Koh Samui To Phuket By Car

[LaoPo]

Does anyone have experience with travelling by ferry and car to Phuket?

How long is it driving from Don Sak Pier to Phuket (city)?

Comments much appreciated!

LaoPo

[John 1]

3 Hours on a good day.

[Duncan & Lek]

Hi,

My and my mates have done it a few times on AX1 Hondas and the quickest we've managed is 4 hours from Donsak but with a motorbike it won't do it on one tank so need to stop a couple of times.

Is a lovely trip if you take a bit longer and go round Kao Sok Park etc.

We did it in a day once on two AX1's including a visa run to Ranong and then down the coast to Phuket.

Happy trails

[Scottbiker1976]

yes, around 4 hours by car if not to much traffic, better to leave samui around 3pm and arrive phuket around 8:30-9pm, not much traffic then

[geoffphuket]

A large part of the drive ia along a very straight and boring piece of highway. Better to take your time and have a couple of stop off's. 4 hours is realistic, less than that means driving Thai style

[sbk]

Has anyone tried it on that new road that starts in Don Sak and goes towards Krabi? Is there a turnoff to Phuket on that road? It is a lovely piece of work for such a low traffic area

[Beachedwhale]

Has anyone tried it on that new road that starts in Don Sak and goes towards Krabi? Is there a turnoff to Phuket on that road? It is a lovely piece of work for such a low traffic area

I have done it many times and it is Highway 44 - 2 lanes in both directions (although it is more frequently like 2 single lane highways side by side).

It does have some turn offs that get you to Phuket, but the must uncomplicated way is to just go to the end of it where it meets the Phuket to Krabi road and turn right to Phuket. (this actually requires a left turn toward Krabi and then a U-turn 50 metres down the road, but if I tried to describe the other ones you would probably end up back in Donsak).

This road used to be quiet, but has now become a bit dangerous due to some of the locals going the wrong way and I have also recently seen a speed trap on it. 12 months ago it would be OK to go 140km + on it but now it is best to be careful and always ensure you are in the left lane when going up a slight hill and therefore unsighted to oncoming wrong-way traffic.

The slowest part of the whole trip is usually around Phuket itself where traffic is busy but around 3.5 hours is a good time, Phangna is actually a beautiful area to stop off at if you have the time.

[LaoPo]

Thanks everyone for the input!

LaoPo

[khall64au]

Lao Po is coming to Phuket?????????? Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeee...............

[stiggy]

Hello

Done this trip many times last time three days ago.

The new route to Krabi is by far the easiest route drive all the way to the end Krabi side, Drive 200 mtrs towards Krabi take the U turn to Phuket.

Be VERY AWARE of the following:

Oncoming Cars on wrong side of carrigeway (Thais seem to prefer this risky move to save time when travelling across motorway)

Occasional land slide following heavy rain.

People Fishing on bridges with cars parked by them in both lanes.

Wandering cows and suicidal dogs

Highway police done twice now at 500bht a go.(once for speeding 105kms,once for driving in outside lane whilst overtaking )

On a good day 3-4 hrs travell time.

Make sure you have a spare tyre thats ready for use ( 11 hrs waiting after wife used and forgot to tell me)

Finally get a RETURN ticket on car ferry this way you are flagged into a quicker lane on arrival otherwise you have to wait your turn sometimes hrs.

All the best dont drink and drive you may spill it

[limbos]

Seatran does take reservations from Samui to Donsak but I never managed to get a reservation from Donsak to Samui.

It's not busy or full already are the standard replies sofar.