Hello there, newbie here trying to do visa run. My plan is

 

1. Go from Krabi to Hat Yai on overnight bus. 

 

What to do in Hat Yai? Do I go to immigration office first before I hope on the train/bus or do I go straight to the train/bus and get my passport stamped out on the boarder?

 

2. Get to Penang and find an agent.

 

Basically, an agent will do all the work for me, right? I don't have to go to the office. All I have to do is give my passport to the agent and I will receive my documents in 24 hours, right?

 

 

Thanks

1. Just get on a bus or train to leave the country.

2. Yes to all question but it will be a little more than 24 hours. The agent will apply for the visa the morning of one day and pick up the next afternoon.

From Hat Yai you have choice of plane, train, bus, van, taxi transportation.  The vans can be a less than pleasant olfactory system experience.  Share taxi seems to be a bit better and you can charter taxi alone if you want.

1 hour ago, SovietChild said:

Go from Krabi to Hat Yai on overnight bus. 

If traveling alone, a VIP bus with seats "2 + isle + 1" seating, will allow you to choose a seat alone.  This can allow for a decent night's sleep.

 

Agents in Penang include "Jim's Place" and "Banana Guest House."

Go day time, the time you get to Penang it's to late to do the application if you go by the night bus. 

 

Minibuses usually has Swiss hotel as destination, Jim's place is located just outside, Jim is reliable,costs less than taking taxi to the consulate. 

If your papers are ok, no need to go to any agents in Penang.
You can do this visa run in 3-4 days if you have no time. From HY you can go by minivan, train, airplane (should consider that the airport is not close to the town at all) or bus. Minivans and buses will take you wherever you want to go. From the old "city" the embassy is about a half an hour walk, worth to do. Acceptable accommodations you can find there from 40 RMB.
I usually reached the embassy around 1-2 Malaysian time (they are one hour ahead) slept in any hotel or hostel easily, cos the minivan journey is tiresome enough, and next day afternoon I walked up to the hill and collected my visa. If you are clueless about where to sleep, just go into any shop and ask. I tried a laundry and found Friendship hostel, that time it was perfect for a short time.

My suggestion is to do what I did, which was pretty easy and more comfortable than in a van. Take the train to Butterworth, ferry to Penang, turn left outside the ferry terminal, then right onto the road with all the hostels and hotels.

It's not too long so you can look at a lot of places before choosing.

Just don't stay anywhere with a Chinese street theatre in front of it.

 

I didn't need to go to the embassy, or use an agent, so can't help you there.

 

The bus service is pretty good for most places, except, apparently going to the embassy. The main terminal is near that road with all the hostels. 

 

The thing that surprised me about Penang, was how expensive it was. Accommodation was more expensive than that in LOS and of lesser quality. Food also more expensive. I am a satay fan and was looking forward to sampling that in Malaysia again, but the prices were ridiculous.

I ended leaving after one day, instead of the days I had planned, simply because my experience in Penang was lesser than, and more expensive, than what I have in LOS.

I recall using a visa run company several years ago taking vans from BKK to Laos. Total was about ฿6500 included transportation from Tesco Lotus parking lot on Sukhumvit at On Nut to the border, visa fees, hotel accommodations for one night, meals at hotel, and the return trip after receiving visa. I also flew from BKK to Udon Thani with bus connection to Vientien via Nok Air. Found a very nice hotel down the street from the consulate (forget the name Don something). Airfare about ฿3000 hotel less than $50.  Since then I got a retirement visa so no more visa runs.