Phuket and a loop around malaysia

[sydneycraig]

hey all

im based in Phuket and will be heading off in a week or 2 down to malaysia and then doing a loop, perhaps stopping in at singapore too.

http://bit.ly/VWH94o - very rough route - especially from point J onwards (cherating for a spot of surfing)

i will be on my thai registered PCX125 SCOOTER!

i plan to stay in malaysia for 3 months so have PLENTY of time to explore or stay in places a few weeks if i like...

i have my bike registration (green book) and a paper translation - i have an australian motorbike license.

so, looking for any specific tips, must stop places etc etc

i will be setting up a blog to cover this trip (i rode bangkok, samui, trang, phuket and didnt keep any record and find it hard to remember where i went!)

craig

 

[sydneycraig]

ok, so 1st Q's are :

the thai export validity (1 month officially - https://www.gt-rider.com/touring-information-overview/s-e-asian-border-crossings) anyone taken out for 3 months with no problem or can confirm the 2k max fine??

satun border crossing - most reports go thru sadao but i dont want to as my travel insurance is void there - so is the satun border the same as in i can exprt bike, get VOA for malaysia, get the malaysian imprt and insurance at the border etc etc

thanks

 

[sydneycraig]

with relation to the border crossing - if i have to go via sadao, maby i can just get me and the scoot onto a train and train it to penang??? i assume it is relatively safe from a terrorist attack point of view to ride but an accident can happen anywhere when riding and with no insurance becomes a BIG problem...an accident is much less likely on the train!! any advice??

 

[TonyBKK]

sydneycraig;286672 wrote: with relation to the border crossing - if i have to go via sadao, maby i can just get me and the scoot onto a train and train it to penang??? i assume it is relatively safe from a terrorist attack point of view to ride but an accident can happen anywhere when riding and with no insurance becomes a BIG problem...an accident is much less likely on the train!! any advice??

Not sure I understand... Terrorists? In Sadao?!

Isn't the whole point to ride your scoot in Malaysia? Northern Malaysia has some beautiful roads. It is a very biker friendly country and the highways are, dare I say, well up to western standards.

I don't understand your concern about insurance- you will purchase the required liability insurance for your bike at the border. You can purchase travel insurance here in Thailand that will provide medical coverage while you are in Malaysia.

 

[brian_bkk]

sydneycraig;286670 wrote: ok, so 1st Q's are :

the thai export validity (1 month officially - https://www.gt-rider.com/touring-information-overview/s-e-asian-border-crossings) anyone taken out for 3 months with no problem or can confirm the 2k max fine??

satun border crossing - most reports go thru sadao but i dont want to as my travel insurance is void there - so is the satun border the same as in i can exprt bike, get VOA for malaysia, get the malaysian imprt and insurance at the border etc etc

thanks

As far as I have heard 1 month is pretty standard..
Just have to take your chances on the fine and if it is enforced.. or plan a route where you can pop back over not too long in to the 2nd month..

Yet again.. Have heard there is no issues crossing at Satun and would try it next time in preference to Sadao..
You wont enjoy the highways to Sadao on a scooter.

You wont get blown up in Sadao.. Only risk would be in the big towns or following an army / police vehicle.
More chance of getting hit / run off the road by a drunk driver than blown up..

Have you seen this post?
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/showthread.php/37003-All-State-4-Corners-Peninsula-Malaysia-Ride

Looks pretty good if you have lots of time..
3 month is a long time.. Are you going to try and get over to Sarawak?

A good GPS map is Malsing
http://www.malsingmaps.com/portal/

Easily the best country map in the region.. very detailed and updates available regularly..
Best of all free..

Hope you can find time to post the odd update and pic of your trip.. not just the blog.
Something easy to see the latest and how the trip is going..

Cheers
Brian

 

[sydneycraig]

thanks for the links - insurance for bike at the border malaysia side = good
what i meant with insurance in songkhla is that my personal travel insurance i have from australia is invalid when i am in the 3 trouble states as they are on the australian do not travel list...but not an issue as satun seems like a go now...

1 month on the temp export papers is a bit of an issue but i cant see why giving more would be a problem?? its more a case of countires not wanting me to import a bike without paying taxes...! but if they dont give me any paperwork then there is no limit....but maby they wont let me bring it back to thailand?? anyone had issues there??

will be taking plenty of time to stop at places as i feel the need...a couple weeks here and there if/when i find somewhere i want to stay...no plans to head to borneo tho

thanks again for the info - will be going thru that other 4 corners link too

 

[sydneycraig]

and the plan is to have the blog as the main record...but can try and copy the posts into a thread here too...or you can follow the blog (

 

[DavidFL]

sydneycraig;286708 wrote: and the plan is to have the blog as the main record...but can try and copy the posts into a thread here too...or you can follow the blog (

Just post here where you ask all the questions to get the info so that they can be cross linked is best.

 

[TonyBKK]

sydneycraig;286707 wrote: my personal travel insurance i have from australia is invalid when i am in the 3 trouble states

Sadao is in Songkla province which is not one of the three "trouble" states...

 

[sydneycraig]

TonyBKK;286712 wrote: Sadao is in Songkla province which is not one of the three "trouble" states...

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Thailand oz govt think it is 'troubled' !

 

[TonyBKK]

sydneycraig;286718 wrote: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Thailand oz govt think it is 'troubled' !

Ah, I was confused because you mentioned THREE trouble states, which I assumed were Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, but I see on the link you provided that Australia has FOUR provinces listed as trouble states. I'd be more worried about drunk drivers, road hogging fortuners, and kamikaze van drivers than terrorists, but it is of course, entirely up to you.
Have a great trip!

 

[sydneycraig]

TonyBKK;286719 wrote: Ah, I was confused because you mentioned THREE trouble states, which I assumed were Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, but I see on the link you provided that Australia has FOUR provinces listed as trouble states. I'd be more worried about drunk drivers, road hogging fortuners, and kamikaze van drivers than terrorists, but it is of course, entirely up to you.
Have a great trip!

sorry, yes it is 4....and im not so much worried about getting blown up but my travel insurance is invalid in these states...so any medical treatment from a bomb blast to tripping up on my shoelace will be paid by me and not my insurance...

 

[brian_bkk]

sydneycraig;286707 wrote:
1 month on the temp export papers is a bit of an issue but i cant see why giving more would be a problem?? its more a case of countires not wanting me to import a bike without paying taxes...! but if they dont give me any paperwork then there is no limit....but maby they wont let me bring it back to thailand?? anyone had issues there??

It sounds like you want a definite answer.. You had better ring the appropriate authorities and tick all your boxes before you go..
You will get back in.. Just how much of a fine (if any) is enforced is the question.. That will be at the discretion of the border authorities.

If you change your mind.. There are ferries that go over to Sarawak and Sabah.. But believe you need another permit to enter these states.
I would be very tempted to head to these states in East Malaysia.. Heard lots of really good things about them..

Cheers
Brian

 

[sydneycraig]

even if i did get an official answer may well not be any use on the border!
i guess that coming on a clapped out PCX (will be 40,000 kms+ by then) they will assume im not a millionaire!

 

[sydneycraig]

i emailed them and they said insurance was invalid in those states...but will re-ask just in case...but from other posts seems i dont need to go there and can gt in via satun province no problems (well except maby not getting any temp exit papers for the bike!)

ps. what is the best phone data plan month by month in malaysia - currently use AIS @ 350B for 1gig of 3g

 

[brian_bkk]

sydneycraig;286730 wrote: i emailed them and they said insurance was invalid in those states...but will re-ask just in case...but from other posts seems i dont need to go there and can gt in via satun province no problems (well except maby not getting any temp exit papers for the bike!)

ps. what is the best phone data plan month by month in malaysia - currently use AIS @ 350B for 1gig of 3g

Just have a look on DTAC / AIS / True website or give the call centre a ring.....
Be better to buy a SIM in Malaysia for 3 months.

 

[sydneycraig]

yes i have ais here in thai but will get a malaysian sim - just after info on whats a good one to get similar to the ais one i have

 

[sydneycraig]

ok, so im still short on a few details but im off anyhow tuesday morning...if you see an overloaded white PCX pootling thu your neck of the woods stop me and say hello

will set up a blog website tmr and make updates there of the trip

 

[sydneycraig]

Captain_Slash;286919 wrote: Good luck with the trip

thanks...was meant to head off today but the scooter needed some last minute fixes!!
try again in the morning!!

 

[sydneycraig]

sydneycraig;286948 wrote: thanks...was meant to head off today but the scooter needed some last minute fixes!!
try again in the morning!!

hey all. to update...the border crossing was very easy (once i found the insurance lady)

100m before thai immigration on the right hand side you can get insurance and the stickers if you dont have already.
insurance was 1200 baht for 3 months - she also fills out the forms for the JPJ to get your international circulation certificate (just after the malaysian immigration - cant remember how much but not a lot and i paid in baht)

so the only thing you need before you go to the border is the green book and the translation of it into english....

i have some pics of my trip up at www.justridingaround.com

currently in melaka then port dickson, KL, and upto penang...will hopefully get a train (me and the bike) from there to bangkok (any tips on this welcome)

cheers

craig

 

[tehsk30]

have a happy n safe ride.:thumbup:

 

[sydneycraig]

tehsk30;288170 wrote: have a happy n safe ride.:thumbup:

thanks. has ben good so far...managed to avoid any rain except in the cameron highlands and on tioman island but cameron was actual nice to be cold and wet after so long in the searing heat.

overall i think the roads are much better and safer in malaysia than thailand.
potholes on the road into cherating beach were a nightmare but generaly good. i think the general road users in malaysia are much less aggressive than in thailand, but somehow a little more clumsy!

petrol is dirt cheap, but not really an issue with a scooter anyhow.

in terms of food - malaysia wins hands down with really tatsy and dirt cheap food
in terms of booze - malaysia is almost double that of thailand
in terms of hotels - malaysia is a little more expensive but still very doable on a budget (50-100 has been my rough budget as needed)

will keep the blog updated as i keep riding around

 

[tehsk30]

yap...cameron ...especially coming down heading towards Simpang Pulai (highway) .... RAINS...but there's fun riding in the rain rite...:lol-sign: