November 4, 201510 yr Anyone did pattaya to Samui by car? I want go for NY Flight for 2 from utapao is over 20k Just wondering hows the route. Google maps shows over 13h drive, bit long and thats without stops. I got nice car tho. Should I? Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk
November 4, 201510 yr About 900 km in Thailand and changing to a ferry (requires some planning/reservation). Around New Year? I would never try it on one day, at least as the only driver. It would kill my nerves. I would very carefully think about the date of travel. Travel around NY can be very heavy. I would not. As a two day trip and keeping off from the peak days. Start 28 Dec. Return not before Jan 5. New Year 2015/2016 is a four day long weekend (31 to 3). Never would I do a long distance trip during this period. Edited November 4, 201510 yr by KhunBENQ
November 4, 201510 yr just made the trip in last August, made stop over both ways (Chumpon/Hua Hin)for 1 night and booked the ferry in advance - no problem, but if you go over new year you should travel a few days earlier/later to avoid the rush. You have to consider travel time for the BKK bypass as well as often terrible busy..... http://www.seatranferry.com/en/services/timetable.php
November 4, 201510 yr I find that Surat Thani is just about the limit of driving leisurely in 1 day from Bangkok, starting from Pattaya only add a couple of hours at most so it's doable but I'd rather stay in hotel on the mainland at the end of the drive rather than have the schedule of the ferry on my mind while driving. Holiday traffic can be quite bad too.
November 4, 201510 yr Try Air Asia, i flew with them to Surat Thani and i am sure the cost was only 3-4,000 baht for 2. The gas alone would cost you more than that.
November 4, 201510 yr I would recommend you to stay off the roads at that period of time. No matter how observant or how good a driver you may be, is not a good time to hit the roads.
November 4, 201510 yr I would recommend you to stay off the roads at that period of time. No matter how observant or how good a driver you may be, is not a good time to hit the roads. That sounds like pretty good advice. But is there a good time to be on Thai roads???
November 4, 201510 yr easy enough drive, i done it a few times though i split the run and stay a night in hau hinn, then leaving hau hinn next morning early to get onto ferry to samui around afternoon. watch driving through bangkok its a nightmare and one wrong turn will cost you hours. stick to superhighway/motorway right to lat krabang, then take the motorway no9 road to bang na direction, stay on no9 road and it will bring you onto the kanchanapisek road, then take the 35 road to samut sakon. after samut sakon its an easy drive but boring so hence the stop in hau hin.
November 4, 201510 yr Hi Op Fly to Suratthani - it will be about 30% of the cost to Samui. From Suratthani there is a VIP bus service that takes you all the way to Samui ( inc the ferry ) for 900Bht each. Another alternate is to drive to Hua Hin and then take the Seatrans ferry to Samui. ( first part is a bus transfer to Chumpon ) then ferry to Koh Tao / Koh Phangan / Samui.... you may wish to leave a few days early and try the other islands on the way
November 4, 201510 yr Go anytime you want......... just change your car Panther Amphibious Car.jpg Bugger. I was going to post something about Samui being an island. Beat me to it, and funnier.
November 4, 201510 yr Author Yep made my mind. I will pass on it. I need to be there around 25 dec. Traffics might be very bad and queue on the pier. Just too risky Will look airasia option Thx for help Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk Edited November 4, 201510 yr by BeefSlapper
November 4, 201510 yr I did Pattaya to Phuket and back recently (in an SL Benz) - left Pattaya at 2pm, stayed overnight near Chumphon - reached the hotel at midnight - with 4 or 5 stops including one 2 hour stop for dinner. Left next day at 1pm and reached Phuket before dinner. On the way back I did 2 stops, Sara Resort near Chumphon airport, and at Hua Hin. Nice hotels are few and far between before Chumphon so it's advisable to do your research and book before. Roads are ok but there's a long section of 2 way traffic soon after Hua Hin - the evening and night had a lot of truck traffic which gets irritating if you;re stuck behind a truck with oncoming traffic. Don't know about ferries and such because never driven to Samui. I wouldn't do it alone - the boredom... and probably i wouldn't do it again if I had a choice. But really there's no big deal.
November 4, 201510 yr I stayed at Chumphon overnight when I took my car from Pattaya to Samui, I also reserved ahead for the ferry crossing. I don’t think I want to take a long drive during a major holiday though… A friend in Samui told me you can take a bus from BKK to Suratthani and at the bus station find bus+boat connection to Samui at one price, I have not tried that. It was nice to have a car while in Samui.
November 4, 201510 yr I did Pattaya to Phuket and back recently (in an SL Benz) - left Pattaya at 2pm, stayed overnight near Chumphon - reached the hotel at midnight - with 4 or 5 stops including one 2 hour stop for dinner. Left next day at 1pm and reached Phuket before dinner. On the way back I did 2 stops, Sara Resort near Chumphon airport, and at Hua Hin. Nice hotels are few and far between before Chumphon so it's advisable to do your research and book before. Roads are ok but there's a long section of 2 way traffic soon after Hua Hin - the evening and night had a lot of truck traffic which gets irritating if you;re stuck behind a truck with oncoming traffic. Don't know about ferries and such because never driven to Samui. I wouldn't do it alone - the boredom... and probably i wouldn't do it again if I had a choice. But really there's no big deal. Instead of route 4,you can take route 37 to bypass Hua Hin.
November 5, 201510 yr Absolute worst and most dangerous time of the year to be driving, especially long distances. Most Thai's try and head home at that time so the roads can be jam packed with people who don't often drive and those who started celebrating early. I once drove (or tried to) from CBD Bangkok to Don Muang on New Years eve evening, it took my driver 4 hours to go four exits before we abandoned the attempt. On a normal day, that trip in one shot is easily dooable for an experienced driver who is alert.
November 5, 201510 yr Author But then again will i get to Donmuang on 25 dec? Or 26 Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk
November 5, 201510 yr Giant pictures destroying the page format have been removed Arnold Judas Rimmer of Jupiter Mining Corporation Ship Red Dwarf
November 5, 201510 yr But then again will i get to Donmuang on 25 dec? Or 26 Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk If you refer to traffic: Christmas (Fri 25/ Sat 26) is not that big an event in Thailand. 25 is a normal working day for Thai people. So just normal weekend traffic. As far as I know the foreigners get a day off in Bangkok? Not sure. So I would be optimistic that driving by bus/taxi will not be too bad. I think it is not necessary to remind that for tourists/hotels its top peak season (reservations necessary). Don't know about Samui specifically. Edited November 5, 201510 yr by KhunBENQ
November 5, 201510 yr Road surface along prachuab south of Huahin is pretty bad now too, even on good days with no traffic you won't be able to go very fast
November 5, 201510 yr I regularly (once a month) drive from Pattaya to Huai Yot (Trang) 945 kms leaving Patts at 4.30 am,it takes around 11.5 hours-Surat Thani is around 2 hours shorter and once I clear Hua Hin the traffic is OK but never having done this at the period you describe I cannot give an accurate estimate.............go for it though
November 5, 201510 yr Anyone travelling at New Year by road deserves a medal. especially for that distance. You will seriously be looking at a 3 day drive instead of 1. Forget it and book the flights.
November 10, 201510 yr Author just made the trip in last August, made stop over both ways (Chumpon/Hua Hin)for 1 night and booked the ferry in advance - no problem, but if you go over new year you should travel a few days earlier/later to avoid the rush. You have to consider travel time for the BKK bypass as well as often terrible busy..... http://www.seatranferry.com/en/services/timetable.php Can you advise me on ferryHua hin to samui Im trying but website is playing trick on me. How long is the trip and price for 2 with car return. Cheers Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk
November 10, 201510 yr Author ok got it 1380THB 2 ppl and car, return, not bad at all wow its only 1:30h "We decided to invest in building a totally new seaport located in T.Bang Nam Jued at A.Donsak pier and Nathon pier is about 15 nautical sea miles or 25.5 kilometers. All Seatran Ferry ships used in all destinations are highly capable which have caused the reduced of total travel time between Koh Samui to Donsak from 2 hours to 1 hour 30 minutes comparing to other ferry provider. The new pier in Donsak has a cafeteria, passenger terminal and spacious parking lot. For the Koh Samui pier Seatran Ferry is currently docking at the Na thon pier, which is located in the central region of Samui. In the future Seatran Ferry will have a new passenger terminal located near the pier to provide addition comfort and service to Seatran Customers." Edited November 10, 201510 yr by BeefSlapper
November 10, 201510 yr Author Is it really 1:30h ??? How come http://www.seatranferry.com/en/aboutus.php Hh to samui Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk
November 10, 201510 yr Author ok false alarm i figured it out silly me Donsak is in Surathani can you get car on the ferry in HH ?
November 10, 201510 yr I suspect there is a bus involved....... "Hua Hin Bus/Ferry Packages to Samui"
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