Visa Run Samui To Ranong

[samuibeachcomber]

Hi,anyone out there done this before.

Want to go under my own steam.thinking of busing it from surathani to raynon.

any advice please,places to stay,best way to get from raynon to thai immigration post.

Where to stay inside myanmar (if i choose to do)

customs limits and bargains to return with legally (thai customs wise)

have to exit thailand prior to march 21.am on multi entry non 0 visa.

thanks to anyone who can give advice.

[mattias33]

Hi,anyone out there done this before.

Want to go under my own steam.thinking of busing it from surathani to raynon.

any advice please,places to stay,best way to get from raynon to thai immigration post.

Where to stay inside myanmar (if i choose to do)

customs limits and bargains to return with legally (thai customs wise)

have to exit thailand prior to march 21.am on multi entry non 0 visa.

thanks to anyone who can give advice.

Sad to say i can´t remember the name of it, but we stayed in a hotel only 5 minuites drive from the immigration. It was 500 baht if i remember correct (2 years ago). Once in immigration, you go biketaxi (5 minuites) to the "harbor" where the longtail taxis wait. On a sunny day its the greatest trip. Bring your camera! And man, the landscape between chompun and ranong! So nice run.

Taxefree stuff on Burmaside is cheap aswell, another bonus to the trip.

[Pilchard]

Up to you if you want to do the backpacker , longtail boat style visa run but personally I prefer to go to the Anaman club

http://www.andamanclub.com/

850 baht covers return jet boat journey and visa fee.

You can go for the day or stay over in the resort with swimming pool, golf course , casino and duty free

Since I discovered this place i really don't mind doing visa runs

[sbk]

topic title edited to Ranong. Rayong is on the east coast of Thailand, Ranong on the west and borders Burma.

[samuibeachcomber]

Hi,anyone out there done this before.

Want to go under my own steam.thinking of busing it from surathani to raynon.

any advice please,places to stay,best way to get from raynon to thai immigration post.

Where to stay inside myanmar (if i choose to do)

customs limits and bargains to return with legally (thai customs wise)

have to exit thailand prior to march 21.am on multi entry non 0 visa.

thanks to anyone who can give advice.

Sad to say i can´t remember the name of it, but we stayed in a hotel only 5 minuites drive from the immigration. It was 500 baht if i remember correct (2 years ago). Once in immigration, you go biketaxi (5 minuites) to the "harbor" where the longtail taxis wait. On a sunny day its the greatest trip. Bring your camera! And man, the landscape between chompun and ranong! So nice run.

Taxefree stuff on Burmaside is cheap aswell, another bonus to the trip.

so matthias is it better to do the bus from suratthani or the catarmaran to chumpon and then bus it to ranong?

[H2oDunc]

SB Hi, You can take the Seatran or Lomprayah to Chumphon. A minibus from there to Ranong is around 100 baht. It is a short trip over the mountains to Ranong with some beautiful scenery. There are some nice cheap hotels in Ranong if you want to stay the night. Getting to Burma is quite easy as well. If you want to do it yourself then simply get to the PTT gas station, after immigration, and at the rear is the pier. You can go across for 40-50 baht. I used to go across, have some food and a few beers. Pick up some gin, 35 baht a bottle and whiskey 40 baht a bottle. Then when you want to return simply find a longtail leaving and pay another 40-50 baht to return. If you are OK on a bike its a lovely ride and only just over 100 kms. As long as you are in no rush even a100cc wave will do it easy. Enjoy your trip

[JONTY]

SB Hi, You can take the Seatran or Lomprayah to Chumphon. A minibus from there to Ranong is around 100 baht. It is a short trip over the mountains to Ranong with some beautiful scenery. There are some nice cheap hotels in Ranong if you want to stay the night. Getting to Burma is quite easy as well. If you want to do it yourself then simply get to the PTT gas station, after immigration, and at the rear is the pier. You can go across for 40-50 baht. I used to go across, have some food and a few beers. Pick up some gin, 35 baht a bottle and whiskey 40 baht a bottle. Then when you want to return simply find a longtail leaving and pay another 40-50 baht to return. If you are OK on a bike its a lovely ride and only just over 100 kms. As long as you are in no rush even a100cc wave will do it easy. Enjoy your trip

DUNC planning to go Ranong driving from samui how long and which is the best route?? name of any reasonable hotel 1 night then driving to Hua Hin

[samuibeachcomber]

SB Hi, You can take the Seatran or Lomprayah to Chumphon. A minibus from there to Ranong is around 100 baht. It is a short trip over the mountains to Ranong with some beautiful scenery. There are some nice cheap hotels in Ranong if you want to stay the night. Getting to Burma is quite easy as well. If you want to do it yourself then simply get to the PTT gas station, after immigration, and at the rear is the pier. You can go across for 40-50 baht. I used to go across, have some food and a few beers. Pick up some gin, 35 baht a bottle and whiskey 40 baht a bottle. Then when you want to return simply find a longtail leaving and pay another 40-50 baht to return. If you are OK on a bike its a lovely ride and only just over 100 kms. As long as you are in no rush even a100cc wave will do it easy. Enjoy your trip

thanks very much for info.not having done a visa 90 day in and out thing before,do i need any other documentation other than my passport?

[H2oDunc]

Jonty, From Don Sak head for Surat Thani. Hang a right onto the 41 for Chumphon. At Lang Suan you want to turn left onto the 4006. This will take you across the country to the west side. Its a lovely road wit some beautiful scenery. Its in good condition and there isn't that much traffic unlike the 4 across from Chumphon. That tends to have lots of crazy mini bus drivers on it. At the end of the 4006 you need to turn right and you are about 25 km south of Ranong.time around 2 3 hours depending on how you drive. As for hotels there are some nicer ones on the outskirts of town and the cheaper ones are in the centre. Lots to choose from.

In the morning take the 4 north to Chumphon. Another beautiful rip over the mountains. As you come down the other side there is a lovely waterfall at the bottom. At the cross roads for Chumphon hang a left, still on the 4, and head north. HH is around 3 hours or so depending on how you drive.

[samui04]

Jonty, From Don Sak head for Surat Thani. Hang a right onto the 41 for Chumphon. At Lang Suan you want to turn left onto the 4006. This will take you across the country to the west side. Its a lovely road wit some beautiful scenery. Its in good condition and there isn't that much traffic unlike the 4 across from Chumphon. That tends to have lots of crazy mini bus drivers on it. At the end of the 4006 you need to turn right and you are about 25 km south of Ranong.time around 2 3 hours depending on how you drive. As for hotels there are some nicer ones on the outskirts of town and the cheaper ones are in the centre. Lots to choose from.

In the morning take the 4 north to Chumphon. Another beautiful rip over the mountains. As you come down the other side there is a lovely waterfall at the bottom. At the cross roads for Chumphon hang a left, still on the 4, and head north. HH is around 3 hours or so depending on how you drive.

It seems much shorter than going to Penang starting from Don Sak.

Anyway after 3 days on minivans next time only airplane, any destination outside thailand is good..

[mattias33]

I never done it with the buses, i did it with my own car (and at that time i swore to god i´m gonna do it with a bike someday), it is like said before, amazing scenery. Its the perfect biketrip since it is much curvy roads.

AFAIK you will not need any documentation except for your passport if it only is the 90 stamp you are after. Dont hersitate to do the trip, and do spend a day or 2 in ranong (even chumpon if you have´nt been there) while you´re there. Its the cheap part of Thailand and a nice enough town.

Make sure to time the ride on the roads between chumpon and ranong in daylight.

Have a nice trip .

[JONTY]

Cheers Dunc seems a nice easy trip any tips on how to go through immigration and how long it takes roughly

[H2oDunc]

Joty, No probs mate. If you are going to do it yourself then Immigration takes 5-15 minutes depending on the queue. 20 minutes or so to Burma. If you are not going for a walk about then the guy just gets a stamp in and out then 20 mins back. Back to Immigration and about the same there. If you are going to do the Andaman club then they keep you on the island for an hour or so before you go back to get you to spend some cash. All in all though fairly painless Just follow the signs for the pier or docks when you hit Ranong and as you drive to the pier the Immigration is on your right. There is a big sign and you will see the flag flying above.

[happylarry]

When I stayed in Ranong a couple of years ago I used a hotel near the hot water springs. They had the spring water specially piped into a pool under the hotel for guests to relax in. Believe me that water is special, it really does wash away all aches and pains although it also makes silver jewellery turn black.

So if anyone is contemplating staying overnight in Ranong then I recommend they search out one of these hotels.

HL

[mattias33]

"Self-organized" runs are to my opinion the best. Renting a car and going for a run is alot more fun and actually cheaper, even including a hotelnight, than the organised death-runners. On my last run to sadao, i calculated the diesel for my truck to around 1500 baht. The boat is 400 for the truck. The hotel 500 for a night. If i didnt bring my wife and spend alot of money as we did it as a holiday, but instead brought 3 other to share the costs, i bet i will come under the 2000 julie or herbert charge. And thats including a hotelnight. No stress, 4-5 hours drive and a relaxing afteroon/evening. Next day, early morning border buisness and a 4-5 hours relaxed drive back. Stop when somebody want.

One idea would be to pinn a thread. Or a kind of list, were members put their dates of border runs. We are a big community here on samui forum and many of us need the 90 day stamp. Just a thought....

[samui04]

"Self-organized" runs are to my opinion the best. Renting a car and going for a run is alot more fun and actually cheaper, even including a hotelnight, than the organised death-runners. On my last run to sadao, i calculated the diesel for my truck to around 1500 baht. The boat is 400 for the truck. The hotel 500 for a night. If i didnt bring my wife and spend alot of money as we did it as a holiday, but instead brought 3 other to share the costs, i bet i will come under the 2000 julie or herbert charge. And thats including a hotelnight. No stress, 4-5 hours drive and a relaxing afteroon/evening. Next day, early morning border buisness and a 4-5 hours relaxed drive back. Stop when somebody want.

One idea would be to pinn a thread. Or a kind of list, were members put their dates of border runs. We are a big community here on samui forum and many of us need the 90 day stamp. Just a thought....

Not a bad idea, price of the minivan daily trip span from 900 to 1300, very random.

Well, everybody needs a 90 day stamp....and apart using an airplane (best for single), the simplest way it seems to me to go to Hat Hai, the border is a 1000b taxi run, so sharing works at every level.

But i will never stay in a casino owned by a military Junta and Malesya in a real model for visa on the fly, a free 90 days stamp.

[mattias33]

"Self-organized" runs are to my opinion the best. Renting a car and going for a run is alot more fun and actually cheaper, even including a hotelnight, than the organised death-runners. On my last run to sadao, i calculated the diesel for my truck to around 1500 baht. The boat is 400 for the truck. The hotel 500 for a night. If i didnt bring my wife and spend alot of money as we did it as a holiday, but instead brought 3 other to share the costs, i bet i will come under the 2000 julie or herbert charge. And thats including a hotelnight. No stress, 4-5 hours drive and a relaxing afteroon/evening. Next day, early morning border buisness and a 4-5 hours relaxed drive back. Stop when somebody want.

One idea would be to pinn a thread. Or a kind of list, were members put their dates of border runs. We are a big community here on samui forum and many of us need the 90 day stamp. Just a thought....

Not a bad idea, price of the minivan daily trip span from 900 to 1300, very random.

Well, everybody needs a 90 day stamp....and apart using an airplane (best for single), the simplest way it seems to me to go to Hat Hai, the border is a 1000b taxi run, so sharing works at every level.

But i will never stay in a casino owned by a military Junta and Malesya in a real model for visa on the fly, a free 90 days stamp.

I found sadao to become a little nice tourist town. And there is the benefit on being very close to the border. Oliver hotel is a nice hotel that feels like your in the middle of town, alot of nice restaurants and nightlife around it. And the border is a minuite away (50 bht way with a biketaxi). Free border. And taxfree shop. Open 5 in the morning til 8 in the evening every day.

Hat yai is also nice, i agree.

I never stay on maly side anymore. I dont particulary enjoy either KL or penang. Nowadays i always do the hotelnight on the Thai side. But offcourse nowadays i only need the border stamp wich is a big reason why i can choose to stay on Thaiside.

But yeah, fact remains, sharing works. Ranong and burma is offcourse also a good option and a fun trip. .

[samuibeachcomber]

matthias,where is sadao?.............have n't been to ranong hence i thought i'd do it rather than down to the thai malay border,is that where sadao is.any advice appreciated.ok have found sadao on my map.think i'm going to do the ranong trip and stay around thehot springs area suggested,have to the border crossing before march21.

Edited March 8, 2009 by samuibeachcomber

[mattias33]

I have 23rd march myself. A border. Any one will do. All i know about mine is it is not gonna include any kind of walking because my hip is fuc_ked up, and i know i want to make it cheap. But i dont do the liferisking vans. We might be able to join up for something samuibeachbomber.?

[MattCinderey]

I do this trip myself every 4 months for my visa stamp, it's a nice drive. I've been on one organised visa run once about 2 years ago and will never risk my life like that again! (idiot driver, mini-bus full of drunks)

I normally do it over 2 days and take it nice and easy. I catch the ferry from Samui to Donsak around 11am and take it really easy driving to Ranong.

I stay in the Tineedee hotel in Ranong (used to be the princess) overnight and then catch the Anderman ferry first thing in the morning to get my visa stamp at the Anderman club.

I then drive back and get to Donsak around 4-5pm.

I'd book the ferry both ways as sometimes coming back can be a pain. We once queued at Donsak from 4pm to 7pm, only to miss the last ferry home by a few cars...

*** Be careful on the 4006 (the road that cuts across the mainland between Langsuan & Ranong) in the wet - it's slippery as hel_l, covered in diesel spills. I nearly lost the rear-end of a truck going round a corner (I was going pretty slowly as well) I fish-tailed all over the place before getting hold of it - I was very lucky not to end up in a ditch or worse. Plus there are a lot of idiots on that road. I've seen a few crashes over the years. ***

Matt.

[Pilchard]

Has anyone ever done the Andaman club run without their own transport ?

It would be easy enough to get a taxi or taxi bike to the Andaman pier , put how about getting back into town on the way back.

I've never seen taxi's hanging around there and it's a long walk back to the main road .

[samuibeachcomber]

I have 23rd march myself. A border. Any one will do. All i know about mine is it is not gonna include any kind of walking because my hip is fuc_ked up, and i know i want to make it cheap. But i dont do the liferisking vans. We might be able to join up for something samuibeachbomber.?

mattias,have decided to go under my own steam,ferry and mini bus to suratthani and then vip bus to ranong,stay overnight, do visa run next day,returning via bus to chumpon and catarmaran via koh tao(a bit of a holiday)cheers SBC.

[ParadiseLost]

Has anyone ever done the Andaman club run without their own transport ?

It would be easy enough to get a taxi or taxi bike to the Andaman pier , put how about getting back into town on the way back.

I've never seen taxi's hanging around there and it's a long walk back to the main road .

They have their own minibus which will take you back to Ranong for 150 baht, if there are a few people it is sometimes free.

[samuibeachcomber]

the cost of the border stamp going into myanmar,can this be paid in baht or does it have to be in US dollars?If in dollars only can the currency be purchased at the border before going through?

[Pilchard]

A friend who just returned tells me he paid 500 baht for a 10 dollar note and 500 baht for the long tail crossing

Reading other posts above it sounds like he may have over paid for the crossing !

He mentioned also that there is now an immigration office at the pier , he found out by going to the main office first and they redirected him

[samuibeachcomber]

A friend who just returned tells me he paid 500 baht for a 10 dollar note and 500 baht for the long tail crossing

Reading other posts above it sounds like he may have over paid for the crossing !

He mentioned also that there is now an immigration office at the pier , he found out by going to the main office first and they redirected him

500baht for a 10 dollar note is a killing,should be about 360 baht.so i am guessing from your reply they will only accept a 10 dollar bill.not baht.thought the long tail was only 50 baht each way.oh well i guess i will find out soon enough.

[mattias33]

the cost of the border stamp going into myanmar,can this be paid in baht or does it have to be in US dollars?If in dollars only can the currency be purchased at the border before going through?

At least all the times i´ve been there (the last one about a year ago) you could pay in either one of the baht or dollar. But it´s a set price. 500 baht or 10 dollars, why most prefer to pay in dollars since it comes out cheaper.

[samuibeachcomber]

the cost of the border stamp going into myanmar,can this be paid in baht or does it have to be in US dollars?If in dollars only can the currency be purchased at the border before going through?

At least all the times i´ve been there (the last one about a year ago) you could pay in either one of the baht or dollar. But it´s a set price. 500 baht or 10 dollars, why most prefer to pay in dollars since it comes out cheaper.

am now thinking of a bus to hat yai.how to get from there to sadao and onto border?

[mattias33]

the cost of the border stamp going into myanmar,can this be paid in baht or does it have to be in US dollars?If in dollars only can the currency be purchased at the border before going through?

At least all the times i´ve been there (the last one about a year ago) you could pay in either one of the baht or dollar. But it´s a set price. 500 baht or 10 dollars, why most prefer to pay in dollars since it comes out cheaper.

am now thinking of a bus to hat yai.how to get from there to sadao and onto border?

From hatyai you get a taxidriver to drive you 1000 baht. One way. Probably you can bargain him down to 1500 and do the whole thing roundtrip with him. 2-3 years ago i got a taxi for 1000 one way, but i slept the night in sadao then. But anyway i think that is the pricerange you can expect.

[Lite Beer]

Form Had Yai there is a mini bus. Very regular. The last time I went it was 40 baht. I used to go to Pedang Besar. Cross over and visit the duty free shop on the way back. That was about 4 years ago though.