Month: February 2023

One of World War Two’s most extraordinary and harrowing engineering achievements was the construction of the Burma-Thailand railway. (Burma is now called Myanmar.) With unbelievably primitive tools for such a project and total disregard for human life and suffering, the Japanese used prisoner labourers to build a railway 415 kilometres long through one of the world’s most rugged terrains in the short span of 12 months.   

Deaths from the project numbered around 15,000 British, Australian, American,  Dutch and New Zealand prisoners of war and an estimated 70,000-90,000 forced Asian civilian labourers. Over 2,500 Australians died during construction due also to starvation, lack of medicine, poor treatment, and diseases such as cholera and typhoid. During this tragedy, there were also heroic stories of endurance, survival and mateship on many fronts.  

Many remnants of the infamous Burma-Thai railway and bridges are found in the Thai province of Kanchanaburi, 140km NW of Bangkok. While one bridge is commonly known as ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’, from the famous movie of that name, three insightful museums reveal more of the tragic events of the Burmese-Thai railway. The JEATH War Museum, the Death Railway Museum and Research Centre and Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walking Trail illustrate a full story from the beginning of World War Two through to, the attack on Pearl Harbour, the fall of Singapore and the Japanese occupation of many Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand.  

Edventure Travel can arrange visits to the museums and original sections of the railway line still in use in Thailand. A moving tour of Hellfire Pass, where the Australian soldiers had to dig through rock and where original train carriages rest in the jungle, further illustrates the events that unfolded. Soldiers’ items, digging tools, uniforms and improvised medical procedures are on display, along with photos depicting the harsh conditions endured. 

A trip to Kanchanaburi will interest students studying World War Two, anti-colonialism, global politics and intenational reconciliation. Kanchanaburi can also form a part of a more extensive tour of Thailand or a Singapore-Thailand combined trip that visits the Changi Museum from where many POWs went to work on the Burma-Thai railway.  

Below is our selection of photos taken at the three museums in Kanchanaburi. 

We’re sure you’ll agree that student trips to international destinations provide extension and enrichment of the curriculum. 

Our Vietnam School Tours incorporate insights into Vietnam’s people, history, culture and environment, providing valuable life skills that students might not yet have experienced. The trips also offer students an opportunity to make new friends, interact with local people, and have unforgettable experiences. 

Hanoi is home to several museums covering a wide range of topics from prehistory and anthropology to war and politics. So take some time to investigate the rich cultural history of Vietnam, and explore at least one or two of these spots when you visit.  

Vietnam Military History Museum

Vietnam Military History Museum

To ensure that our tours provide learning and ‘making a difference’, we can combine community projects, trips to non-government organisations (NGOs), and immersion programs at local schools. 

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the well-known Water Puppets, a Buddhist temple, an evening cooking class, and a rickshaw ride through the Old Quarter are only some of the noteworthy landmarks and attractions. 

Watch the video below to see what can be incorporated into an educational tour.  

Ready to plan your next trip? Be in touch to discuss your school’s future travel program to Asia or New Zealand.   

For 19 students and 3 teachers from Bishop Druitt College in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Edventure Travel organised an extraordinary tour to Cambodia last year before Christmas. 

In addition to learning about the concepts of justice and reconciliation, the school group was engaged in exploring and taking part in authentic experiences while admiring the ruins of the Khmer empire at the famed temples of Angkor, which are unmatched for scale and grandeur in Southeast Asia. Students helped repair a local school’s facilities and attended a workshop on child trafficking held by a nearby social enterprise. Other activities included a practical cooking class, bike excursions, touring historic temples, boat journeys, and experiencing rural life’s rhythms. 

The journey concentrated on ancient and modern history, national and international politics, and environmental concerns. We spoke with a number of students and teachers throughout the activity-rich tour for their opinions on their stay in Cambodia. 

The accompanying video may be of particular interest to teachers and tour organisers looking to understand the possibilities available to them and their students in Cambodia and learn more about us, Edventure Travel, as a professional and highly  experienced tour provider and ground operator.  

Watch the video to hear students and teachers reflect on their experiences in Cambodia in their own words.  

Ready to plan your next trip? Be in touch to discuss your school’s future travel program to Asia or New Zealand.