Ferrying Through Thailand: Island Hopping Insider tips & experience

Recently, our family journeyed through Thailand, and along the way we used ferries at many stops. Perhaps it’s our travel background talking, but we’d like to share some experiences for traveling by ferry in Thailand.

We initially flew into Bangkok and later took a domestic flight to Chumphon. From Chumphon, you have several options: for example, you can head to Phuket or Koh Lanta. We chose the islands on the other side, starting with Koh Tao from the Chumphon Ferry Pier. This pier also serves ferries to Koh Phangan and Koh Samui.

Although we initially thought you could book tickets on the spot, we strongly recommend booking at least 24 hours in advance—online ticket sales often close early, tickets on the spot are sold out and many boats fill up fast (especially during high season).

Chumphon Ferry Pier to Koh Tao

The crossing from Chumphon to Koh Tao takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours. However, don’t expect the ferry to depart on time—patience is key before you try to board. The communication from Lomprayah Ferries leaves much to be desired; you receive stickers and boarding passes and are ushered toward the ferry in a state of organized chaos.

From Koh Tao to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Surat Thani (Don Sak Ferry Port / Raja Ferry Pier)

From Koh Tao, the journey continued toward Khao Sok. Since you can’t reach Khao Sok by ferry, you must book tickets to Surat Thani, where you arrive via stops at Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. Again, with Lomprayah Ferries, there’s little clear communication and the same chaotic atmosphere. After about 2.5 hours of travel, you find yourself at Don Sak’s dock, with nothing but a bus transfer waiting for the next leg of your journey.

Ferry to Ko Lipe – from Hat Yao (Trang) or Pak Bara (Satun)

The next trip was to Koh Lipe, an island further south, west of Langkawi and Malaysia. From Khao Sok, the most logical route on the map was to head to Trang – Hat Yao Pier and catch the ferry/speedboat to Koh Lipe. After a long car ride, we hurried to catch the ferry at noon. Fortunately, we arrived just in time at the Hat Yao ferry pier, where there wasn’t much to do—and luckily, we didn’t have to wait too long. Or so we thought, because this ferry was more than an hour delayed!

After waiting for over an hour in an otherwise uneventful spot, the speedboat finally arrived and whisked us via Ko Libong to Koh Lipe. It was a turbulent crossing over the Andaman Sea that lasted about 1.5 to 2 hours, with the boat bouncing around due to the waves and its speed. Note: This isn’t a traditional ferry—it’s more like a sturdy speedboat with room for only about 20–30 people.

Ko Lipe and Onward

Ko Lipe was absolutely fantastic—a true highlight of our trip. However, after 5 days on the island, we unfortunately had to move on. Once again, we barely managed to book our next ferry in time (so, book early!).

Back to the Mainland from Ko Lipe

From Koh Lipe, we were advised to travel to Pak Bara Pier, which was much more affordable than returning via Hat Yao (Trang). From Pak Bara Pier in Satun, minibuses carry you through much of Thailand. TigerLine Ferries operated all these crossings. Although the organized chaos persisted, at least things were more or less on schedule.

This was supposed to be our final ferry ride, but since our next destination—Ao Nang—was so disappointing, we ended up taking an extra ferry. Ao Nang is a neon-lit, over-touristed town that lacks authenticity—a definite no-go in our opinion.

From Ao Nang/Krabi to Ko Lanta (or from Ko Lipe to Ko Lanta)

In hindsight, we should have taken the direct ferry from Ko Lipe to Ko Lanta, which takes about 4 hours. The question remains whether those 4 hours would have been spent bouncing over the Andaman Sea; in that case, traveling via Pak Bara might have been a more comfortable option. Either way, we found ourselves in Ao Nang before realizing it just wasn’t our scene. Once we arrived, we immediately started figuring out how to leave.

After some research, we discovered that Ko Lanta was well worth the visit. You can take a direct ferry from Ao Nang to Ko Lanta, arriving at Saladan Pier, or opt for a minibus to Ko Lanta followed by a car ferry via the Khlong Mak and Hua Hin Pier—this option turned out to be much more budget-friendly and almost as fast.

Of course, there are many more ferry routes in Thailand—to the Phi Phi Islands, Phuket, and beyond—but those were not on our itinerary this year. We further clarify these routes on our dedicated Thailand page.

Concrete tips for traveling by ferry in Thailand

• If you’re planning to travel by ferry in Thailand, here are a few tips. The most important one is: book your ticket in advance. Trying to buy a ticket last-minute, especially during high season, is often not possible. You can easily book online through websites like DirectFerries or 12Go.Asia. There are also travel agencies on-site that can help. Just make sure to book your ferry ticket at least 24 hours in advance.
• Thailand has many ferry routes, and the booking system offers a wide selection of these routes. If you're having trouble finding a specific route, it might be helpful to consult the ferry map on our Thailand page.
• You can also find tickets from many of the airports to the Islands in the bookingmodule or via 12go.asia – this means that you book a combination of a minivan and a ferry all in one.
• Another key tip: be patient. In our experience, schedules aren’t always strictly followed, and just because you arrive on time doesn’t mean the boat will leave on time. Prepare for delays, as there’s not much you can do about it. It's a good idea to bring some drinks and snacks with you. It’s not uncommon for boats to depart an hour later than planned.
• On some routes, speedboats are used instead of traditional ferries. This is particularly the case on the west coast, with services like TigerLine Ferries. While seasickness is always a possibility, on these speedboats, we’ve seen people turn pale. If you're prone to seasickness, bringing some motion sickness tablets is a smart idea.
• On certain ferries, you can opt to sit in a lounge for a small fee. This can be paid onboard and costs around 100 to 200 bath – roughly $3 to $6 dollars. Often no-one comes to check on the tickets either btw. This is a great option if you’re traveling with children, or just find it to hot on the sundeck. While traveling on the deck can be fun, be mindful of the sun, as the risk of sunstroke is real.