Vehicle Rental: Bangkok Vs. Udon Thani

[legendarysurfer]

I'll be travelling by vehicle in the Isaan in August. I typically rent a vehicle at the Udon Thani airport or in Udon, but have always wondered how much cheaper it would be for me to rent the vehicle in Bangkok and drive up/down? Anyone explore this idea before? Thanks in advance for all replies.

[edd]

I always rent in BKK at Lumpinee car rent Wireless rd, it costs about 700 Baht / day if your renting by the month for a newish car.

I take 2 days to drive up, the first day i drive to Khonkien about 6 hours, the hotel is about 600 Baht / night, the second day to Udornthani is about 5 hours.

I do it this way because i want to enjoy the trip.

It works out about the same cost as it does for 2 return flight tickets but i get to see the real Thailand.

Enjoy your trip

Edited May 14, 2006 by edd

[abdulrahman]

Six hours from Bkk to Khon Kaen:very fast driving!

Five hours from Khon Kaen to UdonThani:Walking?

[scooby555]

i have done both many times over the last 15 years. I once did it in a loaded up suzuki carribean thats how long ago that was it was the worst journey i ever did. but that was many moons ago.

Now its flight to udon then avis at the airport, drive where you want, as fast as you want, and stop when and where you desire or if you are departing from pattaya, avis in pattaya nice drive up in around 7 hours inc toilet stops and stopping at every roadside food stall in sight when the wife is not snorring in the passenger seat anyway, any way back to bkk - udon, if you have plenty of time drive, if not fly. the cost is not that much differance the time you have included petrol, if you are on your own fly,if there is 3 or 4 of you drive and share the cost but take a bit of tea money for the boys in brown. remember speed kills, and so do poorly lit trucks and on coming buffalo.

[legendarysurfer]

There are a couple of reasons I'm considering driving from BKK to UDT, instead of flying:

-- There will be two of us (my daughter and I)

-- Probably cheaper than renting at UDT airport Avis

-- Can load up on lots of food for the family, while in BKK, unavailable in UDT

-- See a little bit of the country I haven't seen before

Make sense?

[Mobaan]

There are a couple of reasons I'm considering driving from BKK to UDT, instead of flying:

-- There will be two of us (my daughter and I)

-- Probably cheaper than renting at UDT airport Avis

-- Can load up on lots of food for the family, while in BKK, unavailable in UDT

-- See a little bit of the country I haven't seen before

Make sense?

What kind of food can you NOT buy in Udon?? ( sure there might be some ), but it seems you have not been here for a while. Pretty much everything IS available.

[legendarysurfer]

Well, I've wondered about that, too, Mobaan. My wife (who is from the Nong Bua area) assures me that seafood is not easy to get and the seafood that is, is too filled with preservatives. I can and do believe it, but have not checked it out personally, myself. I remember one time, on Phuket Island, we loaded-up sacks full of dry squid in Phuket Town and packed it with us on Thai Airways all the way to UDT and then Nong Bua. The family was stoked!

Our Family in Baan Nong Soong Pleui, 2003:

[edd]

Six hours from Bkk to Khon Kaen:very fast driving!

Five hours from Khon Kaen to UdonThani:Walking?

OK BKK to Khon Kaen about 7 hrs

Khon Kaen to Udorn about 5 hours ( we live 30 minutes north of Udorn and i included a stop off at tesco lotus in the time)