Death Railway “Up Country” 5 Days, 4 Nights

Burma-Thailand Railway Death Railway “Up Country” 5 Days, 4 Nights

Tour Summary

Designed for the person with a deep interest in the Burma-Thailand Duration: 5 Days, 4 Nights Railway, you will be accompanied (excluding the Bangkok transfer From/To: Bangkok days) by an experienced railway researcher/historian. This tour Departs: By arrangement includes the Bridge over the River Kwai, Hellfire Pass, the Wang Pho Viaduct, the Kanchanaburi and Chungkai War Cemeteries and Tour type: Private enjoy a ride on a long tail boat on the River Kwai and a train along Status: Guaranteed departure a section of the Burma-Thailand Railway. Pricing Details: Plus, you will follow the F Force route north (“Up Country”) to the 2-3 Persons share - $3,135 pp Myanmar (Burmese) border and visit sites such as Kinsaiyok, 4+ Persons twin share - $2,135 pp Cholera Hill (part of the Australian Shimo Songkurai Camp) and Single room surcharge - $350 pp Songkurai (a British camp and the site of the “Bridge of 600”). You All prices are quoted in AUD will gain an appreciation of the hardship and living conditions that Price valid to 31/12/2022 the POW’s had to endure. Also visit remarkable places such as the unspoilt town of Sangkhlaburi and Three Pagodas Pass where the railway crossed into Burma.

Tour Details

Day 1: Depart hotel: 9:00am (Bangkok city location) Finish: 4:00pm approx.

Depart your Bangkok hotel and travel to Kanchanaburi (about 3 hours from Bangkok) via the Ban Pong Railway Station where all POW’s sent to Thailand, arrived from Singapore by train in 1942/43. Visit the Ban Pong Camp location where the POW’s stayed overnight before following their travel route to Kanchanaburi. On arrival, visit the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre (museum) for an informed and thought-provoking discussion on the railway with a railway researcher/historian.

Spend time in the museum and then visit the adjacent Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. When ready, check in at the River Kwai Bridge Resort on the site of Tha Makham Camp. A well-located resort on the river, within easy walking distance to the Bridge on the River Kwai, with a good restaurant, swimming pool and English-speaking staff.

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To book: Visit: www.historicwartours.com.au or Email: [email protected] or Contact: Your travel agent This tour is conducted in accordance with the Policies, Terms & Conditions of Historic War Tour (refer Website)

Burma-Thailand Railway Death Railway “Up Country” 5 Days, 4 Nights

Meals: Lunch Hotel: River Kwai Bridge Resort, Kanchanaburi (or equivalent)

Activity level: * Ban Pong Railway Station and Camp – Low * Thailand-Burma Railway Centre (museum) – Low-Moderate * Kanchanaburi War Cemetery - Low

Day 2: Depart hotel: 8:30am Finish: 4:00pm approx. Bridge over the River Kwai

Depart your hotel for a personally guided tour around Kanchanaburi visiting several significant railway locations. These include F & H Hospital Camp, Kanchanaburi Aerodrome and Officers Camp, the Chungkai War Cemetery and Chungkai POW Camp locations. Explore the nearby work area of the men from the Chungkai camp consisting of large embankments, bridges and cuttings and then take a long-tail boat on the Kwai rivers to the famous Bridge on the River Kwai. Learn the true story of the Bridge including the nearby Tha Makham Camp which supplied the labour for the bridge. Finish with a visit and walk on the Bridge before you return to the River Kwai Bridge Resort for a relaxing late afternoon/evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Hotel: River Kwai Bridge Resort, Kanchanaburi (or equivalent)

Activity level: * Personally guided morning tour - Low-Moderate * Long tail boat ride on the Kwai rivers - Low-Moderate * Bridge on the River Kwai - Moderate

Day 3: Depart hotel: 8:30am Finish: 4:30pm approx.

Depart your hotel for your historical tour following the still-working section of railway passing through the southern work areas 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 the Tha Sao Camp and explore this significant site. Continue through Nam Tok beyond the current railway to locate the remnants of the war-time railway visiting Kinsaiyok. Gain a good understanding of the significance and size of this camp, railway station and work areas.

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Burma-Thailand Railway Death Railway “Up Country” 5 Days, 4 Nights

In the afternoon, for a wider appreciation of the railway story, 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 and Cholera Hill.

Cholera Hill is also the site of one of the very few former camp cemeteries that can be easily seen today. Spend a moment to remember those who were buried there (and later moved to the cemetery at Kanchanaburi) and how cholera at some camps was a constant presence in the life of a POW.

Part of the cemetery at Cholera Hill Finish the day not far from Three Pagodas Pass and the border with Burma and overnight at nearby Sangkhlaburi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Hotel: Suan Magmai Resort, Sangkhlaburi (or equivalent)

Activity level: * Arrow Hill (southern end of Wang Pho Viaduct) – Low * Tha Sao Camp – Low * Kinsaiyok (camp, railway station and work areas) - Moderate * Shimo Songkurai and Cholera Hill - Moderate

Day 4: Depart hotel: 8:30am Finish: 5:30pm approx.

After breakfast take in some of the interesting local cultural sites of Sangkhlaburi such as the Mon Bridge (a trestle construction similar to that used on the railway) and the unique Wat Wangwiwekaram, before departing for the short trip north. Visit Songkurai (the site of the Bridge of 600) and Kami Songkurai, the destination for F Force in May 1943. Arrive at Three Pagodas Pass where the railway crossed from Thailand into Burma.

Begin 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 Three Pagodas, Three Pagodas Pass Memorial and Walking Trail) and the Wang Pho Viaduct at Tham Krasae, learning more on these remarkable work areas and their history.

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Burma-Thailand Railway Death Railway “Up Country” 5 Days, 4 Nights

Return on the last leg of your journey by taking the train on the still working section of the railway from Tham Krasae back to Kanchanaburi. Arrive back late afternoon at the River Kwai Bridge Resort.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Hotel: River Kwai Bridge Resort, Kanchanaburi (or equivalent)

Activity level: * Sangkhlaburi local and cultural sites – Low * Songkurai – Low Hellfire Pass * Three Pagodas Pass - Low-Moderate * Hellfire Pass – Moderate-High * Wang Pho Viaduct (at Tham Krasae) – Moderate * Train trip on still operating section of the railway - Low

Day 5: Depart hotel: 8:30am Finish: 5:00pm approx.

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

Early afternoon, depart for Bangkok and on the way visit Nakhon Pathom where a large hospital camp was set up in 1944, for the chronically ill. The well-known Australian railway doctor, Weary Dunlop, was based here 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 Camp. Continue to Bangkok and your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Hotel: As per own arrangement

Activity level: * Local/cultural sites and activities – Low-Moderate * Phra Pathom Chedi, Nakhom Pathom – Moderate

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Burma-Thailand Railway Death Railway “Up Country” 5 Days, 4 Nights

Inclusions: Exclusions:  Pick-up/Drop-off at your Bangkok (central city)  Airfares, passport and visa expenses hotel  Bangkok accommodation  Resort (2 Star) accommodation  Meals and services not mentioned  Meals as indicated  Comprehensive travel insurance  Experienced, English speaking guide  Personal expenses (e.g. telephone, internet,  Comfortable, air-conditioned minivan with driver laundry, drinks, souvenirs etc.)  All touring as indicated  Optional elephant ride  Long-tail boat and train ride as indicated  Tips to Guide and Driver  Entrance fees to museum and parks  Historic War Tours – Souvenir polo shirt Please note:  This tour is conducted in accordance with the Policies, Terms and Conditions of Historic War Tours (www.historicwartours.com.au/policies-ts- cs)  All customers must have covid-compliant, comprehensive travel insurance for the duration of the tour.

Additional note:  For those who have a relative who was a POW on the railway and would like to follow in their footsteps, this tour can be adapted to suit. A specifically researched tour program will enable you to visit locations where the POW would have camped and worked as well as providing some meaning to the railway story. Please contact us with your enquiry.  This tour is also available in a 4 Day/3 Night format – Please contact us for more details.

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