Overnight accommodation Korat - Hua Hin

[caller]

I will be drivng from the wifes place 120k NE of Korat to Hua Hin sometime in April (just finalising dates/hotels etc) and last time I did this, I got lost around Bkk and ended spending an unplanned night there!

This time I'd like to plan an overnight break, especially as my 4.5yo step-son will be with us.

Any ideas for somewhere suitable that will be easy to find and to pick up the route again the following morning?

I know some of you travel this route and would appreciate any ideas.

Many thanks.

[STEVE G]

Caller, you'll be happy to learn that the drive from Korat to Hua Hin has got a bit easier since the Bangkok ring road was completed. As you're heading South look for the signs for the Eastern ring road, Pattaya and the airport, then follow that around the city and over the new bridge until you hit the road for Samat Sonkran.
I do this journey every couple of months and I've never stopped off anywhere but I've always thought that the area where you come out of the mountains North of Sariburi would be a nice place to take a break. There is a sort of ranch place to the left with horses and a dairy farm and several hotels on the highway, and there are others a short drive away. This is an area where Bangkokians drive out to be in the country so it might be a little more expensive than a provincial town but it does look quite decent, and you wouldn't have to worry about getting lost. I don't know the name of the area but I'll have a look at a map when I get the chance.
This is not really half way for you, but you should be able to get from there to Hua Hin in about four and a half to five hours without killing anything.

[dan]

you might stop in khao yai which probably isn't halfway but is a nice area for and overnight and easy area to negotiate........it's a bit west of korat with plenty of reasonably priced hotels.......stop in at the chok chai steakhouse near pak chong for a big glass of great milk for your child and satisfy your carnivore needs.....make sure you take ring road around bangkok to make the drive a bit less stressful

[Terry]

Between Korat and Saraburi is Pak Chong.

Used to stop there many years ago in a hotel on the LHS as heading south.

Cant remember the name but it looked like an old Swiss chalet.

V comfotable, pool etc.

[caller]

Thanks everyone, I was really looking for somewhere about half way, didn't really make that clear, so Pak Chong is out, but will visit when en route to Korat, I'll also be going to Sikhui, which isn't too far away, to look at land.

Steve, what would you estimate the journey time by having a few breaks without an overnight stay?

[STEVE G]

Caller, I go to Nong Ki which is about 90km South-East of Korat and I’ve been doing it in about six hours of actual driving. That’s steady driving as well; I don’t like to drive like a lunatic. Obviously you can add on whatever breaks you want, I normally stop twice on the way down as I’m not normally in any great hurry.
The problem with stopping halfway is that you will be somewhere around Bangkok and if you’re anything like me, you’ll get lost the moment you leave the main highway!

[klikster]

I will be drivng from the wifes place 120k NE of Korat to Hua Hin sometime in April (just finalising dates/hotels etc) and last time I did this, I got lost around Bkk and ended spending an unplanned night there!

This time I'd like to plan an overnight break, especially as my 4.5yo step-son will be with us.

Any ideas for somewhere suitable that will be easy to find and to pick up the route again the following morning?

I know some of you travel this route and would appreciate any ideas.

Many thanks.

One good stopover that lets you miss BKK might be Nakorn Phatom. Nice old temple and pagoda there as well.