Day One: Sunday 24th April 2016
We'll pick you up from your hotel between
07:30 - 09:00 and drive through to the War Cemetery in Kanchanaburi. The
local guide will join you here and will be with you throughout the day.
From there we'll continue up to Thaklien,
where you can have a close look at the construction of the 'Death
Railway' before boarding the train for the spectacular rail journey over
the Wang Pho Viaduct.
After lunch in a local Thai restaurant we'll
head up to Hellfire Pass where you can wander through the Museum and
walk down into Konyu Cutting. Visiting here on the Saturday will enhance
the experience of the Dawn parade the following day.
Later afternoon we'll check in to the resort
and you'll have time for a shower and change of clothes before heading
down to the Floating Restaurant beside the Bridge over the River Kwai
for dinner at 5:30. You can take a walk on the bridge and get some great
photos.The first round over dinner is on us so don't be too long!
No evening activity is planned as we have an
early start in the morning.
Day Two: Monday 25th April 2016
We'll leave the resort at 03:15. If you're
late you'll be walking as this is the one time we will not wait for the
stragglers. It's about an hours drive from Kanchanaburi to Hellfire Pass
and the road is very busy on ANZAC morning.
Hellfire Pass Museum is situtated on Royal
Thai Army land and the army organise the parking for ANZAC Day. No
vehicles are allowed into the carpark area but must park on the grass
near the road. Please remember where your van is parked because you'll
need to find it after the Dawn parade is finished. The army provide
shuttle buses from the parking area to the Hellfire Pass Museum and vice
versa, so it's a good idea to wait for one of these as it's a fair walk
in the dark.
From the museum you'll be able to walk down
into Konyu Cutting where the Dawn parade is held. You'll have to pass
through a security screen and you cannot take any bags with you into the
cutting. There is seating for children beside the memorial, so if you
are a family an early start is recommended as we are expecting record
numbers being a weekend.
The Australian Army has recently completed a
new walkway down into the cutting which has made things a lot easier.
You can say a quiet word of thanks to them on the way down. However,
you'll still need decent shoes because the rail bed is stony and the
rocks are hard on your feet. Allow about 25 minutes for the walk down.
The Dawn Parade Service commences at 05:30
and lasts 30 minutes. When everyone arrives back up at the carpark
they will be greeted with a traditional gunfire breakfast of hot tea or
coffee and ANZAC buscuits together with shot of Bundaberg Rum for those
who would like to imbibe.
Around 07:30 we'll journey back to the
resort for a well-earned breakfast and you can relax until 10:15 when
we'll head down to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery for the wreath-laying
ceremony, which runs from 11:00 - 12:00. This is the hottest month of
the year in Thailand and Kanchanaburi is one of the hottest provinces,
so please avail yourselves of the free water which is available at the
rear of each of the tents. You need to drink a lot during this day.
The Australian and New Zealand Embassies
take turns in providing some hospitality following this service and it
is the turn of the Aussies this year. The hospitality area is
immediately behind the VIP tent, through the hedge and is well worth
attending!
Lunch will be served at one of the local
restaurants and when everyone has had their fill and a suitable time for
making new acquaintances or renewing old ones, we'll take you back to
Bangkok. You could expect to be back in the late afternoon.
Bookings
ANZAC 2016 falls on a Thursday, so we are
expecting record numbers. We have pre-booked rooms at a resort beside
the River Kwai already. If you are a family there are both double &
twin rooms and early bookings would ensure that the rooms are next to
each other. Email us for a special family
rate.
Payment for ANZAC Tours must be made by 31st
March 2016. Once you confirm your booking a link will be sent to you
for online payment. Accommodation will be allocated according to the
order of payments received, so if you want to be sure of a place on this
tour, pay when you book.
Inclusions: A/C VIP van;
English-speaking guide; train ticket; lunch both days;
dinner; breakfast & resort accommodation.
Exclusions: Alcohol; tips for
guide, driver and waitresses.