The route in one table
| Day | Leg | Approximate distance and time | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangkok → Phetchaburi | about 120 to 130 km, 2 h to 2 h 30 | Phra Nakhon Khiri hill and palace, temples |
| 1 | Phetchaburi → Cha-am → Hua Hin | about 70 km, 1 h to 1 h 15 | Lunch in Cha-am, beach and night market in Hua Hin |
| 2 | Hua Hin → Bangkok outskirts → Pak Chong | long leg, calculate it on your GPS: allow half a day on the road | North-east road (Route 1, then Route 2), night in Pak Chong |
| 3 | Pak Chong → Khao Yai National Park → Bangkok | about 180 to 200 km for the return, 2 h 30 to 3 h 30 | Trails, waterfall, back before dark |
If you only have two days, pick one of the two destinations: a day of walking in the park is far more pleasant than six hours behind the wheel. To get there without driving, see Hua Hin from Bangkok by train or bus and Khao Yai as an organised tour.
Before you go: the car and the paperwork
Pick up the car at the airport or on the outskirts rather than in the city centre: leaving Bangkok is easier (see our rental guide). Check with the rental company and on the Department of Land Transport website which licence your nationality needs: a national licence alone is not always enough, and an international permit is often required. Check the insurance, the deposit and the condition of the car before leaving the car park, with photos. For general rules and fines, see laws and fines in Bangkok.
If you would rather not drive, the closest equivalent is a private driver for the day.
Day 1: Bangkok, Phetchaburi, Cha-am, Hua Hin
Leave before 7 a.m.: getting out of Bangkok is the most painful part of the drive. The usual route follows the main roads to the south-west (Route 35, then Route 4, the Phetkasem road); the GPS generally picks the right option for the traffic. The road is wide but shared with trucks and motorbikes, with frequent U-turns: keep your distance.
Phetchaburi
The historic town is the best break on the road: the Phra Nakhon Khiri hill (Khao Wang) with its palace, temples and monkeys, and Wat Mahathat Worawihan in the town centre. Allow two to three hours, park near the site and leave nothing visible in the car. The monkeys easily snatch glasses and bags.
Cha-am, then Hua Hin
Cha-am is a simpler, more local seaside resort than Hua Hin, handy for a seafood lunch on the beach. Hua Hin follows a little further on; for the beach, the night market, the royal station and Khao Takiab, see our guide Hua Hin from Bangkok (we do not repeat the train and bus timetables here).
Parking in Hua Hin: most hotels have a car park, sometimes limited; ask before booking. In the evening, near the night market, leave the car at the hotel and take a tuk-tuk or a Grab.
Day 2: from Hua Hin to Pak Chong
This is the longest day: there is no fast direct road between the Gulf coast and Pak Chong. You head back towards the Bangkok outskirts, skirt the city on the ring roads, then take the north-east roads (Route 1 to Saraburi, then Route 2 towards Pak Chong). Leave early, avoid the ring road in the late afternoon and plan a lunch stop halfway.
If the drive looks too heavy, return the car in Bangkok after Hua Hin and go to Khao Yai on an organised tour: it is often more restful than driving the whole loop.
Tolls and fuel
The motorways and ring roads around Bangkok are tolled: keep some baht in coins, or ask the rental company whether the car has an electronic toll tag and how it is billed. We give no amounts: they change and sources disagree. Petrol stations are plentiful on the main roads; fill up before heading towards the park, where supply is limited.
Day 3: Khao Yai National Park
Pak Chong is the usual base for the park, with hotels, restaurants and vineyards nearby. The entrance fee is paid at the visitor centre or the gates; the price and payment methods have changed in recent years (payment by app, plus an extra amount on site): check them on the park's official website before you come. The page on Khao Yai National Park presents the place and its trails.
Driving in the park
- Wild animals: elephants, deer, monkeys and snakes cross the roads. Slow down, do not get out of the car, do not feed anything. If you meet an elephant, stop at a good distance and wait for it to move away.
- No night driving in the park: the road is winding and unlit; searching for animals at night in your own vehicle is forbidden, only the outing organised by the rangers is allowed.
- Rain: in the rainy season the road is slippery and some trails or waterfalls may be closed.
- Park only in the designated car parks, lock the car and leave no food in sight.
To choose a trail, a waterfall or a night safari, see our guide Khao Yai from Bangkok: which tour.
Back to Bangkok
Allow about 2 h 30 to 3 h 30 to Bangkok. Leave the park before late afternoon: the road is dark and the way into Bangkok clogs up in the evening. Avoid driving on Friday evening and Sunday evening: traffic between Bangkok and the weekend destinations is at its densest then. Keep a good margin before a flight.
Risks and practical tips
- Driving on the left: roundabouts and U-turns are disorienting at first; motorbikes weave on both sides.
- Night driving: poorly lit outside towns, with vehicles without headlights and animals. Arrive each evening in daylight.
- Fatigue: plan two breaks per long leg.
- Alcohol: tolerance is very low; if you drink in the evening (the Pak Chong vineyards offer tastings), appoint a driver.
- Season: November to February is the best period, see the best time to visit Bangkok. During the rains, add time.
If you have an accident
On the spot: get to safety, switch on the hazard lights, check for injuries and call emergency services (191 (police), 1669 (ambulance), 1155 (tourist police)). Get a written police report on the spot: without it, the rental company and the insurer may refuse to pay. Photograph the vehicles, the plate, the road and the damage, note the other driver's details, and call the rental company before any repair.
Who pays what: damage to the car is covered by the rental company's protection (CDW), subject to its excess (deductible), or by an excess cover bought with the rental; injuries and medical costs fall under your travel insurance. Travel insurance does not pay for the rental car or for damage to third parties.
SafetyWing covers medical costs after an accident abroad; check the policy's conditions for driving (a licence valid in the country, a helmet on a scooter).
FAQ
Can you do Hua Hin and Khao Yai in one day? Not reasonably: they lie in opposite directions and each leg takes more than two hours. Pick just one for the day.
How many days do you need? Three days for both, two days if you pick just one.
Do you need an international driving permit? Often, yes. Check with the rental company and the Department of Land Transport for your nationality before booking.
Where do you rent the car? At the airport or in the city in Bangkok: see Booking.com Cars for Bangkok and our rental guide.
Can you return the car somewhere other than where you picked it up? Some rental companies offer it for a supplement: check before booking, especially for a drop-off in Hua Hin.
La rédaction Bangkok Authority
