road trip from chiang mai to phuket

[craigt3365]

You can get to the dam. We stayed at a place on the river that comes out of the day. Quite nice. There are some government type hotels near the dam, and they seemed OK, but were booked out when we got there. None compare to the trip to your room ON the water, the return trip, the tour, etc. Fantastic.

Not certain what you mean here mate. What trip do you mean? Getting there by long-tail boat? What tour? I have seen that we can get two day one night tours from Khao Sok town to the dam/lake, is that the tour and return trip you mean? If so i won't drive there, i want the nature man, i want the jungle!!

The only way to the floating hotels is by boat. Which you have to negotiate, near the dam. Not an easy process. The trip out took us to our hotel for lunch, then off for a short walk to a floating village and cave. Very nice. Then back to the hotel for swimming and dinner. Beautiful. We took out a kayak for a few hours before sunset. It was amazing. And I've been to some 80 countries so far! A bit picky, unfortunately.

The next day was a tour of some great spots on the lake, including the obligatory mist. Very beautiful. Not cheap, but well worth the money. No electricity after 10pm or so. It was super hot when we were there. So a bit uncomfortable. But a great trip.

[femi fan]

So much depends on what you are interested in! If coming from CM why not try Huai Kha Khaend off the 3438/328n from Uthai Thani?

For other similar places try some research at

wildlifethaiand.com.

I spent a while in the forests outside of Ranong; beautiful, but not the sea!

The coast from Ranong to Phuket is without much merit including Kao Lak and as for Phuket itself including Kata Noi the less said the better. Cannot see why you would go all that way without doing the extra mile to Ko Lanta and the Southern Islands which are still pretty unperturbed by Russians and Chinese!! And Fun!!

I

I've been a samui/phangan/tao person for my whole Thailand career! However, since moving to live in CM i've managed to get to Krabi province a few times (including ko jum three times which i just love), and have been to phuket a couple of times. I'm pretty green when it comes to the Andaman side though. The whole trip is because i have family and friends coming over to Phuket for two weeks for a big birthday celebration, so we are taking the opportunity to spend two weeks or so on the road down there and back to enjoy whatever places along the way. While Phuket is not my choice, everywhere else will be!

Thanks for the tips. What's the attraction of Huai Kha? I've never given Uthai Thani a thought, in the past i either stop at Kampaeng Phet or Lopburi.

[craigt3365]

Both the 401 and the 4006 are great. As for Borneo, yes, it's a bit like that. Though Borneo is amazing. Can't really compare the two.

Ao Manao is inside an air force base. No big deal, but facilities are limited. To the north is Prachuap Khiri Khan. An OK town with a fair bay and OK hotels, but the beach leaves a bit to be desired.

I'll try to figure out where we were that had the stunning views of the sea. I've driven pretty much the entire coastal route from Nakhon all the way to the border with Cambodia. Sometimes, on small dirt roads! Beautiful scenery, but at times, not much to see at all.

It's kinda fun to drive from Ban Kruit, hug the sea, go to the part that juts out. Some restaurants there and an interesting bay. Then continue on to Bang Saphan. You get glimpses of the sea for a bit in that stretch. Quite a bit as you are going into BS. Fair as it's a bay and the water is a bit cloudy.

I've not done the entire stretch north of Khao Lak. But around KL, it's fantastic. Both north and south.

Yes, my map shows Ban Krut and down as having some coast roads so we'll do that i think.

In fact, i could drive along the coastal road from Ban Krut all the way down to Chumphon. Do you think it would take that much longer than simply going by the main route 4? Just trying to get a feel for time here.

I"m only in my saloon car, so can't get off the beaten track really!

North of Ban Kruit is great also. Many resorts there along the beach. But no real views of the sea. BK south is very nice, on into Bang Saphan. But it's a lot of hit and miss. You'll have great views followed by miles and miles of nothing. LOL

We done it many times. In a Honda City, sometimes with 4 large adults and luggage. Great fun.

We've eaten here:

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Khrua+Ton+Thang/@10.987011,99.495189,1096m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x0000000000000000:0x9891174304ba2a65!2sKhrua+Ton+Thang!8m2!3d10.987011!4d99.4951889!3m4!1s0x0000000000000000:0x9891174304ba2a65!8m2!3d10.987011!4d99.4951889?hl=en

Great beach with many hotels nearby. Just south of that is a fantastic beach. On the otherside of the headland is a great viewpoint and a new temple that was being built. Can't miss it. It's huge!

After that, a bit boring. But the above makes up for it.

[williet98248]

A day or overnight trip to Ko Yao Noi is well worth it. Lovely island and quite laid back. Catch the ferry from near Ao Por. Make sure you get the public ferry and not the private boats at the marina. Go east from the Heroine's monument for about 8kms. The turn off to the public ferry is at the mosque on the main road. Turn right for about a km. to the ferry dock. All resorts will pick you up at the ferry landing on Ko Yao Noi.. East side of the island is where all the resorts and the good beaches (Pasai Beach) are located. Bicycle and MC rentals everywhere. For a day trip you can rent a MC just 500 meters from the ferry landing and they will pick you up as well. Ms Opal, [email protected] I have done six bicycle tours of the island. Great place! Even more remote and laid back is Ko Yao Yai.

I can't locate Ao Por on my map - is that on the mainland east of the island or on Phuket? How long will the boat journey take? I assume boats must go from Phuket to both Yao islands?

Ao Por is about 1/3 way down the east coast of Phuket island. You want the Bang Rong Pier which is before Ao Por. You will come onto Phuket island on highway 402. Continue south to Highway 4027 where you will go left. This is at the Heroines' Monument intersection. Continue on 4027 about 8-10 kms to the turn off for the Bang Rong Pier which is the public ferry dock. No sign. There is a 7-11 on the left of the highway and a Muslim Mosque on the right. The bad road to the pier is just before the mosque. If you go past the mosque you have gone too far. Go in about a km. Park on the road just as you get to the pier. Limited parking at the dock. Watch out for the monkeys! They will steal anything not nailed down. I speak from experience. Ask for the ticket booth to Ko Yao Noi. There is also a ticket booth for Ko Yao Yai. I think the single fare is 100-120 baht. I am always paying for my bike as well. Lovely boat trip is about 45-50 minutes. Better view if you sit outside. The contact in my first response can arrange everything for you when you get to the island. Resort, MB or bike rental, taxi. Pasai beach is 4-5kms in length with many resorts in all price ranges. Note on the intersection at #4027. If you are coming up from the south sometimes you can turn onto 4027 at the roundabout and sometimes you have to go about 500 meters further north, do a U-turn and come back. Ko Yao Noi is a perfect family vacation spot. Enjoy. Ko Yao Yai just a bit too rural for me. But a great restaurant at the ferry dock on KYY.

[williet98248]

A day or overnight trip to Ko Yao Noi is well worth it. Lovely island and quite laid back. Catch the ferry from near Ao Por. Make sure you get the public ferry and not the private boats at the marina. Go east from the Heroine's monument for about 8kms. The turn off to the public ferry is at the mosque on the main road. Turn right for about a km. to the ferry dock. All resorts will pick you up at the ferry landing on Ko Yao Noi.. East side of the island is where all the resorts and the good beaches (Pasai Beach) are located. Bicycle and MC rentals everywhere. For a day trip you can rent a MC just 500 meters from the ferry landing and they will pick you up as well. Ms Opal, [email protected] I have done six bicycle tours of the island. Great place! Even more remote and laid back is Ko Yao Yai.

Can you leave a car or scooter at Ao Por pier , and what is the cost per day ?

Just park it. No charge.

[aussiebrian]

I have stayed in Khao Sok many times. Can recommend Arts Riverview Jungle Lodge.The tree houses are nice.

If your budget will allow, a day at Koh Sok at Rajjaprabha Dam on the floating raft houses. The biggest expense is the longtail to get there, Don't miss Ranong. You can get a room at Tinidee Inn for only 570 Baht including the use of the hot springs, Jacuzzi, and swimming pool or 550 baht if you book online.

Ranong is very nice, hot springs, mountains, waterfalls, Ranong Canyon. Plus the highlight of your trip will be get the ferry and go to Koh Phayam and/or Koh Chang. (Not Trat,) Ranong. Koh Phayam is a little more civilized with electricity and you can rent a bike to get around. It also has nicer beaches than Koh Chang, has solar power, but if you want to just chill out on a beach with very few tourists, Koh Chang is the spot.

Thanks for the tips mate. The Arts lodge place, doesn't seem to have a website and my first effort at seeing its prices suggested it might be booked up, which seems doubtful in June. Just wondering what sort of prices the bungalows are, and why you recommend it. In looking for it i found Our Jungle House which seemed to have some link to Art himself.

Now, i'm very much an island person, but after a couple of nightmare boat trips back in the 90s i've been sort of ruined fovever! I like the sound of both Phayam and Chang, but June is the start of the rainy season so fears already invade my mind! How long is the journey to each island?

Ranong sounds good, is it a big town, or quite easy to get about and find places? Does it have any mainland beaches nearby which are nice alternatives to the two islands? After all, if i can enjoy mainland beaches i don't need to step onto a boat and mess with my mind!

I'm very excited by the prospects of staying in Khao Sok. It seems to offer what i thought i'd need to go to Borneo to find!

Hi, Art's phone number is 0901676818. I think it was 700 baht a night there. I recommend it as it is lovely to sit in the restaurant, overlooking the river, eating pretty good food, reasonable prices, or was last time but everything in Khao Sok has risen quite a bit more over the years compared to many other places. Khao Sok isn't what it was 10 years ago, prices have gone up as they have been spoilt by the many tourists. The rooms are very basic but tastefully constructed, with the river below, but don't leave things lying about or the monkeys will pinch them. Lock your windows also when you go out. If you see a monkey with white teeth and a nice breath, that will be the one that stole my toothbrush and toothpaste, I have stayed at our jungle house before, but prefer Arts.

If you like you can make arrangements with the longtail to the floating rafthouses beforehand. The guy I have used is Wit. If you message me I can give you his number. He can also arrange the accommodation.

Can't say what the weather will be like on the islands, but normally it misses a lot of the rain from Ranong. There are no beaches in Ranong that you can swim at without dying from the pollution and rubbish. Wait for one of the other many stops along the way to go to a beach, if you don't want to mess with your mind. You can swim at the canyon and get eaten by thousands of fish and other . Buy some fish food over the road from the canyon and let the kids feed them. They will almost jump out of the water to eat. You can also buy some food for yourselves there and eat on the little shelter at the end of the small piers if not full, or relax on the grass. The restaurant will lend you mats the sit on and eat your food.

Yes Ranong is the wettest part of Thailand, but that is why it is so green and lush. Any one that says it smells of fish and is nothing there, would have been one of the many thousands that go there for the visa run, and never see much more than the pier, normally leaving the same or next day. As I said, there are 2 places there to stay that sound the same, Tinidee Hotel 1600B and Tinidee Inn 550/570B. The inn is only 50 metres across the carpark from their main Hotel. One more thing, go to farmhouse for breakfast. 120 baht buffet, with great coffee,

The ferry to the islands is fairly large, but if the weather is bad, maybe give it a miss. The speed boats are even worse in bad weather, quicker and dearer. Better the ferry. Enjoy your trip.

Edited May 13, 2016 by aussiebrian

[samuijimmy]

If going through Khao Lak, stop in at Walkers Inn... Great Brit chappy! , with a lot of local knowledge...

Good food and reasonable rooms for rent.

Some of the side roads lead to (sometimes not) interesting spots, usually not far off the highway... although signs along the hwy usually direct one to places of interest.

I would even consider heading to coastal areas of Trang...I keep hearing good reports on that area... one day, I'll climb on my PCX and head over!

Road between Ranong and Khao Lak, ... not much traffic and easy drive...actually except in towns/ cities, traffic is generally very light!

There maybe a few road checks, but us farang, are usually waved through.... but watch out for chickens crossing the road!

[femi fan]

I have stayed in Khao Sok many times. Can recommend Arts Riverview Jungle Lodge.The tree houses are nice.

If your budget will allow, a day at Koh Sok at Rajjaprabha Dam on the floating raft houses. The biggest expense is the longtail to get there, Don't miss Ranong. You can get a room at Tinidee Inn for only 570 Baht including the use of the hot springs, Jacuzzi, and swimming pool or 550 baht if you book online.

Ranong is very nice, hot springs, mountains, waterfalls, Ranong Canyon. Plus the highlight of your trip will be get the ferry and go to Koh Phayam and/or Koh Chang. (Not Trat,) Ranong. Koh Phayam is a little more civilized with electricity and you can rent a bike to get around. It also has nicer beaches than Koh Chang, has solar power, but if you want to just chill out on a beach with very few tourists, Koh Chang is the spot.

Thanks for the tips mate. The Arts lodge place, doesn't seem to have a website and my first effort at seeing its prices suggested it might be booked up, which seems doubtful in June. Just wondering what sort of prices the bungalows are, and why you recommend it. In looking for it i found Our Jungle House which seemed to have some link to Art himself.

Now, i'm very much an island person, but after a couple of nightmare boat trips back in the 90s i've been sort of ruined fovever! I like the sound of both Phayam and Chang, but June is the start of the rainy season so fears already invade my mind! How long is the journey to each island?

Ranong sounds good, is it a big town, or quite easy to get about and find places? Does it have any mainland beaches nearby which are nice alternatives to the two islands? After all, if i can enjoy mainland beaches i don't need to step onto a boat and mess with my mind!

I'm very excited by the prospects of staying in Khao Sok. It seems to offer what i thought i'd need to go to Borneo to find!

Hi, Art's phone number is 0901676818. I think it was 700 baht a night there. I recommend it as it is lovely to sit in the restaurant, overlooking the river, eating pretty good food, reasonable prices, or was last time but everything in Khao Sok has risen quite a bit more over the years compared to many other places. Khao Sok isn't what it was 10 years ago, prices have gone up as they have been spoilt by the many tourists. The rooms are very basic but tastefully constructed, with the river below, but don't leave things lying about or the monkeys will pinch them. Lock your windows also when you go out. If you see a monkey with white teeth and a nice breath, that will be the one that stole my toothbrush and toothpaste, I have stayed at our jungle house before, but prefer Arts.

If you like you can make arrangements with the longtail to the floating rafthouses beforehand. The guy I have used is Wit. If you message me I can give you his number. He can also arrange the accommodation.

Can't say what the weather will be like on the islands, but normally it misses a lot of the rain from Ranong. There are no beaches in Ranong that you can swim at without dying from the pollution and rubbish. Wait for one of the other many stops along the way to go to a beach, if you don't want to mess with your mind. You can swim at the canyon and get eaten by thousands of fish and other . Buy some fish food over the road from the canyon and let the kids feed them. They will almost jump out of the water to eat. You can also buy some food for yourselves there and eat on the little shelter at the end of the small piers if not full, or relax on the grass. The restaurant will lend you mats the sit on and eat your food.

Yes Ranong is the wettest part of Thailand, but that is why it is so green and lush. Any one that says it smells of fish and is nothing there, would have been one of the many thousands that go there for the visa run, and never see much more than the pier, normally leaving the same or next day. As I said, there are 2 places there to stay that sound the same, Tinidee Hotel 1600B and Tinidee Inn 550/570B. The inn is only 50 metres across the carpark from their main Hotel. One more thing, go to farmhouse for breakfast. 120 baht buffet, with great coffee,

The ferry to the islands is fairly large, but if the weather is bad, maybe give it a miss. The speed boats are even worse in bad weather, quicker and dearer. Better the ferry. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks for your time mate, you've been really helpful and we shall uptake you on some of your tips! Arts sounds good. So did Our Jungle House. I noticed OJH did lots of various tours to get to the lake, stay overnight, go trekking, and so on. I assume Art will offer similar, or is that what i go to Wit for? Khao Sok is definitely on our agenda. Your description of Art's bunglows fits my preferred choice of style.

We'll probably give the islands a miss, but i think we'll go down to chumphon then cut across to the Andaman side and go down through Ranong. Wondering if it's worth coming back home from, say Khao Sok up the Gulf side to Chumphon? Can't see much on my map that suggests we should do this.

[craigt3365]

Thung Wua Laen is quite nice. Khanom is pretty nice also. A few beaches around there. Khao Lak and surrounds are much better, IMHO. But these other places are OK I can't remember the name. Sorry!

[samuijimmy]

Nothing wrong with doing the loop, one way down other way up... Khanom, as Craig mentions is very quiet and quite beautiful... , some nice scenery and beaches too.