Days 2 – 7: From Malaysia to Thailand

My initial idea was to cross the border between Malaysia and Thailand at Rantau Panjang (close to Kota Bharu) but recent bomb attacks on trains and killed tourists didn’t sound inviting at all. The only alternative was to go all the way to the western end of Malaysia and to cross the border on the other side. There is no train in Northern Malaysia that connects east and west, so I had to take a bus (R 45,-) from Kota Bharu to Butterworth (6 -8 hours) to continue my trip further north to Thailand. The bus departed from Kota Bharu at 11:00am and arrived in Butterworth at 5:30pm.

The bus from Kota Bharu to Butterworth in Malaysia

Quite a good bus from Kota Bharu to Butterworth

Crossing the Mountains and Lakes of Titiwangsa in Malaysia

Crossing the Mountains and Lakes of Titiwangsa in Malaysia

Butterworth is just an unattractive transport hub to take a ferry to Penang island. However, I didn’t cross to Penang but stayed in Butterworth for one night to catch the train to Thailand on the next day. Due to the floodings in Thailand this train has been canceled during the last seven days and I was told at the train station, that the train may also be canceled tomorrow. After calling the train terminal next morning just to find out that the train was actually canceled I took a bus to Hat Yai in Thailand (easy and hassle-free border crossing from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Sadao). After leaving Malaysia my first impression of Thailand was that it’s far more dodgy, chaotic and hectic.

Border Crossing from Malaysia to Thailand

Border Crossing from Malaysia to Thailand

To save time I didn’t stay in Hat Yai and tried to find a night bus that takes me to Bangkok. A huge number of bus companies are competing for customers and tuk tuk drivers take you to bus companies from which they receive commissions – so be careful not to get scammed. A ticket from Hat Yai to Bangkok (16 hours) costs around 1,000 Bhat, depending on the number of seats in the bus (less seats, more room for your legs). Unfortunately, my bus was packed with seats and the overnight-trip to Bangkok was terrible – I just didn’t know where to put my feet, legs and knees!

In the bus from Hat Yai to Bangkok (16 hours)

In the bus from Hat Yai to Bangkok (16 hours)

Eventually, the bus arrived in Bangkok the next morning (05.04.2011) at 10:00am at the southern bus terminal which is inconveniently located on the western side of the river. I took a taxi (around 200 Bhat) to the Sukhumvit area (Little Arabia) to avoid the tourist-crowded Khao San road. After a quick search for an accommodation I rushed to the Vietnamese embassy to apply for a visa for Vietnam. I opted for the express visa which theoretically can be collected on the next day, but the following day was a holiday. So, I had to wait two days for my Vietnam visa which wasn’t too bad since it’s hard to get bored in Bangkok with all it’s tasty street-food, parks, shopping centres, pollution and noise.

The concrete jungle in Bangkok renders everything dark below the massive terraces

The concrete jungle in Bangkok renders everything dark below the massive terraces

Days: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Date: 03.04.2011 – 08.04.2011

Impressions of Thailand / Bangkok

More photos of my trip: Picasa Web Album

 
Facebook Twitter Delicious StumbleUpon Digg

4 Responses to Days 2 – 7: From Malaysia to Thailand

  1. David says:
    April 15, 2011 at 9:58 pm

    Großartige Reiseberichte! Während ich nur zwischen den Landeshauptstädten hin und her pendle, reist du um die halbe Welt – beneidenswert :) Ich hoffe, dass du gesund und in der geplanten Zeit wieder in AT ankommst!

    Grüße aus Wien
    David

    • Philipp Babcicky says:
      April 21, 2011 at 4:56 pm

      hey david, haha auch nicht schlecht – wenigstens weisst du wie man von A nach B kommt. ich muss immer alles mühsam auskundschaften :) freu mich schon wieder auf österreich, wien und guuuuten kaffee :) glg, phil

  2. Bine says:
    April 14, 2011 at 7:45 pm

    Meih, nett!!! – ich kenn so viel (noch, sobald du Thailand verlässt nix mehr, anyway)
    Viel Spaß noch und weiterhin so viele Fotos machen….
    lG, Bine