The most comfortable way to explore Thai landscapes
We would fall short if we said that the Eastern & Oriental Express transports passengers from Singapore to Bangkok , to name its most popular route. What this mythical train achieves is to take the traveler to another time when Asia was a jungle, gin and tonics, linen and correspondence written in ink and paper.
In this travel, the destination does not matter and the rush to arrive does not exist . This was the first route with which he began his journey on Asian brother of the Orient-Express , in 1993. It is done almost once a month , except in the high season of October and November, when they leave three and twice respectively. Later they would add other routes, taking advantage of the stations in the different countries they cross, since it is always the same train – only one – that makes all the routes through the region.
A space-time trip to the 'Jungle Book'
The train leaves Woodland Station in Singapore at noon. The first meal is enjoyed in the dining car as the train crosses Malaysia , immersing ourselves fully in the Asia of the sultans, the palaces with minarets and the mosques . In mid-afternoon, the stewardess assigned to each compartment knocks on our door to serve tea with cucumber sandwiches and pastries, in silver pots and fine china service. Pure British chic.
The compartments of the E&O are of classic style, in wood and carpeted, with a small table and two sofas that transform into single beds and a tiny bathroom. The E&O is an elegance without pretensions, for which you have to be willing to give up luxury understood as absolute comfort. The rattle of the train on the old tracks makes it difficult at times to walk down the aisle and even sleeping, putting on make-up or shaving can become “mission impossible”. Books, cans, and other objects are often thrown if not properly secured. Modern distractions such as television or the Internet connection are conspicuous by their absence. But in exchange for these little inconveniences the senses awaken to an experience that remains once the trip is over , and whose footprint is growing over time.
The interior of the wagons is classic and in wood, like from another era
The landscape on the other side of the window begins to darken and the most awaited moment of the trip arrives: The dinners . Yannis, the French chef at the E&O, executes menus worthy of the best French restaurant , with a list of wines and spirits that accompany each dish. To prevent flip-flops and shorts from spoiling the magic of the place, the E&O subtly but firmly imposes a dress code that recommends men to wear a jacket and women to display their elegance in the most glamorous moment of the trip.
Before and after dinner, the bar, located in an open car at the end of the train, often attracts passengers who are share experiences with a cocktail in hand , while the tropical vegetation rushes by outside and Peter – the charismatic pianist whose veins run through Italian, Vietnamese and Thai blood – recites melodies from other times on the piano. At the bar someone orders another cocktail. One of those glorious moments that remind us why we travel.
One of the highlights of the Eastern & Oriental Express: dusk
On the morning of the second day, the faces of our fellow passengers reflect the lack of sleep due to the jolting. We left the train at the station Butterworth to go by ferry to the penang island . your capital george town It is an interesting mixture of colonial architecture with Chinese, Malay and Indian influences, which have made it worthy of being included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage since 2008.
Back on the train, again another gargantuan meal while we entered Thailand from the south . The landscape of mosques and jungle expanses gives way to rice fields and temples. The people who greet the passage of the train also appear happier, showing their legendary smile from the motorcycles that circulate parallel to the train, or the children jumping and joining their hands at chest height. Thailand welcomes us overflowing with beauty and joy , as is his custom. In this second dinner we have smoothed things over with some fellow travelers and we are feeling more and more comfortable with these strangers with whom we share such a small space. The body accuses the fatigue of the previous day and sleep becomes less of a request.
The Bridge on the River Kwai, one of the most important historical points of the tour
Our last day we arrive in Kanchanaburi and we get off the train to see how it crosses the famous bridge over the River Kwai, built by Allied prisoners during World War II. From there, a simple boat takes us to the museum dedicated to the so-called The Way of Death and the Hellfire Pass , an area where prisoners worked day and night to be able to dig a tunnel in the mountain by hitting with hammers and iron stakes. The place is tragic and beautiful at the same time , and offers a vivid portrait of the harsh conditions of life in the Japanese prison camp during World War II. Our host for the day, Hugh Cope, is one of the founders of the museum.
The tour is a feeling of constant adventure
Back on the train, another memorable meal and we headed to the final leg towards the station Hualamphong from Bangkok. I try from the car in the open air to take advantage of the last moments to retain the feeling of adventure and discovery that has involved me in this journey. Back home, my bones appreciate the comfortable bed that doesn't move, but my spirit contradicts them and insists on reminding them that as Agatha Christie said, “Traveling by train is seeing life”.
Prices per person start from 1,940 euros and include all meals, drinks and excursions included.