Hellfire Pass: The Hardest Railway Section in Kanchanaburi

2015-10-17 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

Morning

Even though I've only woken up here twice, I really love this "floating house on the river" we're staying at. The morning freshness, in particular, is something I've never felt before, making it hard to describe. The closest comparison would be right after stepping out of a tent while camping. I didn't pay for it myself so I don't know the exact price, but if anyone tells me they're traveling to Kanchanaburi, I'd highly recommend this resort. (As I mentioned in a previous post, it's called the "River Kwai Botanic Garden Resort." On Agoda, it's less than 50,000 KRW a day.)

A roofed raft floating on a river with a densely wooded landscape on the opposite side. — This morning's weather is cloudy. But even that is nice.

Two slices of toast, butter, orange juice, and ice water on a checkered tablecloth.

Clear soup with minced meat and green onions in a green bowl.

Breakfast plate with a fried egg, sausage, fried food, tomatoes, and cucumbers. — Breakfast is surprisingly generous. If I eat a hearty meal now, I can hold out even if lunch doesn't suit my taste.

Hellfire Pass

Since Kanchanaburi was a fierce battleground during World War II, there are related memorials and museums everywhere. The most representative ones are the Bridge on the River Kwai, which we went to yesterday, and Hellfire Pass, which we are visiting today.

Hellfire Pass is a railway section where prisoners of war and conscripted locals carved through a natural rocky mountain using only pickaxes and shovels. Because so many people died here, it earned the nickname "Death Railway." Given its historical significance, the Australian government built a museum here in Thailand and maintained a very long walking trail where you can experience the rugged mountain terrain firsthand.

It's a historically important place, but for a Korean—whose country is right next to Japan and suffered various atrocities like forced conscription and comfort women—it just feels like a cool, air-conditioned building. In reality, Thai and white tourists look around closely and spend time mourning those who suffered back then. However, people who look East Asian tend to glance around quickly with a "What is this... there's nothing special" expression and just hop back on their buses.

Seeing the efforts of countries that build museums and vow never to forget even when fewer than 200 of their citizens lost their lives, I can't help but feel bitter. It reminds me of the situation in our own country, where even after liberation, traitors seized power and those who fought for independence weren't treated properly. Maybe that's why, despite it being a well-maintained place, I don't feel entirely great being here.

A person sitting in the passenger seat of a car taking notes in a notebook. — Let's go!

A white sign pointing the directions to the Hellfire Pass Museum and walking trail. — Today's first stop, the Hellfire Pass Museum.

Exterior of the Hellfire Pass Museum building and people walking in front of it.

Artifacts such as an old notebook, wallet, and pipe displayed in a museum showcase.

A black-and-white photo of a man and a woman inside a leather wallet. — Belongings of a prisoner of war from that time. Since we also receive education about the Japanese invasion in Korea, seeing photos like this makes my heart ache a bit.

A map showing railway lines and station names. — Hellfire Pass is just one part of the long military railway.

An English copper plaque indicating the burial of a time capsule. — Time capsules are also buried here and there.

People walking on a wooden deck path in the forest and a person looking at an information board. — The walking trail where you can experience Hellfire Pass yourself.

Wooden deck stairs leading through a bamboo forest.

People walking on a forest path next to a rocky cliff.

An English and Thai sign indicating the condition of the railway section and the estimated walking time. — A walking trail that takes three hours round trip. It feels more like a marathon than a walk.

A striped cat standing by the side of the road staring at something. — I gave up on the walk and took a short break, and a local neighborhood cat came over to act cute.