I am meeting family for a week down in Khao Lak in August and I am in two minds whether to drive or fly and rent a car at Phuket Airport.

If I drove I would probably overnight at Chumphon. I have driven to Songkhla before and found it a tiresome and dull road to drive.

What is Route 4 from Chumphon like? Any more scenic than Route 41?

Highway is scenic, mountainous, one land each way with lots of curves and slow traffic when stuck behind a truck for a few km because of all the curves, especially the part from Chumpon to Ranong. Also beware that Thais will try to past on curves without knowing you are coming from the opposite direction Route 41 imore a 4 lane highway better road in my opinion.

Edited May 19, 201412 yr by Mango Bob

Have a look then:-

http://www.pbase.com/win13/root&view=tree

Win

I think the key is to actually get off the highway, once in a while and detour a little...... Many places marked.... I crossed via the 4006, I thought that was quite a nice drive.

Watch for these signs.... some places are worth making a stop off!

Go via Ranong, not via Surat Thani. More scenic, although you miss driving through the Khao Sok NP area, where you pass through when going via Surat Thani.

We did the drive using 401 on the way there and 4006 on the way back. Extremely scenic, but quite slow. From Khao Lak up to 4006 is a very curvy road. Lots of buses and big trucks to deal with. We spent the night near Bang Saphan on the way back and it was almost an all day drive, leaving around 9am and taking our time.

Given your time frame id go for a Flight. It is a nice drive , but not if there are deadlines, stoppovers are so tempting, as Samuijim suggests.

Given your time frame id go for a Flight. It is a nice drive , but not if there are deadlines, stoppovers are so tempting, as Samuijim suggests.

easiest way is Bangkok to Chumpon ( boring but....)- across to Ranong

down to Khao Lak-

Total time about 11-12 hours taking it easy and stopping for gas/lunch

do NOT go to Surat Thani