Anybody here recently driven from Chiang Mai to Hua Hin?

I'm just wondering what the best route would be and approx how many hours it would take. I looked up Google maps but the option given is a very convoluted route.

I would appreciate somebody posting with first hand knowledge.

Cheers

Anybody here recently driven from Chiang Mai to Hua Hin?

I'm just wondering what the best route would be and approx how many hours it would take. I looked up Google maps but the option given is a very convoluted route.

I would appreciate somebody posting with first hand knowledge.

Cheers

It can easily be done in a day, it took me 11 hours just stopping for petrol and food only. Left at 4.30pm and arrived 3 am. I bought a map for reference(which has proved very useful since) in a petrol station and just headed South on Highway 1. When I got to Bangkok I paid a cab driver 200b to lead me South, which he did! Saved loads of time looking for signs that aren't there.

regards and bon voyage

Bojo

I do this trip three or four times a year. Easily done in one (long) day, but I usually add an overnight in Nakhon Sawan to lessen the fatigue.

As bojo says just keep going south on Highway 11/1 - Lampang, Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan (becomes Highway 32 at this point, but it's effectively the same road), Ayutthaya.

On reaching the Bangkok outer ring, Highway 9, turn right and continue south until you hit Highway 35. Right turn again, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram. Then left onto Highway 4 to Petchaburi, Cha Am and Hua Hin. Easy to remember once you've done it, but a roadmap will come in hand first time.

Safe Trip.

Yup, agree with KhunDave. Google maps doesn't at all propose a convoluted route though.. just type it in and you get this:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source....962891&z=6

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Thanks for all your help guys...

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Ditto. Done it many times and going way around BKK via Chainat makes the trip much easier.

Always a good source of knowledge this TV lark. I'll try the Chainat option for my next trip. Thanks for the info guys.

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Ditto. Done it many times and going way around BKK via Chainat makes the trip much easier.

JXXXL, what's your best journey time using this route?

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

I agree on that Bokkers. Best I've done Hua Hin to Chiang Mai via this route is 7 hrs 15 mins. Left HH at 0500 and arrived at the Maddog at 1215

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Ditto. Done it many times and going way around BKK via Chainat makes the trip much easier.

JXXXL, what's your best journey time using this route?

It seems to be about 11 hours each time with generous stops for rest. I recommend riding during daylight hours as a lot of roads aren't lit and if you're tired you won't see well at night. My group rides around 160-180, but it's the resting time that makes the big difference to overall time.

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Thanks for this im going to phuket for a week and stopping the last night on the way back in Hua Hin, so i will follow this back to Chiang Mai. Cheers

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Ditto. Done it many times and going way around BKK via Chainat makes the trip much easier.

JXXXL, what's your best journey time using this route?

It's possible.. I plugged that route into Google Maps and in kilometers it's nearly the same:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source....481445&z=7

(slightly more but not significant). I guess it would depend on the time you drive in the Bangkok area, you could lose time there if that's rush hour (or any time during the day really)

Last weekend I drove to Chiang Mai from Pattaya which is a very similar distance; took me 9 hours total. I think 8 or 8.5 hours is possible driving mostly 120 km/h. Between Tak and here I couldn't drive that because of rain (and night).

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

I agree on that Bokkers. Best I've done Hua Hin to Chiang Mai via this route is 7 hrs 15 mins. Left HH at 0500 and arrived at the Maddog at 1215

BB, you're mad... you must have been touching 200+ most of the way. I guess that old Kawa of yours still does the business.

Good luck mate and ride safe...

Cheers

ive done trip couple of times,always gone the chainat, route with a couple of quick stops,its taken me around 10 hours ,and thats with stop to pay speeding fine.(obligatory) always been stopped both ways,even when i slowed down,were they catch you.

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Thanks for this im going to phuket for a week and stopping the last night on the way back in Hua Hin, so i will follow this back to Chiang Mai. Cheers

Just got back today fom Hua-Hin using the above route, perfect thanks. We had 3 x 15 minutes stops for toilets etc and it took in total 8hrs 50 mins. thanks again Boksida.

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Thanks for this im going to phuket for a week and stopping the last night on the way back in Hua Hin, so i will follow this back to Chiang Mai. Cheers

Just got back today fom Hua-Hin using the above route, perfect thanks. We had 3 x 15 minutes stops for toilets etc and it took in total 8hrs 50 mins. thanks again Boksida.

That's good going. I had been planning 10 hours, good to know that it can be done in under 9 hours. Were you doing a steady 140 or so?

Cheers...

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Thanks for this im going to phuket for a week and stopping the last night on the way back in Hua Hin, so i will follow this back to Chiang Mai. Cheers

Just got back today fom Hua-Hin using the above route, perfect thanks. We had 3 x 15 minutes stops for toilets etc and it took in total 8hrs 50 mins. thanks again Boksida.

That's good going. I had been planning 10 hours, good to know that it can be done in under 9 hours. Were you doing a steady 140 or so?

Cheers...

I tried to keep around the 130-150 kph, when i could, there are some great roads, but occasionally there are a few miles of road that are being upgraded so you obviously get held up there, but all in all a good trip and at the average of around 140 kph, it can be done in under 9 hours.