak War Cemetery is a solemn and significant memorial located in Kanchanaburi and serves as a final resting place for thousands of Allied prisoners of war who lost their lives during the construction of the Death Railway in World War II. The Don Rak War Cemetery is situated close to the River Kwai Bridge and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and contains the graves of over 6,000 Allied and Asian prisoners of war. Within the cemetery grounds there is a memorial building that displays the names of nearly 12,000 prisoners of war who died while working on the railway but have no known graves. The Don Rak War Cemetery is beautifully landscaped and provides a serene and peaceful environment for visitors to pay their respects and reflect on the sacrifices made during the war.
• After the War Cemetery you will board a local train and take a train ride along the Death Railway which runs through beautiful local scenery and historical sites. This route takes passengers across the River Kwai Bridge and through the picturesque countryside of Kanchanaburi province. The journey provides insights into the tragic history of the Death Railway and the significant human suffering that occurred during its construction. As you ride the train you can view the beautiful landcape and remember the thousands of lives lost and the hardships endured by those who were forced to build the Death Railway. You will ride along the Death Railway for 1 hour before the train reaches Tham Kra Sae Station where you will disembark and then travel by vehicle to a local restaurant.
• Lunch at local restaurant.
• After lunch you will then travel to the Hellfire Pass. Hellfire Pass is another significant historical site located in Kanchanaburi and is a part of the Death Railway which was constructed during World War II by forced labor. Hellfire Pass is also known as ‘Konyu Cutting’ or ‘Chong Khao Kad’ and was one of the most challenging sections of the railway to build as the POWs and forced labor had to cut through the mountain using hand drills, picks and shovels to carve through the rock. The name ‘Hellfire Pass’ originates from the conditions endured by those who worked there. The laborers had to work day and night using only torches for lighting creating the eerie impression of a passageway glowing like hellfire.
• The 500m long pass was incredibly completed in six months in 1943 and many lives were sacrificed. Nowadays Hellfire Pass has become a historical site with an information centre and a museum that exhibits related tools and photographs from this historical event to remind people the importance of world peace.
• After Hellfire Pass you will travel to the Muang Sing Historical Park. The history of Muang Sing Historical Park goes back to a period between 857 and 1157 when the Khmer Kingdom was flourishing. Records show that this town was abandoned until the reign of King Rama I (1782-1809) when the name Muang Sing first showed in chronicles of this time period. Muang Sing was a fortified town protecting the town of Kanchanaburi and was built in the Bayon-style therefore similarities between the Muang Sing Historical Park and the Angkor Wat are very apparent. The architecture at Muang Sing Historical Park is very old and beautiful and there are four large monuments located in the historical park surrounded by a laterite wall.
• 19:30 Return to your hotel in Bangkok.

** Guide times are approximate depending upon local traffic and weather conditions and can also be adjusted to suit your own personal requirements **

Tour includes