Visa Run Samui

[jack244]

Morning all, please could you guide me?

I need to do a visa run from Samui, I wish to go to Myanmar, maybe Anderman Club.

I have called many visa run services offering a Samui trip, they have all stopped this run.

Question, how to do it? I understand ferry to Surat, then, is there a bus to Ranong? Frequency and can I do it all in a day? Any services known to anyone?

I have a triple tourist, this is the last one, and is within the enter by date.

I don't fancy Malaysia runs.

Thanks again in advance.

[rollrunna]

when I did that run a few years back, I hired a motor, it was a very enjoyable trip and quieter roads, but did experience one problem being that they only gave me a 30 day entry stamp in my passport and said it was all they ever did... perhaps you should check that out before if not desirable...

Sorry I cant help with coach or bus service...but I can recommend the stay over in the Anderman Club.... I paid for the best part of the expenses at the Casino..... of course you could lose too )

The Malasia run is best by coach and bus from Nathon down to Had Yai then to Penang... takes longer because it slower.. much more comfortable..

[Sceptict11]

when I did that run a few years back, I hired a motor, it was a very enjoyable trip and quieter roads, but did experience one problem being that they only gave me a 30 day entry stamp in my passport and said it was all they ever did... perhaps you should check that out before if not desirable...

Sorry I cant help with coach or bus service...but I can recommend the stay over in the Anderman Club.... I paid for the best part of the expenses at the Casino..... of course you could lose too )

The Malasia run is best by coach and bus from Nathon down to Had Yai then to Penang... takes longer because it slower.. much more comfortable..

If you do the "run" to Ranong or to the Anderman club with a valid visa you will receive a permission to stay for 60 days !

The same applies to Malaysia..

However if the visa is not valid only a 15 day "visa exempt" entry will be available at any land border .

[retell]

normaly when i would stay there is go by train which in my book is now a no option

sometimes they fly direct from samui or surat to KL that's the luxury way

must say haven't done any runs now for 4 years in that area

[Rooo]

Moving to Samui forum.

[AngThong]

Don't know about Myanmar (do report back once you've done it, might do it myself sometime) but FYI Firefly do direct Samui-Penang (and Samui-KL) flights. If you book early you can get a round trip for 3,000 - 3,500 baht (two nights in Penang/KL though because of how the flights are spaced). Not the cheapest but very comfy and not extremely expensive.

Edited September 26, 2013 by AngThong

[notmyself]

I've been using the same company for years to do the Malaysia boarder bounce. 1900 Baht gets you picked up from home at 5am ish and back around 8-830 that evening. The roads have gotten better, the stops they make are shorter and the immigration booths faster which means the driver doesn't have to gun it the whole time. It's always the same driver at Donsak who doesn't seem to have got his license out of a cereal box and has a minibus which has fairly comfortable seats along with shocks that still work. You get a carton of juice and a bun to eat on the ferry over (breakfast) and stop for a free lunch of rice, choice of curry and a fried egg at which point the driver hands landing cards to fill out before arrival. Not sure I can name the company on the forum so PM me if you wish.

[retell]

I've been using the same company for years to do the Malaysia boarder bounce. 1900 Baht gets you picked up from home at 5am ish and back around 8-830 that evening. The roads have gotten better, the stops they make are shorter and the immigration booths faster which means the driver doesn't have to gun it the whole time. It's always the same driver at Donsak who doesn't seem to have got his license out of a cereal box and has a minibus which has fairly comfortable seats along with shocks that still work. You get a carton of juice and a bun to eat on the ferry over (breakfast) and stop for a free lunch of rice, choice of curry and a fried egg at which point the driver hands landing cards to fill out before arrival. Not sure I can name the company on the forum so PM me if you wish.

that's a dream run without a minibus picking and delivering packages along the way ,with legroom and the actual number of passengers that there are seats for

and it stops for the costumers to have some food drinks

and very important without a dozing off driver

please tell us all where you book

[evadgib]

Good to see a positive review of what is all to often a frightening,dangerous & life threatening experience.

Edited September 26, 2013 by evadgib

[notmyself]

I've been using the same company for years to do the Malaysia boarder bounce. 1900 Baht gets you picked up from home at 5am ish and back around 8-830 that evening. The roads have gotten better, the stops they make are shorter and the immigration booths faster which means the driver doesn't have to gun it the whole time. It's always the same driver at Donsak who doesn't seem to have got his license out of a cereal box and has a minibus which has fairly comfortable seats along with shocks that still work. You get a carton of juice and a bun to eat on the ferry over (breakfast) and stop for a free lunch of rice, choice of curry and a fried egg at which point the driver hands landing cards to fill out before arrival. Not sure I can name the company on the forum so PM me if you wish.

that's a dream run without a minibus picking and delivering packages along the way ,with legroom and the actual number of passengers that there are seats for

and it stops for the costumers to have some food drinks

and very important without a dozing off driver

please tell us all where you book

There was an issue with naming visa run companies a year or so back so I'll wait for Rooo to say it's ok or not.

It's always 1 of 2 drivers on the mainland and in my view, they know how to drive. It's also, as I said, other things which have helped such as road improvements and just being more streamlined in general. The landing cards save 10-15 minutes at least and you no longer have to queue for Malaysian landing cards because it's all electronic now which saves another 15-20 minutes. Because you will have already eaten you have enough time to pop into the duty free between the Malay and Thai immigration to pick up a carton of ciggies which are around 2/3 the price and a bottle of something imported which is 1/2 the price but not a great selection. Don't forget it's 200 cigarettes and 1l of spirits only.

Edited September 26, 2013 by notmyself

[Rooo]

We have put this policy in place for a very good reason & it's still in effect , no naming of visa companies.

[jack244]

Thanks to all for the info. I am planning to go this weekend, will report back.

[jack244]

Hi all thanks again.

Am keen to go to ranong, to see myanmar also. Am travelling with my good lady and making a weekend of it.

The option to go to Malaysia is tempting, but we are actually enjoying traveling around seeing the sights.

Its a learning curve also.

[jack244]

Hi all,

Just done a visa run to Myanmar from Samui. This is the story....

Agencies, travel agents etc in Samui wanted anything from 850thb to 1250thb per person, to get to Ranong one way.

In Ranong, many places were offering to shuttle you to do the visa run, costs from 250thb to 800thb. Not necessary, think ahead and DIY.

We went and took a gamble, paying as we went. My aim was to provide an update and see something of Thailand and Myanmar, GF had a few days off work too. I think it’s also fun to beat the rip offs, I have learnt, if they say it’s 1000thb, it really is 2/3 of the price.

Extra special weekend, so we took a hotel, The B Ranong for two nights, trendy but shit service. Restaurants outside were great, the Jammy Bar food being superb. Options exist in Ranong to find rooms from 150thb upwards, search the net or walk in, too many to choose from in Ranong, some almost located at Saphan Pier, very handy.

I took along the GF, and made a trip of it for the weekend. I feel that you cannot do it in one day from Samui, possible, with good luck and no hiccups, so two days needed in reality.

1. Ferry Nathon to Donsak (Seatran). Cost 150thb for boat and an additional 100thb for bus Donsak to Surat Thani Bus Terminal number 2. Ticket was bought at Samui Nathon ferry terminal. (NOTE - It is possible to take a boat from Samui direct to Surat Thani (the pier in Surat centre), reducing the need to take a bus Donsak to Surat Thani. You will pay lots more for it too, 500thb plus)

2. In Surat Thani, the bus drops you at the Terminal 2, also a market, takes about 1 hour. Options for move to Ranong, one, take a big bus (180thb one way each) takes approx 4 1/2 hours. Two run each Day, 08:30am and 14:30pm. Option 2, walk to the mini-bus street, directions from anyone in the bus station, about 100m from the bus station, and haggle for a mini-bus, cost were 350thb, each. Locals paid 220thb. See my fight report.... We took the mini-bus (3 1/2 hours and bare knuckle) to Ranong, drop off at Ranong Bus Station. The mini-bus is overcrowded, loaded up with packages and very uncomfortable. The mini-bus stopped for 10 mins half way along the route at a petrol station, with a 7/11 and soup kitchen. There were many shops offering a mini-bus to Ranong, all in all, they all work for each other, filling up each others mini-buses and spare seats.

3. In Ranong, we took a songthaew to my hotel, 20thb for 3km.

4. In Ranong, the next morning, we took a songthaew to Saphan Jetty (30thb took 15mins from our hotel in central Ranong), where you will find a combined arrival and departure immigration control point at the pier, and if like me your taking the GF, the local Thai Immigration Office for Thais, separate to the combined imm office I needed. (Note: At the pier, there are many touts, offering a range of services, if you need help with forms, etc they stepped in. I saw many tourists gaining help, I didn’t feel pressured, many Thai police manning the place, checking passports etc)

5. Imm opens 8.00am, for locals 8:30 am, close 6:00pm. I was stamped out, and after GF was sorted, we haggled a long tail, 300thb for both of us, with a one hour shopping stay in Victoria Point also called Kawthaung (Myanmar). (Note: GF had to pay 30thb and make papers to leave Thailand and enter Myanmar, using her ID Card only, all done at the pier. If she had used her passport, it would have been 500thb and lots more paperwork).

6. We left the pier in a long tail, made the journey across the water to Victoria Point (30 mins), stopping at various customs, immigration points etc. The crew took our passports a few times and did all the necessary legwork at each stop. We paid an extra 20thb each at one Thai point...reason, ‘It’s the weekend’. (Note: If it was raining, or blowing a gale, this crossing would of been horrendous, tip is to take waterproof top and umbrella. The boat had 6 people onboard, I felt fairly safe and the lad driving was friendly and helpful. Life Jacket helped me too! Options to take a big covered AC boat, not as frequent and also option was to go to the Anderman Club.

7. Arrived at Victoria Point, bustling place, market, boats galore and many eyes watching your every move. Boat driver, escorted us to Myanmar Immigration, very easy, no forms, just a crisp, new $10 note for me to pay (not GF) took my picture, asked if I was staying or leaving the same day. We got stamped in and left the office. Took 10 mins. My entry stamp gave me 12 days.

8. We then went and looked at the port, market and shopped for some bits. I picked up 200 Benson & Hedges, for 450thb, they were pukka too. Market and shop prices way below Samui, and in fact in Ranong, we got many bargains too, again much cheaper than Samui. Perfume copies galore, one shop wanted 1800thb for a copy D&G ladies one…lol

9. Returned to Thailand after an hour, reverse of the outward journey, using the same long tail, which waited for us. On arrival at Saphan Pier, I went to the same Imm office, separate widow for arrivals, completed arrival slip and activated my last 60 days visa, fairly easy and no queue’s. GF papers were taken on the water and never returned after the Thai’s final checkpoint. On arrival no questions or checks on her, simply get off the boat, have a nice day.

10. Total time in crossing the water etc, was 2 hours 45 mins, included above and taking in one hours shopping.

11. Had a wonderful day in Ranong, then the next morning, after leg over and toast, we returned to Ranong Bus Station, got a big bus, for 180thb each, to Surat Thani. In Surat we were dropped at the Seatran Office, where you can catch a bus and ferry combination to Samui, one leave almost every hour through the daylight, until 6pm. Cost was 250thb each.

12. Arrived back in Samui, made a PG Tips and reflected upon this journey. We did it cheaper than the quotes and had some flexibility and fun along the way.

Would have been easier to do the bounce to Malaysia, cheaper too, but we made a weekend of it.

I will attempt to upload some maps and schedules tomorrow.

If this help anyone, that’s great.

Cost's

Samui to Surat - 250thb

Surat to Ranong - 350thb (Cheaper if not ripped off, normally 220thb, Big bus 180thb)

Ranong Song's Average 30thb per trip

Boat Crossing - 300thb for two people return

Visa $10 - Me only

Ranong to Surat Big Bus 180thb

Surat to Samui - 250thb

Going solo, no GF and no hotel, this would of cost approx 1800thb incl visa.

It was fun.....

[CaptainS]

Thanks for your detailed story.

[Rooo]

I have added the post to the pinned thead.