How to Plan a Road Trip Through Thailand – Have fun travelling around the Land of Smiles

Thailand isn’t easy to navigate. The main reason is that most drivers don’t follow road rules. But if you do manage to overcome this obstacle, you’ll be rewarded with an amazing experience. Thailand offers some of the best road trips in Southeast Asia, and if you hire a car, these are the road trips you should take during your vacation in Thailand.

Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai

The road trip from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai is filled with cultural, religious, and natural attractions. The northern capital of the country, Chiang Mai, can be reached from Ayutthaya within seven hours. You’ll drive past national parks like Si Satchanalai, Wiang Kosai, and Doi Khun Tan.

Visions of Domino, Thailand - Ayutthaya (24504513239), CC BY 2.0 

Bangkok to Phetchabun

It’s about five to six hours to Phetchabun from Bangkok. This road trip stands out for its amazing countryside scenery. The road to Phetchabun is flanked by farms and mountains, and there will also be a few patrol stations along the way. The route is easy to navigate, and the roads are not windy or rocky, so it’s quite safe to drive along this route. Once you get to Phetchabun, the first thing you should do is visit Wat Pha Sorn Kaew, one of the most beautiful temples adorned with mosaic tiles.

Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai

The journey to Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai will take about four hours. Getting here can be a bit of a challenge as the road is windy with unexpected twists and turns. Chiang Rai is located in northern Thailand, nestled among mountains. One of the highlights is the hot springs, where you can boil eggs. The most famous attraction, however, is the White Temple, also known as Wat Rong Khun.

Chiang Mai to Pai

Good driving skills are recommended for the journey to Pai from Chiang Mai. The road to Pai is laden with twists and turns and can be dangerous for the inexperienced driver. Because of this reason, it’s advisable that you take this road trip during the day and never at night. Narrow roads flanked by mountains aren’t easy to navigate, but once you reach the end of the journey, you will find scenic terrain with a laidback atmosphere where you can relax and wash the city fumes off of you.

Rayong to Pattaya, Bangkok and Hua Hin

The journey to Pattaya from Rayong won’t take more than an hour. Pattaya features many tourist attractions, and one is Walking Street, which you should visit on your road trip. Getting back to the capital, Bangkok, home to Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel and many a hotel in Riverside Bangkok, will take about two hours. You should spend at least a day in Pattaya exploring temples and enjoying traditional Thai massages. On your way back, you should head to Hua Hin, which is about three hours from Bangkok.

Bangkok to Kanchanaburi

If you don’t have a lot of time in Thailand but want to see as many things as you can, you should head to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok; it won’t take any more than a few hours to get here, and those few hours you spend on the road will be filled with beautiful scenery. Once you get here, the tourist highlights you must see include:

• Khwae Yai River Bridge
• Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
• Erawan National Park
• Thailand-Burma Railway Centre

Bangkok to Mae Sot, Sukhothai, Phetchabun and Lopburi

If you want to see the less touristy side of Thailand, you should visit Mae Sot from Bangkok; the journey will take about seven hours. Waterfalls and buildings with Burmese architecture are some of the highlights. Once you are done exploring Mae Sot, you should head to Sukhothai, which is about two hours away.From Sukhothai, spend another two hours and visit Lopburi through Phetchabun to see ancient ruins like King Narai’s Lopburi Palace and Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat.