Tiger Tales

River Kwai, Thailand

The sky is as grey and crinkly as an elephant hide and the rain gushes like a Bangkok socialite. It's a monsoonal Monday and the grumbling yet gorgeous River Kwai does a supermodel-like sashay along its rural catwalk.

Home to the Monan ethnic group from Myanmar that lives along the country's border with Thailand - the River Kwai is the lifeblood of a people whose way of life is as colourful as the traditional garb they don for nightly performances. After dark, the bugs, birds and bats of the jungle form an off-Broadway chorus. There's no electricity and the River Kwai Jungle Rafts - simple floating hotels or "floatels" - sway to the rhythms of village life and the occasional rock song from a passing long-tail boat. By early morning, the elephants are enjoying their morning ablutions outside the village's sturdy bamboo huts.

But life hasn't always been so peaceful in this region. The River Kwai is synonymous with a certain bridge and the forced construction by 200,000 Allied prisoners of war and Asian labourers of a 415km railway link between Thailand and the country once known as Burma.

Overseen by Japanese soldiers, the building of the "death railway" from July 1942 until December 1943 claimed at least 100,000 lives. Even visitors to the region with little interest in World War II history would be remiss if they failed to pay homage to the heroes, both living and dead, who endured torture, starvation and illness in the course of their labours.

WHAT TO DO

History buffs will relish the chance to visit Kanchanaburi town, home to a war museum and adjacent, well-kept war cemetery honouring those who died building the railway.

A James Bond-style long-tail boat allows travellers a chance to look at the bridge before depositing them at a pier from which they can walk across it. About an hour down the road is the Hellfire Pass Memorial, a museum dedicated to a section of the railway route that was especially gruelling to construct. Workers laboured day and night, often by the light of torches that cast them in a hellish glow, while hacking through tons of rock to lay track. Though no longer in use, this stretch of the line can be viewed by visitors willing to trek a distance of about 4km.

Finish the war tour with a ride on the Death Railway Train.

A visit to the area is not all doom and gloom. Tourists can choose from an array of soft adventures or just soak in the area's beauty. Float down the rapids in a life jacket, visit the Mon villagers, canoe, raft, explore nearby caves and waterfalls, or ride an elephant.

WHERE TO STAY

The River Kwai Jungle Rafts - a series of floating huts along the riverfront - are the ideal base for exploring. Travellers who like roughing it will welcome the lack of electricity, the serenity and the opportunity to simply hang out on a hammock. There's also a well-stocked bar and a floating massage hut for those in need of some uplift after a day-long lesson in the ravages of war.

HOW TO GET THERE

Book a tour out of Bangkok through resorts such as River Kwai Jungle Rafts.

To get a good sense of the region, choose the three-day/two-night River Kwai Discovery Tour. Packages include accommodation, meals, transport, entrance fees and tours.

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY...

1 PERMAI RAINFOREST RESORT, KUCHING
Set in the Borneo rainforest on the shores of the South China Sea, this resort's accommodation options include 10 treehouse units. Situated at the foot of Mt Santubong and just 45 minutes north of Kuching, the resort offers a range of activities on land and sea. www.permairainforest.com

2 PANGKOR LAUT RESORT, PENANG
Ideal for travellers looking to get back to nature while enjoying the comforts of waterfront accommodation, this resort sits 1.6km offthe west coast of peninsular Malaysia. Visit Emerald Bay or join the resident naturalist on his daily walk through the rainforest. www.pangkorlautresort.com

FIND IT:

● River Kwai Jungle Rafts, 133/14 Ratchaprarob Rd, Makkasan, Rajthevee, Bangkok, tel: +66 (0)2 642 5497, www.riverkwaijunglerafts.com