All routes to Koh Phangan, depending on where you start.
Koh Phangan has no airport, so all journeys end by boat, and almost all boats arrive at Thong Sala, the main port on the southwest coast. The fastest way to reach Koh Phangan from Bangkok is by flying with Bangkok Airways to Koh Samui (approximately 1 hour 10 minutes) and then taking a boat (20–50 minutes) for 200–500 baht. The cheaper alternative is to fly to Surat Thani on the mainland, followed by a bus and boat journey (2 hours 45 minutes to 4.5 hours) for 500–1,050 baht.
Check the current flight times and seat availability for flights from Bangkok to Koh Phangan on 12Go.
By land, the Lomprayah night bus runs from Khao San Road via Chumphon and Koh Tao to Thong Sala, arriving there at 10:30 PM for 1,350 baht. Sleeper trains stop in Surat Thani. From Koh Tao, the boat trip takes about an hour. Lomprayah sells through tickets from Krabi or Phuket. I would fly to Samui if the flight price is similar, otherwise to Surat Thani.
Accommodation in Koh Phangan
This route ends in Koh Phangan. Search for hotels in Koh Phangan for your travel dates or narrow your search to the region you wish to visit. Filter for hotels with free cancellation if you'd like to book a room and decide later.
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My recommendations for every price category on Koh Phangan
Key facts
The quickest way is to fly to Samui and take a short boat trip.
Bangkok Airways flies from Bangkok to Samui in about 1 hour 10 minutes for about 2,800 Baht, and the Lomprayah boats cross from Bangrak, near the airport, to Thong Sala in 30 minutes for 350 Baht.
The cheaper flight goes to Surat Thani.
Approximately 14 flights daily from Bangkok's two airports, starting from about 1,300 Baht, then a bus and boat ticket for 500–1,050 Baht and 2 hours 45 to 4.5 hours.
The Lomprayah night bus from Khao San arrives at 10:30 am.
The bus and catamaran departing at 10:00 PM travels via Chumphon and Koh Tao for 1,350 Baht or 1,650 Baht with a VIP seat.
The sleeper trains stop in Surat Thani.
Bus number 85 leaves Bangkok at 7:50 PM and arrives at the train station at 6:23 AM. A second-class sleeper berth costs approximately 700–900 baht. Tickets for the bus and boat are sold in the station forecourt.
It takes about an hour from Koh Tao.
Lomprayah's catamarans cost 600 baht, the speedboats 700 baht, and the slow ferry 450 baht. Boonsiri and Songserm also operate on this route.
Book three to seven days in advance for the full moon party.
On public holidays, all boats to Thong Sala are fully booked. Otherwise, tickets can still be purchased on the same day.
All routes to Koh Phangan compared
Boat times and prices from Lomprayah's 2026 timetable and the operators' timetables in our route guides; train connections from Barrow's Thai Tracks timetable; flight prices from 12Go for November dates.
Check the current ticket prices from Bangkok to Koh Phangan
12Go shows you bus and boat tickets, train combinations and flight combinations from Bangkok with seats for your desired date.
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From Bangkok
Flying is the fastest way to get there. Bangkok Airways is the only airline to Koh Samui, with about 20 daily departures from Suvarnabhumi Airport and three from Don Mueang. The flight time is approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes, and the price is around 2,800 baht each way, rising to over 6,000 baht during peak season. From Samui Airport, head to the nearby Bangrak Pier. From there, Lomprayah catamarans depart for Thong Sala roughly every hour between 8:00 AM and 5:30 PM for 350 baht. Alternatively, low-cost airlines offer about 14 daily flights to Surat Thani for approximately 1,300–1,600 baht. From there, you can reach Koh Phangan in 3 to 4.5 hours by bus and boat.
For travel by land, Lomprayah offers a combination ticket from their office in Khao San Road via Chumphon and Koh Tao. The 10:00 PM bus, followed by a catamaran transfer, arrives in Thong Sala at 10:30 AM for 1,350 baht (1,650 baht with a VIP seat). The 9:30 PM bus, followed by a ferry transfer in Koh Tao, also arrives at 10:30 AM and costs 1,150 baht. The 6:00 AM daytime bus arrives in Thong Sala at 4:45 PM. The night train travels in the opposite direction via Surat Thani. Train number 85 departs Bangkok at 7:50 PM and arrives in Phun Phin at 6:23 AM. The Lomprayah bus departs from the train station at 9:30 AM and arrives in Thong Sala at 12:45 PM for 850 baht. Our travel guide from Bangkok to Koh Phangan includes information on early connecting flights and the return journey.
Via Koh Samui
Samui is located 15 km south of Phangan. Boats depart from six piers on the north and west coasts, taking 20 to 50 minutes and costing 200–500 baht. Bangrak is the closest pier to Chaweng or Choeng Mon airports. From there, Lomprayah catamarans and Lomlahkkhirin speedboats run approximately hourly. The Haad Rin Queen is the only boat that goes directly from Big Buddha Pier to Haad Rin Beach. All other boats dock in Thong Sala. Our Koh Samui and Koh Phangan travel guide includes all piers, boats, and prices.
About Surat Thani
From Surat Thani airport, train station, or city center, a bus or minivan will take you to Donsak Pier with a ticket, from where you can take a boat to Thong Sala. Raja car ferries run five times daily (journey time: 2 hours 30 minutes). A combined ticket from the airport departs at 9:00 AM for 600 baht. The Lomprayah catamaran is the fastest option: the journey takes approximately 3 hours from the airport (950 baht) or 2 hours 45 minutes from the city center (700 baht). The last car ferry departs Donsak at 6:00 PM. A night boat departs from the riverbank in town at 10:00 PM or 11:00 PM and arrives in Thong Sala at dawn. All departure times can be found in our travel guide for traveling from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan.
The best-rated hotels in Koh Phangan
Here is my ranking of the 10 best hotels in Koh Phangan. Each button will take you directly to the hotel's page on Booking.com, where you can enter your travel dates.
From Koh Tao
The crossing from Koh Tao takes about an hour. Lomprayah catamarans depart from Mae Haad at 9:15, 9:30, and 15:30 for 600 baht, speedboats at 7:05 and 12:30 for 700 baht, and the ferry at 16:30 for 450 baht. Boonsiri departs at 8:00, 9:15, and 15:15 for 600 baht, and Songserm offers a ferry at 9:30 for 500 baht and speedboats at 11:30 and 12:30 for 600 baht.
From Krabi, Phuket and Phi Phi
Lomprayah sells a ticket from the Andaman Sea, a bus transfer to the Gulf, and then onward travel by catamaran via Koh Samui. From their office in Krabi, departures are at 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM, arriving at Thong Sala at 12:45 PM and 4:30 PM (1,200 baht). The 9:30 AM speedboat departs and arrives at 2:50 PM. From Phuket, the 9:30 AM departure arrives at 4:30 PM (1,400 baht), and from Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi, the 10:00 AM departure arrives at 4:30 PM (1,650 baht). Bangkok Airways flies from Krabi and Phuket to Koh Samui in about an hour if you prefer to fly and take the short boat ride. Our travel guides for the Phuket–Koh Phangan and Krabi–Koh Phangan routes include all departure and return times.
Arrival in Thong Sala
Thong Sala is the capital and port of the island. ATMs are located at the terminal. Grab is not available on Koh Phangan, so songthaews and taxis wait at the pier. Prices are approximately 100–200 baht per person (shared taxi to Haad Rin or Ban Tai), 150–250 baht to Haad Yao or Chaloklum, and 400–600 baht for a private vehicle to Thong Nai Pan (45 minutes to one hour journey). All boats are fully booked during the Full Moon Party, so book three to seven days in advance. Also note that minimum stay requirements apply to accommodations near Haad Rin.
Plan the rest of your trip
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about traveling to Koh Phangan.
Fly to Koh Samui and take a boat from there, which takes 20 to 50 minutes and costs 200–500 baht. It's the fastest way from Bangkok, and boats depart approximately hourly from Bangrak Pier near the airport.
No. The nearest airport is on Koh Samui, 15 km south, and Surat Thani on the mainland is the more affordable airport. Each route ends with a boat trip, usually to Thong Sala.
Fly to Koh Samui and take a boat from there, fly to Surat Thani and buy a ticket for bus and boat, or take the Lomprayah night bus and catamaran from Khao San Road, arriving in Thong Sala at 10:30 pm (1,350 baht). Combining a night train to Surat Thani with a subsequent bus and boat trip is also possible.
The flight via Koh Samui takes approximately 1 hour 10 minutes, the boat trip 30 minutes, plus transfers. The flight via Surat Thani takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, followed by a bus and boat journey of 3 to 4.5 hours. The overnight bus and catamaran trip with Lomprayah takes approximately 12.5 hours (10:00 PM to 10:30 AM).
Samui, to save time, with a 30-minute boat ride from Bangrak, and Surat Thani, to save money, with flights from about 1,300 Baht versus about 2,800 Baht to Samui, but 3 to 4.5 hours by bus and boat after landing.
The boat trip takes about an hour. Lomprayah catamarans cost 600 baht and depart from Mae Haad at 9:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 3:30 p.m., speedboats cost 700 baht, and the ferry at 4:30 p.m. costs 450 baht. Boonsiri and Songserm also offer this service.
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I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled throughout the country from there. The guidebooks reflect my personal opinion and are written as I would explain things to a friend planning a trip.
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