Depart hotel: 7:00am
Return: 7:30pm approx.

Depart your Central Bangkok hotel for Kanchanaburi on the River Kwai and the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. Walk around this beautifully landscaped area and begin to realise why the railway became known as the ‘Death Railway’.

Proceed to the Hellfire Pass area having lunch along the way.

Visit the Australian Government supported Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre. Displays, photos and dioramas depict the construction of the railway through this mountainous section and the hardships that the POWs had to endure.

Walk down the stairway from the Centre to the disused railway bed below and proceed to Hellfire Pass. Be amazed at how this huge railway cutting was built with little more than basic hand tools while the POWs worked 16 to 17 hours a day. Take time for some quiet reflection on the sacrifices of the POWs, at the Weary Dunlop and the Hellfire Pass Memorials.

Return to Kanchanaburi and visit the Bridge over the River Kwai. Join others in making the return pilgrimage across this famous bridge.

If time permits, visit the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre (entrance fee not included), a museum of world renown overlooking the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. Dioramas, artefacts (retrieved from various camps and work sites along the railway) and personal stories of POW’s, all combine to give you a better appreciation of the railway story.

Return to your Central Bangkok hotel.

Meals included: Lunch

• Pick-up/Drop-off at your central Bangkok Hotel

• Meals as indicated (Note: Drinks not included)

• Experienced, English-speaking guide

• Comfortable, air-conditioned car/minivan with driver

• All touring as indicated

• Travel expenses before & after the tour

• Passport & visa expenses

• Entrance fee – Thailand-Burma Railway Centre

• Bangkok accommodation

• Meals and services not mentioned

• Comprehensive travel insurance

• Personal expenses (e.g. telephone, internet, laundry, drinks, souvenirs etc.)

• Tips to Guide and Driver

If you find that you are unable to join a tour that has been booked, confirmed and paid in part or in full, the paid amount of that tour less any unrecoverable costs, may be converted to a voucher. The value of that voucher may be used towards the same tour with a later departure date or any other HWT tour.

If a refund is requested, the following cancellation fees may be deducted from the paid amount:

• Greater than 10 days prior to tour start date - 10% of total tour amount + any unrecoverable costs

• 10 days or less (including 'no show') prior to tour start date - No refund

Validity: Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you plan to leave their country. This is a common safeguard to ensure you can legally travel without issues if your passport is close to expiring.

Before traveling: It’s essential to verify the entry requirements for every country you plan to visit. This includes visas, vaccination requirements, and other entry regulations.

Use official sources: For Australians, the Smartraveller website provides up-to-date travel advice, including passport and visa requirements, safety alerts, and other critical information.

Fitness level is very subjective and can vary for everyone. As a guide:

Low: Mainly sitting, small amount of walking required

Low-Moderate: Easy walking, some steps

Moderate: Walking moderate distances, uneven/unpaved ground, steps

Moderate-High: Walking moderate-long distances, uneven/unpaved ground, steep inclines, steps

High: Walking moderate-long distances, uneven/unpaved ground, steep inclines, steps, bush tracks

This tour:

• Kanchanaburi War Cemetery – Low

• Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre - Low

• Hellfire Pass – Moderate-High

• Bridge over the River Kwai – Moderate-High

• Thailand-Burma Railway Centre – Low-Moderate

There is no compulsory tipping on the tour and any tip is discretionary by you. Your guide and driver are paid a good salary for the hard work they do but if you do choose to give a tip, this supplementary amount is always appreciated. If you believe you were treated well and received excellent service during your tour by the guide and driver, then feel free to tip an amount that you are comfortable with. If you distribute a tip between the guide and driver, please present it to them separately to avoid confusion.