Planning on a road trip down south to the closest beach I only have a week so dont want to spend all the time driving, any suggestions of somewhere relatively quiet and clean?

thanks in advance

bang saen over towards pattaya good seafood , or the other side of bangkok is cha am nicer beech and a few bars . good food also.

Haat Payoon just down the road from Ban Chang in Rayong Province is relatively accessible from Chiang Mai, you could easily drive it in one day.

No crowds and all levels of accommodation. Fantastic seafood at local prices on the beach.

Cha-am and Hua Hin are European tourist hangouts and are priced accordingly. Pattaya is in the same category in my opinion.

All these places are on the Gulf of Thailand.

Haat Payoon just down the road from Ban Chang in Rayong Province is relatively accessible from Chiang Mai, you could easily drive it in one day.

No crowds and all levels of accommodation. Fantastic seafood at local prices on the beach.

Cha-am and Hua Hin are European tourist hangouts and are priced accordingly. Pattaya is in the same category in my opinion.

All these places are on the Gulf of Thailand.

Hi,

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

It's really too bad that Myanmar is 'closed', as if you look at a map....it's just a few hundred k to the ocean there and I'm sure that it's not crowded. maybe some day we will be able to drive to the Burma beaches......

Pattaya.

No, really.

*Especially* when you drive yourself you will be able to explore that area, and you will find there are plenty very acceptable beaches in the area around Pattaya/Sattahip/Rayong. Far better (and cheaper, and a bit closer) than what you'd find around Cha Am or Hua Hin.

With your own wheels you don't get caught in downtown Pattaya's mass tourism, the tour groups from every country on earth, the bars, etc, etc. However there is excellent and affordable accommodation in the area. Stay at Jomtien (so-so beach but you're there for the accommodation, better beaches are nearby) or Wong Amat (North Pattaya off the Naklua Road).

And driving there couldn't be simpler; Highway 11 to Lampang, then Highway #1 until just past Ayudthaya when you hit the Bangkok Outer Ring (#9?), then from there on to the Chonburi Motorway (#7). You should be able to get there in about 8-9 hours. (More if you take it slow, or less if you drive suicidal. )

Pattaya.

No, really.

*Especially* when you drive yourself you will be able to explore that area, and you will find there are plenty very acceptable beaches in the area around Pattaya/Sattahip/Rayong. Far better (and cheaper, and a bit closer) than what you'd find around Cha Am or Hua Hin.

With your own wheels you don't get caught in downtown Pattaya's mass tourism, the tour groups from every country on earth, the bars, etc, etc. However there is excellent and affordable accommodation in the area. Stay at Jomtien (so-so beach but you're there for the accommodation, better beaches are nearby) or Wong Amat (North Pattaya off the Naklua Road).

And driving there couldn't be simpler; Highway 11 to Lampang, then Highway #1 until just past Ayudthaya when you hit the Bangkok Outer Ring (#9?), then from there on to the Chonburi Motorway (#7). You should be able to get there in about 8-9 hours. (More if you take it slow, or less if you drive suicidal. )

So I would not have to go into Bangkok? And thankyou for all your information really helpful.

So I would not have to go into Bangkok? And thankyou for all your information really helpful.

That's right. Avoid Bangkok by taking the ring road to join the motorway as Winnie the Buffalo says. Easy day trip