Travel From Suvarnabhumi To Sukhothai Or Chiang Rai?

[angilinab]

We are due to travel for our honeymoon, landing in BKK at 1840 on November 7, with three nights prepaid at a hotel in Silom and onward train to Chiang Mai (obviously not going to happen).

Given the situation, we are looking at cutting our losses and changing our plans. We have activities arranged in Chiang Mai from the 11 with a flight back to BKK for onward travel to Koh Samed via Rayong.

We would like to go instead to either Sukhothai or Chiang Rai for a few days and from there travel on to Chiang Mai.

However, we land too late to catch an onward flight, and don't fancy a night in an airport hotel, so were hoping for a way to get either directly to one of those places via bus from the Suvarnabhumi tranport centre if possible, or from Mochit Terminal.

Does anyone know of direct travel from the airport? Might even a taxi be possible? If we have to go into the city itself, do buses run that late? And how do we get to Mochit?

Thanks in advance for your knowledge!

[Garnethoyes]

Difficult to predict the situation on 7th Nov but I would say don't go into Bangkok what ever you do. The area around the airport itself might well be flooded by then. I would fly out from the airport to the north.

[bifftastic]

If you leave the airport any way other than flying, chances are you'll get wet.

As has been said, it might be all nice and dry by the 7th but if you want to make sure

this hotel is nice, cheap, near the airport and they pick you up and bring you back again for 600 baht all in

http://www.agoda.com/asia/thailand/bangkok/great_residence_suvarnabhumi_hotel.html

check in there and then back to the airport and fly up to either chaing mai or chiang rai next day

[angilinab]

thank you, that place looks lovely!

[gk10002000]

I took a fine Air Conditioned bus from Mochit to Sukhothai. 5.5 hour bus ride with one stop. Nice scenery. I had a wonderful peaceful trip. Did it in December 2008. Sukhothai is a small city but has all you will need. The ruins are really wonderful to visit. I found it got a bit cool at night and the thin cover the bed hotel had really wasn't enough of a blanket. I was in a very plain hotel with not much amenities. I forget if it was 200 or 400 baht a night. A fine bed and a modest bathroom with shower. Didn't really need much else. I went for three days. Not a lot of baht busses driving around so short local transport is not as easy as in Pattaya. Might want to get a scooter. Internet cafe around the corner from the small night market. I didn't really go into the modern city much. I walked around the ruins, but bike rentals were reasonable also.

[bifftastic]

thank you, that place looks lovely!

No problem

I used it myself for a short stop over. I arrived from Chiang Rai at about 10pm and flew out back to London at 6am the following morning.

The hotel is used mainly for stopovers I think as when you check in they take a note of your flight number and departure time, they then call your room giving you enough time to check out and have the driver ready to take you to the airport again, It's less than a 5 minute drive.

Much better than spending my 6 hour wait in the airport itself, well worth the 600 baht!

If you do use this place, when you arrive at the airport, go to one of the TOT information desks and they will call them and arrange the pick up for you.

[KimoMax]

Options to fly Air Asia to Chiang mai 20:40 pm on the 7th, or spend the night at the hotel suggested near airport and early am or mid day to Chiang Rai via Air.

I agree, flooding and supply shortages will effect Bangkok thru November.