Taking A Deep Breath
len & fred
After 222km, we passed Trengganu, heading towards Kelantan, crosses numerous rivers and greeted by the notable Islamic states PAS green flags. Driving through East Malaysia, you dont get caught with traffic jams like some Western Malaysian states like Malacca, Kuala Lumpur or Penang. Driving pass East Malaysian towns was just a breeze.
I choose to use the Setiu/Permaisuri/Tanah Merah route supposed to be nearer route to Rantau Panjang checkpoint, one of the 6 land crossing into Thailand for the first time instead of the coastal route, 192km on Google but we reached Rantau Panjang Checkpoint in 199km due to that Google was lost in that kampong area, navigating into padi fields, ditches and someones house driveways and finally still have to divert back to Pasir Mas highway to reach the checkpoint.
I used Tumpat checkpoint during my last road trip through Pasir Puteh was a breeze except it was a crossing over the Sungei Golok and the ferry was very run-downed, my lowered civic will never get over those ramps.
Finally we arrived at Rantau Panjang Checkpoint after 794km around 9.00pm but it was raining and abit late for the crossing as I still needed to get the passports stamped, car entry permit application and buying a one month 3rd party insurance at the Golok checkpoint.
Spend another night at a taxi stand this time round as it was late and I do not want to drive back through all the kampongs to find a lodging, luckily we are greeted by a group of nice motorbike taxi riders, assuring us that it is safe to sleepover for the night.
True enough just passed midnight there were a few other vehicles also arrive and parked there to wait for the crossing next morning. The Rantau Panjang checkpoint opens at 6.00am in the morning and closes at 10.00pm for security purposes. By 4.00am the place was buzzling with taxis, buses and visitors.
Long-Way-Round
Road Trip Thru East/West Malaysia & Northern Thailand.
Pitstop : Kuantan, Rantau Panjang, Hatyai, Chumphon, Prachuap Khirikhan, Hua Hin, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, Phu Chi Fah National Park, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Hatyai,
Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore
Created this blog to encourage anyone still dragging their feet to embark on a leisure road trip, further then Malacca, erh.... KL, Penang? Go bring your 4 wheels to the beyond, Before it goes to the scrapyard!!!
Long-Way-Round
Road Trip Thru East/West Malaysia & Northern Thailand.
Pitstop : Kuantan, Rantau Panjang, Hatyai, Chumphon, Prachuap Khirikhan, Hua Hin, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, Phu Chi Fah National Park, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Hatyai,
Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore
Created this blog to encourage anyone still dragging their feet to embark on a leisure road trip, further then Malacca, erh.... KL, Penang? Go bring your 4 wheels to the beyond, Before it goes to the scrapyard!!!
Pre-planning
Planning Your Destinations - Limitations
Please stop reading if you can easily dozed off on your wheels. Get a good map, if you are bad in geography, maps are so available in the web. I plot my trip and destinations with Google. Bookmark your stops and hotels, most online maps include food stops and petrol stations. I dont book my hotels as I will not know when I will arrive at the next stop. Try not to drive in the night, I limit myself to 300 - 400km per day. Before hitting the road, remember the states, towns, provinces, places of interest that you will be passing, be aware of all the directional road signs and get a good co-driver to be your navigator.
Know the land border overland crossing law well, easily available through their immigrations and ambassies homepages. Thailand has recently changed their all land border crossings laws to 2 times a year for all their listed visas-free countries and strictly for tourism purposes to 30 days visit passes each visit, more then that, you will have to apply for visas, except those countries immediately bordering Thailand will get unlimited entries but only 14 days each visit. Check the operational times of the 6 overland crossing checkpoint between Thailand and Malaysia.
Dont expect road trips are cheap, it can easily cost more then flying, fuel, car maintenance, insurances, hotels, local cuisines/delicacies die die must try, munchies/souvenirs along the way. My trip calculation between $6000-$7000, which I can easily fly budget for only $3000 for 2, but I choose to physically drive through my holiday, feel the place, smell the air, taste the local foods and drive through the sunset and wake up to the sunrise.
Your vehicle log card (drivers must be the owner of the vehicle, copies printed out from one motoring acceptable), additional insurance for the car (our Singapore insurance does cover Malaysia and 50km into Thailand from border, individual choice) a local insurance is a must for all foreign vehicles in Thailand which is easily available at the immigration vicinities.
Get a good travelling partner/navigator, stockup plenty of fluid in the car. Please dont travel with a almost expiring passport, and email to inform our Singapore ambassy in Bangkok about your trips and intended destinies, our beloved government will take care of you and very fast hook up with your with local contact phones and emergency number to call. They even have a realtime app for you to download into your phones. Mobile datas are easily available and cheap in Malaysia and Thailand, I gotten my Celcom one week unlimited from JB and a Dtac one month mobile unlimited data for merely 200bhats, cheaper then a full body massage.
Remember to smile and be polite, dont drive to agressively and be friendly, dont bring our sinkie's kiasu, kiasi behaviour along, it will definitely bring you a long way into the Land of Smiles. Last of all stock-pile all your in-car entertainments and songs.
Getting Your Ride Ready
As usual, car agent standard 32 points check. Technically, car are less stressful doing long drives then our stop and start traffic here. Wind is always going through your engine bay, thus keeping your engine cool and oxygen rich. Tyres is the only contact between our car and the road, make sure the rubbers gives you good tractions and grip, all the fluids and lubricants to the markings, all the rubber hoses not detiororating, clean your air intake systems, clean your filter for better mileage. Dont listen too much to your mechanic's scams and make money out of you, they themselves might not even did a road trip before.
Fueling up in Thailand. Thailand uses Octane rating, not the RON rating. Gasohol - a mixture of ethanol and gasoline - is the common fuel of Thailand and virtually all petrol vehicles and motorcycles will fill up with that. Gasohol 91 (E10) is 10% ethanol and 90% Gasoline in octane 91, Gasohol 95 (E20) is also 10% ethanol and 90% Gasoline in octane 95. E82 is 85% Gasohol and 15% gasoline. Not all fuel stations have the same combination but I only chooses Shell, Esso, Caltex or PTT. You might want to stock up some additives to boost up the octane rating. You can check with your car dealer/agent whether your car can be fuel with Gasohol.
I drives a 2004 7th Gen Civic so no big issue in using Gasohol 91 and a couple of full tanks of Gasohol will not kill your engine, infact Gasohol gives my car more power, then what you expect all the Thailand's Toyotas and Hondas run on?
I did a thorough air intake/sensors de-carboning on my own, change out all the plugs, gotten the lower end steering rack ball joints replaced and wheelbearings changeout in Hatyai before my second leg up Hua Hin / Bangkok. Stockup extra 10v, 15v, 20v fuses incase any blowup.
Day One
16 January 2019
Johore Baru to Kuantan
Gotten passed Woodland Checkpoint around 10.30am, picked up some neccessities and mobile data topped-up, we headed up Tebrau towards Kota Tinggi. The usual pulled-over by our abang JPJ patrol, screened our travel documents with opened boots, lugguages checked and a thumbs up, we hit the No. 3 (AH18) toll-free-highway towards Mersing, the first seaside town. Beware of monkeys and other wildlifes crossing along this stretch, the monkeys will dash across at random, the smarter ones will use the overhanging power cables inter-linking across.
The 150km stretch towards Mersing was well laided two-ways highway, potholes are rare in this stretch, if you are driving a more powerful car will be most ideal for running the guantlet (overtaking), most of the time you will be trailing behind a convoy of cars hesistating to overtake big trucks or slower vehicles infront. Half a quarter turn of the steering will end in a head-on with the opposite traffic.
After 150km we reached Mersing around 3.00pm, beware of un-painted or faded huge humps when coming in to most of Malaysian's towns or you will find your car airbourne. Missed running over 2 cats for not speeding.
After a quick brunch at KFC and lowed-balling a durain macik for a baby MSW for RM13 a kilo, we hit the road again for Kuantan, Pahang.
It was already pass 7.30pm when we reach Kuantan after 350km, we decided to rough out at a Petronas gas station and get up early to carry-on the journey which is still within the No. 3 route. Toilets and amenities are clean as it was situated next to a mosque, with eating outlets close by. Sleeping in the car was pleasant as it was drizzling and no humidity. Surprisingly no mozzies.
Day Two
17 January 2019
Kuantan to Rantau Panjang Checkpoint
Next morning, check all fluids as my 15yrs old ride drinks abit, a quick cuppa kopi-O, we headed off, missed the diversion and we find ourself driving around the outskirt of Kuantan town but will still merge up with route no. 3. Don't want to do anything silly stunts on a leisure road trip. Google maps can be very helpful but driving too fast will not enable the realtime GPS to catchup with your positioning, ends up giving late directions, unless your mobile data has strong signal.
Drastic road improvements were done towards Terengganu, the highway looks parallel to the coastlines but actually not as scenic as before, most of the way it was blocked by houses, except for a certain stretches you are able to view the sea. Look out for their delicacies like kiam he (salted fish), shrimp paste, fish sauce or if you are into turtle eggs (prohibited item). These stretches are populated, drive with care and keep focus, overall highway is straight and open.
Day Three
18 January 2019
Rantau Pajang/Golok Checkpoint to Hatyai
By 4.00am this place was already buzzing with tourists buses, taxis and motorbikes, as it was a Friday holiday in Malaysia. I waited for the gas station to open at 7.00am to top up my last tankful of 100% gasoline before feeding my car with Thailand's gasohol/ethanol for the bigger part of my journey north. We passed Malaysian side of the custom just like going through Johore Bahru's but was surprised at the hospitality on the Thai Golok side as everything looks more orderly then the Malaysian side.
We were greeted by their helpful Tourist Police and Immigration staffs and we were given 30days visit pass and my car permit was ready very quickly as I already has a entry record when I did my past crossings at Bukit Kayu Hitam, so was the "3rd party" insurance coverage only cost me RM30 for a whole month.
Getting into the Highway No. 42 is easy, upon exiting Golok Immigration Checkpoint, immediate turn right, few kilometers you will meet the No. 42 route but 100meters after exit, topup your mobile data at a shop opposite the 7 eleven store. Dtac data unlimited for one month only cost 200bahts and signals were strong even in highways.
Next pitstop Songkla, Hatyai, through Narathiwat and Pattani. The oneway highway was much better then East Malaysia side but expect alot of military roadblocks in the troubled south states. They are more friendly compared with the past, they usually will openly ask for kopi money. Theres a duty-free zone at the checkpoint, I will stock a carton of Marlboro instead of giving money.
I used the route 43 instead of the coastal 42 to avoid busy traffics and turns, route 43 was a new diversion highway through less populated part of Pattani. Use the sign with the Bypass direction you will avoid going through the populated areas. Its longer in distant but less congested.
After travelling for 282km, finally reached Songkla, Hatyai for my 2 days pitstop to get my car checked, a oil change and a good rest to recuperate for the longer tougher drive up north. We checked into Diamond Plaza Hotel 1000bahts a night with wifi and sheltered parking. In Hatyai if you don't book online, cheaper to buy voucher from any travel agents then going straight to the hotel counter. Travel agents are all over the streets of Hatyai.
Within walking distant, visit the Hatyai floating market and wet market, plenty of street foods and dried preserved stuffs. Language is not a barrier, Mandarin, Teo Chew and Bahasa are commonly spoken as theres a lot of Malaysians visitors.
Don't miss out the duck mee sau, pig organ soup with pig brains, fishball noodles, cheng teng, BP tze char, the western buffet Sizzler and plenty of Muslim food.
Day Six
20 January 2019
Songkla, Hatyai to Tha Chana
1076km done, left Hatyai after lunch for Hua Hin 750km away, picked up some neccessities from Tops supermarket, head straight into route no. 41 passing through Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Chumphon and Prachuap Khirikhan to Hua Hin. This stretch has some of the most beautiful beaches, Phuket, Krabi, Khao Samui and Phang Nga.
The first 100km on route 41 after leaving Hatyai were bumpy and uneven, damaged by heavy vehicles poundings, many stretches were under resurfacing, leaving only one lane but vehicles are travelling much faster then the Golok-Hatyai stretch.
Many times, when overtaking big trucks, very quickly out of nowhere, Highlanders, Outlanders or some Fords, Mitsubishis or Isuzus huge grills will be pushing behind your bumper to get you out of the outside lane, even their vios, altis or citys are not slow at all.
Their petrol stations are aplenty, spacious, clean and usually tagged along with Big 'C' mini markets, 7 Elevens and fast foods joins 24 hours.
Done 402km from Hatyai to Tha Chana, we pulled over to sleepover at a Shell station for the night.
Day Seven
21 January 2019
Tha Chana to Prachuap Khirikhan, Hua Hin
1478km on the ODO, left Tha Chana, Muang Disrict Shell Station after a quick breakfast for Hua Hin 390km away, back into route no. 41, and later joining up to route no. 4 as we wish to use the coastal highway heading to Chumphon and Prachuap Khiri Khan, Hua Hin.
Our intention to stay a night in Hua Hin was turned away by the sleezy setup of drinking holes and go-go bars, narrow streets lined by sourvenirs vendors and crowded beaches. Same scenario as Pattaya.
After a quick brunch and cooling down the car we head back into route no. 4. before merging into route no. 35 which we will skip Ratchaburi a detour away from Bangkok and head for Samut Songkhram and Samut Sakhon before Bangkok capital. This stretch the road surface was worned out, bumpy and bad, heavily used by trucks and factories, big industries lined two sides of the highway.
We spend another night in a gas station in Samut Sakhon as we do not want to hunt for a lodging in busy bangkok in the dark as we don't prebook our hotels. From Hua Hin to Bangkok is another 204km. Total travelled, 2072km.
Day Eight
22 January 2019
Samut Sakhon to Bangkok
After doing 2072km, we barely hit the halfway mark. We left Samut Sakhon after a quick washup hoping to stay longer in Bangkok and do some quick shopping and sight seeing incase we do skip bangkok on the return journey and head for Hatyai for the last pitstop.
My review of sleeping over at most of the gas stations was pleasant and comfortable except the stay at Rantau Panjang where we were mobbed by mozzies, overall we are well equipped and mossies coils and repellent are easily available in most of the seven elevens and Big 'C' outlets all over.
I have removed the backseat cushions giving us enough rooms to lower our 2 front seats all the way down flat and giving us more comfort like a bed.
The days in Thailand are blazzing hot with very low humidity but was shivering cold in the night and very comfortable even with windows almost closed and locked. In the mornings you will find dews streaking down your windows and windscreens.
We checked into a decent priced hotel in downtown, Rachada district, Wattana Mansion for a 3 nights stay, 760bahts a night as we are still on tight budget to go on the rest of the journey. A comfortable room with proper sheltered carparks and not far from attactions, train station and free wifi.
My Macbook was down and slow in uploadings when I reached Hatyai and luckily I was able to trade in my 10yrs old first gen Macbook for a 16g ram upgraded and 1t SSD harddrive used Macbook for S$390 trade-in enable me to continued my blog in downtown busy bangkok, shop run by a group of Dutch and Germans, called themselves Doctor Mac.
My in-car entertainment head unit also gave problems not allowing me to switch on after turned off, I managed to get a aerosol contact cleaner at Big 'C' HomePro and get it working again as I needed my ipod songlists badly throughout the journey to get me entertained.
Since Kuantan, flies hitching a ride in the car was common until I entered Golok, a brown fly same size as a housefly refuses to leave the car even after 2 days in Hatyai, it dont bothered me much as most of the time it stays at the backseat until closing into Bangkok, it started to get annoying by whizzing and appearing right infront of my face while driving that I have to swat it dead.
It was attracted to the kiam hé (salted fish), fish sauce, prawn paste, fermented shrimps, I bought in Trengganu I guessed which is all the while in the car and not the boot. The heat will destroy the food.
After a much needed rest and doing the all our laundries, we managed to explore Limphini Park, Grand Palace, Prathunam district, Central, disappointing Chatuchak, opens only on fridays, The floating Market, The Famous Shrine, And the third day, shopping for extra clothes, local titbits, souvenirs at Mah Boon Khrong Shopping Complex (MBK), birdnest deserts at Yaowarat (Chinatown) and groceries topup at Big 'C' and have a hearty sabu sabu meal at MK outlet. The notable pink taxies of Bangkok will never be missed. Parking in Bangkok is really cheap. I only paid 80 bahts for 5hrs of parking.
Day Eleven
25 January 2019
Bangkok to Tak
Total travelled 2020km, we checked out after a quick breakfast, went Big 'C' supermarket to stockup more food and fruits for the long journey up from highway No. 32, passing through Phra Nakhon Si Ayuthaya, Sing Buri, Chai Nat, Uthai Thani before joining into Highway No. 1 in Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Lampang, Lamphun, finally Chiang Mai 704km. Journey was hilly with long sweeping bends, passing thru rural parts of Thailand.
Whole of Thailand is actually a big National Park and beaches, we passed thru lots of National Parks and Waterfalls along the way. By 8.00pm we already did 600km and we decided to stayout another night in a Gas Station in Tak before Lampang. After a quick shower and a quick dinner, prepared before we left Bangkok hotel, The salted fish bought in Trengganu and the chinese sausages from Bangkok make a lovely meal.
Most of the meals we ate along the way, other then our pitstops in hotels, I prefer to cook my meals as I avoid getting a bad tummy and hinder our journey. I also avoid micro-wave food. The gas canister hob and the rice cooker comes in very useful throughout our journey, eggs were huge, greens were fresh and cheap, buying direct from the farmers along the way.
Day Twelve
26 January 2019
Tak / Lampang / Lamphun to Chiang Mai / Mae Sai
Early next morning we left Tak, we hit the road again, 100km through Lampang and a short distant from Lamphun before reaching Chiang Mai. Our plan was to stay a night in Chiang Mai and divert to Mae Hong Son bordering Myanmar but we were in luck that most of the hotels in Chiang Mai are fully occupied or have to check in very late. We do not intent to stay in 4/5 star hotels cost more then 2000 bahts.
After a fast food lunch, we did a quick tour of places of interest in Chiang Mai and hit the road again to Mae Sai (Golden Triangle) a small town bordering between Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, dropping the plan to go Mae Hong Son, border of Myanmar, contemplating to detour to Mae Sai, near to Myanmar, Tachileik before coming down to Chiang Rai town. Total travelled was 2,758km, from Chiang Mai to Mae Sai using the trunk road No. 107, merging into No. 1. Along this 289km route the sceneries were beautiful, full of wild life, reports of elephant herds and other wild animals crossings were common along this stretch to Mae Sai. Travelling this area in the night is best avoided.
By 5.00pm we were already in Mae Sai, the northern tip of thailand very near to Tachileik, Myanmar, we have already clocked 3,047km, stay a night in a cheap motel, in the morning we manage to visit the border and the famous cave. We will leave for Chiang Rai where we will pitstop for 2 nights before ascending to Phu Chi Fa National Park (Above the Clouds).
Day Thirteen
27 January 2019
Mae Sai to Chiang Rai
At the halfway mark of the road trip at 3,047km, we departed from Mae Sae at noon to head down to Chiang Rai, distant 63km using Highway No. 1. By now Im already used to the Thai road system and signs, driving at a comfortable pace as traffic was light on the highway, we finally reach Chiang Rai within an hour, Browsing through Agoda, we managed to checked into B2 Hotel nearest to us, 790baths a night for only one night and next day, we moved to another lodging just 100m down the road, a much cheaper hotel, JB Mansion @ 500baths a night, both hotels has wifi and ample parking. Rooms were clean and comfortable.
After a quick washup, we were already exploring the town on escooters we brought along, here we scoot on the road like nobody business which we can't do in Singapore, clock tower, white temple and the night market. My lady navigator was quick in capitalising on the cheap ladies fashion wears which mainly comes from China, Yunan. Chiang Rai is a food haven but Im not adventurous to try the worms, spiders and grasshoppers.
We were in luck when we chance upon Chiang Mai's Flower Festival near the Clock Tower. Weather here was mild and cooling, humidity was very low which allow us to keep moving the whole day in comfort.
Day Fifteen
29 January 2019
Chiang Rai to Phu Chi Fa Forest Park
••• Above the Clouds •••
After 2 days of much needed rest, laundry, shopping and sightseeing, we left Chiang Rai after lunch for the climb up to Phu Chi Fa Forest Park, our main reason for coming this far, the challenge on travelling so far, never tired and no fear of the journey beyond to witness this stunning sunrise, once in a lifetime, considering it one of the wonder of asia. Every morning its like we just set out from Singapore, I've seen the Great Wall, Angkor Wat.... I consider this a natural phenomenal. A journey of 3,110 km behind us, the real toll is on my 15years old civic to make the 101km slow climb getting us to "Above the Clouds" nearer to The Mekong River, Laos.
Since we left Singapore after 15 days of hard driving, this faithful civic has never been tested of its reliability and has not stutter or given me any trouble yet, which Im keeping my finger crossed everytime I cranked the starter. The gasohol it has been burning on could have taken its toll on the injections but I notice that the car runs more responsive then gasoline. Scraped its undercarriage twice and some hard bumps and knocks but nothing leaks, both my front rims has some flared edges which I will get them fix and aligned when I get home.
Most part of the highways are a two way bare tarmac with no guard rails most of the route, overtaking will be a no doing this stretch of forest roads. Any crash most probably will landup in the bushes or down a ravine. I will keep the drive focus and controlled.
A stretch of road were under resurfacing diversion, we have to drive on unmarked gravels for almost 10kms. After more then 2hrs on the road, we finally reach the foot of the climb towards the peak of Phu Chi Fa. The beginning was a couple of steep sweeping bends till a long steep straight road appear in front of me which I cannot see the crown of the road from the view of my windscreen and what is beyond was unimaginable. I park aside, light a cigarette and was contemplating to u-turn or to take the risk, wondering my 1.6litre ride can make it to the peak.
Some stages in our life, there is time when there is no backing out. After the first straight climb, end of it was a steep downhill and countless hairpin accents and descents and throughout the climb I was in first and second gear. Clutters of villagers lined the edge of the roads, I was reminiscing on the sight of women washing clothes, children bathing in a common wash area with poultry roaming freely was a rare sight in Singapore.
When we started the climb it was already 6.00pm, we stop for some snapshots, enjoy the beautiful views, breathe in the cold mountain air and rest the gearbox for awhile before the peak but have to make it to the top before sunset. From the cam view the road does not look very steep but actual fact it was, in some stretch of the climb, I could feel my gearbox was straining.
We manage to reach the camp site before the peak as the viewing site was closed between 6.00pm to visitors after dark till 4.00am in the morning to keep the environment from too much human contamination. There were hotels available but we only want to stay only for the sunrise and descent after lunch so we decided to rough out in the car for the night, get up early and drive up the viewing point to catch the sunrise. Camping gears are available for rent, you can pitch tents at designated camp sites all over, on the edge of the mountain with great valley view.
Day Sixteen
30 January 2019
Phu Chi Fa Forest Park to Nan, Surat Thani
The parking area was a designated brightly lighted grass vacant lot enough to park 30 vehicles, the night was really chilly, wind howling outside, no idea what was the temperature but it was 15° inside the car. Dinner was also cooked in the car helping to warmup the cabin, not easy with the cold strong wind outside in the open. 4 other vehicles were also parked there waiting out the night, wifi was very weak so after a warm dinner, Camera fully charged, we settle in and prepare to get up by 4.00am to ascent to the peak viewing point to witness the rare beautiful dawn.
Next morning, everyone were busy washing up and we were the last car to leave the parking lot after a hot coffee and warm up some light breakfast. It was a dark 15mins slow drive up to another parking lot lined with stalls selling souvenirs and farmer's harvests.
From here, we have to go on foot for about a kilometer on dirt track to the viewing point. Its a gradual dirt track incline, need not have to be very fit to do it. Already there were alot of visitors young and old arriving in vans and taxis, most are holding torch lights in cold weather gears. Met up a old German couple tourist too drove up in a rented SUV just for the sunrise. Time to warm up our escooters again to hit the dirt track up. The stalls selling souvenirs, hats, scarfs, gloves and their farm harvests were lining the open carpark.
The track up was not treacherous, ocassionaly littered with large and small rocks and stones, dirt track hardened by daily visitors and close to the viewing point were a group of hillside tribes dancing girls in Thai tribal costumes, dancing and singing, taking photos with tourists for a fee of 20 bahts with their watchful parents close by. We reach the top in just 20mins on escooters while those walking will need at least 30mins to reach as the air was thin and cold. There we waited for the moment of dawn. There was reports of visitors falling off the cliff taking selfies.
Phu Chi Fa translated in Thai means "Hills That Points To The Sky" in the district of Chiang Rai. The cliff at the summit overlooking into the mountain valleys of Laos 1.6km high, amazing visitors with the sea of mist during the rising sun, the mist will gradually clear up when the sun is fully up by 7.00am. The Mekong River could be visible.
By 7.30am, visitors began to descent from the summit. We made our way back to the parking lot to drive down again to the same spot the night before, to enjoy the beautiful view while having our instant noodles lunch, and prepare the drive down the summit to Phayao to Nan, the road encroaching the landscape and mountain ridges of Laos before heading to Phrae.
The distant is 101km from Chiang Rai, theres a few way of getting here, drive your own car, rent a car for 1500 baths, 3000 baths with driver, organised tour will cost you 2500 baths for a couple and lasty rent a bike for 300 bahts. These juicy strawberries I bought with different stages of ripeness is 100 baths each which we can snack along the way down.
We done our lunch, take more photos of the beautiful scenery before we hit the road again. We have already done 3210km so far and the return journey, we will like to travel 221km through Phayao along the smaller roads encroaching the mountains and hills to nan.
Known for its numerous national parks, Nan is a rural farming province in northern Thailand bordering Laos, The Nan provincial capital sits on the banks of the Nan River. The vast Doi Phu Kha National Park, in the northeast of the province, were known for their waterfalls, limestone mountains and rare plants were the main attraction of Nan. Nearby, the heavily forested Khun Nan National Park is home to wild boars, black bears, reptiles and birds. Rice and corn fields lined the 2 sides of the road. You wil feel relaxing while you cruise down these layback province,
3431km done, we decided to drive abit faster towards Hatyai for our next pitstop, bypassing bangkok. Using highway no. 101, joining no. 11 then joining no. 4 after Bangkok, driving through Phrae, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, down Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon to Surat Thani where we pulled over at a Gas Station for the night.
Throughout the whole journey down, the only bad road accident we witness as a motorbiker crushed by a trailer near Hua Hin and another motorbiker crashed into a low signboard, both looks critical. The distant from Nan to Surat Thani was 1320km, roads were clear and traffic very light. The only stops were for fuel and toilets, finally by 4.00am we reach Surat Thani.
Day Seventeen
31 January 2019
Surat Thani to Hatyai
In the morning, I was into a surprise, on our way up, I caught a glimpse of a PTT gas station across the other side of the highway, with a Transformers theme, was hoping to pop into the same station to snap some photos on our way back and conincidently we were sleeping in this gas station. After a quick shower and a gas topup we head towards Hatyai for a 2 days stopover and get the car checked and service.
4,751km done, and another 340km by the coastal road this time to Hatyai to celebrate my companion's birthday and more shopping before we cross border back to Malaysia. By noon we checked into the same hotel and drop the car at the workshop. This honda civic has did its job.
Day Nineteen
2 February 2019
Hatyai to Singapore
Our initial plan was to return home a week after the Chinese New Year, because of the plan change at Chiang Mai and not going to Mae Hong Son, we decided to make it for family reunion back home. After breakfast and some new years goodies shopping at Hatyai market we checkout and head towards Sadao border. Our odo by now is 5,091km and another 50km to the checkpoint. This stretch the highway was improved during the Thaksin era, good roads, both sides lined with rubber plantations. The last town was Sadao province and across the border is Bukit Kayu Hitam, Changlun. The immigrations here bothsides too upgraded which you dont have to alight to get your passport stamp.
We spent our last Thai bahts at a mangoes store and bought another dozen of Vitasoy before the immigrations, After getting the passports stamped, we have to returned back the vehicle permit at the next counter and signed off. Not returning the vehicle permit, deem you have add another vehicle in Thailand and the penalty, if caught is to pay a fine equivalent to the Thai value of your car model. Re-entry back into Malaysia, hit the North South Highway AH2, do not bring any prohibited items as there will be a additional military check point to screen your car, kopi dui will be the solution if caught. I was caught with a can of stout my previous trip, 10rm settles it.
NSHW was a much better highway then Thailand expressways but Thailand is free toll all the way. The traffic was light until we reach Butterworth, mother of all jams till we passed the Penang Bridge tollgate. We head for Bukit Tambun a few kilometers after the Bridge tollgate for dinner, seafood restaurants line this layback Chinese majority small fishing town.
The most challenging stretch was before Ipoh, the hill roads, long inclines and long declines with fast sweeping bends. I love this stretch, can really feel the road holding capability of your car at 140-160kmh, adrenalin rush, hah. After will be a boring long stretch till Rawang, Damasara, Subang, Shah Alam till Nilai, I love this stretch too, but avoid weekends midnight drives as Mat Rempits gathers there too for their stunts. They can be a nuisance if you happen to knock into them. After Nilai is another long stretch of boring drive to Johore.
We reach Singapore at 4.00am in the morning. Its a 900km long drive all the way, in total we clocked 6,041km for this round trip.
I will try to add some videos and our journey statistics, hoping others could also plan their own road trips and go beyond the limits. My body was all beaten but my experience was all worth it and memorable for a long time till my next road trip beyond this. I love driving but this 15yrs old car made the journey. Being single cam, it has the appropriate power and fuel economy.
Distant, and Pitstops
Singapore - Mersing (150km) - Kuantan (350km) - Trengganu (233km) - Rantau Panjang (794km) - Songkla, Hatyai (282km) - Hua Hin (749km) - Bangkok (199km) - Tak before Lampang (553km) - Chiang Mai (757km) - Chiang Rai (953km) - Phu Chi Fa Forest Park (109km)
- Bangkok (810km) - Hatyai (945km) - Johore Baru (920km) - Singapore (20km)
Gasoline and Gasohol
Johore rm100 - Mersing rm34 - Permaisuri rm57 - Rantau Panjang rm22 - Nakhon Si Thammarat 800baht - Samut Sakhon 900baht - Uthai Thani 860bahts - Chiang Rai 760bahts
- Khun Tan District 500bahts - Phitsanulok 740bahts - Prechaup Khiri Khan 950bahts
- Nakhon Si Thamarath 940 bahts - Ipoh rm89 - Johore Bahru rm95
Hotels and Sleepover
Kuantan - Rantau Panjang - Songkla, Hatyai - Tha Chana - Samut Songkhram - Bangkok - Tak
- Phu Chi Fa Forest Park - Nakon Sawan - Surat Thani - Songkla, Hatyai
States and Provinces
Singapore - Johore Bahru - Mersing - Kuantan - Trengganu - Kelantan - Golok - Narathiwat
- Pattani - Songkla, Hatyai - Nakhon Si Thammarat - Surat Thani - Chumphon - Prachuap Khiri Khan - Samut Sakhon - Bangkok - Nakhon Sawan - Kamphaeng Phet - Tak - Lampang
- Lamphun - Chiang Mai - Mae Sai - Chiang Rai - Phu Chi Fa - phayao - Nan - Phrae - Uttaradit
- Phitsanulok - Phichit - Nakhon Sawan - Uthai Thani - Chai Nat - Sing Buri - Ang Thong
- Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya - Pathum Thani - Samut Sakhon - Samut Songkhram - Prachaup Khiri Khan - Chumphon - Surat Thani - Phatthalung - Songkla, Hatyai - Sadao - Perlis - Kedah
- Penang - Selangor - Negeri Sembilan - Malacca - Johore Bahru - Singapore.
***PS: All pictures, photos and videos were all recorded with my GoPro4, Redmi Pro Note 3 and Xiaomi Mi Max and I know nuts about photography.