Siam
Getting around Thailand
Practical, no-nonsense guides to the routes we drive — the eastern islands, the Gulf beaches, the Andaman coast and the northern hills, every option compared on time, cost and hassle by people who know these roads.
All guides
Bangkok to Koh Chang: every way to get there
The four realistic ways to reach Koh Chang from Bangkok — compared on time, price and hassle — plus exactly how the car ferry works.
Pattaya to Koh Chang: the fastest route
Pattaya skips Bangkok entirely. Here is the fastest way across, how the ferry crossing works, and what it costs.
Bangkok airport to Koh Chang door-to-door
Straight off the plane to your island hotel — meet-and-greet, flight tracking, and the all-important question of whether you will make the last ferry.
Bangkok airport to the city: do it on arrival
The honest guide to the airport-to-city hop: metered taxi, Grab or the train, all easy to arrange on arrival — so there is nothing to book in advance.
Bangkok to Koh Samet: reaching the nearest island
Koh Samet is the closest island escape to Bangkok, but the last leg is a boat from Ban Phe. Here is how each route works, and why the car never crosses.
Bangkok to Koh Kood: worth the distance
The most remote of the eastern islands, near the Cambodian border. Getting there is a long drive plus a real sea crossing — here is how to make it painless.
Bangkok to Pattaya: the fast 2-hour hop
Barely two hours down the motorway, Pattaya is the easiest coast trip from Bangkok. Here is each option, and when paying for a private car actually pays off.
Bangkok to Hua Hin: the royal beach town
Hua Hin has something the islands don’t: a genuine train option along the Gulf coast. Here is how the railway, the buses and a private car stack up.
Phuket to Krabi: bay road or boat
Phuket and Krabi face each other across Phang Nga Bay. You can drive around the top or sail across — here is which makes sense, and when.
Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai: over the mountains
Three mountain hours separate the north’s two big cities. Here is how the bus, the vans and a private car compare — and where to break the drive.