Phuket To Bangkok:your Reccomendation For Stopovers, Interesting Sites...?

[tingtongtourist]

Hello all,

I will be the host for a friend next week and meet him at Phuket and then will travel the coastal way to Bangkok. I know there are many good destinations on the way and see on the map..prachuap kiri khan, Chumpon, Hua hin ect..these places i never been to before

But i would rather like to here of the personal experiences and the places you think are worthwhile for the average traveller...

any sites or attractions or even hotel/resort reccomendation??

Probably prefer to be on the coast/beach area. We have nine days to fill and also very interested in golf, so i was thinking Hua Hin for one day.

We will consider to start from Koh Phanangan and/or Koh Tao but the rest is open..

Will appreciate any replies, thankyou

[craigt3365]

You say Phuket, then you say Koh Tao. Are you going to both?

[aarn]

Your big choice is - to follow Highway 4 all the way along the Andaman coast ThaiMueng/Kraburi/Ranong/Chump. - or cut across to the east (various possibilities) and emerge at PhunPhin, 13 km west of SuratThani, then continue northward up #41 until joining #4 at Chumphon.

The former - via Ranong - is slower, but quite scenic. A few beach resorts along the way, you can stop near Kraburi and see the Isthmus of Kra - Burma only ~ 200 metres across the water. The latter - well, quicker and wider roads. My bicycling preference was the full coastal route #4, only a couple of murderous mountains.

At least two golf courses in Chumporn area, heaps in HuaHin. Chumphon town is a prosperous Sth Thai town, OK night market. Can get boat to Koh Tao (easiest to organise via Fame GH, in centre of town). ThungWuaLaen beach 15 km away, plenty of middle-high end accom., sawng tor bus 30B from market in Chumphon BUT only during daylight hours. I lived there for a year.

Further north, you can have a confrontation with monkeys and dogs walking to the temple in PrachuapKirirKhan, battle the crowds of farang in HuaHin, or enjoy bat-<deleted> aroma doing the round of the 9 temples in Petchburi.

Don't come to BangSaphan, you'd hate it here. Quiet beaches, off the beaten path. Anyway, all accom. booked out until SongKran. AA

[craigt3365]

Not sure if OP has private transportation or not. If not, it's much more difficult to visit these various beach towns.

I spent a month on Bang Saphan beach. Loved it! Didn't do anything but have dinner on the beach and relax. Fantastic. But I had my own transport, so could cruise around and check out other places.

Booked till Songkran? Really. Ouch. I was there in August or so.

[melvinmelvin]

I would halt in Prachuap Khiri Khan (muang), nice and quiet place.

Lots of inexpensive seafood.

Several hotels along the beach road.

Visit Aow Manao jus a wee bit to the south.

[montrii]

I suggest the Ranong route, coming out at Chumphon and going up. If you're going to Koh Tao, it's closer from Chumphon than from Surat, anyhow. Ranong is one of the less touristy places, but has hot springs and some gorgeous islands which are worth a visit if you have time. On the road from Ranong to Chumphon you're often close enough to Burma to look over and see it. Really pretty country.

[terryp]

Bang Saphan looks wonderful but sadly visa runs etc look more time consuming as it will require more road travel (or is there a Visa crossing point to Burma close ?) , does anyone know of somewhere similar around Surat, these small beach resorts are some of Thailands gems as they are almost lost in time

[tingtongtourist]

You say Phuket, then you say Koh Tao. Are you going to both?

Well, my friend will fly into Phuket and then we head to Koh Phanangan first and then decide if it is worth another day to stopover at Koh Tao. Im presuming Tao might be somewhat similar just smaller?

Actually I think we will save a day for the coast and bypass Kho Tao as there seems to be a lot more to see

[tingtongtourist]

I suggest the Ranong route, coming out at Chumphon and going up. If you're going to Koh Tao, it's closer from Chumphon than from Surat, anyhow. Ranong is one of the less touristy places, but has hot springs and some gorgeous islands which are worth a visit if you have time. On the road from Ranong to Chumphon you're often close enough to Burma to look over and see it. Really pretty country.

Montriii and aarn: thanks for taking the time to reply. I agree that route is nice. I do remember doing a visa run some years ago. A nice drive but the mountain roads sometimes scary. I think for my friend he will benefit to see a lot more on the east side though.

Still your posts very interesting thankyou

[tingtongtourist]

I would halt in Prachuap Khiri Khan (muang), nice and quiet place.

Lots of inexpensive seafood.

Several hotels along the beach road.

Visit Aow Manao jus a wee bit to the south.

Thanks Melvin..and BTW, i should explain why i didnt come back to post thanks earlier. Busy with other things and internet is very unreliable!!

But yes thanks Melvin, there are many good reports about Kiri Khan..seems to be a place the Thais go to get away from it all. I think its definately on our list!!

Thanks for your input!!

[craigt3365]

You say Phuket, then you say Koh Tao. Are you going to both?

Well, my friend will fly into Phuket and then we head to Koh Phanangan first and then decide if it is worth another day to stopover at Koh Tao. Im presuming Tao might be somewhat similar just smaller?

Actually I think we will save a day for the coast and bypass Kho Tao as there seems to be a lot more to see

Don't underestimate the travel times. It's a full day from Phuket to the islands. And from one to the other, takes time also. Especially Tao as it's a bit further out. Tao and KPN are quite similar.