26 Aug to 4th Sept Southern Thailand Mini Tour (Hat Yai; Trang; Ko Lanta island)

Kindly allow me to share our KL/MY Folders Adventures an up-coming Mini Tours to coincide with public holidays in MY. Any fellow buddies here are most welcome to participate if timing meet his/her convenience. This is a FULLY SELF-SUPPORTED Tour and on "virgin exploration" as non of us has done cycle touring on the proposed routes. Be prepared to expect the unexpected. I quote herewith the scheduled plan.

Another great awesome adventure ... 26 August (Friday evening) to 4th Sept (Sunday morning).

This is the Ride map from Trang to Ko Landa (vice versa), Thailand for your kind reference.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/82381662

We intend to travel by train from KL to HatYai (Thailand) on the 26 August, Friday evening as follow:

~ 26 August (Friday) From KL Sentral to Hat Yai (Train #20) departing KL 21:20 arriving next day 09:27* Thailand time.
(a) Sleeping Berth Lower: RM60; Upper: RM54
OR for more luxury .. (b) Cabin Lower: RM111; Upper RM102 to Padang Besar only then change to seating coach RM13 continue to Hat Yai. (The Cabin coach section will stop at Padang Besar (MY last border Station) though it is the same train)

~ 27 Aug, from HatYai take a bus, 3 hours abt RM$15 to Trang. Stay a night in Trang.
~ 28 Aug, cycle about 73 miles (117 km) to Ko Lanta island, stay a night in Hat Khlong Dao beach resort.
~ 29 Aug, cycle round explore Ko Lanta island and/or stay in another beach resort or camping ground(?).
~ 30 Aug, as above (acting as a "slack" extra day contingency)
~ 31 Aug, cycle back north to check for the fast Ferry direct to Trang's Pak Meng Pier for the next day.
~ 1st Sept, ferry to Trang's Pak Meng Pier ... then cycle to Trang, stay 1 night.
~ 2nd Sept, bus back to HatYai, stay 1 night.
~ 3rd September (Saturday) Return Hat Yai / KL at hours 16:00*/05:30 next day 4th Sept (Sunday). We should get return tickets and is X2 the above one way ticket price.

The target destination is Ko Lanta island cycle exploration (& Trang coastal resorts). We have build in enough slack time to allow us to cycle more on the return trip to Trang. So the return trip from Ko Lanta island to Trang, we may take a different cycling routes instead of the Express Ferry. The decision will depend on the fitness and condition of riders at the time.

We need to know before the 25 July actual confirmed participants who will need to make full payments for the train tickets bookings by that date. Will only make the accommodation arrangement as we progress .. possible considering camping?

Please let me know if you need any assistance or further info.

Thank you / Bil

Hello Bil, Awesome sharing! well folks, u said u wanted adventures!! now u got it

Too many days liao... cant' take leave

Hi Billy
I'm interested in this journey !
Please note that if camping is required , I'll need to hire ( RM ? ) the necessary equipement in Thailand & for budgeting ( excluding travel costs as mentioned & to-fro SG/KL ) purpose , what is the estimated ( RM ) required for the whole journey ?

Cheers
K.C. Au Yeong aka crumpets
auyeong@singnet.com.sg

hello KC,
Ermm.. just gentle reminder - king of 'da hill is on 4th Sept also... ...

crumpets wrote:

Hi Billy
I'm interested in this journey !
Please note that if camping is required , I'll need to hire ( RM ? ) the necessary equipement in Thailand & for budgeting ( excluding travel costs as mentioned & to-fro SG/KL ) purpose , what is the estimated ( RM ) required for the whole journey ?

Cheers
K.C. Au Yeong aka crumpets
auyeong@singnet.com.sg

[quote="twwoon"]hello KC,
Ermm.. just gentle reminder - king of 'da hill is on 4th Sept also... ...

Oops .. hmm .. gotta do some juggling there !

crumpets wrote:

Hi Billy
I'm interested in this journey !
Please note that if camping is required , I'll need to hire ( RM ? ) the necessary equipement in Thailand & for budgeting ( excluding travel costs as mentioned & to-fro SG/KL ) purpose , what is the estimated ( RM ) required for the whole journey ?

Cheers
K.C. Au Yeong aka crumpets
auyeong@singnet.com.sg

Estimate as follow 27 Aug - 2 Sept total 7 nights hotel x RM80 per person (base on 2 sharing of RM160 per room night) Total 7 nights accommodation RM560. If you google for hotels for Hat Yai, Trang, and Ko Lanta, you will find there are many still below the budget estimated.

Food for 27 Aug - 3 Sept total 8 days x RM35 meals & drinks = RM280

Total RM840 should be more than enough. I guess to estimate around RM750 to maximum RM1,000 for food & lodging, and I know by putting RM1,000 some of my buddies are ready to clobbered me, as sometimes I like to go all out for "sumptuous" sea food Of course, when come to spending the sky may not be the limit too, and our Ride Leader is a person who emphasized value for the money and make sure it is within the means and capacity of the participants.

Some of our buddies are still hammering out regarding accommodation, and since there are plenty of good, cheap and nice lodging, it will be preferable staying in hotels and resorts rather then camping.

Further, please do note that we encourage participants to contribute ideas and suggestions for the trip budget on food & accommodation, besides the choice of transportation. Isn't that exciting

Hope the above can give a rough ideas as to the budget.

Thanks / Bil

Hi Billy

Thanks & your prompt reply appreciated !
OK = Count me IN !

Cheers
K.C.

crumpets wrote:

Hi Billy

Thanks & your prompt reply appreciated !
OK = Count me IN !

Cheers
K.C.

Great ... most welcome to have the greatest FUN on this mini Tour. May I take the opportunity to copy and paste an extract email from our Ride Leader of this tour. The greatest fun is non of us have any experience of the whole routes. Our Ride Leader, Mr. TT Siang is very experienced in "virgin exploration" (no punch intended ) and the rest of us (not many because it takes a BIG Heart) pretty much love the "expect the unexpected" Adventures that he always initiated..

Quote:
..Thai farmland back country territory with unfamiliar language, (we have to brush up on our Thai alphabet so that at least we can read the signboards place names, anybody got a Thai dictionary?, not many English speaking farmers around in the fields in that part of the back country, I suppose). We will be going thru some seldom visited Thai farming villages like Na Ta Luang, Nong Trut, Khao Wiset, passing some picturesque village Wats and vegetable farms along the way. But nothing that a big dose of friendly sign language cannot get you a meal and a coffee in the village coffee shops, you get the idea.

And sorry, the Highway part of the whole 104 km from Trang to Ko Lanta is 19 km, not 9 km, typo mistake, along Hwy 4 west of Kalase, the rest of the route , about 60km is on tarmac farm back country roads from Trang, very light traffic, and 25 km on the tourist road to Ko Lanta with the two ferries ... Unquote.

KC aka Crumpets ~ I will be including you in our emails loop for this mini Tour for updating.

Thanks & best regards / Bil

Hi Billy & Co

Thanks for the inclusion .. looking fwd to the " never a dull moment ride !"

Best regards
KC

Hi Billy & Co,

I'm interested in this "expect the unexpected" Adventures journey and I Just got my leave approved for the entire trip.

Please count me IN and include me in your email loop.

I will work out with KC how we get to KL to meet your people.

Thanks and looking fwd to this "virgin exploration" ride !

Best Regards
Patrick
patyee@singnet.com.sg

CheapBike wrote:

Hi Billy & Co,

I'm interested in this "expect the unexpected" Adventures journey and I Just got my leave approved for the entire trip.

Please count me IN and include me in your email loop.

I will work out with KC how we get to KL to meet your people.

Thanks and looking fwd to this "virgin exploration" ride !

Best Regards
Patrick
patyee@singnet.com.sg

We are glad to welcome you, Patrick and will include you in the loop.

We are happy to note that 2 of you can assist each other coordinating your trip to KL meeting up with us. Or even to fly and meet us in Hat Yai whichever you deem convenience. Let us know once you have your preference worked out. As soon as we finalized participants list, it will be including individual contact details.

Thank you / Bil

Prodik wrote:

Too many days liao... cant' take leave

This is for those who is interested in this Adventure BUT unable to take a long leave (raised up in MY too), can join in with Option 2. and I copy & paste an extract email from our Ride Leader:

Quote:
... those that want to come back early can do so, say after two days in Ko Lanta, Sunday evening, thru Monday, Tuesday night etc, on Wednesday morning you can take the air con buses from Ko Lanta daily back to Trang 2 hrs and from there to Hatyai 3 hrs and catch the train back to SG on Wednesday night. My Mtb friend Raman Nair has indicated he is interested but would want to come back early, maybe on the Wednesday or Thursday, that is entirely possible as on the way back I imagine we will take the bus all the way back to Trang and Hatyai from Ko Lanta, being too tired to cycle anymore. So we can have a group that will come back early on Wednesday and a group that stays for the weekend.

And those that do not feel up to cycle 104km on Sunday from Trang to Ko Lanta can take the bus , and they will be able to help check in first at whichever hotel in Ko Lanta ...

Option 2:
~ 27 Aug (Sat), Train arrived Hat Yai 09:27am. From Hat Yai take a bus, 3 hours abt RM$15 to Trang. Cycle exploring Hat Yai or Trang depending on the bus leaving for Trang timing. Stay a night in Trang.
~ 28 Aug (Sun), cycle about 73 miles (117 km) to Ko Lanta island, stay a night in Hat Khlong Dao beach resort.
~ 29 Aug (Mon), cycle round explore Ko Lanta island and/or stay in another beach resort.
~ 30 Aug (Tues), as above.
~ 31 Aug (Wed), air con buses from Ko Lanta daily back to Trang 2 hrs and from there to Hatyai 3 hrs and catch the train back to MY/SG on Wednesday night, reaching home next day Thursday. (If any delay, contingency stay a night in Trang or Hat Yai .. pushing forward 1 day, arriving home Friday)

Flexibility is there, suggestions are welcome for participants convenience within welfare & safety consideration. Of course, already make all the way to southern Thailand, it will be a pity to stay too short a time, however above is an option for those who is unable to take longer leave from work.

Thank you & best regards / Bil

Glad to update a total of 9 participants (SG/MY) have registered for this cycling Mini Tour Adventure of southern Thailand ... HatYai, Trang and Ko Lanta Island.

Anyone interested please note dateline is 25 July in order to secure return train tickets KL/HatYai/KL.

Thank you & best regards / Bil

i am scared !!! me OUT !!!

Mary_Ang wrote:

i am scared !!! me OUT !!!

No -lah ... this one definitely less scary than tai kor Woon to Mekong River ... ours some more got "support vehicle" the public bus and express coach and we are looking forward to sun bathing in resort island -leh

Thanks Mary .. we definitely looking forward to ride with all of you again .. in SG and KL/MY or wherever there are ADVENTURES.

Best regards / Bil

It is Awesome and Beautiful ...

Check out this website: .."Ko Lanta: Thailand True Definition of Paradise" http://www.pausethemoment.com/2011/02/08/ko-lanta-thailand-paradise/

http://wikitravel.org/en/Ko_Lanta

If you are to google Ko Lanta Thailand .. you will find plenty of beautiful pictures too.

Best regards / Bil

Hi Bil & Family
Sorry to learn of your loss , please acept our humble condolences

Hi Bil & Family,
Please acept my condolences, and take care bro.

Patrick

Wow this looks really exciting! Especially the "expect the unexpected" part

CheapBike wrote:

Hi Bil & Family,
Please acept my condolences, and take care bro.

Patrick

Thank you & gratitude from me and family.

BTW, all the departing tickets have been successfully purchased and glad we did not waste the effort of lining up in the queue before the counter is opened ... and we will be again gladly doing the same on the 5 Aug to book for the return tickets ... wish us luck.

Best regards / Bil