3 day tours from Bangkok
 

We would like to ask about 3 day tours from Bangkok to Ayutthaya/ Kanchanaburi/ River Kwai.

Which tours are best? Anyone to recommend?

We a family of 4- with two teenagers ages 16 and 14. Would also look at hiring a private guide if anyone can recommend someone reliable honest and not overpriced. Thanks!

Kanchanaburi, Bridge over the River Kwai, Hellfire Pass, Commonwealth War Graves, and all other associated places of interest are vvery easy to do on a self-guided trip. Have a look at...

http://www.seat61.com/Bridge-on-the-River-Kwai.htm

...for some ideas. The Kanchanaburi forum on Trip Advisor also has many easy to follow suggestions.

As for Ayutthaya, many people visit on a day tip. Personally, I think it's worth slowing down a bit and staying overnight. It's a v.pleasant 2 hour or so train ride from Bangkok, and it's easy to latch on to a tuk tuk [or two] to take you round the main sites in Ayutthaya. You can get a bus back to Bangkok.

An organised tour covering 3/4 days will cost a pretty penny, and if that's the avenue you take, then make sure the guide shows you exactly where you want to visit, and that you have sufficient time to visit each stop.

Thank you so much LancasterLad- much appreciated. I will look into the self guided option as all the tours I've looked at seem to be very pricey. You've given me lots of tips- thanks again!!

Totally agree with LL visiting Kanchanaburi and Ayuthaya. Easy to do on your own and a train ride in Thailand is a must.

A while ago rented a car from the airport and drove to Kanchanaburi, which proved an economical way of visiting these places. You could fit in Kanchanaburi, Ayuthaya and a floating market in that time (Not sure whether you meant 3 one day tours or 1 three day tour?). Try to avoid Kanachanaburi at weekends when it does get very busy (lots of partying students when we were there! Some info and photos on our blog from a few years back
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...1540/tpod.html

On another trip we got a boat up to Ayuthaya from Bangkok and the train back. A lot cheaper to arrange in Bangkok than from overseas.

If you do want a tour rather than do-it-yourself, wait until you are in Bangkok to book it. The price will be less than half of the internet prices.

Hi, if you decide to consider a private guide I can recommend Wandee of Wandee Tours . My partner and I have hired her a couple of times and we have had some really interesting tours ,relaxed and informative tours
Very efficient and organised and is also good to be with A visit out to Hellfire Pass is a long day out from Bangkok but somewhere that we will never forget. Sure there is a cost, but for us worth every penny for the amount we packed in,the comfort,convenience and information. I think we had fair value for for the service and quality that we had. We wanted to get as much out of our visits as possible without too much stress.
Our view has been that we are on holiday, and although we enjoy a bit of adventure the heat, humidity,travelling by public transport and the need to comply to travel schedules just wipes us out.
The easy solution was to hire a guide to take us. We learned so much from Wandee about Thailand, their food, culture and the places that she took us. to visit.
In our experience the cost of pre booking is not a vast difference to booking on arrival, and with the added benefit of not wasting valuable time on looking for a package. locally- it is all sorted. So for sure next time we go, and there will be a next time I will pre book.
For information her e mail is [email protected].
There are other guides listed on Google so you could try for some alternates for pricing.
Do have a fantastic time in that wonderful fascinating country.

Will be visiting Kanchanaburi and Hellfire again next February

http://www.seat61.com/Bridge-on-the-River-Kwai.htm

Our DIY plan is v.simple...

0630 - Taxi from hotel [New Siam Riverside] on Phra Athit.

0700 - Arrive Thonburi [Bangkok Noi] train station, and buy single tickets to Kanchanaburi @ 100 baht.

0745 - Train leaves Thonburi. Passing through interesting scenery rarely seen by tourists.

1030 - Arrive Kanchanaburi, and walk to accommodation [5 minutes]

1100-1230 - Swim and light lunch

1300-1600 - Walk to Thailand-Burma Railway Centre. Run by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and a very interesting and moving place to start a visit to Kanchananaburi.

Across the road to Don Rak War Cemetery. Immaculately kept.

Taxi to JEATH War Museum. Very low tech, very moving.
Taxi to Chungkai Cemetery, set in absolutely gorgeous countryside.

1600 - Back to accommodation, swim.

1800 - Dinner and a couple of drinks.

Next Day...

0800 - taxi to bus station

0830 - Public bus to Hellfire Pass. Takes 75 minutes, and is just north of Nam Tok village. The bus stops outside of the Hellfire Pass grounds.

1000-1230 - Visit Hellfire Pass, and walk along part of the railway, where thousands of Allied POWs and civilians gave up their tomorrow so we could have our today.

1245 - Public bus to Nam Tok village.

1330-1430 - Lunch with the locals in the village market.

1430-1445 - Walk to Nam Tok train station.

1515 - Catch the afternoon Death Railway service back to Kanchanaburi. Superb scenery all the way.

1800 - Arrive Kanchanaburi. Back to accommodation

1830-1930 Swim

2000 - Dinner

Following morning...

Either back to Bangkok by train, or bus to Ayutthaya.

So simple to do, and at the pace I want.

Assuming from your title that you are Australian, I suggest you make sure you don't get rushed at Hell Fire Pass. I was on a tour years ago and feel I was shortchanged. If they still have the mp3 players with commentary make sure you get them as I found them excellent. They used survivors to tell you about each stopping place and listening to men who had actually worked on the railway enhanced the experience. This is probably better than listening to a Thai guide who has learned about it from books.

Spot-on Silverwool.

neither bridge over river kway, katchuburi or ayautha (sp) are worth the effort imo.

I prefer the guided tours provided by tourswithtong---google her