From the Pattaya Mail newspaper today. Pete
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Stormbringer introduce direct Hua Hin service

Not too long ago, three friends were sitting in a bar in Pattaya and talking of how to get to Hua Hin for a golfing trip when they realized that there was no direct service between the two locations.
With this in mind they decided to form Stormbringer Charters, which is now operating a direct minibus service and as of the 15th of February a direct air service linking up with SGA’s Bangkok-Hua Hin scheduled flights.
Starting at the beginning of March they will also launch a high-speed ferry service doing the crossing from Pattaya to Hua Hin in a blistering 2 hours. This will present passengers with aircraft type seating for up to 25 people and a hostess service offering drinks and snacks. The pick up point will be from Bali Hai pier in Pattaya and a free shuttle bus will meet the boat at Pak Nam Pran Marina to transfer passengers to Hua Hin. It is planned to offer two trips a day from Pattaya, departing at 9am and 4pm respectively. The return journeys will be at 6am and 1pm.
As mentioned, Stormbringer Charters are also currently running a minibus service to Hua Hin which departs twice daily at 6am and 12 noon from Jomtien, Second Rd and Dolphin Roundabout. The minibuses are new and can carry golf clubs and luggage etc in the trailer. The fare one-way is 450 Baht and the trip takes 4hrs with a 10min stop halfway.
The air service takes 30mins; they fly twice a day and prices and schedules are available on request.
In all the services offered provide a safe and hassle free transfer between these two major holiday destinations.

Pete, cheers for that; just this morning I was speaking to a colleague, who has just returned from six weeks playing golf, (according to him!)in Pattaya.
I told him he should come to Hua Hin sometime, he said he would like to but the journey was too much trouble.
If these links come off he will now have to think of a new reason not to visit!

Does he get sea sick?

Remember, there are two stages of sea sickness, the first is when you are afraid you'll die, the second is when you become afraid that you won't.

I think they're doing the right thing starting in March. The 2-4 meter waves we have now should??..be gone. This may get regular pasengers used to the ride and if they should again try during monsoon or winter, at least they'll have some experience. I think more well-to-do tourists will try this than expats, although you will have your golfers going to and fro. If I see the tariff published later, I'll post. Pete

I think it might be successful with the golfers and I can imagine tourists going across for a day out. I will definitely give it a try, I have a lot of friends who spend time in Pattaya.
As to getting sea sick, anyone can put up with that for two hours; Jimbo’s obviously had some experience of the Douglas-Heysham ferry in the Irish Sea, which rolled like a bitch every time I used it back in the eighties.

Also heard recently in the rumour mill that a High Speed Ferry service is planned Pattaya to Prachuap. Anybody else heard this one?

Keep us up to date, Pete.
450, one way, I'll never want to come back. (Never been to Pattaya BTW).
Brilliant if that starts off. I've got divorce on the cards already - the missus isn't too impressed by that bit of info. Oh well, there you go.

Nothing much has changed, I had a really bad crossing a couple of weeks ago from Heysham.

There is now an additional fastcraft service in the summer from Liverpool to Douglas which takes two and a half hours; it uses at times both a catamaran and a monohull, when the weather is poor the catamaran rejoices in its well earned nickname of “the vomit cometâ€

JimboPSM,
Sorry, I don't know what happened there. My comment attached to your post.
For everyone's benefit, it started "But that isn't the Gulf of Thailand..... " and it was worthless anyway. So, I'll ahve another beer.

Just to clairfy, the 450 is for their bus service starting February 1, not the boat fare which has not been announced yet. In fact, I saw another add today that the bus is 490, not 450. That's still a good price but I question their '4 hour' claim, They will have to drive like a bat out of hell and hope for no congestion or road work on rt 35 or rt 4. I did it coming HH to Pattaya in 4 hours last time but no traffic and I was averaging 120 the whole way. Pete

Pete, I agree with you on the road, I did it last year and it took me nearly nine hours, most of it in traffic in Bangkok. A boat is the way to go; if you get sea sick, the old navy diet of beer and biscuits will keep you going.

Hi Jimbo, Your post brought back fond memories indeed. In the early 80's I used to travel on the Liverpool to Douglas ferry often for the 'TT' races. Ahh what memories, a ferry full of puking bikers all skulling larger and smoking pot.
The best was the 2 stroke boys who started up their bikes in the hold as soon as they saw Douglas Pier filling all the lower decks with smoke.....
(sorry off topic)

Randy, you've been there as well; what was that pub an the sea front where drunken bikers used to spend the evening pulling mad stunts outside? Made young Thais look very responsible with regards to road safety!

I'll just stick to a car or take the bus no boat rides for me.

You are probably thinking of Bushy's, unfortunately the original Bushy's has closed and been converted into offices.

However, for the TT fortnight the original owner of Bushy's erects a Beer tent on the promenade nearby