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From/ To: Your central BANGKOK hotel
Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
Departs: On Request
Departure: Guaranteed
Tour type: Private

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Overview:

Discover the history of the Burma-Thailand Railway visiting the sites of significant work areas and camps. Get first-hand details from your Railway Researcher/Historian who will be with you as you explore these locations. Learn the story on this informative and sometimes emotional, journey.

Ideal for those with a family connection or strong interest in the history of the "Death Railway".

Advance research of a related POW to identify known railway locations can be used to tailor a highly personalised experience.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Thailand-Burma Railway Centre (Museum)

• Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

• Chungkai War Cemetery

• Long-tail boat ride on the River Kwai

• Bridge over the River Kwai

• Historical railway tour with Railway Historian, north to Three Pagodas Pass on the Myanmar Border

• Shimo Songkurai

• Cholera Hill

• Three Pagodas Pass

• Hellfire Pass (including the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre & Memorial)

• Wang Pho Viaduct

• Train ride on original section of the Burma-Thailand Railway

• Phra Pathom Chedi

CONTACT US FOR AVAILABILITY AND PRICE

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

·      30 Days or less (but more than 14 days) prior to your tour start date – 50% of the total amount + any unrecoverable costs

·      14 Days or less prior to tour start date (including 'no show') - No refund

Day 1:

·      Thailand-Burma Railway Centre (museum) – Low-Moderate

·      Kanchanaburi War Cemetery – Low

Day 2:

·      Morning historical tour – Low-Moderate

·      Long tail boat ride - Moderate

·      Bridge over the River Kwai – Moderate-High

Day 3:

·      Day 1 of historical tour to Three Pagodas Pass – Low-Moderate

Day 4:

·      Day 2 of historical tour to Three Pagodas Pass – Low-Moderate

·      Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre - Low

·      Hellfire Pass – Moderate-High

·      Wang Pho Viaduct – Moderate

·      Train trip – Low

Day 5:

·      Morning local/cultural sights – Low-Moderate

·      Phra Pathom Chedi – Moderate

• All customers must have comprehensive travel insurance for the duration of the tour.

• This tour is conducted in accordance with the Terms, Conditions and Policies (Terms) of Historic War Tour Pty Ltd (HWT). By booking a tour with HWT, you acknowledge that you have read and understand these Terms and accept them.

Meet 9:00am at your Bangkok hotel (TBA) and travel to Kanchanaburi (about 3 hours from Bangkok) via Ban Pong where all POWs sent to Thailand arrived from Singapore by train in 1942/43, visiting Ban Pong Camp location where the POWs stayed overnight.

Follow their travel route and on arrival at Kanchanaburi, visit the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre (Museum) for an informed and thought-provoking discussion on the railway. Go through the museum then visit the adjacent Kanchanaburi War Cemetery.

When ready, check in at The Bridge Residence Hotel, a well-located, high standard hotel on the river, quality restaurant, swimming pool and English-speaking staff within walking distance to local town area and the Bridge over the River Kwai.

Includes: Transfer from Bangkok in air-con vehicle with TBRC Guide, Lunch & refreshments, Admission to Museum/Research Centre & Accommodation.

Pick-up at 8:30am for a personally guided tour around Kanchanaburi visiting several significant railway locations. This includes sites of F & H Hospital Camp, Kanchanaburi Aerodrome and Officers Camp and the Chungkai Cemetery and POW Camp location. Explore the nearby work area of the men from the Chungkai camp, consisting of large embankments, bridges and cuttings

Take a long-tail boat on the Kwai rivers to the famous Bridge over the River Kwai. Learn the true story of the bridge including the nearby Tha Makham Camp that supplied the labour for the bridge. Finish with a visit and walk on the Bridge before returning to The Bridge Residence Hotel for a relaxing late-afternoon/evening as you wish.

Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Local tour with TBRC Researcher/Historian, TBRC Guide, Admission to Museum, Long-tail boat ride & Accommodation.

Check out at 8:30am for your historical tour following the still-working section of railway passing through the southern work area and camps including Wang Lan, Ban Khao, Tha Kilen, Wang Takhian and others along the route until reaching Arrow Hill and the southern end of the Wang Pho Viaduct.

Continue up country to the site of Tha Sao Camp and explore this significant site. Continue through Nam Tok beyond the current railway to locate remnants of the war-time railway visiting Kinsaiyok. Gain a good understanding of the significance and size of this camp, station and work area.

In the afternoon, for a wider appreciation of the railway in general, proceed further north along the railway, following the F Force route through stop-over camps such as Lin Thin, Hindat, Prang Kasi, Tha Khanun, Shimo Songkurai, Songkurai and Kami Songkurai, the destination for F Force, in May 1943.

Finish the day not far from Three Pagodas Pass and the border with Burma. Overnight at Suan Magmai Resort at nearby Sangklaburi.

Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Tour with TBRC Researcher, Guide, Admission to National Park for Kinsaiyok access & Accommodation.

After breakfast take in some of the interesting local cultural sights before departing for the short trip up to Three Pagodas Pass. Discover where the railway crossed from Thailand into Burma and where the seriously sick from F Force were taken to Thanbaya Hospital Camp in Burma towards the end of 1943.

Take the return trip along the railway visiting aspects not covered on the previous day. This will include major sites such as Hellfire Pass (including the Australian Government operated Memorial and walking trail) and the Wang Pho Viaduct learning more on these remarkable work areas and their history.

Return on the last leg of the journey by taking the train on the still-working section of railway from Tham Krasae back to Kanchanaburi, arriving back late afternoon at The Bridge Residence Hotel.

Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Historical tour with TBRC Researcher/Historian, TBRC Guide, Train ride & Accommodation.

The morning can be spent on local/cultural sights and activities prior to leaving for Bangkok. These include Prasat Muang Sing Historical Park (ancient Khmer ruins), Erawan National Park and waterfalls.

Early afternoon depart for Bangkok and on the way visit Nakhon Pathom where there was a large hospital camp set up for the chronically ill in 1944 and where the well-known Australian railway Doctor, Weary Dunlop, was based from mid-1944 until the end of the war.

Visit the nearby Phra Pathom Chedi, the largest Buddhist Pagoda in Thailand and a substantial landmark very visible at the time to the men in the Nakhon Pathom POW Camp.

Continue to Bangkok and your hotel.

Includes: Breakfast, Lunch & refreshments, TBRC Guide, Morning & afternoon programs, Admission charges & Return to Bangkok.