Team-BHP - Thailand | Third Time

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Originally Posted by i_nv (Post 3413051)

I want to Drive down to Phuket and would like to stop for a night at only one location.
1. Which would be that one stop I should plan midway.

Consider Chumphon for a midway stopover. Pulsar56 suggested it too. You don't want a beach again, so go caving.

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(Khao Sok National Park) - Will it be on the way to Phuket or I need to take a diversion? Does this increase the distance between BKK and Phuket?

Too close to Phuket. A small diversion required.

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3. We are three families with a kid each ie 6 adults and three kids (Under 10). Which Vehicle should I go for in case we all want to travel together.

9 people = Toyota HiAce Commuter. Cops catch you if you try to shoehorn 9 people into a 7 seater as we are wont to do in India.

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4. Any other important thing that I need to keep in mind for road travel basis your experience.

Enjoy the experience, follow traffic rules, keep under the speed limit, and don't complain about Delhi traffic behaviour when you come back.

Thanks for your revert.

I have another issue now. One more family has joined our band wagon. So now we are 8 adults and 4 kids.

We may now have to take either two Fortuners (14k THB for 8 days quoted by Hertz including SCDW of 30k).

I dont know if Fortuner would be able to handle the luggaGe that we would carry.
Is luggage carrier allowed in Thailand?

Or the other option is if we take High Ace provided the configuration is 11+1 (11 Passengers+1 Driver).

But the question is will it be able to carry luggage of 4 families? Need more inputs from you about luggage management.

Will keep troubling you more as I proceed forward with my plans :)

INV

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller (Post 3413194)

Consider Chumphon for a midway stopover. Pulsar56 suggested it too. You don't want a beach again, so go caving.
Too close to Phuket. A small diversion required.
9 people = Toyota HiAce Commuter. Cops catch you if you try to shoehorn 9 people into a 7 seater as we are wont to do in India.
Enjoy the experience, follow traffic rules, keep under the speed limit, and don't complain about Delhi traffic behaviour when you come back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_nv (Post 3413574)

T
Is luggage carrier allowed in Thailand?
Or the other option is if we take High Ace provided the configuration is 11+1 (11 Passengers+1 Driver).

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Originally Posted by SS-Traveller (Post 3413582)

I think our Hiace had 12+1 configuration. Check with AVIS.

The seat configuration is apparent from this pic (shot from the front passenger seat) - 4 rows at the back with 3+3+2+3 setup, plus the driver and front passenger seats (not visible in the photo). That makes it a 13-seater.

Thanks so much. I am still awaiting revert from Hertz Thailand. They havent quoted me for High Ace yet.

How comfortable are the seats for long journey? Especially for the kids.

For 8 adults and 4 kids, would your recommend two fortuners or High Ace from the point of view of comfort and Luggae carrying capacity.

I am not sure whether Luggage carrier over SUV are allowed in Thailand. Due to paucity of luggage capacity in Fortuner I am in double mind.

Thanks once again for your revert.

INV

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Originally Posted by SS-Traveller (Post 3413848)

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Originally Posted by i_nv (Post 3414492)

...Hertz Thailand.

You can book Avis online without prepayment, and online rates are cheaper than quotes.

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How comfortable are the seats for long journey? Especially for the kids.

Everyone was very comfortable right through the journey. The roads are also mirror smooth, that helps!

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For 8 adults and 4 kids, would your recommend two fortuners or High Ace from the point of view of comfort and Luggae carrying capacity.

If I were you, I'd take a single vehicle rather than 2. More eco-friendly, more economical, and more fun to have everyone in the same vehicle for extended periods of time. But that's just me.

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I am not sure whether Luggage carrier over SUV are allowed in Thailand. Due to paucity of luggage capacity in Fortuner I am in double mind.

I have seen luggage carriers (roof racks) on other vehicles in Thailand, but it's doubtful whether any of the rental companies will let you have any car with a roof rack installed.

As you mentioned you were 9 pax . Did you fold the last row inside to accommodate your luggage ? If this is the case then 12 of us wont be able to fit in with Luggage.

Please let me know your views.

INV

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller (Post 3414538)

You can book Avis online without prepayment, and online rates are cheaper than quotes.

Everyone was very comfortable right through the journey. The roads are also mirror smooth, that helps!

If I were you, I'd take a single vehicle rather than 2. More eco-friendly, more economical, and more fun to have everyone in the same vehicle for extended periods of time. But that's just me.

I have seen luggage carriers (roof racks) on other vehicles in Thailand, but it's doubtful whether any of the rental companies will let you have any car with a roof rack installed.

Hi SS,

After trying all options that suits every ones scheme of things ,I have zeroed down on following plan.

1. We are doing only one way to Phuket .
2. Four nights in Phuket and three nights in Bangkok.
3. One night in chomp hon or in hua hin .

I have one major issue and need your advise .

We are taking evening flight to Bkk that arrives there at 12:30 am. Considering drive time of 4 hours to hua hin, we will reach there by 6 am. We intend to leave by 7 am next morning for Phuket . However most of the hotels have a check in time of 2 pm. Due to which we would charged for 2nightd stay .

Hence can you suggest any property in hua hin that can allow us for early morning check in.
Else we will have to drive straight to chomphon from the airport . This might get tiring for the kids .

Since you have travelled extensively to Thailand can you suggest an alternative plan to Phuket which is one way. Total 8nights .

Also the resort where you stayed in kanchanaburi, do they allow early morning check in.

Kindly Advise.

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Originally Posted by SS-Traveller (Post 3413194)

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_nv (Post 3421738)

I have one major issue and need your advise .
...we will reach there by 6 am. We intend to leave by 7 am next morning for Phuket . However most of the hotels have a check in time of 2 pm. Due to which we would charged for 2nightd stay .
Also the resort where you stayed in kanchanaburi, do they allow early morning check in.

Most hotels and resorts in Thailand are quite amenable to letting you have your rooms which are pre-booked, a few hours earlier than the regular check-in times, without charging you for an extra day - provided they are not fully occupied at that time. I am presuming of course that you have already made your reservations.

I've checked in at BKK at the Prince Palace Hotel at 7 am and got a room. Landed up at Krabi at 6 am and they let us have our room within 1 hour. And at Chiang Mai we arrived at 6 am, the budget hotel we'd chosen not only gave us one of the 2 rooms we'd booked, they also allowed us to have that morning's complimentary breakfast (though it was only toast & coffee) free of charge. Xanadu at Kanchanaburi is run by an expat Britisher and his Thai wife, and they are pretty flexible folks - I don't think they'll disappoint you by leaving you to sit in your car & cool your heels till 2 pm.

So all in all, you stand a good chance of getting your room early, without paying extra for it, if you are nice to the receptionist and tip the bellboy a bit (remember, tipping is not the norm in Thailand).

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...can you suggest an alternative plan to Phuket which is one way. Total 8nights .

I am not sure I understand your question. Do you want to know of an alternate route back from Phuket?

Thanks for your email.
I wanted to know about an alternative route to phuket. Just thought of checking from you based on your experience how best to make a better plan then what I am Contemplating.
I am planning to stay in Novatel in hua hin and I have already written to their GM and awaiting their revert.

Similarly in phuket I have zeroed down on Holiday in at Patong beach
Both the hotels have been rated as one of the best hotels for kids.
I haven't made any booking till now. Would do so in the coming week.
Date is travel is from 19th June - 28th June. Hope it isn't too hot when we go there.

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Originally Posted by SS-Traveller (Post 3421977)

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Originally Posted by i_nv (Post 3422349)

I wanted to know about an alternative route to phuket. Just thought of checking from you based on your experience...
Date is travel is from 19th June - 28th June. Hope it isn't too hot when we go there.

We've driven AH2 to Phuket/Krabi, but the last time we took the Route 4 from BKK to Phuket (followed the GPS guy's route plan, via Ranong). The scenery is much the same most of the way (some mildly hilly sections after the turnoff at Chumphon, and lots and lots of greenery), but Route 4 has less heavy vehicle traffic - and parts of it are undivided.

However, given the kind of discipline on Thai roads, it really doesn't make a difference to travel times.

Weatherwise, you'll probably find Thailand to be much cooler and more pleasant than Delhi in end-June. Plus, there's liberal use of air-conditioning in most places (though perhaps not as rampant as in Singapore).