Travelling during Songkran

[alexandiri]

Please be so kind and help us an advice...


We'll be arriving on Bangkok on April 13. Which means the first day of Songkran. We did not intent to, but it just happened, we bought the tickets without being aware of the holiday.

So, we'll be arriving around noon on Bangkok and plan to head to Cha Am.

By your knowledge, would the road be inaccesible? Will we spend too much time in traffic? Usually is a 3 hour driving - according to the internet data - but on this particular day how many hours should we plan for that?

Do you think is a good idea to plan this trip or should we change plans and stay in Bangkok?

Is our first trip in Thailand, and we'll be having 2 kids with us, so after 20 hours of flying, would like to avoid any mishaps.

Thank you in advance for all your replies.

[Dannie Boy]

You shouldn't have any problems at all on the main highways and the journey to Cha Am should be a comfortable 2.1/2 hours. Once you get to Cha Am then you will no doubt encounter people taking part in the Sonkaran festivities, so be prepared to get wet if/when you venture out, but don't let it affect your planning.

[Nereus]

I think that I would be more concerned about actually finding somebody to take you, rather than the little bit of extra time it may take.

There are several reliable taxi service drivers in Hua Hin that get recommended on this forum, so I think that you should try and make a booking.

The worst congestion on the roads tends to be more on the highways serving the North / North East, but your arrival time should help you get away from Bangkok before the worst of it starts, and the Southern route is more likely to be bad the day before you arrive.

[TingTongJohn]

I would think the roads will be busy just be safe no rush. I also suggest a driver from Hua hin area rather then a driver from Bangkok who may not know the area.

TTJ

[margaretcarnes]

Good advice from Nereus - a reliable driver is a must. If you did stay over in Bangkok though you could encounter much busier roads a day or two later when people travel back home. ChaAm and HuaHin are very popular destinations for Bangkok people on weekends and bank holidays - and Songkran is the biggest of the lot. But by the 13th they will all be wherever they are going and by the time you land will be busy doing what the Thais do best on Songkran. Partying! Enjoy.

[Terry]

Sound advice from the above 4 posts
Follow it and you will be ok

[alexandiri]

Thank you so much for all your replies. Feeling more confortable now ...