🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The first thing to understand is that the island ferries don't leave from Surat Thani town — they leave from Don Sak Pier, which sits about 45 km south of the city. If you fly into Surat Thani Airport, you'll need another hour-plus by road down to Don Sak. This is where people trip up most often, because they assume that once they reach the city they can hop straight onto a boat.
Start by understanding the route: city → Don Sak → island
The main route has two legs that connect. The first is from wherever you arrive (Surat Thani railway station in Phunphin district, the city centre, or the airport) to Don Sak Pier. The second is the ferry crossing from Don Sak out to the island. Most ferry operators sell a combined bus+boat ticket, so you don't have to arrange the road transfer yourself.
- From the city / Phunphin railway station → Don Sak — vans and buses run the route, taking about 1 hour, with fares starting in the low hundreds of THB. Buying a combined ticket with the ferry is better value and easier.
- From Surat Thani Airport → Don Sak — roughly 100 km, about 1 hour 20 min by road, with vans tied to the ferry lines waiting to pick you up.
- Don Sak → Koh Samui (Nathon / Lipa Noi pier) — the ferry crossing takes about 1 hour 30 min.
- Don Sak → Koh Phangan (Thong Sala pier) — the boat takes about 2 to 2.5 hours depending on the vessel.
Tip
If you buy a joint ticket (bus + boat) once from the city or airport, there's staff to line up your road transfer for you, so you're not dragging luggage around Don Sak looking for the next van. Really handy if it's your first time or you're travelling with older relatives.
Book the activities in your Surat Thani trip ahead
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Pick the right boat: ferry vs speedboat
Only a handful of main operators run boats out of Don Sak, and each one suits a different kind of traveller. The key questions are whether you've brought a car and how long you can stand sitting on a boat.
Raja Ferry Port
The big car ferry — the only operator on this route that lets you drive your own car onto the boat. It runs Don Sak–Lipa Noi (Samui) and Don Sak–Thong Sala (Phangan), with frequent sailings from early morning to evening. Good if you've driven down yourself and want your own car on the island.
Seatran Ferry
The most popular ferry on the Don Sak–Samui run. The boats are newer and there are loads of departures — almost every hour — crossing to Nathon in about an hour and a half. It carries cars too. The frequent schedule gives you flexibility, so you don't have to plan to the minute.
Lomprayah High Speed
A high-speed catamaran for solo travel — no cars. The draw is speed: it reaches Thong Sala (Phangan) in around 1 hour 45 min. Good if you're in a hurry or carrying on to Koh Tao, since Lomprayah also runs the route linking Koh Tao. The trade-off is fewer sailings per day than the ferries, so you have to book a slot that lines up.
Straight talk
Fares are usually around 300–600 THB per person for a ferry, while a speedboat or a combined bus ticket to Phangan can climb to 550 THB and up. These prices shift with the season and fuel costs, so always check the ferry company's website before you travel — don't treat the numbers as fixed.
The 4-day 3-night plan: 2 nights Samui + 1 night Phangan
This plan suits anyone with about 4 days who wants both the convenience of Samui and the laid-back feel of Phangan. The logic is to stay on Samui first because it has more to eat and do, then cross to Phangan at the end to wind down before looping back to the mainland.
Into town – on the ferry – reach Samui
Around Samui: Big Buddha – waterfall – Ang Thong
Cross to Phangan, stay on a quiet beach
Last of Phangan – loop back to the mainland
Adjusting the plan to the time you have
- Only 2 days 1 night — stay on Samui alone: the Big Buddha, the waterfall and Chaweng beach are plenty for a short trip.
- 5–6 days — add Koh Tao after Phangan; the Lomprayah speedboat connects the two. Great if you love diving.
- With family / older relatives — pick the Raja or Seatran ferry, which are more comfortable than a speedboat, and stay around Lamai or Bophut where the surf is gentler.
What people get wrong most often
During the monsoon (roughly October–December), the Gulf of Thailand can get rough and some sailings are cancelled. Keep a backup plan and don't schedule a tight connecting flight on the same day you leave the islands.
Want to see all of Surat Thani — city and islands? Check the full guide
See the Surat Thani travel guide →