Khao Lak is not on Phuket. It sits on the mainland in Phang Nga province, and the Sarasin Bridge lies between it and the airport.
The drive is about 83 km and takes roughly eighty minutes: Route 402 north through the island, then Highway 4 over the bridge and on up the coast.
01
Do you need permission to take the car off the island?
The supplier's conditions ask you to confirm at the booking stage that the car may be driven out of the province, and to ask whether that changes the price or conditions, which clause 9 says can vary; this applies when renting a car at Phuket airport too. The same holds for a Khao Lak car rental, where the supplier brings the car to the address you give rather than meeting you at a point.
The provincial line is inside Thailand, not an international border, and there is no paperwork for crossing it. The documents that matter north of the bridge are the ones you need south of it: your home licence and an International Driving Permit, both produced at the handover.
If you would rather not drive the leg, the car can be delivered to your accommodation in Khao Lak and handed over in person, as at any other pickup point.
02
Which car should you rent for this run?
Which car to rent in Phuket depends on passengers and luggage. On this run you are on Highway 4, a main road, for most of an hour, and four adults with cases to Khao Lak and back need more boot space than a trip to the beach.
Size up for luggage and passengers, not for the terrain. A standard car carries the bags; an SUV carries more of them.
Mileage is set per vehicle, and each car says whether it is unlimited or capped. A return run from the airport to Khao Lak is roughly 166 km before any local driving, so check a capped allowance against that distance before you book.
03
What is the drive like?
Route 402 north is wide, the bridge is short, and Highway 4 beyond it is a trunk road without the steep hill sections of the west coast. Traffic keeps left, as in Britain, Ireland and Australia.
Follow the posted speed limit, which is lower inside built-up areas and past schools and hospitals. There are cameras on Highway 402 and roadside checks are routine, so keep your licence and permit within reach.
In the wet season, roughly May to October, expect at least one heavy downpour on a run this length, and driving on Phuket in rain means slowing down, putting the lights on and leaving a bigger gap. In the wet months, driving conditions on Phuket include downpours that cut visibility hard and usually pass within the hour. The main roads drain well.
04
Is it better to collect at the airport or in Khao Lak?
Collecting at the terminal means you drive north as soon as you land, which suits a daylight arrival. You also have the car at the airport end of the trip as well as the Khao Lak end.
Having it delivered to Khao Lak instead means a transfer up and a handover at your hotel, which suits a long-haul arrival or a late landing. The daily rate is the same either way; delivery away from the airport is priced per car and shown in the search.
Whichever you choose, the handover is identical: the supplier meets you in person and you walk round the car together before you sign anything. That walk-round is when any damage already on the car gets recorded, so photograph both bumpers, all four wheels, the windscreen and the fuel gauge while you do it.
FAQ
Questions people ask
The bridge, the province, the mileage and where to collect.
About eighty minutes for roughly 83 km, taking Route 402 north and then Highway 4 over the Sarasin Bridge. It is a main road for almost all of it, so the time is fairly predictable outside a heavy downpour.
Yes. Khao Lak is on the mainland, reached by road over the Sarasin Bridge. The supplier's conditions ask you to confirm at the booking stage that the car may be driven out of the province; confirm it before you pay.
No border. Khao Lak is in Phang Nga province, and on Highway 4 you cross a provincial line inside Thailand, not an international border. Your licence and International Driving Permit are the documents that matter, as they are on the island.
Mileage is unlimited on some cars here and capped on others, and it is set per vehicle. A return run from the airport to Khao Lak is roughly 166 km before any local driving, so check the figure on the car you are booking if it is capped.
Set the different drop-off at the search stage rather than asking on the day, because it changes which cars are offered and what they cost. Both points are served, so the search will show what is available for that pairing.
The road north is wide and has none of the steep hill sections of the west coast south of the airport. As a first longer drive it is easier than the trip over to Patong.
Ready to pick a car?
Check the mileage limit for this run; it is shown on each car in the search alongside the deposit. Put your dates in to compare cars.
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