Visa Run To Ranong

[gemmamccarron]

need to do a visa run from koh tao any1 have any contact numbers or info???

Ideally would like to be back on koh Tao the same day (don't mind stayin in chumporn night b4)

Many thanks!

[H2oDunc]

Hi, for speed you need to get the night ferry to Chumphon. Then you take a minibus to Ranong, back to chumphon by 12 in time for a KFC and the cat back to Tao. Most of the travel places on Mae Head main street will sell you a ticket with everything included. If cost is the issue then it may pay you to do it all yourself ie getting to Chumphon then taking the 90 baht mini bus to Ranong and getting your own longtail 50 baht etc. A night in Chumphon used to be my way of doing it when I stayed on Tao. It was nice to get of the rock for a day or two and Chumphon has some nice places too. Enjoy

[markwhite]

taking the 90 baht mini bus to Ranong and getting your own longtail 50 baht etc

That sounds much cheaper than when I was doing them from Koh Pha Ngan, though I think the minibus from Surat Thani was only 140... Just so the OP has another perspective:

Once in Ranong, take a songthaew to Saphan Bplah from in front of the market on the main street. Say 'immigration' and you'll be okay. It was 11 or 12 baht last time I did this. They'll drop you either across the road or at the corner or a soi 50 metres away depending on which number songthaew you get. Either way you'll be approached by touts with boats. The cheapest I would get would be 250 or 300 baht for the boat, so depending on whether I was in a hurry I'd either agree and get them to motorsai me to immigration and then down to the boats (about 1km away) or I'd hang round immigration until I found people to share the longtail with. I have had reports that it's cheaper still to agree a price at the boat, but I never got round to doing this.

So get the exit stamp from immigration and get to the boats (motorsai or 10 min walk) and they'll take you to another Thai checkpoint where you stay in the boat, then over to Kaw Thaung where they'll get you an entry stamp in exchange for a not-too-damaged US$10 note where you stay in the boat again, and then at the next stop you need to leave the boat for an exit stamp. This is where the sellers of viagra, valium and cheap fags and booze will be but they're easily avoided if needbe.

Then back to Thailand with a stop at customs to make sure you're not bringing back things you shouldn't (viagra, valium, fags and booze ;-), and then a motorsai back to immigration to get stamped in again.

There is a white-haired Thai chap in a bronze/gold pickup who meets minibuses and takes you to immigration and arranges the boat for you and brings you back to Ranong. I can't recall the price but he is genuine if you want an easier method. though obviously he takes his commission on top of the other fees.

And for the return bus, Pon's Place on the same road as the market is recommended as friendly and helpful.

[seonai]

If the OP is female - just take extra care on the Burmese part of the journey as the touts selling viagra etc can be very intimidating. There are often fights between these young men viing for your attention. Khall and I made the mistake of letting them overhear us saying we were thirsty for tea and we never got rid of them!!!!!! They wanted paid at the end for 'showing us around' as well !!!!!Best to hook up with a few male travellers imo