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Home » Reader question » Reader question: To the River Kwai bridge from Bangkok
Reader question: To the River Kwai bridge from Bangkok
Dear readers.
We are going to Thailand for the 1st time and are very curious what we will find. We land (29-2) in the morning at about 08.00 am so we immediately have a whole day. On the 3rd day we would like to travel from Bangkok to Brug River Kwai and back to the airport the next day to continue to Koh Samui.
Is all this feasible and what should we take into account?
Regards,
Jan
Kanchanburi H/T one day is possible, some T/O also offer that, but then you really see the strict minimum, take a picture and leave…
Bridge over the river, WWII graveyard, POW museum..there is so much in the area.
If you want to travel part of the way to Tamchasem by train, it's worth it, but it's too tight in 1 day.
If you add the Erawan waterfalls, Sai Yok and the Hellfire pass, it will easily take 2 – 3 days.
There are also the Khmer temples nearby, in a beautiful domain, but not accessible in 1 day.
And a boat trip on the river is also recommended.
Succes
Yes, that is easily achievable, you have two days to acclimatize in Bkk and to process your jet lag. One day up and down to River Kwai is possible but still. There is much more to see in that region than just that bridge. See previous reports on this on this blog.
Of course I don't know how long you want to stay on Koh Samui afterwards to possibly pit there for a day.
The mode of travel to and from River Kwai will also matter a lot. The tourist train seems to be a must.
That would be a shame because Kanchanaburi has so much to offer. The Erawan, Hell fire pass the bridge. The museums
http://www.vegatravelbangkok.com/floating-market-and-river-kwai-vg-08-16.html
Already booked several times with guests, always perfectly arranged.
Dear Jan, this will not work arrival 29-2 but the rest is possible but it is a pity that you will not stay longer in kanchanaburi.
Hi Jan,
I also think that 1 day is much too short to see Kanchanaburi. There is so much more to see than just the bridge! It is a very beautiful region.
The distance from BKK there and back can be done in 1 day, but I personally find it a bit pointless to go there for just 1 day. Do you have a few days left after Koh Samui?
Or are you planning a 2nd trip to Thailand in the future in order to possibly spend more time on Kanchanaburi?
2 days in Bangkok is feasible, but then you have to arrange everything very well in advance, and most things will be blitz visits.
Maybe you can use that one day to have some extra slack in Bangkok?
Have you ever thought about 1 day to Ayuthaya? Is also feasible in terms of distance and is more realistic in 1 day.
You might even be able to take in the palace in Bang Pa In.
Regarding Koh Samui: definitely do the islands such as Koh Antong Marine Park, etc…
Dries
Please note that the River Kwai bridge has nothing to do with the original. The current bridge was built in the 80s for the railway line and as a tourist attraction. In the latter they have succeeded well.
The bridge is largely original. The bent parts are placed in the war. The 2 rectangular bridge sections are 'new'. For example, see an article a few months ago:
https://www.thailandblog.nl/reisverhalen/dodenspoor/
En http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/kwai.htm
In the photo at the top of the blog I link to you can see the train running along a rock wall. In that rock face is a small temple/shrine that can only be reached by walking over the track. Not far from there is an Elephant camp.
A number of kilometers past the train's terminus is the Hellfire pass. There is a museum there and if you are reasonably fit you can follow a walking route. There is also plenty of natural beauty (waterfalls) to see in the region. You can enjoy a few nights there and reflect on the horrors of the war. See for example:
https://www.thailandblog.nl/bezienswaardigheden/excursies/excursies-river-kwai-tour-3-dagen/
drive by taxi or sky train to Mo Chit north bus station. there you can take a minibus to Kanburi in less than an hour for about 120 Thb. do ask locally because they leave quite remote from the other buses.
Last year this was still possible from Victory Monument, but that now appears to have been abolished and I even think Mo Chit is better because you are outside the center and closer to the bridge over the Chayo Praya river towards Kanburi. the Thais shorten that name to avoid having to always say Kanchanaburi. they have it easier than difficult haha.
I myself would not return to the airport but take a VIP bus to Kho Samui from the bus station of Kanchanaburi ... a long ride but again to the airport also costs a lot of time and money and why not a stopover in Cha Am or Hua Hin? also very nice beaches!
personally I don't think the trip to Kanburi JUST to see the bridge is worth it! another person above has already said it: there is much more to the river Kwai than just that stupid bridge, not the one from the movie, by the way. this one, the real one, was not dynamited like in the movie but bombed by the English to make the railway and the supply of weapons and troops impossible.
change your schedule and stay 2-3 days and then travel on. dirt cheap accommodation for 200 thb with fan or 300 thb for air conditioning room in Tamarind guesthouse that is VERY clean and with a beautiful terrace that has an extraordinary view of the beautiful wide River Kwai, or in one of the more expensive chic hotels that have emerged in recent years have been added frequently.
check “hotels in Kanchanaburi” on the internet and you don't know what to choose anymore, so many that there are!
If you have the time, it is best to travel to Kanchanaburi by train from Bangkok Noi station across the river or on weekends from Hua Lampong main station.
The journey through the beautiful landscape and past numerous village stations takes about 3-4 hours.
If you make that trip, you have to spend the night there somewhere.
Otherwise it is just a quick look (see other comments).
So you have to take 2 days for it.
Look, for example, at River Kwai Jungle Rafts, a paradise on rafts in the river.
If you are in BKK on Sunday, the tourist train (early on Sunday) is recommended; which stops at all the sights leading up to it, such as the bridge and a waterfall.
The bridge over the River Kwai is still partly authentic and still contains bridge segments from WWII. Some segments have curved spans, 2 others are rectangular. The rectangular ones are the new trusses installed by a Japanese company. The curved ones are the original ones, in addition to the current bridge, a completely wooden bridge was built in WWII for the supply of equipment further on.