Driving From Chiang Mai To The Seashore In 3 Days

[vagabond48]

I am driving with my in-laws about 900km south of here, probable stay in Cha Am for a few days and yes, will avoid the weekend.

I am driving straight down with one stop.

Anyone do this drive before?

Is the google map directions pretty accurate?

Anyone have suggestions on where to stop for the night under 200km North of Bangkok?

I am looking for a comfortable and reasonably priced GH. How about in or around Ayutthaya?

Any additional helpful advice will be appreciated.

Thanks

[kcore]

Yes I have done this a few times. I find Nakon Sawan is a good stop over. Many guest house for reasonable prices. I forget the names but shouldn't be too hard to web search. I must admit, I usually go for a wek or ten days. Did you say you plan on spending 3 days total for this trip?

[vagabond48]

Yes I have done this a few times. I find Nakon Sawan is a good stop over. Many guest house for reasonable prices. I forget the names but shouldn't be too hard to web search. I must admit, I usually go for a wek or ten days. Did you say you plan on spending 3 days total for this trip?

You are right. We are planning to leave in 3 days and go for 8 to 10 days.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

If Cha Am I would drive straight there probably. You can bypass Bangkok taking the Highway 9 outer ring. (Try to plan it so you hit the Bangkok area outside of rush hour)

But yes, Nakhon Sawan is a sensible place to cut up the trip when going to Cha Am / Hua Hin.

[true blue]

done trip to south a good few times,i always stay at hua/hin for a few days,if you go the chinat route you can do hua hin in about 9/10 hours,from chiang mai.

[in country]

I have also done this quite a few times,I also like Chinat,Nakon Phatom route.I usually drive it it in a day but its along days drive for me.

I also like avoid the Bangkok freeway system unless I pass through at 4 am,which i sometimes do.

I think Ayutthaya would be where i would stop if i wanted to do it over 2 days,you could still go via Nakon P but its a little bit of a detour.

I guess it depends on how comfortable you are with BKK.

[vagabond48]

Anything to avoid Bangkok is a big plus!

Going directly to Cha Am sounds great but it would be up to my in-laws' comfort level.

[MESmith]

Anything to avoid Bangkok is a big plus!

Going directly to Cha Am sounds great but it would be up to my in-laws' comfort level.

Will they be inside the pickup or in the tray

[Semper]

Anything to avoid Bangkok is a big plus!

Going directly to Cha Am sounds great but it would be up to my in-laws' comfort level.

By them bus tickets and relax at home.

[jackr]

Yes, GMaps is quite good.

Bypassing Bkk via Chai Nat/Suphanburi is the way to go (340/321 off main highway 1)... takes you well west of Bkk at N Pathom and is a lot quieter. Could stay at Nakhon Sawan, but if you go as far as Ayutthaya, you could cut across on the 346 and avoid the 9. Tony's Place in Ayutthaya is pretty good. Easy enough in one go, too (have done Phk/CM in 19 hours), though usually do HH as the stop.

[CMweb]

I drive from CM to Kuala Lumpur in 36 hours so you should be fine with your trip

[rene123]

I rode my motorbike from Chiang Mai to Kanchanaburi in less than 2 days. I stayed over night in Nakhon Sawan on the way down and Tac on the way back. I don't think it's that much further to the ocean. It is a pretty straight road from Lampang to Bangkok and very few hills. It's mostly 3 or 4 lane (one side) highway once you get south of Nakhon Sawan. There are only a few rough paved sections that they are redoing. I seldom rode over 115 km/hr and most often I stayed near 90 to 100 Km/hr. There are lots of transport trucks but they usually stay to the left in the slow lane. They seldom exceed 90 km/hr. The only thing to watch out for is crazy pickup and van drivers who are speed maniacs and will pass anywhere at any time.

[vagabond48]

Thanks for the great tips.

rene123. if I recall you ride a 125cc and you're doing 90 to 100km on it. Wow, that takes a lot of guts.

[sunnyhor]

Very doable mate. I took 3 days from Singapore to Chiang Mai

http://roadtriptothailand.blogspot.sg/2011/07/driving-from-singapore-to-thailand.html

[Mapguy]

If Cha Am I would drive straight there probably. You can bypass Bangkok taking the Highway 9 outer ring. (Try to plan it so you hit the Bangkok area outside of rush hour)

But yes, Nakhon Sawan is a sensible place to cut up the trip when going to Cha Am / Hua Hin.

Good advice, basically, to break the trip (for a night, at least). It is a very long drive to do in one day. Other ways (not the only interesting places) is to break the trip in Sukkuthai or Ayutthaya. Neither is exactly "half way" but neither are they far off the direct route and worth visiting, if you have not done so before. I suggest definitely circling west around Bangkok. And that can be bad enough!

[vagabond48]

done trip to south a good few times,i always stay at hua/hin for a few days,if you go the chinat route you can do hua hin in about 9/10 hours,from chiang mai.

can you tell me what is the chinat route?

[Boksida]

done trip to south a good few times,i always stay at hua/hin for a few days,if you go the chinat route you can do hua hin in about 9/10 hours,from chiang mai.

can you tell me what is the chinat route?

Chiangmai-Lampang-Nakhon Sawan-Chainat-Suphanburi-Uthong-Kampaeng San-Nakhon Pathom-Ratchaburi-Petchburi-Chumphon etc.

Will get you to Hua Hin by beer o'clock.

[rene123]

Thanks for the great tips.

rene123. if I recall you ride a 125cc and you're doing 90 to 100km on it. Wow, that takes a lot of guts.

I had a rental 125 scooter just to learn the ways of riding in Thailand. I rented a 250 CBR for my trip to Kanchanaburi. I now own a Kawasakin D-tracker motard. The 250 CBR would go faster than 120 KM/hr, but I never felt safe doing it. I've seen too many people do strange things without looking here in Thailand to ever feel safe going much over 100 km/hr. I'll leave that up to the young guys who have more testosterone than brains.

[jaideeguy]

did that run last year and found that Ayutthaya was a good stop over for the first night's stay, as it was near 70% of the distance, then on the return, Tak was the same. I prefer to get the longer day finished, rest and get to the sea in the early afternoon. Used to do it in one shot, but it was torture and dangerous to drive that distance with no breaks.