River Kwai Explorer & Ayutthaya - 5 Days

Welcome to Bangkok, the bustling capital city of Thailand! A world-renowned tourist destination, this vibrant city offers an eclectic mix of lively street life, cultural landmarks, and busy shopping areas.

Arriving at Suvarnabhumi or Donmuang Airport, transfer to your hotel for check in. Time permitting, spend the day at leisure exploring Bangkok. While you're here, why not try some tasty street food or take a thrilling tuk tuk ride?

Bangkok - Hintok River Camp. Today begins with a historical exploration tour to the Kanchanaburi province, where we will learn about the region's wartime history. We will depart bright and early, at 6am.

Our first destination is the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, an interactive museum that commemorates the infamous 'death railway.' Continuing our journey, we pay our respects at the Allied War Cemetery, a solemn resting place for over 6,000 prisoners who sacrificed their lives during the railway's construction.

The next stop is the world-famous Bridge on the River Kwai. After lunch, we visit the chilling Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum. Exhibits and audio displays within the museum pay homage to the workers and their sacrifices.

Then, we walk along Hellfire Pass itself, a challenging section of rock cutting that stands as a symbol of peace amidst the jungle. As the day winds down, enjoy the afternoon at leisure. At night, enjoy a BBQ dinner.

Overnight at Hintok River Camp, in Safari-style tents.

Hintok River Camp - River Kwai Jungle Rafts. This morning, we take a long-tail boat ride to the River Kwai Jungle Rafts, where we will spend the night in unique floating hotel rooms. After checking in, we visit an ethnic Mon Tribal village.

We will also visit the Golden Rock, explore the Buddha image cave, and tour a quaint village school. We'll have time to converse with the Mon people, gaining insights into their history, religion, and culture. We'll watch traditional dance performances, learn to wear the sa-rong costume, and play the saba game. Additionally, we'll make tanaka powder from tree bark, used as a natural cosmetic, sunscreen, and insect repellent.

After a walk along the riverbank trail to a stunning viewpoint of the River Kwai, the rest of the afternoon is free to relax and explore. You can also partake in river jumping or bamboo rafting (booked locally).

At night, enjoy dinner followed by a 45-minute traditional Mon dance display.

River Kwai Jungle Rafts - Bangkok. After a morning at leisure, we will take another long-tail boat ride down the River Kwai.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we will take a journey on the infamous 'death railway,' - the actual train link built by the Allied prisoners during World War II. The train ride along this historic route gives us a unique perspective on the challenges faced by those who built it.

As the day draws to a close, we bid farewell to the River Kwai and make our way back to Bangkok arriving around 6pm depending on the busy Bangkok traffic. Your evening is at leisure.

Bangkok - Ayutthaya - Bangkok Among the ‘must see’ attractions in Thailand is the former capital of Ayutthaya which is situated 90 km north of Bangkok.

This once buzzing international trading port that sits on the banks of the Chao Phraya River is filled with the ruins of temples, palaces and shrines that make up the World Heritage listed Ayutthaya Historical Park. This tour takes us to the principal sights which include the gigantic bronze statues of Wat Mongkol Borpith; Wat Phra Srisanpetch; and Wat Yai Chai Mongkol.

We also take to the water with a visit to the former Royal Summer Residence Bang-Pa-In by boat. This architectural masterpiece contains fine examples of Thai and European style buildings. Lunch is at a local restaurant.

As the day draws to a close, we bid farewell to Ayutthaya and make our way back to Bangkok arriving around 6pm depending on the busy Bangkok traffic. We recommend booking a post night accommodation.