Category: Thailand

Asia > Thailand > Koh Samui

See: Why hire a car in Koh Samui ? | Why not? | Ratings | Summary | Comments

Please note that Carornocar.com is currently being revised and updated in preparation for the Summer 2021 (northern hemisphere) tourist season. It is expected that some social distancing rules will still apply. For additional Koh Samui car hire advice, please use the comments form below.

Quick Ratings

Price band: 

Koh Samui is in car rental price band: 7/10 (1 = cheapest car rental location)

General comment - based on price alone, is it worth renting a car in Koh Samui? 

No. Car rental is expensive by global standards.

Volatility:

Can you expect big swings in car rental prices in Koh Samui between the peak and the off peak season?

5/10 (0 = stable prices)

Driving score: 6/10

Non car score:5/10

Balance: 6

(0 = car hire not advised / 10 = rental car essential)

General comment -

 

Why? Visiting Koh Samui using a hire car

Why do you need a car in Koh Samui ?

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Many visitors might well consider that Koh Samui is the sort of destination where a combination of beachfront activities, watersports and boat trips would make a hire car unnecessary. This might well be the case, but it’s also a great place to explore further, whether by car or not:

• Compared to a heavily congested city like Bangkok, a hire car in Koh Samui might be useful for visiting the various parks and coastal roads which are nearby. A full circuit around the island without stopping would take a good 2-3 hours. This lends itself to getting a car for a single day.
• The island is relatively small, but distances can be deceptive. Due to the winding nature of the roads, expect to drive slowly.
• Expect everything else to move slowly too! Compared to a bus, you will have much more flexibility!
• Because Koh Samui airport is so close to the town of Bophut, a wide range of car hire choices is available, with healthy competition.
• It is also possible to head to the mainland by taking advantage of one of the car ferry services from the western side of the island. However, one way rental is not advised – it’s far easier to return your car to the same place.
• You may enjoy the initial novelty of a songthaew (shared pick up truck). After that, you may prefer the comfort of a rental car. Safety, as ever, is a matter of judging your own risks!

Why not? Visiting Koh Samui without a car

Why don't you need a car in Koh Samui ?

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• If you are staying in Bophut, Samui airport is close enough to be able to walk to your resort!
• Even with winding roads, the island is still small – and easy enough to tour round in a day using local transport services.
• Public buses, songthaews (shared taxi services using converted pick-up trucks), regular taxis and NaviGo (app based) taxis combine to provide a range of choice for touring the island.
• to really appreciate the natural wonders of this part of Thailand, you will need to take to the waters! Ferries are available to the nearby resort island of Pha Ngan, or to the islands which make up Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park to the west.
• Koh Samui is easy to visit as part of a combined itinerary, taking in the Thai mainland, and also possibly including the island of Phuket, which sits on the western side of the peninsula. You can buy combined through ferry and coach tickets to Phuket, promoted by local ferry companies such as Seatran Discovery and Lomprayah.
• Ferry companies serving either the mainland or nearby islands will give you the option of adding in a shuttle bus connection.

[james]
Note – before confirming any ferry bookings to or from Koh Samui, I would always suggest taking a look at the kind of boat that the operator will be using.
If a service is operated as being “fast”, ask yourself first if this is what you really want! Fast often means you will get a catamaran with only very limited outdoor area at the back – for me, this is absolutely the worst way to travel! A more conventional ferry may still label itself as “high speed”, but have far wider outer decks. Why rush when you are travelling on crystal clear waters in one of the most beautiful places in the world? Even if you are just trying to make an onward connection, a two hour “fast” ferry is still unlikely to take more than around two hours as a “slow” service.

[jamesend]

Ratings: How does Koh Samui compare?

Is it worth hiring a car in Koh Samui? TBC

This is based on a rough consideration of the costs of renting a car in Koh Samui, and how this compares with the costs of using public transport. The answer to this varies hugely from one destination to the next, based on a wide range of factors. It's based on renting a car at the airport (TBC), and driving for an average of 2-3 hours on open roads on most days.

How does this compare if:

You are travelling:

Solo / As couple / small family / larger family / senior couple etc

Does car rental make sense on different budgets?

 

 

Do you need to hire a car in Koh Samui? TBC

This is based strictly on whether or no we think it's possible to visit Koh Samui (and the surrounding area) without using a car. Of the three key questions, this one is the most likely to be a "no".

Should you rent a car in Koh Samui? TBC

This is a balance of all factors. Remember this is an answer to the question for people who are already asking it. That's why the answer might still be a "yes", even when public transport is good. 

See global comparisons

Hiring | Driving | Parking

Trains | Buses | Local travel

 

Car hire basics:

 

Public transportation basics:

 

Regular bus services: YES

Coach (inter-city): YES

Tram: NO

Metro: NO

Commuter Rail:

High Speed Rail:

Rail type (end stub / through / junction / hub):

 

As you start ....

Does Koh Samui airport have a direct rail link?

(Yes - within terminal / adjacent / short walk) (Yes - bus transfer / other) No

 

 

 

 

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Changelog

Has our advice for Koh Samui car rental changed over time, or has it been pretty constant?

2017 - 6

2019 - 6

2021 - 6

Average score - 6

Notes:

 

So, do you need a car in Koh Samui? This has to be one of the softest “yes” recommendations that we have made, and it is very much one that suggests getting a rental car for a day or two rather than for the length of your stay, but it is still something that might be worth considering nonetheless.

Summary

Do you or don't you need a car in Koh Samui ?

Asia > Thailand > Krabi

See: Why hire a car in Krabi ? | Why not? | Ratings | Summary | Comments

Given the coastal location of Krabi, the limited driving roads and the range of beach and watersports activities on offer, combined with less energetic boat trips, we would generally not recommend hiring a car here.

Please note that Carornocar.com is currently being revised and updated in preparation for the Summer 2021 (northern hemisphere) tourist season. It is expected that some social distancing rules will still apply. For additional Krabi car hire advice, please use the comments form below.

Quick Ratings

Price band: 

Krabi is in car rental price band: 4/10 (1 = cheapest car rental location)

General comment - based on price alone, is it worth renting a car in Krabi? 

Sometimes. Car rental is slightly cheaper than global averages.

Volatility:

Can you expect big swings in car rental prices in Krabi between the peak and the off peak season?

5/10 (0 = stable prices)

Driving score: 2/10

Non car score:4/10

Balance: 6

(0 = car hire not advised / 10 = rental car essential)

General comment -

 

Why? Visiting Krabi using a hire car

Why do you need a car in Krabi ?

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• For a road trip around southern Thailand. Krabi is on the mainland, not an island, so no ferries to worry about.
• Despite buses being plentiful and cheap, a hire car will still provide flexibility.
• For any of the scenic areas, including national parks off the main north-south Highway 4, a hire car can still be useful.

Why not? Visiting Krabi without a car

Why don't you need a car in Krabi ?

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• Many of the places you can visit from Krabi as also easy to access from Phuket, for where we have a more detailed car hire advice guide.
• Many of the islands in the Andaman Sea have heavy restrictions on motorised traffic.
• Buses are widely available and cheap – check locally for full details, not all scheduled are online.
• The island of Phi Phi, made famous (or perhaps infamous) due to the film “The Beach”, is as easy to access by boat from Krabi as it is from Phuket.

Ratings: How does Krabi compare?

Is it worth hiring a car in Krabi? TBC

This is based on a rough consideration of the costs of renting a car in Krabi, and how this compares with the costs of using public transport. The answer to this varies hugely from one destination to the next, based on a wide range of factors. It's based on renting a car at the airport (TBC), and driving for an average of 2-3 hours on open roads on most days.

How does this compare if:

You are travelling:

Solo / As couple / small family / larger family / senior couple etc

Does car rental make sense on different budgets?

 

 

Do you need to hire a car in Krabi? TBC

This is based strictly on whether or no we think it's possible to visit Krabi (and the surrounding area) without using a car. Of the three key questions, this one is the most likely to be a "no".

Should you rent a car in Krabi? TBC

This is a balance of all factors. Remember this is an answer to the question for people who are already asking it. That's why the answer might still be a "yes", even when public transport is good. 

See global comparisons

Hiring | Driving | Parking

Trains | Buses | Local travel

 

Car hire basics:

 

Public transportation basics:

 

Regular bus services: YES

Coach (inter-city): YES

Tram: NO

Metro: NO

Commuter Rail:

High Speed Rail:

Rail type (end stub / through / junction / hub):

 

As you start ....

Does Krabi airport have a direct rail link?

(Yes - within terminal / adjacent / short walk) (Yes - bus transfer / other) No

 

 

 

 

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Changelog

Has our advice for Krabi car rental changed over time, or has it been pretty constant?

2017 - 6

2019 - 2

2021 - 6

Average score - 5

Notes:

r

 

Summary

Do you or don't you need a car in Krabi ?

Asia > Thailand > Pattaya

See: Why hire a car in Pattaya ? | Why not? | Ratings | Summary | Comments

Please note that Carornocar.com is currently being revised and updated in preparation for the Summer 2021 (northern hemisphere) tourist season. It is expected that some social distancing rules will still apply. For additional Pattaya car hire advice, please use the comments form below.

Quick Ratings

Price band: 

Pattaya is in car rental price band: 4/10 (1 = cheapest car rental location)

General comment - based on price alone, is it worth renting a car in Pattaya? 

Sometimes. Car rental is slightly cheaper than global averages.

Volatility:

Can you expect big swings in car rental prices in Pattaya between the peak and the off peak season?

5/10 (0 = stable prices)

Driving score: 4/10

Non car score:2/10

Balance: 3

(0 = car hire not advised / 10 = rental car essential)

General comment -

 

Pattaya is a popular beach resort with locals escaping from Bangkok, but it still falls some way short of more famous destinations like Koh Samui, Krabi or Phuket when it comes to attracting international visitors or longer term expats.

If you’re planning to visit Pattaya as your escape from Bangkok, it’s easy enough to get here by train (weekday service, daily) or bus, and you can also fly in from various other cities in Southeast Asia.

Needless to say, there is no particular reason to hire a car in Pattaya if you’re planning just to stay around the resort areas, but we would recommend looking into getting one if you’re planning perhaps to look the other way and head inland, and possibly also to drive along the coast.

Why? Visiting Pattaya using a hire car

Why do you need a car in Pattaya ?

---

• For general flexibility.
• Head out of town and explore the local jungles.

[whynot city=”Pattaya”]

• No need within the resort.
• Limited number of driving roads.
• Not possible to drive into neighbouring Cambodia in a hire car.

Should you rent a car in Pattaya? Maybe! (Yes)

Ratings: How does Pattaya compare?

Is it worth hiring a car in Pattaya? TBC

This is based on a rough consideration of the costs of renting a car in Pattaya, and how this compares with the costs of using public transport. The answer to this varies hugely from one destination to the next, based on a wide range of factors. It's based on renting a car at the airport (TBC), and driving for an average of 2-3 hours on open roads on most days.

How does this compare if:

You are travelling:

Solo / As couple / small family / larger family / senior couple etc

Does car rental make sense on different budgets?

 

 

Do you need to hire a car in Pattaya? TBC

This is based strictly on whether or no we think it's possible to visit Pattaya (and the surrounding area) without using a car. Of the three key questions, this one is the most likely to be a "no".

Should you rent a car in Pattaya? TBC

This is a balance of all factors. Remember this is an answer to the question for people who are already asking it. That's why the answer might still be a "yes", even when public transport is good. 

See global comparisons

Hiring | Driving | Parking

Trains | Buses | Local travel

 

Car hire basics:

 

Public transportation basics:

 

Regular bus services: YES

Coach (inter-city): YES

Tram: NO

Metro: NO

Commuter Rail:

High Speed Rail:

Rail type (end stub / through / junction / hub):

 

As you start ....

Does Pattaya airport have a direct rail link?

(Yes - within terminal / adjacent / short walk) (Yes - bus transfer / other) No

 

 

 

 

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Changelog

Has our advice for Pattaya car rental changed over time, or has it been pretty constant?

2017 - 4

2019 - 6

2021 - 3

Average score - 4

Notes:

 

Summary

Do you or don't you need a car in [table “1” does not have that cell /]
?

Asia > Thailand > Phuket

See: Why hire a car in Phuket ? | Why not? | Ratings | Summary | Comments

Please note that Carornocar.com is currently being revised and updated in preparation for the Summer 2021 (northern hemisphere) tourist season. It is expected that some social distancing rules will still apply. For additional Phuket car hire advice, please use the comments form below.

Quick Ratings

Price band: 

Phuket is in car rental price band: 4/10 (1 = cheapest car rental location)

General comment - based on price alone, is it worth renting a car in Phuket? 

Sometimes. Car rental is slightly cheaper than global averages.

Volatility:

Can you expect big swings in car rental prices in Phuket between the peak and the off peak season?

5/10 (0 = stable prices)

Driving score: 6/10

Non car score:4/10

Balance: 6

(0 = car hire not advised / 10 = rental car essential)

General comment -

 

Generally speaking, Thailand is the sort of destination where many visitors don’t really even think about getting a hire car, or perhaps where anyone who does think about getting some sort of motorised transport is more likely to pick up a scooter, rather than a hire car.

There are certainly plenty of things to do and places to see in and around Phuket without really beginning to bother with a rental car. We think it might be worth considering getting a car for at least a day or two, in order to explore a bit further beyond some of the most popular tourist haunts.
Is it worth hiring a car in Phuket? Yes
[rating2 num=”220″]

Summary

Do you or don't you need a car in [table “1” does not have that cell /]
?