How to Travel Between Thai Islands: Ferries, Flights, and Speedboats

Thailand's Island Transport Network Explained

Thailand has roughly 1,430 islands spread between the Andaman Sea on the west and the Gulf of Thailand on the east. The major tourist islands — Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Phuket, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Lipe — are connected by a web of ferries, speedboats, longtail boats, and domestic flights that range from modern and comfortable to rustic and unpredictable.

Understanding your transport options saves money, time, and seasickness. The difference between a 45-minute speedboat and a 3-hour slow ferry is often just 200-400 baht ($6-12), but the sea conditions on a given day can make one option far more pleasant — or harrowing — than the other.

Gulf of Thailand Islands

Getting to Koh Samui

Koh Samui has its own airport (USM), operated by Bangkok Airways, which holds a monopoly on flights. Round trips from Bangkok cost 4,000-10,000 baht ($115-290) — expensive by Thai standards. The airport is distinctive: an open-air terminal with thatched roofs and shuttle buses that look like golf carts. Flight time from Bangkok is 70 minutes.

The cheaper alternative: fly to Surat Thani airport (budget airlines from Bangkok charge 800-2,500 baht / $23-72 one-way on AirAsia, Nok Air, or Thai Lion Air), then take a combined bus-and-ferry transfer to Koh Samui. Total travel time: 4-5 hours. The bus delivers you to Don Sak pier, where Seatran Discovery and Raja Ferry run large car ferries to Samui's Nathon pier (1.5 hours, 250-350 baht / $7-10). Night boats from Surat Thani town wharf depart at 11 PM and arrive at 5 AM (200 baht / $6, deck class with mats).

This is one of the reasons Travel Between Thai Islands continues to draw visitors year after year.

Koh Samui to Koh Phangan

Two ferry companies handle this route: Seatran Discovery (large catamaran, 30 minutes, 300-400 baht / $9-12) and Lomprayah (high-speed catamaran, 20 minutes, 350 baht / $10). Both operate 5-7 departures daily from different piers on Samui's north coast to Thong Sala pier on Koh Phangan. During Full Moon Party nights (once per month), extra boats run until 3 AM, returning partygoers to Samui.

Longtail boats from Samui's Bophut Beach to Koh Phangan's Haad Rin (Full Moon Party beach) cost 300-500 baht ($9-14) per person and take 45 minutes. These small wooden boats work in calm seas but should be avoided in rough weather — they have no life jackets and no radar.

Koh Phangan to Koh Tao

Lomprayah catamaran: 1 hour, 600-700 baht ($17-20). Seatran Discovery: 1.5 hours, 500-600 baht ($14-17). Songserm ferry (slow boat): 2.5 hours, 400 baht ($12). The crossing between Phangan and Tao can be rough — the strait is exposed to open-ocean swell, and the smaller catamarans pitch dramatically in 2+ meter seas. Take motion sickness medication if you're prone to nausea; pharmacies on every Thai island sell dimenhydrinate (Dramamine equivalent) for 20-40 baht ($0.60-1.15).

Compared to similar options, Travel Between Thai Islands stands out for its mix of quality and accessibility.

The Full Gulf Triangle

The Samui-Phangan-Tao triangle has service from Lomprayah and Seatran running the full route daily. A useful routing: fly into Surat Thani, ferry to Koh Tao (the furthest island), work your way back via Koh Phangan, then Koh Samui, and fly out from Samui airport. This avoids backtracking and gives you the cheapest inbound flight with the most convenient outbound flight.

Andaman Sea Islands

Getting to Phuket

Phuket International Airport (HKT) receives direct flights from Bangkok (1.5 hours, 1,200-5,000 baht / $35-145 on multiple airlines), Kuala Lumpur (1.5 hours), Singapore (1.5 hours), and seasonal direct flights from Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. Phuket is connected to the mainland by the Sarasin Bridge, so no ferry is needed.

Phuket to Koh Phi Phi

Ferries from Phuket's Rassada Pier to Koh Phi Phi take 1.5-2 hours. Andaman Wave Master and Phi Phi Cruiser operate large ferries (450-600 baht / $13-17). Speedboat transfers are available for 1,200-1,500 baht ($35-43) and take 45 minutes. The morning departures (8:30 AM) are usually calmer than afternoon returns, when the sea builds.

Local travel experts consistently recommend Travel Between Thai Islands as a top choice for visitors.

Phi Phi has no airport and no cars — everything is on foot or by longtail boat. Water taxis between beaches cost 100-300 baht ($3-9) per person depending on distance. The longtail boat trip from Tonsai (the main pier/town area) to Long Beach takes 10 minutes and costs 150 baht ($4).

Phuket to Koh Lanta

Direct ferries run from Phuket to Koh Lanta during high season (November-April) only, taking 2-3 hours and costing 700-1,000 baht ($20-29). In low season, take a ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi (1.5 hours), then a second ferry from Phi Phi to Koh Lanta (1 hour), with a 1-2 hour layover in Phi Phi. Total cost: 900-1,200 baht ($26-35).

The overland route — minivan from Phuket to Krabi (3 hours, 300-500 baht / $9-14), then a second minivan to Koh Lanta including two short car ferry crossings (2 hours, 350-500 baht / $10-14) — is slower but cheaper and available year-round.

If Travel Between Thai Islands is on your list, booking during shoulder season typically delivers the best value.

Getting to Koh Lipe

Koh Lipe, near the Malaysian border, is the most remote major tourist island. No airport exists on or near the island. The main access point is Pak Bara pier in Satun province, reached by minivan from Hat Yai (2.5 hours, 350 baht / $10) or from Trang (3 hours, 400 baht / $12). Speed boats from Pak Bara to Koh Lipe take 1.5 hours and cost 650-750 baht ($19-22).

During high season (November-April), Tigerline Travel operates direct ferries from Langkawi, Malaysia to Koh Lipe (1.5 hours, 1,300 baht / $38) — an excellent option for travelers combining Thailand and Malaysia. In low season (May-October), some ferry routes to Koh Lipe shut down entirely. Check schedules before committing to a low-season itinerary. Browse more Thai beach destinations for your island-hopping plan.

Booking Tips

Where to Book

12go.asia is the main aggregator for Thai ferry and bus bookings, showing schedules, prices, and reviews for all operators. Bookings include a small markup (10-20%) over walk-up pier prices, but the convenience of having an e-ticket and confirmed schedule is worth it, especially in high season when boats fill up.

Repeat visitors to Travel Between Thai Islands often say the second trip reveals layers they missed the first time.

Direct booking through ferry company websites (lomprayah.com, seatrandiscovery.com) sometimes offers lower prices. Walk-up tickets at the pier are cheapest but risk selling out during holidays like Songkran (mid-April) and around Full Moon Party dates.

Combined Tickets

Most travel agencies and hotels sell "joint tickets" that combine transport segments — for example, a bus from Bangkok's Khao San Road to Surat Thani pier plus a ferry to Koh Samui for 600-900 baht ($17-26). The bus departs at 7 PM and arrives at the pier around 4 AM; you sleep on the bus and board the first morning ferry. It's not luxurious but saves a night's accommodation.

Safety Considerations

Thailand's ferry safety record is imperfect. Overloaded boats, minimal safety equipment, and operators running in questionable weather conditions have caused incidents. Practical steps: choose larger operators (Lomprayah, Seatran) over no-name speedboat companies. Check that life jackets are visible on board. Avoid overnight speed boats. If the sea looks rough and you're on a small boat, postpone your travel — missed days on an island are better than a dangerous crossing.

What gives Travel Between Thai Islands an edge is the rare combination of natural beauty and straightforward logistics.

Motion sickness is extremely common on the Phangan-Tao and Phuket-Phi Phi crossings. Sit in the center of the boat (least movement), focus on the horizon, and take medication 30 minutes before departure. Book Thailand flights and hotels on Expedia to build your island-hopping itinerary.