There is no direct boat connection from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi. Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand, while Phi Phi is in the Andaman Sea, on the other side of the peninsula. Therefore, every crossing involves a land route. The easiest option is a combination ticket. A ferry takes you from Samui to Donsak Pier, from where a bus or minivan takes you to Krabi in about three hours, and a second boat takes you to Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi. The entire journey takes 7 to 9 hours and costs approximately 1,110 baht.
Check the latest flight times and seat availability for Koh Samui → Koh Phi Phi on 12Go.
I would book the ticket with Lomprayah. Departure is at 8:30 am from Nathon Pier, arrival on Phi Phi at 3:30 pm. The price is 1,550 baht, or 1,700 baht with pickup from your hotel on Samui. All combination offers depart from Samui before 10:00 am, so you should decide in the morning. If you prefer to use most of the day, fly with Bangkok Airways to Phuket or Krabi and take the boat from there.
Arrival at the Phi Phi Islands
Accommodation on the Phi Phi Islands
This route ends in the Phi Phi Islands. Search for hotels in the Phi Phi Islands for your travel dates or narrow your search to the specific 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 the Phi Phi Islands
The short answer
Book a combined ferry, bus, and boat ticket departing from Samui in the morning. The Lomprayah ferry departs Nathon at 8:30 a.m. and arrives at Tonsai Pier at 3:30 p.m. for 1,550 baht. The cheapest option is the Phantip ferry at 8:00 a.m. for approximately 1,110 baht. The fastest way to reach Phi Phi is to fly with Bangkok Airways at 8:15 a.m. to Phuket and then take the afternoon ferry from Rassada. There is no direct ferry service.
Key facts
There is no direct ferry connection, as the islands border different seas.
Each ticket includes three legs of the journey in one booking: a ferry from Samui to Donsak, a bus or minibus journey of approximately 210 km to Krabi, and a boat trip to Phi Phi. Since the booking is made as a single ticket, the tour operator is responsible for the connecting services.
All flight combinations depart Samui between 04:00 and 10:00.
The boats from Krabi to Phi Phi only run until the afternoon, so nobody arrives in Phi Phi later than 10:00 AM on the same day. Most tickets arrive in Tonsai between 3:30 PM and 6:00 PM.
Lomprayah is 1,550 Baht from Nathon and 1,700 Baht from your hotel.
The bus departing Nathon at 8:30 a.m. arrives in Tonsai at 3:30 p.m. According to Lomprayah's own timetable, the company offers a hotel pick-up on Samui at 7:00 a.m. for 1,700 baht.
The cheapest ticket costs about 1,110 Baht.
Phantips' bus departs Nathon at 8:00 AM and arrives in Tonsai at 3:30 PM. The fare is 1,260 Baht (including a minibus pick-up at 6:15 AM). Rajas' bus departs Lipa Noi at 4:00 AM and costs approximately 1,280 Baht, taking 13 hours.
Flying saves a few hours, not the whole day.
Bangkok Airways flies 6-8 times daily from Samui to Phuket and once daily to Krabi. 12Go offers a flight at 8:15 am to Phuket with a ferry departing at 1:30 pm from Rassada on Phi Phi in the early afternoon for approximately 4,200-4,400 baht.
Bring 20 Baht in cash for the Tonsai Pier.
Everyone pays the entrance fee upon disembarking the boat. The parking fee for Maya Bay (400 Baht) is payable separately, and the bay is closed from August 1st to September 30th.
All routes from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi compared
The hotel pick-up prices are taken from 12Go's live price board for mid-November and mid-December 2026 (including fees) and from Lomprayah's own 2026 timetable. The flight and ferry connection is a 12Go ticket with self-transfer (transfer between the airport and Rassada is done independently). The Krabi connection includes a direct flight with Bangkok Airways plus a separately bookable speedboat transfer from Krabi Town.
Check the current ticket prices from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi
12Go sells all combination tickets for this route, including the respective departure times at the pier or hotel in Samui and the arrival time in Tonsai, as well as the flight and ferry ticket via Phuket.
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The combination tickets, from the simplest to the cheapest
Each combination involves the same three steps. A boat takes you from Samui to the Donsak Pier on the mainland, a bus or minibus travels for about three hours across the peninsula to Krabi, and a second boat takes you to Phi Phi. So you decide between the itinerary in Samui, the comfort of each stage, and the price.
I would book with Lomprayah. The catamaran departs from Nathon at 8:30 a.m., making it the fastest boat to Tonsai. Buses and boats to Phi Phi are coordinated with this timetable and arrive in Tonsai at 3:30 p.m. The trip costs 1,550 baht (via 12Go). According to the timetable, Lomprayah also offers a pick-up service from any hotel on Samui at 7:00 a.m. for 1,700 baht, which eliminates the need to travel to Nathon. A 12Go reviewer experienced an unexpected 1.5-hour wait in Krabi in July 2026. Therefore, I would pack provisions and not make any specific plans for the evening on Phi Phi.
Phantip is the budget-friendly option and arrives at the same time. The 8:00 AM ferry from Nathon takes you by car ferry to Donsak and then by bus to Krabi. Prices are around 1,110 baht (via 12Go) or 1,260 baht with a van that picks you up from your hotel at 6:15 AM. A 12Go reviewer in May 2026 reported that the 8:00 AM ferry departed on time and arrived in Tonsai around 3:00 PM. The ferry from Raja departs at 4:00 AM and doesn't reach Phi Phi until 5:00 PM. I would only book it if all other connections are fully booked.
The more expensive tickets offer greater comfort. Lomlahkkhirin's speedboat departs from Pralarn Pier in Maenam at 8:30 a.m. – ideal for those staying on the north coast – and arrives in Tonsai at 3:30 p.m. for approximately 2,100 baht. Faiz Travel picks up passengers from hotels in Chaweng and Bophut at 9:20 a.m., and Ramon departs from Chaweng city center at 10:00 a.m. (approximately 2,000 baht). Both operators arrive in Tonsai between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. The 10:00 a.m. departure from Ramon is the last of the day.
If you are staying in Chaweng or Bophut, book a ticket with hotel pickup. Nathon and Lipa Noi are on the other side of the island, about 40 minutes away.
From which pier on Samui does your ticket depart?
In Nathon, the island's main town on the west coast, you'll find the Lomprayah catamaran and the Phantip office. Lipa Noi, about 8 km south of Nathon, is the Raja ferry terminal. Lomlahkkhirin's terminal is Pralarn in Maenam on the north coast. Chaweng and Bophut, where most tourists stay, are about 40 minutes from Nathon. Therefore, a hotel transfer (approximately 150 baht extra) is worthwhile unless you're already staying on the west coast.
Please check your ticket for the exact pier and check-in time and arrive at least 30 minutes before the boat departs. A ticket that only mentions Koh Samui could refer to any of the three piers.
Fly, then take the boat
Phuket in the morning or Krabi at midday
Phi Phi has no airport, so after flying, you have to land in Phuket or Krabi and continue your journey by boat. Bangkok Airways is the only airline that operates nonstop flights on both routes, which is reflected in the prices: from around 3,700 baht to Phuket in October and November, and from 5,000 baht in December, including one piece of luggage.
Phuket Airport offers the most flexible travel options, with 6-8 flights daily starting around 8:00 AM. 12Go offers an 8:15 AM flight to Phuket, including the 1:30 PM ferry from Rassada Pier to Tonsai in the afternoon, for approximately 4,200-4,400 baht. This is a connecting ticket, so you'll need to arrange the 35 km journey from the airport to Rassada yourself. Large ferries run until 3:00 PM and speedboats until 3:30 PM from Rassada, so any flight arriving before approximately 1:00 PM will arrive the same day. Our Phuket to Phi Phi travel guide includes all ferry connections from Rassada.
Krabi offers a daily direct flight from Samui at 12:30 PM in October and at 12:25 PM from November. A second flight will be offered from mid-December. The price is approximately 4,100–5,000 Baht. Klong Jilad Pier is a 30-minute walk from Krabi Airport. Speedboats from Kong Ka Pier in Krabi Town and Krabi River Marina run until 4:00 PM, allowing you to arrive on Phi Phi in the early evening. All connections are listed in the "Krabi to Koh Phi Phi" travel guide.
Phuket Airport (HKT) → Rassada Pier
After landing in Phuket, we continue directly to Phi Phi.
Rassada is located approximately 35 km from Phuket Airport. A car pre-booked through 12Go (around 1,000–1,150 Baht for a sedan) will take you to the pier at a pre-agreed price, which is important if you want to catch the 1:30 pm ferry.
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The best-rated hotels on the Phi Phi Islands
Here is my ranking of the 9 best hotels on the Phi Phi Islands. Each button will take you directly to the hotel's page on Booking.com, where you have already entered your travel dates.
Break in the journey in Krabi or Khao Sok
If a full eight-hour day seems too long, split it up. Krabi is on the way anyway, and every travel combination takes you through the town. For example, take a ticket from Samui to Krabi one day (from around 500 baht with Phantip to 1,250 baht with Lomprayah) to a hotel in Ao Nang, and the next morning a boat to Phi Phi. Then you'll have a choice of departures throughout the day: ferries from 450 baht and speedboats from Ao Nang, Railay, and Krabi Town.
Khao Sok National Park lies almost exactly between the two coasts, and an overnight stay or two there makes the crossing part of the trip. From Khao Sok, it's about 145 km to Krabi Town, which can be reached in three and a half to four and a half hours by shared taxi to catch the boats to Phi Phi. The guidebook from Koh Samui to Khao Sok describes the first half of the journey.
Arrival on Phi Phi
20 Baht in Tonsai, 400 Baht for Maya Bay and Laem Tong
All combination tours end at Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi Don, the main town. There, you will pay an island fee of 20 baht in cash upon disembarking the boat. There are no cars on this part of the island, so you will need to walk to the hotels in Tonsai and Loh Dalum. If your hotel is in Laem Tong or Long Beach, please inquire there about a longtail boat from Tonsai, as none of the combination tours continue beyond these locations.
Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh is located within the Marine National Park, and the park fee for foreign adults is 400 baht. The bay is closed every year from August 1st to September 30th, so if you plan to visit Maya Bay, please check your travel dates beforehand.
When should you take the trip?
The two islands have contrasting rainy seasons. On Samui, the rainy season begins late in the year, with November being the wettest month, receiving around 445 mm of rainfall. Phi Phi and the Andaman coast, on the other hand, are rainy from May to October and driest from December to April. Therefore, November and December are ideal for moving from Samui to Phi Phi to escape the rain in the Gulf of Mexico and enjoy the best weather in the Andamans. Both coasts are pleasant to visit from February to April, so the order is entirely up to you.
From May to October, crossing the Andaman Islands from Krabi is more challenging, with September and October being the wettest months, averaging 336–350 mm of rainfall at Phuket station. Boat cancellations are possible on particularly rainy days. While combination tickets are available year-round, I would recommend allowing an extra day before any departure from Phuket or Krabi during these months.
Back to Phi Phi and then Koh Samui
The combined flights also operate in the opposite direction and depart even earlier. All leave Tonsai between approximately 8:20 and 10:30 a.m. The travel guide for the Phi Phi to Koh Samui route lists all departure times, the cheapest tickets, and the return flight from Phuket.
Check the current ticket prices from Koh Phi Phi to Koh Samui
The same display board applies to the return journey, with the morning boats from Tonsai and the respective departure points on Samui.
Have you booked your crossing? Then plan your trip to Phi Phi or split it up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about traveling from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi.
No. Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand and Phi Phi in the Andaman Sea. Therefore, every ticket includes the ferry crossing to Donsak on the mainland, the onward journey by bus or minivan to Krabi, and the boat trip to Phi Phi. When booking a complete ticket, the journey takes 7 to 9 hours.
Book a combined ferry, bus, and boat ticket departing from Samui in the morning, such as the Lomprayah ferry at 8:30 a.m. from Nathon (Tonsai at 3:30 p.m., 1,550 baht) or the Phantip ferry at 8:00 a.m. (approximately 1,110 baht). Alternatively, you can fly with Bangkok Airways to Phuket or Krabi and take a boat from there.
Most combination tickets take seven to nine hours, with the Raja ferry departing Lipa Noi at 4:00 AM taking up to 13 hours. A flight to Phuket at 8:15 AM followed by the ferry at 1:30 PM from Rassada will get you to Tonsai in the early afternoon – the total door-to-door travel time is six to seven hours.
The Phantip combination offer costs approximately 1,110 baht, Raja approximately 1,280 baht, Lomprayah 1,550 baht (1,700 baht including hotel pick-up on Samui), and the speedboat and hotel pick-up tickets cost approximately 2,000–2,100 baht. An additional 20 baht must be paid in cash at Tonsai Pier.
A van from Ramon Transport departs from the center of Chaweng around 10:00 AM and arrives in Tonsai at 5:00 PM. Boats from Krabi to Phi Phi only run in the afternoon, so there are no further arrivals on the same day.
Not directly, as Phi Phi doesn't have an airport. Fly with Bangkok Airways to Phuket (6-8 flights daily) or Krabi (once daily) and take the ferry or speedboat from there. 12Go offers a flight to Phuket at 8:15 am with the ferry departing at 1:30 pm for approximately 4,200-4,400 baht.
By land, all routes go via Krabi, as this is the shortest crossing. For those arriving by plane, Phuket offers significantly more flights and later boat connections from Rassada, while Krabi only offers one flight per day around midday and speedboats until 4:00 PM.
Approximately 240 km as the crow flies. By land, you take the ferry to Donsak, then drive about 210 km to Krabi, and finally take a boat for about 40 km to Phi Phi.
Plan your trip according to the weather. Samui experiences the most rain from October to December, while Phi Phi sees the heaviest rainfall from May to October. Therefore, it's recommended to travel from Samui to Phi Phi in November and December, and vice versa from June to September. Both destinations are suitable from February to April.
Sources
The times and prices listed on this page are taken from the operators' websites.
Compare prices on the major booking portals and filter for rooms with free cancellation if you want to book now and decide later.
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From the Phi Phi Islands, we continue on.
The next stage, with the fastest and cheapest way to get there.
Returning home? From the Phi Phi Islands to Koh Samui – All routes in Thailand
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