| Ferry Koh Phangan - Chumphon ฿ 1,100–1,250 3h 15m – 4h 30m | |
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Category: Travel
Tickets for Koh Phangan to Krabi
| Bus Koh Phangan - Krabi ฿ 1,200 4h 30m | |
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| Taxi Koh Phangan - Krabi ฿ 7,810–9,950 5h – 9h | |
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| Ferry Koh Phangan - Krabi ฿ 680–1,200 5h – 11h | |
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| Van Koh Phangan - Krabi ฿ 940 9h | |
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Krabi has been a backdrop in several films. The coastal scenery in Krabi is well worth a visit. It is a pleasant seaside town and a perennial favorite with tourists, offering good value accommodation and facilities.
It takes 8 hours or 8.5 hours to travel from Koh Phangan to Krabi. The journey starts at the Thongsala ports. The Raja Car Ferry offers joint ferry and bus tickets to Phuket. Departure times are 5 am, 8 am and 11 am. If you take the earliest ferry you can be in Krabi 1 pm. It is a very manageable journey that avoids an uncomfortable overnight experience. The cost per ticket is just 590 Thai Baht.
Tickets for Koh Phangan to Koh Tao
| Ferry Koh Phangan - Koh Tao ฿ 500–600 1h – 2h | |
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Tickets for Koh Phangan to Koh Samui
| Ferry Koh Phangan - Koh Samui ฿ 250–20,800 30m – 2h 30m | |
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Tickets for Koh Phangan to Hat Yai
| Bus Koh Phangan - Hat Yai ฿ 690 10h | |
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| Ferry Koh Phangan - Hat Yai ฿ 680–1,150 9h 30m – 13h | |
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Tickets for Koh Phangan to Hua Hin
| Bus Koh Phangan - Hua Hin ฿ 1,350 8h 45m | |
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| Taxi Koh Phangan - Hua Hin ฿ 11,375–12,500 10h | |
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| Ferry Koh Phangan - Hua Hin ฿ 1,650 8h 45m – 9h 30m | |
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Tickets for Koh Phangan to Phuket
| Bus Koh Phangan - Phuket ฿ 1,400 7h 30m | |
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| Taxi Koh Phangan - Phuket ฿ 7,260–9,950 9h – 12h | |
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| Ferry Koh Phangan - Phuket ฿ 710–1,060 7h 30m – 15h | |
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One of the highlights of a visit to Thailand is indubitably Phuket. The beaches are gorgeous, the scenery like a film backdrop, and eye watering prices to match. Yes, Phuket is the most expensive place in Thailand, but it is also a place of stunning natural beauty.
Phuket is located on the west coast of Thailand, just south of Koh Phangan. It doesn’t look far away on a map, but the journey takes 10 hours with the Raja Ferry or 9.5 hours with the Phantip Travel company. Both these options involve a ferry followed by a bus journey. They both drop passengers at Phuket Bus Terminal 2.
There aren’t any train lines going from Surat Thani to Phuket. It is possible to get a airplane from Surat Thani to Phuket.
The start of the journey in Koh Phangan is Thongsala. Ferries leave at 5 am, 8 am and 11 am.
Tickets for Koh Phangan to Bangkok
| Bus Koh Phangan - Bangkok ฿ 1,180–1,435 11h 45m – 18h 30m | |
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| Taxi Koh Phangan - Bangkok ฿ 13,500–19,500 11h | |
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| Ferry Koh Phangan - Bangkok ฿ 1,650 11h 45m – 12h | |
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| Taxi Koh Phangan - Suvarnabhumi Airport ฿ 13,500–19,500 11h | |
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| Taxi Koh Phangan - Don Mueang Airport ฿ 13,500–19,500 11h | |
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There are plenty of options for getting from Koh Phangan to Bangkok. Unless you take an airplane, the journey involves overnight travel. The cheap ferry and bus options all start in the morning and get you to Bangkok the following evening.
All departures for Bangkok start in Thongsala. Arrange a taxi the night before.
Lomprayah offer a good value joint ticket using its high speed catamaran and a large bus with air-con and sometimes videos. The journey time is 12 hours.
Seatran has a medium-sized boat. They offer a similar service to Lomprayah but slightly cheaper and slight longer (14 hours).
When all services are available, there is also the train option. A bus takes people to the station in Phun Phin (Suratthani). Second or first class sleeper tickets are available. The train option allows for a better night’s sleep but the train journey really drags as Bangkok approaches. The joint ferry/bus/train ticket is a little more expensive than the ferry+bus option.
Most of the joint tickets drop the passengers at the top of Khao San Road.
Remember to keep your valuables with you and not in your main luggage in the hold.
Coronavirus Update for Koh Phangan
Those who spend a lot of time on Koh Phangan or frequently visit the island used to tell anyone who cared to listen that Koh Phangan was a place that prided itself on being a law unto itself. Throughout the years the central authority in Bangkok has been making decrees affecting the island. And the take up has always been patchy.
The notion is that the Thais (aided and abetted by foreigners), especially Southerners in Thaksin supporting areas, often ignored regulations from the government. Parties need licenses – yeah whatever; bars need to shut at midnight – yeah whatever; the consumption of marijuana must be pro-actively discouraged – yeah whatever.
For years local residents have petitioned the authorities on curbing the proliferation of parties in the Bantai area. They are given lip service; and little more.
So, it might have come as a shock when on 26th January police raided the 63 Bar in Koh Phangan that was holding a party. They arrested 89 foreigners of which 6 were British. 22 Thai were also arrested. Everyone caught were given small fines and suspended prison sentences.
Normally the police raid a bar, and most people slip away via the many exits usually available, with an unlucky couple of foreigners being taken away in handcuffs, and the Thais milling around like butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths. Not this time.
As it stands bars and restaurants are open in Koh Phangan. They have to stop selling alcohol by 24.00. Hotels, gyms, spas and massage parlours are open but operate under Covid safety rules. These rules include wearing masks in certain situations.
The reality on the ground is that Thailand closed its airports to international travellers early on in the pandemic in 2020. These rules have now been eased but visitors are made to provide negative covid-19 tests and to spend 14 days in a quarantine hotel, the costs of which fall upon the traveller. These restrictions have deterred all but the most determined and the most idly rich from visiting Koh Phangan.
The foreigners arrested at 63 Bar will have mostly been long stay residents, probably with some financial stake in the island – such as divers, small business owners etc.
The bars, restaurants, gyms, spas and hotels on the island are desperate for the tourists to return to the island. They are also desperate for the Full Moon Party and all the other parties start up again (they were closed in March 2020). Without the monthly influxes of people, rents and salaries cannot be paid. The huge grey and black markets have been decimated.
Expect as 2021 progresses and more people around the world are vaccinated, and somewhat ignorantly consider themselves safe, the clamour will increase for the removal of the quarantine hotel restriction and the return of the parties (with passing nods to social distancing). People will attempt land crossings, illegal parties and the such like to reignite the good times in one of the world’s most famous good time locations.
Currently UK citizens are not allowed to travel abroad except for work, study or emergency reasons. Ministers have indicated that it is too early to book summer holidays. You would be foolish at this stage (February 2021) to book flights to Thailand and hotels in Thailand.
The Thai government has ordered 63 million doses of coronavirus vaccine, much of them either the AstraZeneca vaccine or the Chinese Sinovac vaccine. The roll out of the vaccination program will be a challenge to the health infrastructure of the country, not least because access to some island and rural communities is problematic, and because many inhabitants of the Kingdom simply go unregistered.
The land of the free, the land of smiles and the land of whatever you want has long been a mecca for libertarians keen to eschew the shackles of laws that don’t fit with their notions of fun. The problem is that now those fun activities are the most likely to spread the virus and cause death, even for the young and supposedly immune.
Sources:
New Lomprayah Office in Thongsala
Those looking for the Lomprayah Office in Thongsala at the pier will be scratching their heads. It has moved, and is no longer at the pier near where the boats arrive and depart. But don’t panic – it is nearby.
For many experienced Koh Phangan hands the Lomprayah Catamaran service is by far the best ferry option for getting to and leaving Koh Phangan. The catamaran’s are well maintained and comfortable inside. Moreover, they are the fastest boats plying the Gulf of Thailand. You can knock an hour off travelling time by using Lomprayah. For the few extra Baht the Lomprayah costs compared to other ferry companies, this is money well spent.
The new Lomprayah office is near the Post Office in Thongsala. For the exact location see the map below. The office is well laid out. There is a counter to purchase tickets as well as plenty of seating for those having to kill some time before getting on a ferry. And, as you can see from the picture above, they have spent a bit of money on new signage!
Where Can You Go with Lomprayah?
Lomprayah has a range of destinations on offer. They team up with bus and plane companies to offer a wide range of travel options for those leaving Koh Phangan. Below are a list of destinations along with price and times. You can book online here and you can compare prices and travel times with other ferry companies. These are not the only routes that Lomprayah cover from Koh Phangan. You can find out more on their website or by visiting the Lomprayah Office.
It is worth noting that while it is possible to get same day tickets sometimes demand outstrips supply during peak times such as the Full Moon Party and New Year’s Eve. The traditional summer holiday months also get very busy.
Bangkok
| Phangan | Bangkok | Journey | Cost |
| 08.30 | 20.30 | 12 hrs 00 m | 1,250 THB |
| 13.00 | 00.30 | 11 hrs 30 m | 1,250 THB |
Use the Search Box below to buy your tickets from Koh Phangan to Bangkok. Secure online booking and instant ticket confirmation. After booking you will be sent an E-Voucher which you then exchange at Koh Phangan Ferry Port for your tickets when you check in.
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The 08.30 departure from Koh Phangan with the Lomprayah Company is the best one to book if seats are available. The 08.30 departure arrives at the mainland ferry pier near Chumphon at 12 noon. You get an hour to relax at the ferry port, which is on a pleasant beach, and have lunch before boarding the bus to Bangkok.
Koh Samui
There are a number of services plying the short route between Koh Phangan and Koh Samui.
| Company | Ferry Times | Arrival Pier |
| Seatran Discovery | 08.00, 10.30, 16.30 | Bangrak Pier |
| Lomprayah | 11.00, 16.20 | Mae Nam Pier |
| Lomprayah | 07.20, 09.00, 12.00, 14.30 | Na Thon Pier |
Tickets for all of the ferry services listed above can be purchased online using the search box below.
- Tickets for most services cost the same amount as they would be if purchased at the ferry pier on the day of travel.
- Instant ticket confirmation.
- E-Ticket sent by e-mail.
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Koh Tao
Travel Times to Koh Tao (Lomprayah)
| Phangan | Koh Tao | Journey | Cost |
| 08.30 | 10.15 | 1 hr 45 m | ฿ 550 |
| 13.00 | 14.00 | 1 hr 00 m | ฿ 550 |
| 17.30 | 18.30 | 1 hr 30 m | ฿ 600 |
The Lomprayah ferry is slightly more expensive but the service is also slightly better than the Seatran. Large items of luggage are taken on and off the boat by the staff and the seating on the Lomprayah ferries is better and there is more of it.
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Hat Yai
| Phangan | Hat Yai | Journey | Ticket | Company |
| 07.20 | 15.00 | 7 hr 40 m | 800 THB | Lomprayah Ferry |
| 08:00 | 16:00 | 8 hr 00 m | 830 THB | Seatran Discovery |
| 09:00 | 16:40 | 7 hr 40 m | 800 THB | Lomprayah Ferry |
| 12:00 | 19:40 | 7 hr 40 m | 800 THB | Lomprayah Ferry |
Use the Search Box below to find your tickets from Koh Phangan to Hat Yai. Booking in advance makes sense because of the early departure times for many of the services.
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Phuket
Travel Times from Koh Phangan to Phuket
| Company | Phangan | Phuket | Journey | Cost |
| Lomprayah | 07.20 | 15.00 | 7 hr 40 m | 1,000 THB |
| Lomprayah | 12.00 | 19.40 | 7 hr 40 m | 1,000 THB |
This services goes direct to the centre of Phuket Town. Book early if you want to take the 07.20 departure as these tickets often sell out. The 12.00 departure, which arrives at 19.40, is the less popular option.
The service we recommend is provided by the Lomprayah High Speed Ferry Company. The journey with the Lomprayah High Speed Ferry Company has two stages:
- Ferry to Donsak Ferry Port on the mainland.
- Luxury bus direct from Donsak Ferry Port to Phuket Town.
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Krabi
There are three travel companies who operate a daily direct ferry and bus service from Koh Phangan to Krabi:
- Seatran Discovery
- Lomprayah High Speed Ferry
- Phantip Travel
Tickets on all the three services from Koh Phangan to Krabi listed below can be purchased online using the Search Box below.
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This service starts with a ferry service from Koh Phangan to Donsak, however, the ferries Lomprayah use are high-speed catamarans and they travel much faster than the Seatran boats. The ferry journey takes around 1 hour 15 minutes and the overall journey is about 1 hour faster with the Lomprayah service, although the ticket price is 100 THB per person more expensive than the tickets sold by the Seatran Discovery Company.
Travel Times to Krabi (Lomprayah Ferry)
| Phangan | Krabi | Journey | Cost |
| 07.20 | 12.20 | 5 hr 00 m | ฿ 850 |
| 09.00 | 15.00 | 5 hr 00 m | ฿ 850 |
| 12.00 | 17.00 | 5 hr 00 m | ฿ 850 |
| 14.30 | 19.30 | 5 hr 00 m | ฿ 850 |
Location of New Lomprayah Office
Use the map below to find the Lomprayah Office. It is just a few minutes walk from the ferry pier.