May be going to Udon Thani

[gcarter]

I may be going to Udon Thani for a family wedding this year. The dates are not finalized, likely some time in September.

I already have a Red Sea LOB booked for November, so I need to control my costs, but I would like to try and take at least a few days to skip to some salt water and get a few in.

I was last in Thailand in '09, sadly the year before I started diving, so I missed that opportunity. I don't want to miss this one.

Suggestions welcome, keeping in mind my dive budget is flexible but low.

 

[stevenl]

Cheapest: bus to Pattaya.
More expensive: bus to Phuket;
Most expensive: fly to Phuket.

But decide on the spot, weather can iffy that time of year.

 

[MikkelBC]

At that time of year and since low cost is a priority, you might also consider Koh Tao.
I assume you will go to Udon via Bangkok. Transfer by bus and ferry to Koh Tao from Bangkok takes around 9 hours and costs about 1100 Baht each way. Diving from Koh Tao is not the best Thailand has to offer but it is convenient because the dive sites are close to the island. There is also a lot of competition, so the prices are low.
For transportation, check out Lomprayah High Speed Ferries : Fast, Safe, Convenient : The best way to explore the Gulf of Thailand!

 

[stevenl]

Yes, I was considering that as well, but looking at travel time decided not to mention. Just as I should not have mentioned bus to Phuket, also a bad suggestion looking at travel time.

 

[Barmaglot]

There are overnight buses (and trains, also an option - a bit more expensive, but you get a bunk to sleep in) from Bangkok to Chumphon - you leave around 8 PM, arrive early morning, then a ferry from Chumphon pier to Mae Haad pier gets you to Koh Tao by 09:30 or so. Saves you a hotel night, if nothing else.

You can also fly from Udon Thani to U-Tapao by Air Asia for 500 baht or so, and transfer to either Pattaya or Koh Chang from there. I did a couple dives on Koh Chang last year - dive sites take some time to get to, so it's not as convenient as Koh Tao, but there were fields of corals as far as the eye could see, and then some.

 

[MikkelBC]

Train is definitely a good option and the sleeper trains are quite comfortable. If you are new to Thailand it is slightly more difficult to plan compared to the all-inclusive transfer package from Lomprayah.
If you do decide to go by train, remember to plan a good buffer between the train arrival time and the ferry departure, or at least have a backup plan in place. Train delays of several hours are not uncommon.

The sleeper trains are often fully booked, so it is a good idea to purchase tickets in advance. You can do that here:

จำหน่ายตั๋วการรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย - eTicket State Railway of Thailand

What you want is an "Express" train, and either a "Lower berth" or "Upper berth". The "Special Express" trains don't have beds, only seats. 2nd class is fine.

This page should give you an idea of the seat types:
http://www.railway.co.th/Ticket/Che...ee=ด่วน&Ori=Bangkok&Dep=Chumphon&lenguage=eng

 

[gcarter]

When I was in Thailand in '09 we took an overnight train berth from Bangkok to Chaing Mai, flew from there to Phuket, and an overnight coach from Phuket back to Bangkok. We found both the train berths and the coach seats to be quite comfortable for sleeping.

 

[gcarter]

Just spent some time messaging my brother. They are likely going to Phuket after the wedding themselves, so that is probably what I am doing too. Best day trip options?

I already have my Scruffy Murphy's shirt for the evening

 

[stevenl]

Depending on what you prefer, there are quite a few options. If non-divers join you, a trip to Racha Noi and Racha Yai would be the best option, if not Phi Phi has some really nice dives and also King Cruiser-Shark Point-Koh Doc Mai is a really good trip, also ndue to it being 3 completely different divesites.

If you dont mind a bit of a travel also Similans and Koh Bon are possible, and if there's more people Richelieu Rock and Koh Tachai are really worldclass divesites (transfers to there can be an issue due to distance).