Kota
Baru, also in Malaysia, is another option and if you are taking a
longer break it is near the beautiful Pentean Islands famed for their
marvelous snorkeling. Kota Baru is a very quiet little town and after
the hustle and bustle of Bangkok you may find it a relaxing break
or more likely very boring. There are no bars in the town as Kota
Baru is in a a very fundamentalist state so if drinking is your thing
- fuhgedaboutit. The people are very friendly however and there are
plenty of places to stay. The Thai embassy in Kota Baru may be slightly
more lax than the one in Penang and there is a chance your visa can
be processed quicker.
To
get here the most common way is to take an overnight train from Hualompong
train station to Sungai Kolok on the southern border. From here, a
motorcycle will cross the border proper for $.50. (Note. I don't know
if this was an oversight by the customs official but when I did this
trip having overstayed several days, he did not charge me anything,
or indeed even mention it.) After crossing the border it's about a
two-hour bus journey into Kota Baru. The Thai Embassy is a small affair,
I think it may even be a consulate, which is short taxi ride from
most guesthouses/hotels.
