I've spent the occasional night in Ranong and have to say that I never found it particularly interesting but I maybe didn't get to the right places.
Other than the locations already mentioned, you could try Khao Lak and Biang Niang which are about 100 kms north of the Phuket bridge. They're good places for a few days although they can get expensive, but then again so is Phuket.
I spent a couple of nights in a tree house in Khao Sok national park a few hours drive from Phuket and Krabi. It was a unique experience with no electricity, open windows, mosquito netting over the bed and listening to the jungle noises most of the night.
In the same place there is a hike one can take up to a mountain lake that has a floating village on it which I've heard is also an interesting thing to do, but I was there during rainy season and the guide recommended against that hike because of leaches that time of year. I was there in May so you would have that same problem in June I suspect.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
anna_cedric wrote:Thank you for these infos ! I'll also have a look at the link !
Did anyboby else drive the way down to Phuket ???
See Ya
Hi I drove to Phuket last week and stayed a week there. To be honest I would not want to do the journey again. It is a long old way! I am also the wrong side of 60! On the other hand, I am glad that I did it. We went down via Krabi and stayed at Ao Nang beach . We left Hua Hin early in the morning and arrived at Krabi early evening. We stayed at the Best Western (Ao Nang) in the town which was very central (Pool closing at 7 pm not good) Ao Nang beach is very nice, I really liked it there.
Some towns en route to Krabi in my mind were not interesting but the scenery in parts breathtaking. We saw many road accidents and it is in my opinion a dangerous route, 2 overturned trucks. It was great to see the "real Thailand". We stayed at Kata Beach in Phuket and did all the tourist bit..trips to the Big Buddha etc. The beaches around Phuket are lovely, tropical paradise! The sea is glorious with superb waves. We went back via Ranong, very wet route, jungle rainforest, beautiful waterfalls etc. We stayed at Chumphon in the Novotel (not great food) lovely room though. Got a good internet price.
Chumphon to Hua Hin is the same as the way down, only the one main road.
Also, I would not advise travelling after dark. When we arrived at Chumphon, it was dark. We nearly hit a dog in the road. Most of the journey has no or very little lighting.
I suppose if you get a one way car hire from Budget and then fly back, it is not so tiring. The flight cost is very cheap.
Summing it up, yes I would drive if there if I were a bit younger and there are a couple of drivers to take over the journey. Loads to see. There is one thing I learned from the experience, is my admiration for the Thai people who live in the jungle areas, tumble down shacks, working the land etc. It really made me think of how soft we westerners are
I drove to Phuket last week and stayed a week there. To be honest I would not want to do the journey again. It is a long old way! I am also the wrong side of 60! On the other hand, I am glad that I did it. 