Drive To Chiang Mai From Singapore

[Saravanan]

Hello,

I am planning to “drive” to Chiang Mai from Singapore during June 2011.

Currently I am doing my ground works to make my trip successful and hassle free. I will be travelling with my wife and 2 young kids aged 7 and 11 and I will be the only driver for this entire trip.

There are a lot of information to be gathered from this site under this thread.

I will be entering into kingdom through Sadao check point from Malaysia. According to my plan I will be crossing “check point” at around 4 pm. After that I could drive another 3 hours towards north. Please suggest me a place (hotel / motel / studio apartment) where I can stay for the night safely.

Following day, I will be driving towards Bangkok with another night stay on the way. Please suggest me a suitable place again.

I would be driving ~ 80 – 100 km/h and I don’t want to miss any interesting spots (water falls, hot springs, caves, historical places, etc, etc) on the way.

I would be staying 3 nights at Bangkok and proceed to Chiang Mai and stay there 2 days. Later I will be driving all the way towards south (bypassing Bangkok) with 2/3 night stay on the way with in kingdom. Please suggest me a suitable places again.

Also, please suggest me a studio apartment in Bangkok and Chiang Mai too.

Advance thanks for all your kind replies.

[hellracer]

You are a superman~!!!

[mkawish]

Wondering, if this is just your wonderful sort of excellent idea.... or....

that your wife and kids are just followers rather than equal participants on this trip....

did you ever ask them, if this itinerary is really what they want to adapt for this backbreaking trip....? LOL

Maybe, you ought to seek some informal input, especially your significant other....

or that.... maybe she is totally Chinese.... and therefore....

whatever your honor wishes.... will be her command....?

[ExC5Engineer]

Are you insane!!

[Saravanan]

Hello mkawish,

Thanks for your comments.

Well, this is not my 1st driving venture into kingdom. Drove to Phuket twice 2 years ago.

I am very carefully planning this trip as my family is travelling along with me all the way. Off course the entire trip is for them and they love to explore.

And I am not the person to keep my mate as slave. J Yes, I am an Indian here.

Saravanan.

[Saravanan]

Are you insane!!

Come on! See the world with broad eyes and mind. J

[gotlost]

Just to give you support have a great trip and enjoy. It,s about 2200 KM and is doable, I drive 1000 KM in 14 hours. Be safe and enjoy.

[paulchiangmai]

Just to give you support have a great trip and enjoy. It,s about 2200 KM and is doable, I drive 1000 KM in 14 hours. Be safe and enjoy.

If you read the op's post carefully it would seem to be a round trip, he mentions travelling from Singapore to Chiang Mai and returning at least to the south of Thailand and presumably all the way back to Singapore. Even if his trip terminates in the south of Thailand he will be covering a lot more than 2,200 kilometres.

[Saravanan]

As paulchiangmai said, yes, this is round trip. Start and end at Singapore. My previous venture to Phuket (Singapore – Penang – Krabi – Phuket – Hadyai – Cameron Highlands – Kuantan – Singapore) took 16 days and drove ~3900 KM.

[PattayaParent]

Grab a copy of the Lonely Planet Gude to Thailand and it should give you some ideas about where to stop on the way up and down.

Have a great trip.

[clinique]

In Australia there are people who drive holidays from Perth to Sydney and return. Distance one way 3,900km, mostly thru desert.

So whats the big deal here.

OP, I hope you and your family enjoy your trip.

[PattayaParent]

Clinique, I drove Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne-Adelaide-Esperance-Albany-Perth-Darwin-Alice-Adelaide-Sydney-Brisbane-Cairns in 3 months in Aus.

Did Dubai to Liverpool in 17 days.

Several 'driveaways' in USA.

Pattaya to Chiang Rai to Hat Yai and back to Pattaya in 1 month

And just completed (yesterday) a Pattaya to Chiang Mai (and back) trip with the family.

It's great having the flexibility to do what you want on the road.

I'm sure the OP will have a great trip, it's just a pity forum members are not willing to be more helpful.

Edited February 25, 2011 by PattayaParent

[craigt3365]

Wow...that's quite a drive. I doubt you will have many chances to stop and see sights along the way. Looks like you've allocated about 10 days for this? As you well know, the roads are OK, but not super highways like in other countries. So...lots of traffic. I drove from Bangkok to Phuket and them Samui 2 years ago. But spent 2 weeks doing it.

In Bangkok, I recommend finding a hotel a bit out of town...like near Onnut. And then use public transportation/taxis to get around. Driving in Bangkok, for me, is a nightmare. And if you can't read Thai...or have a really good GPS...good luck. CM is much easier to get around.

For specific hotel recommendations, maybe it's best to do a post in the local forums? And indicate you will be driving.

[mikecwm]

Oh boy - you seem to need to have everything competely organised. Big mistake.

Every larger town you pass through will have hotels. Just stop at one when you get tired.

Have you done any similar long drives like this before?

They can be fun if you relax more and just go with the flow - even with kids.

Good luck anyway - relax a bit though.

My family recently completed a 6000km drive from Canada down to the Grand Canyon and back up the California coast. We never knew where we would stay each night. Great fun.

Also had a 4000km trip around the north of Thailand last year - again not knowing where we would stay, or what places we would visit. Loved it, very relaxed.

Just take guide books (hard to go wrong with Lonely Planet guides) for Malaysia and Thailand.

You'll find good cheap places and more expensives hotels with a pool for the kids if you need that.

[gotlost]

Just to give you support have a great trip and enjoy. It,s about 2200 KM and is doable, I drive 1000 KM in 14 hours. Be safe and enjoy.

If you read the op's post carefully it would seem to be a round trip, he mentions travelling from Singapore to Chiang Mai and returning at least to the south of Thailand and presumably all the way back to Singapore. Even if his trip terminates in the south of Thailand he will be covering a lot more than 2,200 kilometres.

So he covers 4400 KM. Its his dream. I find most people on this forum are to scared to get out of bed and cross the street. If they dive more than 10 Km its an ordeal.

[ericthai]

Clinique, I drove Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne-Adelaide-Esperance-Albany-Perth-Darwin-Alice-Adelaide-Sydney-Brisbane-Cairns in 3 months in Aus.

Did Dubai to Liverpool in 17 days.

Several 'driveaways' in USA.

Pattaya to Chiang Rai to Hat Yai and back to Pattaya in 1 month

And just completed (yesterday) a Pattaya to Chiang Mai (and back) trip with the family.

It's great having the flexibility to do what you want on the road.

I'm sure the OP will have a great trip, it's just a pity forum members are not willing to be more helpful.

I agree, it's no that big of a deal to go one trip like this. like said People in the USA and Aus do it all the time. I traveled from Fla to Toronto and back, took my time and enjoyed the trip.

[fredjones]

I did the Singapore -Chinag mai - Singapore trip a year ago and planning to go in June again this year. Its about 2,700kms depending how many side trips you take. It took me two days to get up to CNX, then took a very relaxing 16 days back. The 2 days - we left singapore friday afternoon at 2pm to beat KL traffic and then at Sadao border at 11pm (not doing 80-100kms though). Make sure you take a copy of your car registration document for the border crossing. You can get the thai 3rd party insurance at a booth just past the border crossing. Then the next 4-5 hours to chumphon. If you dont want to go that far try hat yai and the novotel hotel. They have mutiple room apartments good for a family. Next day left at 11am and then in chiang mai at midnight. Gave bangkok a miss but took the ring road around the city and then straight up highway 1 to cnx.

Then quite a few days in CNX and back to singapore via Nan, sukothai, bangkok, chumphon, krabi and hat Yai and then back to singapore. Great trip with the family can do everything in your time and see what you want to see. a few tips:

- get comprehensive insurance for the car in singapore. Use to be able to get it from AIG now chartis.

- get the car serviced before you go and check out how to service car in thailand. i.e names and munbers of the car dealers in thailand for your car type.

- get international travel insurance.

- check your travel isnurance wll cover you.

- take lots of money for petrol.

- get a gps if you aren't sure of the way. can be tricky ina nd around bangkok and KL.

Enjoy the trip.....

[Saravanan]

I did the Singapore -Chinag mai - Singapore trip a year ago and planning to go in June again this year. Its about 2,700kms depending how many side trips you take. It took me two days to get up to CNX, then took a very relaxing 16 days back. The 2 days - we left singapore friday afternoon at 2pm to beat KL traffic and then at Sadao border at 11pm (not doing 80-100kms though). Make sure you take a copy of your car registration document for the border crossing. You can get the thai 3rd party insurance at a booth just past the border crossing. Then the next 4-5 hours to chumphon. If you dont want to go that far try hat yai and the novotel hotel. They have mutiple room apartments good for a family. Next day left at 11am and then in chiang mai at midnight. Gave bangkok a miss but took the ring road around the city and then straight up highway 1 to cnx.

Then quite a few days in CNX and back to singapore via Nan, sukothai, bangkok, chumphon, krabi and hat Yai and then back to singapore. Great trip with the family can do everything in your time and see what you want to see. a few tips:

- get comprehensive insurance for the car in singapore. Use to be able to get it from AIG now chartis.

- get the car serviced before you go and check out how to service car in thailand. i.e names and munbers of the car dealers in thailand for your car type.

- get international travel insurance.

- check your travel isnurance wll cover you.

- take lots of money for petrol.

- get a gps if you aren't sure of the way. can be tricky ina nd around bangkok and KL.

Enjoy the trip.....

Excellent piece of information bro. J

It is interesting to see that you are also travelling on June. Yes, I am planning on school holidays.

See you somewhere during our trip. Flash your headlights to me when you see Singapore registered car in Thailand. J

My plan is as follows:

Start early morning from Singapore and reach Penang through KL city.

Check in Hotel at Penang (Bukit Mertajam).

Next day start at around 11:00 am and cross border at Sadeo.

Check in Hotel at Chumphon.

Next day start and reach Bangkok and stay there 2/3 nights.

Then proceed to Chang Mai and stay around 3 / 4 nights.

I am still planning for my return stretch. I will keep you updated here.

Saravanan.

[PattayaParent]

Stop at Sukhothai on the way down, and also Ayuthaya and Bang Pa In if you haven't been before.

The big temple just outside Lampang is worth stopping at.

The good thing about the Lonely Planet book is it tells you about places to see and has (although a rather limited) selection of hotels for different budgets with 'phone numbers so you can call ahead and check price and availability, and very importantly, if they have a car park.

[Saravanan]

Stop at Sukhothai on the way down, and also Ayuthaya and Bang Pa In if you haven't been before.

The big temple just outside Lampang is worth stopping at.

The good thing about the Lonely Planet book is it tells you about places to see and has (although a rather limited) selection of hotels for different budgets with 'phone numbers so you can call ahead and check price and availability, and very importantly, if they have a car park.

Thanks a lot for your inputs.

[sunnyhor]

Thank you bro!! i made it.............. my report in here. http://roadtriptothailand.blogspot.com/2011/07/driving-from-singapore-to-thailand.html

I did the Singapore -Chinag mai - Singapore trip a year ago and planning to go in June again this year. Its about 2,700kms depending how many side trips you take. It took me two days to get up to CNX, then took a very relaxing 16 days back. The 2 days - we left singapore friday afternoon at 2pm to beat KL traffic and then at Sadao border at 11pm (not doing 80-100kms though). Make sure you take a copy of your car registration document for the border crossing. You can get the thai 3rd party insurance at a booth just past the border crossing. Then the next 4-5 hours to chumphon. If you dont want to go that far try hat yai and the novotel hotel. They have mutiple room apartments good for a family. Next day left at 11am and then in chiang mai at midnight. Gave bangkok a miss but took the ring road around the city and then straight up highway 1 to cnx.

Then quite a few days in CNX and back to singapore via Nan, sukothai, bangkok, chumphon, krabi and hat Yai and then back to singapore. Great trip with the family can do everything in your time and see what you want to see. a few tips:

- get comprehensive insurance for the car in singapore. Use to be able to get it from AIG now chartis.

- get the car serviced before you go and check out how to service car in thailand. i.e names and munbers of the car dealers in thailand for your car type.

- get international travel insurance.

- check your travel isnurance wll cover you.

- take lots of money for petrol.

- get a gps if you aren't sure of the way. can be tricky ina nd around bangkok and KL.

Enjoy the trip.....

Excellent piece of information bro. J

It is interesting to see that you are also travelling on June. Yes, I am planning on school holidays.

See you somewhere during our trip. Flash your headlights to me when you see Singapore registered car in Thailand. J

My plan is as follows:

Start early morning from Singapore and reach Penang through KL city.

Check in Hotel at Penang (Bukit Mertajam).

Next day start at around 11:00 am and cross border at Sadeo.

Check in Hotel at Chumphon.

Next day start and reach Bangkok and stay there 2/3 nights.

Then proceed to Chang Mai and stay around 3 / 4 nights.

I am still planning for my return stretch. I will keep you updated here.

Saravanan.

[soihok]

Thanks very much sharing your travel adventures. Makes me feel like going for it myself.

I have toured UK, France, Spain, Portugal a couple of times on a Suzuki 750 and know how it feels to be out on the road.

Cheers!