Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- Currently no flights serve Chumphon. (Air Andaman's flights are defunct, despite website info that hints to the contrary).

By Train -- Eleven daily trains stop in Chumphon from Bangkok. Call Bangkok Hua Lampong Railway Station (tel. 02223-7010 or 1690) for info. The priciest second-class sleeper fare to Bangkok is 770B (US$20/£12), but prices vary according to upper/lower berths and if the carriage is air-conditioned. Chumphon Railway Station (tel. 077-511103) is on Krom Luang Chumphon Road, where there are oodles of restaurants and guesthouses.

By Bus -- Standard air-conditioned buses depart from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal (tel. 02435-1199). The trip lasts 7 hours and costs 340B (US$11/£5.25). The main Chumphon bus terminal (tel. 07750-2725) is 16km (10 miles) north of the town center (a tuk-tuk will cost 100B/US$3.30/£1.55), so jump off in town if your bus stops there first.

By Ferry -- Songserm (tel. 07750-6205; www.songserm-expressboat.com) and Lomprayah (tel. 07755-8212; www.lomprayah.com) run daily express boat services connecting Chumphon with Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Samui, and Surat Thani with connecting buses from the station. There's also a night boat. Expensive (but totally un-ecofriendly) speedboats run in dry season.

By Car -- From Bangkok, use Highway No. 4 or Highway No. 35 (Thon Buri-Pak Tho) and join Highway No. 4; continue past Petchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan to Chumphon junction, and then turn left along Highway No. 4001 to reach town.

Visitor Information

A tourist information office is on the corner of Sala Daeng and Krom Luang Chumphon Roads. A handful of local tour operators is located on Tha Taphao Rd., such as CS Leisure Travel (tel. 07750-3001), New Infinity Travel (tel. 07750-1937), or Suwannatee Tour (tel. 07750-4901), a 10-minute walk southeast of the train station.

Getting Around

By Songtaew -- Songtaews, or covered pickups, cruise the main roads and charge about 20B to 40B per trip (60¢-US$1.15/30p-60p).

By Motorcycle Taxi -- Look for the colored vests designating motorcycle taxi drivers, and bargain hard. Trips start from 20B (57¢/30p).

By Taxi -- Taxis stop behind the old market, opposite Chumphon Bus Terminal. Vehicles can be hired to Lang Suan, Ranong, and Surat Thani; inquire at your hotel for details.

Orientation

Chumphon's center is small enough to negotiate on foot: Krom Luang Chumphon Road, near the railway station, is the place for dining and accommodations options, and Tha Taphao Road houses a small bus terminal and a variety of tour operators.

Fast Facts

Numerous banks sit on Sala Daeng Road, which runs parallel to Tha Taphao Road. The main post office on Poramin Mankha Road is out of the town center; mail can generally be sent from your hotel. For Internet service, the guesthouses and travel agencies along Tha Taphao Road can all assist. For police assistance, call tel. 07751-1505.