45 minutes to get from Chaweng to Bophut in a taxi??

[CG1 Blue]

Last year staying in Chaweng I wanted to go visit a mate in a bar in Bophut (Papa Joe). I made the mistake of simply approaching the taxi drivers at the side of Chaweng Beach road (near Central Festival).  None of them seemed to know the bar, and after spending 10 minutes asking their friends, making calls and checking Google, a driver said he can take me.

Now, looking on the map I know Bophut isn't far from Chaweng.  But the drive took just over 45 minutes, and there wasn't heavy traffic. We agreed the price upfront, so it wasn't like he was running up the meter on purpose. I can only assume with my starting location being on the one-way system he went an incredibly long way round.

 

I have a poor sense of direction, and despite being a frequent visitor to Samui for more than 15 years, I don't know the roads too well. So, 2 questions:

 

1. Should I have headed north along Chaweng Beach road on foot until the junction where the one-way starts, and get a cab from there? Or gone up Soi Green Mango and cut through to that other main road?

2. Is there a landmark or bar/restaurant near Papa Joe that the drivers are more likely to know?

 

Any ideas to help me avoid wasting 45 precious minutes of the night in the back of a car would be highly appreciated! 

 

 

[khunPer]

I had to google Papa Joe, which is not in Bo Phut, but in Bang Rak; however close to Bo Phut; but Chaweng is in Bo Phut.

 

You should have gone through Central Festival to the Lake side, or little further down south to Mac Donald and crossed to the lake there, it's a shorter distance. Google Maps gives you a route of 11 minutes duration – a taxi driver would probably chose the gray part, rather than the blue only route via the Ghost Road – and since Google do not know Samui's potholes and sleeping dogs on the roads that well, the real time for that distance would rather be something like 15  to 20 minutes.

 

 

However, you chose to grab a taxi on the one-way Beach Road, so the taxi driver would probably have followed the yellow route in the next map, driving south the intersection by the public beach entrance; turned right through Laem Din area and out to the traffic light at the Ring Road; Followed the Ring Road up North passing Tesco-Lotus and BigC till Fisherman Village intersection, turned right into the Bang Rak area and continued Eastbound by the beach. That distance would take me about ½ hour in car, plus/minus depending of the various surprise factors in the amazing Samui traffic, which could make the driving time anything between 20 and some 40 minutes...

 

 

4 hours ago, CG1 Blue said:

Any ideas to help me avoid wasting 45 precious minutes of the night in the back of a car would be highly appreciated! 

Yes, if same conditions as in your OP, grab a taxi on the lake-side of Central Festival...

 

[CG1 Blue]

19 minutes ago, khunPer said:

I had to google Papa Joe, which is not in Bo Phut, but in Bang Rak; however close to Bo Phut; but Chaweng is in Bo Phut.

 

You should have gone through Central Festival to the Lake side, or little further down south to Mac Donald and crossed to the lake there, it's a shorter distance. Google Maps gives you a route of 11 minutes duration – a taxi driver would probably chose the gray part, rather than the blue only route via the Ghost Road – and since Google do not know Samui's potholes and sleeping dogs on the roads that well, the real time for that distance would rather be something like 15  to 20 minutes.

 

 

However, you chose to grab a taxi on the one-way Beach Road, so the taxi driver would probably have followed the yellow route in the next map, driving south the intersection by the public beach entrance; turned right through Laem Din area and out to the traffic light at the Ring Road; Followed the Ring Road up North passing Tesco-Lotus and BigC till Fisherman Village intersection, turned right into the Bang Rak area and continued Eastbound by the beach. That distance would take me about ½ hour in car, plus/minus depending of the various surprise factors in the amazing Samui traffic, which could make the driving time anything between 20 and some 40 minutes...

 

 

Yes, if same conditions as in your OP, grab a taxi on the lake-side of Central Festival...

 

This is precisely what I needed, thank you!  I think you're dead right about the route the taxi driver probably took. 

 

I can easily go through Central Festival to the Lakeside next time, as you suggested. And thanks for educating me on Bang Rak vs Bophut.  I always thought of Bophut as a separate place and didn't realise Chaweng was in Bophut.

 

Now you mention the Ghost Road I do recall my mate talking about that road when I finally got to Papa Joe that night. But I think I was so frustrated with the journey I ended up washing away all memories with beer and whisky.

So this Ghost Road is a bit of a short cut, but the taxi drivers don't like to use it?

 

I'll be heading over to Papa Joe once or twice next week, and hopefully arriving in a much better mood! Cheers

[khunPer]

27 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

So this Ghost Road is a bit of a short cut, but the taxi drivers don't like to use it?

Thanks.

 

No, Taxis use it to get to Airport Departure when coming from the Ring Road, but depending which way the taxi is heading, he will either use the gray route, via "99" corner, or turn to use it; or the darker and more narrow Ghost Road, which also join the gray route at the corner with "99" sport.

 

The Ghost Road is called Ghost Road because of all the ghosts and spirits there – and for a good reason, as it is the cementary for worn out spirit houses...

 

 

–be aware of ghosts and poltergeists in that area, I often see fresh blood is still offered (i.e. red Fanta)...

 

[PoorSucker]

Bophut is both a village and a sub district, both chaweng and banrak belongs to Bophut subdistrict. 

Chaweng consists of three villages (moo), moo2, moo3 and moo6, Bophut is moo1 while banrak is moo4. 

[CG1 Blue]

14 hours ago, khunPer said:

Thanks.

 

No, Taxis use it to get to Airport Departure when coming from the Ring Road, but depending which way the taxi is heading, he will either use the gray route, via "99" corner, or turn to use it; or the darker and more narrow Ghost Road, which also join the gray route at the corner with "99" sport.

 

The Ghost Road is called Ghost Road because of all the ghosts and spirits there – and for a good reason, as it is the cementary for worn out spirit houses...

 

 

–be aware of ghosts and poltergeists in that area, I often see fresh blood is still offered (i.e. red Fanta)...

 

Thanks again.  I'll keep an eye out for those ghosts, and the red Fanta

 

7 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

Chaweng consists of three villages (moo), moo2, moo3 and moo6, Bophut is moo1 while banrak is moo4. 

I think I get it...I think!  Thanks

[steelerian]

Papa Joes is next door to The Dog House, which is a new pub opened a few months ago. The taxi boys might know this name more.

[CG1 Blue]

15 minutes ago, steelerian said:

Papa Joes is next door to The Dog House, which is a new pub opened a few months ago. The taxi boys might know this name more.

Actually I've heard of the Dog House now you mention it. Good idea - I'll use that next time! Thanks

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎11‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 12:06 AM, khunPer said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OMG, I didn't realise just how built up the Chaweng area has become- the horror, the horror.

Truly paradise lost.