Many go there for the Three Pagoda Pass or for the Khao Laem Reservoir with its inundated temple. But Sangkhlaburi also offers some possibilities for great off-road driving. By that, I don’t mean ordinary dirt road driving, which most urban 4WD vehicles (like a Toyota Fortuner) can handle. By that, I mean rough tracks that are barely passable in the rainy season unless you have a modified 4WD and arrive with similarly equipped friends.
Most people having a 4WD vehicle never use the 4WD option or use it when it isn’t even necessary. In Kazakhstan, I saw what ordinary sedans could do on rough mountain roads as long as the driver was cautious. It is extremely rarely that I engage the 4WD when driving on dirt tracks, e.g., in Thai national parks. Unless the surface is slippery (mud, snow), 2WD will get you through most challenges – as long as your tires have grip, you normally won’t face problems as long as you have the necessary ground clearance.
In Sangkhlaburi, I hooked up with http://www.22nor4x4.com/2011/ to enter a national park. I soon got left behind. The Fortuner did not have the right tires, did not have sufficient ground clearance to leave me with a safety margin and with automatic gear shift it was difficult for me to control the torque.
Admittedly, it was during the rainy season, making conditions more muddy, more difficult, but I learned my lesson, admitted my defeat, and pulled out. Next time, I’ll use a proper 4WD vehicle.
A Fortuner is only suitable to cruise around Bangkok and to vist dry rice fields in Isan, but not for real off-road challenges
