ERAWAN NATIONAL PARK AND HELLFIRE PASS DAY TOUR FROM BANGKOK

Visit Erawan, a national park located in the west of Thailand near the Myanmar border. The national park is most famous for its seven-tiered waterfalls here which pour into emerald-green ponds amidst forest and rocky landscapes.
From the car park, begin your walk to visit both level one and level two of the Erawan waterfalls. You will begin your walk along a comfortable path, passing by many different trees and plants which your guide will explain along the way. Soon, come to the first waterfalls. Here, you can pay 20 Thai Baht (paid locally) to rent a mandatory life vest if you wish to go swimming. You can rent the life vests for a maximum of two hours. Otherwise, enjoy the opportunity to take photos of the waterfall and take in the natural beautiful scenery.
Continue slightly further to an elevation of 750 metres to visit the 2nd Erawan Waterfall, one of the most impressive and the most popular waterfall in the national park. Again, take in the spectacular waterfall scenery here and take a swim alongside the many fish to reside here in the clear waters. Whilst here, you will enjoy an included lunch from one of the local restaurants. Sit on the neighbouring rocks or benches whilst you enjoy a delicious lunch whilst taking in the natural scenery of this beauty spot.
Enjoy a three-course local Thai lunch at a local restaurant.
This afternoon, reflect on the atrocities of the past, with a visit to the Hellfire Pass and Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum. The Hellfire pass was a railway cutting on the former Death Railway outside of the town of Kanchanaburi. Prisoners of war were forced to cut through the thick rock here to extend the railway line in to Burma under Japanese occupation, in World War II. The region is called the Hellfire pass as many prisoners of war died due to horrendous conditions here. Additionally, the Japanese army would force prisoners of war to work in to the evening, using only torch lamps to light the route in the pitch black of night.
You will begin your tour with a visit to the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum where you will learn through photographs the infamous history of the Death Railway and the Hellfire Pass, and see former tools used by prisoners of war which were used to crack through the almost-unbreakable rock at Hellfire Pass. There is also a short video which includes commentary from former prisoners of war, discussing their sobering experience cutting the rock here.
You will next take a walk to the actual site of the Hellfire Pass. Though a beautiful stretch of land, the troubling history of the region is palpable. The walk is a nice time to enjoy a moment of silence as you reflect as you walk along real history and think of the men who lost their lives here. Halfway through your walk, you will visit a memorial to those who died here. You will see local memorials left by family and countrymen of those who died, as well as an official memorial containing a Thai, British, Dutch, American and Australian flags, to commemorate the main nationalities who died here. Return the way you came and head back to the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum.
Transfer back to Bangkok.
Note:
• If you wish to swim, please bring your swimming costume and a towel
• From the car park to tier one of the Erawan National Park, the path is wheelchair accessible
• The history of this region can be upsetting for visitors.
• The walk to the Hellfire pass is around 1km long and is not difficult.
• You will need to walk up and down a few flights of stairs to start and end your walk on the Hellfire Pass