Without a doubt, Koh Phangan is a popular holiday destination in Thailand with its beautiful sprawling white sand beaches, numerous dive sites, and other attractions. Known as one of the party islands in Thailand, this island is situated about 70 km away from the mainland of Thailand. Although it used to be a relatively unknown island, Koh Phangan is now a paradise for yogis, backpackers, party lovers, and lots more from Surat Thani and other places around the country.
Getting to Koh Phangan from Surat Thani is not difficult as there are numerous options available. However, you must note that the island doesn’t have an airport, so you cannot fly from Surat Thani airport to Koh Phangan. The transportation options from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan usually involve the combination of different modes such as ferries, buses, speedboats, taxis, and so on.
Various transportation companies take care of the needs of people that want to travel from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan. The companies include Lomprayah Tour Company, Phantip 1970, Seatran Discovery, and Raja Ferry. Each company has varying schedules that will be explained later so that you can plan your trip from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan.
What is the distance/travel time from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan?
Normally, the distance between these two popular locations is approximated to be 101 km. However, it can be quite difficult to tell the specific travel time from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan because the time may differ based on the transportation option you are taking. For instance, a direct bus to Koh Phangan from Si Wichai (Surat Thani) will require over 4 ½ hours whereas taking a ferry will only require around 2 hours for the same journey. But you should note that going by ferry will cost more than traveling by bus.
Traveling by VIP coach and ferry
One of the best ways to travel from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan is via VIP coach and ferry. This service is usually provided by Phantip 1970, which is one of the longest-serving transportation companies on the islands. After boarding the VIP coach, the company will take you to Donsak Pier within 1.5 hours. At Donsak Pier, you will get on the ferry that will convey you to Koh Phangan. Traveling on the waters will last for more than 2 hours.
Generally, the VIP coach is big and air-conditioned with comfortable seating arrangements. The ferry is also neat and comfortable. The total journey will cost you around $15 to $20 and could take about 4 hours.
Traveling by bus and catamaran
Another option for moving to Koh Phangan from Surat Thani is through a bus and a catamaran provided by Lomprayah Tour Company. This company is well known to offer some of the best travel experiences to both locals and foreigners going to the islands of Phangan. The bus-catamaran combination doesn’t require lots of waiting time; hence, it helps you to get to your destination as quickly as possible.
Lomprayah has various dedicated stops around Surat Thani, so just need to get to one of the stops to be picked up by a minivan. Then, you will be taken to Tapee Pier where the awesome and fast catamarans of this tour company are waiting for you and other passengers. The fully air-conditioned boat comes with a lovely seating area that has numerous chairs for every passenger. Based on the weather condition, you may want to look for a space on the lower or upper decks of the catamaran.
The first trip for each day starts at 8 am whereas the second one departs at about 2:30 pm. Within 3.5 hours of getting to the bus terminal in Surat Thani, you should be in Koh Phangan to have fun and explore its beauties. This trip costs around $26.
Traveling by taxi and ferry
The next comfortable and enjoyable option for traveling to Koh Phangan from Surat Thani involves the combination of a taxi and a ferry. The taxi will come to you pick you up at a designated place and convey you to Donsak Pier. The good thing about the taxis is that they offer lots of legroom. Besides, they guarantee more privacy as you will only be sharing the taxi with only 10 to 12 individuals. If you want more privacy, you should consider booking a private ride with your preferred group of passengers.
Once the taxi has taken you to the port, all passengers will board a ferry. Notably, the ferries are operated by different companies. If you prefer a high-speed ferry, you should go for Seatran Discovery. Nonetheless, Raja Ferry also offers similar high-quality services for anyone moving from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan. Each ferry is air-conditioned, spacious, comfortable, and clean.
Regardless of the company you are using, the trip from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan via a taxi-ferry combo will take at least 4 hours. Also, the cost is usually more than $30 for each passenger.
Where can you get a ticket for any of your trips to Koh Phangan from Surat Thani?
Some of the companies allow passengers to buy a ticket at the point of departure. But this is not advisable during the peak period as the ferries may not have any vacant seats close to the departure time. So, you should consider booking online ahead of your proposed trip to the Phangan islands. You may want to visit 12Go to book your ticket.
Conclusion
With the help of the article, you now understand that there are different ways to travel to Koh Phangan from Surat Thani. The travel options are operated by various companies, so you may want to take the time to learn about each company and the quality of their services before booking to travel with them. However, you don’t have to worry too much about this as their services are competitive; hence, each transportation company is looking for ways to outdo the others.