Phuket To Ranong Border Run

[megyboo]

Has anyone ever done the Phuket to Ranong Border run?

Me and my boyfriend done it for the first time a few weeks ago, normally we just fly to KL for 2 days or so but we are going home to Ireland for 2 weeks soon so trying to save money we done the visa run.

My question is do all the mini van drivers drive like lunatics? I didn't think it was possible to develop travel sickness until that day! I nearly overdosed on Motilium... Very scary!

We stayed up the whole night before hand in hope of sleeping for the journey to kill the time but we ended up so terrified we where wide away and nearly vomiting for the full 12 or so hours!

[Thongkorn]

I have done it a few times. I have taken the Bus from Phuket to Rannong. never had any problems. maybe get a taxi, they will take you straight to the pier or the Andaman club, thats if its still going.

[megyboo]

I have done it a few times. I have taken the Bus from Phuket to Rannong. never had any problems. maybe get a taxi, they will take you straight to the pier or the Andaman club, thats if its still going.

Id say a taxi is very expensive? We paid 1,200 for the 9 seater "Luxury" Bus! The reason we done the border run was to save money so If we got a taxi it would end up costing a lot more as its a very long drive. It would work out cheaper to fly somewhere!

[lovetotravel]

Next time, tell him to slow down. If he doesn't, complain to the manager for sure. It might not help, then again it might. We had a van driver going crazy several years ago. The entire bus got on the guys case and he slowed down. There use to be a mini van driver near our village who drove like crazy picking up workers every day. My neighbor complained to the company and the driver was fired. Sometimes being vocal and standing up for your rights does work.

[Shot]

Yes, many of them are complete maniacs, and survive on Red Bull and cigarettes. However, there are some reliable companies that make that trip daily.

[craigt3365]

I think this is best in the Phuket forum. Also just noticed this article:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/536565-land-transport-dept-to-adopt-new-method-to-control-speeding-passenger-vans/

Complain for sure and also report the van to the land transport department. I know it's hard work, but it might help?

[Ping]

For the sake of another $150 pp, KL remains the better option. Yes, I understand that you (the OP) are trying to save a bit of money, but is the angst worth it? I've only once had a satisfactory driver on a Ranong minibus run, but he was a last minute temp replacement for the regular driver, who was sick. Of course, some drivers are far worse than others.

[Phuketshrew]

You can get regular (VIP type) bus from Phuket Town - I got picked up at 7/11 in Koh Kaew - only a couple of hundred baht or so and much safer and better ride than putting your life in the hands of the Minibus looneys.

[Shot]

You can get regular (VIP type) bus from Phuket Town - I got picked up at 7/11 in Koh Kaew - only a couple of hundred baht or so and much safer and better ride than putting your life in the hands of the Minibus looneys.

Was that POT Visa Run?

[thaiIand]

drive yourself? cant be much more than 1000baht both way in gas? How many kms?

[Shot]

drive yourself? cant be much more than 1000baht both way in gas? How many kms?

It’s about 600km round trip, so it does not make sense if you do it by yourself. But, bring a friend or two, or three along, and it does.

[seaeagle]

Normal bus from Phuket Town leaves around 6.30am, and gets to Ranong 10.30-ish. Quick motorbike taxi to the pier, then a longtail straight over and back. Through immigration and back to the bus station for the 2pm bus back here. In Phuket by 7pm, and cost for absolutely everything in the day is no more than 1100 baht. Great reading time on the bus, but DO take a music player (or just earplugs) to cover up the sound of the Thai tv or music during the bus ride!

[thaiIand]

600km thats hardly 2k baht in gas. cheaper than going KL for an hour.

is there something interesting to do there in the day? is there a beach? im thinking of driving there instead of going KL

Edited February 28, 2012 by thaiIand

[cgphuket]

drive yourself? cant be much more than 1000baht both way in gas? How many kms?

And you will loan them your car?

[thaiIand]

a car is 800baht per day

[megyboo]

Good ideas, but its not worth the drive... Its so far and long and renting a car is not cheap then fuel, it all adds up! I think we will just have to go to KL again next time.. for the bit extra its kind of worth it.. and maybe get 2 days over there in a cheap hotel (I know what your thinking its hard to find a cheap hotel in KL LOL)

[N47HAN]

been several years since ive had to do the run ,

but always went overnight sometimes two . Andaman club ,nice little casino, spa , reasonable hotel and a nice golf course on site. can even take a guided tour if u want for a few hundred baht. treat it as a bit of a break off the island and its quite nice. try and do it in a day and its nothing more than a pain in the ....

[thaiIand]

hmm i guess KL has flights from phuket at 8am and fly back at 1pm. less time and you can just sit with your tablet while watching a movie for just 1.5k baht more than renting a cheap car and riving back and forth on deadly roads

[Shot]

Yes, many of them are complete maniacs, and survive on Red Bull and cigarettes. However, there are some reliable companies that make that trip daily.

However, after reading this

I'll fly from now on.

Edited March 4, 2012 by LivinginKata
Link removed - read rule 31

[thaiIand]

I was going to book a plane but i was missing 200 baht on my card, next day prices are pretty bad for same day in and out of any country over multiple airlines. Best deal with fees comes to about 3800baht and takes the whole day. Much more expensive than the gas and a pretty boring day ahead.

When you get to ranong, how do you go about crossing the border? Do you go on the same pier as when you take the visa run companies with the andaman casino or can i just hit the beach and take a random little boat and still get my stamp? Could be a fun day at the beach with the family

[thedirk]

I took KVB for 1400 B, driver drove fast but not like a maniac (my perception MAY be skewed, I have spent the last 2 years in India... FYI). Which includes everything, pickup, breakfast, $10 fee, boat ride, lunch, etc. Leaves at 6am, gets back around 7pm.

I've done it before the "cheap" way too. Get to Phuket Bus Terminal 2 by 4:30 or 5am. (I rented a scooter, 150 B plus 50 gas let's call it 200 even). VERY difficult to find. Have a map, or know where you're going... Got lucky, found someone in Phuket town to point me in the right direction. Another time, I couldn't find it...

Get the public bus, leaves at 5:30am. Arrives at Ranong around noon. 240 B each way, so 480 B total. Last bus back leaves 4:30pm, so you HAVE to catch the early Ranong bus if you want to do it in one day...

Go across the street. (DON'T take tuk tuk or scooter to the pier). "Buses" numbered 6 are painted BLUE, and they go to the Pier. (NOT a bus, a pick-up truck with benches in the back, but they call them buses). Take THE SAME #6 LINE back to the Bus Station. 15 B each way, 30 B total. (I had a Red Line #4 claim they'd take me back to the Bus Station... lies. Wasted 30B having to switch buses).

The touts will find you. If you've brought your own $10 bill, make sure its crisp. Maybe keep no extra $ in the wallet, so if they don't want to accept it, you can show them a nearly empty wallet... I didn't have a problem, but I've heard some people have... You can bargain them down from the 500 B they're asking. Try to get down to 400. 100 should get you a round trip boat ride. See if you can make a deal, and get BOTH for 500... If you're awesome, you've brought your own (300 and get a ride (100 . But more likely (don't feel bad), you're paying a little more for one or the other of these... 400-600 Baht.

So it's around 1,000 B, not counting getting to/from the Bus Terminal in Phuket, or food. I spent about 1,200 or 1,300... So 1,400 is a pretty good deal, actually... It's not as much of an "experience," and you feel like sheep being herded about (when I did it the hard way, I was LITERALLY the only white person I saw all day). But that's how it can be done. If you're on top of all of it, you can save 300 B or a little more. If you're NOT on top of it, you could actually end up spending MORE (for example, taking a scooter taxi to the pier from the bus station in Ranong would add 100 or more B, basically mitigating half your savings...)

[cekipa]

I took KVB for 1400 B, driver drove fast but not like a maniac (my perception MAY be skewed, I have spent the last 2 years in India... FYI). Which includes everything, pickup, breakfast, $10 fee, boat ride, lunch, etc. Leaves at 6am, gets back around 7pm.

I've done it before the "cheap" way too. Get to Phuket Bus Terminal 2 by 4:30 or 5am. (I rented a scooter, 150 B plus 50 gas let's call it 200 even). VERY difficult to find. Have a map, or know where you're going... Got lucky, found someone in Phuket town to point me in the right direction. Another time, I couldn't find it...

Get the public bus, leaves at 5:30am. Arrives at Ranong around noon. 240 B each way, so 480 B total. Last bus back leaves 4:30pm, so you HAVE to catch the early Ranong bus if you want to do it in one day...

Go across the street. (DON'T take tuk tuk or scooter to the pier). "Buses" numbered 6 are painted BLUE, and they go to the Pier. (NOT a bus, a pick-up truck with benches in the back, but they call them buses). Take THE SAME #6 LINE back to the Bus Station. 15 B each way, 30 B total. (I had a Red Line #4 claim they'd take me back to the Bus Station... lies. Wasted 30B having to switch buses).

The touts will find you. If you've brought your own $10 bill, make sure its crisp. Maybe keep no extra $ in the wallet, so if they don't want to accept it, you can show them a nearly empty wallet... I didn't have a problem, but I've heard some people have... You can bargain them down from the 500 B they're asking. Try to get down to 400. 100 should get you a round trip boat ride. See if you can make a deal, and get BOTH for 500... If you're awesome, you've brought your own (300 and get a ride (100 . But more likely (don't feel bad), you're paying a little more for one or the other of these... 400-600 Baht.

So it's around 1,000 B, not counting getting to/from the Bus Terminal in Phuket, or food. I spent about 1,200 or 1,300... So 1,400 is a pretty good deal, actually... It's not as much of an "experience," and you feel like sheep being herded about (when I did it the hard way, I was LITERALLY the only white person I saw all day). But that's how it can be done. If you're on top of all of it, you can save 300 B or a little more. If you're NOT on top of it, you could actually end up spending MORE (for example, taking a scooter taxi to the pier from the bus station in Ranong would add 100 or more B, basically mitigating half your savings...)

Detailed report. Actually, I think it is worth saying that in your cheap way you boarded a long tail boat (and God knows what it means during rough sea and rain pouring down) while a visa run company uses a ferry boat

[LivinginKata]

Detailed report. Actually, I think it is worth saying that in your cheap way you boarded a long tail boat (and God knows what it means during rough sea and rain pouring down) while a visa run company uses a ferry boat

That made me laugh. Way back in my early days here my first Burma visa run was by private long tail cos I did not know about the Andaman Club. Took my then girl friend and it rained hard and was rough, scared the shit out of both of us (running out of petrol was not good) and we were soaked to the skin. Vowed never to use long tail again.

[Phuketshrew]

As I have a one year multi-entry visa I need to do a border run every 90 days. I have done the Ranong run 3 times now.

First time using the VIP, which picked me up at 7/11 Koh Kaew, cost 240 baht. Got the longtail in Ranong to make the crossing. Didn't get the early bus so arrived back in Phuket quite late having just made it for the last bus back.

Second time I took my car - Parked up at the Andaman Club and did their run to the casino. That was good. However, it's quite a drive to return in a day. Also you would NEVER get me into a minibus to do the run - complete and utter head cases, as borne out by another recent accident. You get to see this up close when you drive the run yourself.

Last time I took the VIP bus again. However, I stayed overnight at a little boutique hotel (wouldn't recommend the hotel as they were pretty useless regarding timing and transport - but it was a decent place to stay). I didn't do the visa run on my day of arrival but got an early start the following day. Motorbike to pier (which was deserted at that time), longtail over and back then back through an empty immigration queue. The queue going outward stretched right outside the immigration building so it pays to get there early.

I was back to the hotel, checked out and on the VIP by 12.30pm. It was much better to stretch it over two days.

Won't need to do this again until next year as I am hopping out next month to the Singapore GP. My visa will be up for renewal again in December when I'll do the Savannakhet run again. I am going to do this differently than last time and try the Savan Vegas visas run. Plan to fly to Bangkok (I need to be in BKK anyway) then fly to Ubon - The Savan Vegas bus will pick up from Ubon airport. I also plan to travel from Savannakhet to Vientiane once visa has been done. I did this previously on the overnight VIP sleeper bus but will probably try to fly next time.

Has anyone done the Savan Vegas run yet? If so I would love to hear your experiences.

Phuketshrew

[BabyJebus]

Flying to SG is much cheaper than driving back and forth from ranong if you plan a month in advance. Should come out around 3500 4000baht.

[4evermaat]

Good ideas, but its not worth the drive... Its so far and long and renting a car is not cheap then fuel, it all adds up! I think we will just have to go to KL again next time.. for the bit extra its kind of worth it.. and maybe get 2 days over there in a cheap hotel (I know what your thinking its hard to find a cheap hotel in KL LOL)

There is a reason why the minivans for the visa run drive the way they do.....TIME. You cannot casually drive and expect to only do the entire trip in 12 hours. If you go it alone and go early enough... maybe.

Good for those people who use the 9 seater visa run van. Sometimes there are 11-12 seats.....not the most comfortable....but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Detailed report. Actually, I think it is worth saying that in your cheap way you boarded a long tail boat (and God knows what it means during rough sea and rain pouring down) while a visa run company uses a ferry boat

That made me laugh. Way back in my early days here my first Burma visa run was by private long tail cos I did not know about the Andaman Club. Took my then girl friend and it rained hard and was rough, scared the shit out of both of us (running out of petrol was not good) and we were soaked to the skin. Vowed never to use long tail again.

Yep....better to purchase the Andaman ferry boat for 300 baht. I'm not sure if you are a straggler if they will let you stay over until they come back a second time to do some shopping. Obviously if you are tied to the visa run minivans, you are off to get stamp and then back on the boat again for the return. Now that I think about it, the longtail boat could be quite dangerous in the slightest rough water. Very few people use the life vests or floatation devices; the Andaman ferry has floatation devices and the very last time i did a visa run, I slipped one over my arm to honor my Dad's wishes.

Edited August 29, 2012 by 4evermaat

[4evermaat]

for those wanting to save money, consider doing a Malaysian hop instead. Take a coach bus from Phuket Town to Hat Yai. Then take a minibus from Hat Yai to the Malaysian border (forgot name). Stamp out of thailand, walk over the bridge, and stamp in.....walk around the turnstyle and stamp out of malaysia (free for most passports). The mini-van should wait for you, or maybe you have to take a new minivan; I'm not sure. But 800-950 baht including taking the public bus into phuket town from Patong or so and takes about 16-20 hours.. You'd probably want to take a scooter to Phuket town.

I'm surprised there isn't a direct visa run service to Malaysian border from phuket as an alternative to Ranong. Isn't a direct one way from Phuket to Penang Malaysia 700-800 baht?

Honestly, those visa run companies are making a killing. 1200-1500 baht per head? 860-ish-1160ish after subtracting $10 bill for Myanmar visa.

I'm glad the mad dash is much shorter from Chumphon Town. They actually have two visa runs daily and are about 7 hours round trip.

Edited August 29, 2012 by 4evermaat

[BabyJebus]

Going to the malaysian border makes no sense, 20hrs vs 6-8hrs for ranong.

Also if you plan ahead its only 600-800 baht + a little bit of fees for tickets to singapore(jetstar/tigerairways)

SG's airport is amazing and spending a fullday there is quite easy (and tasty: Carl's jr)

[Chads]

I just did this last week with this company: http://www.kbv-phuketvisarun.com/phuket-visa-run-ranong

Was an alright ride. 1500 baht.

[4evermaat]

Going to the malaysian border makes no sense, 20hrs vs 6-8hrs for ranong.

It made a lot of sense to my friend who loves to save a baht.

Also if you plan ahead its only 600-800 baht + a little bit of fees for tickets to singapore(jetstar/tigerairways)

SG's airport is amazing and spending a fullday there is quite easy (and tasty: Carl's jr)

Was that one-way prices? Where did you buy your plane ticket?