Want to know how to get to Koh Phangan from anywhere in Thailand?
Back in 2019, during my first visit to Thailand, my itinerary was a very common and convenient plan: land in Bangkok and spend a few days stuffing my face on all the amazing street-food while experiencing the city’s unique historic temples and cultural sites. Next move to the islands in the Gulf of Thailand and live the laid back life. This is a very common route for Thailand.
Activities and hotels were all planned, but I still had no idea how to actually get to Koh Phangan. Actually, first on my route was Koh Tao, it’s the first island on the way down from Bangkok. Then Koh Phangan and next Koh Samui because the trio are conveniently in that order and close to each other. The islands are a famous trio that sit on the east coast of Thailand about 500 km south from Bangkok.
Some tourists land in Phuket and then work their way up instead. No matter your route, I suggest that before you plan anything on Koh Phangan (or any other island for that matter) first know how to get to Koh Phangan.
There’s a few options to get to Koh Phangan and all require taking a ferry for the final leg of the journey since the island has no airport. So it’s important to understand which travel method aligns most with your travel style and budget. Some options are more convenient but cost more while others are slower and consequentially are much cheaper.
In this guide I will cover everything you need to know about how to get to Koh Phangan. Whether you’re traveling from Bangkok or Phuket to Koh Phangan, or any other destination in Thailand, I have made this guide comprehensive to cover all routes for your trip to Koh Phangan.
How to get to Koh Phangan
Before getting into all the options about how to get to Koh Phangan, it’s important to understand the basics. This will give you a better understanding and a sense of orientation and as a result everything else in this guide will be much clearer.
Koh Phangan is an island on the east coast of Thailand, about 500 km south from Bangkok. It is part of the Chumphon archipelago which also includes Koh Tao to the north and the larger and more developed Koh Samui to south.
The closest airport to Koh Phangan is on Koh Samui and is owned by Bangkok airways. This creates a monopoly with ticket costs being quite expensive. There is also the government owned airport in Surat Thani on the mainland where flight prices are significantly cheaper.
The islands are connected to the mainland via ferries with piers in Chumphon and Surat Thani. If you’re traveling down from Bangkok Chumphon is the closest. The piers in Surat Thani are about 250 km further south and are located in Donsak, about 1 hour drive outside the city. From Phuket, Krabi, Ao Nang or any other region in south Thailand, the piers in Donsak will be the closest.
How to get to Koh Phangan from ⤵
Click on where your journey to Koh Phangan will originate to view options.
By Air: By far the easiest and fastes way to get to Koh Phangan from Bangkok is by air followed by a ferry via Koh Samui. There is regular flights from both airports in Bangkok with a travel time of around 1 hour. From the airport take a taxi to Bangrak pier to take a 30 minute speedboat to Koh Phangan.
Alternatively, a cheaper option is to fly to Surat Thani airport then take a taxi Donsak for the ferry/catamaran.
By Bus: Take a bus to Chumphon from Mochit or Southern bus terminals in Bangkok. Once you arrive in Chumphon you’ll need to take a taxi to Tung Makham for the ferry. It’s a 40 minute drive outside the city. If available tickets can be bought on the spot, but its best to book in advance.
Alternatively book a bus+ferry combo ticket. It’s a package that includes all travel options and guaranteed and seamless bus to boat connection.
By Train: Trains depart from the new Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok. The earliest train departs at 7:30am. Train travel is a popular travel method in Thailand and seats in the air conditioned carriages often sell out in advance. Seats in fan carriages are usually available. Once you arrive in Chumphon you’ll need to take a taxi to Tung Makham for the ferry. It’s a 40 minute drive outside the city.
By Air: Regular flights depart from Phuket airport to Koh Samui with a travel duration of around 1 hour. From Koh Samui airport take a taxi to Bangrak pier and take a 30 minute speedboat ferry to Thongsala in Koh Phangan.
Bus and ferry: The buses to Surat Thani depart from Phuket bus terminal 1 or 2 and both are close to Phuket old town. The bus journey is stunning as it takes you through the incredible Krabi landscapes. When you arrive in Surat Thani take a taxi to the piers in Donsak. It’s a 1 hour journey so make sure to negotiate a good price for the ride. Ferry tickets can be bought on the spot but it may be necessary to wait as the upcoming departing ferry may be sold out and you’d need to wait for available spots on the next which may be a few hours later.
Alternatively I suggest to book the bus+ferry combo tickets for a seamless journey by bus followed by the ferry ride all organized by the same company thus offering a guaranteed connnection.
By Air: While there are flights from Krabi to Koh Samui, there is no daily fixed schedule. Also, the airport is located outside Krabi centre and when factoring in waiting times such as arriving at the airport early and then baggage claim in Koh Samui, flying won’t be much faster than taking the bus and ferry as the land journey is relatively short. I don’t really recommend this option unless you have personal reasons such as maybe suffering from motion sickness.
By Bus and Ferry: Instead I suggest taking a bus to Surat Thani followed by a ferry from the pier in Donsak. The journey is stunning as the bus winds through the dramatic Krabi landscapes with towering cliffs covered in jungle and takes around 3 hours. The boat journey to Koh Phangan is 90 minutes. In total the journey will take approximately 5 hours and be at least 70% cheaper than flying. Instead of booking everything separately make sure to book the bus+ferry combo because it saves time and will also work out cheaper.
If you are already in Surat Thani, then all you need to do is take a ferry. The ferries depart from Donsak which is a 1 hour drive outside the city. If you arrived by bus or train in Surat Thani, factor in an additional 700THB for a taxi to Donsak as no public transport goes there and taxis also refuse using the meter.
Some ferry companies also offer a transfer from parts of the city including the train station or bus terminal. This will add an additional 150/200THB to the original boat ticket but will still be much cheaper than taking a taxi.
If you are already in Chumphon you can take a taxi to Tung Makham pier which is about 40 minutes drive outside the city. Taxi drivers probably won’t want to use the meter so make sure to negotiate a reasonable price. But expect to pay at least 700THB.
Ferry tickets can be bought directly at the pier and during low season you should be able to find availability on the next departing ferry. However, during the busy months and weekends tickets may already be sold out for the closest departing ferries so it would be necessary to wait for alter ferry. You can however buy tickets online in advance if you know at what you’ll arrive at the pier.
Most tourists travel down to Chumphon from Bangkok to take a ferry to Koh Phangan, or the neighboring islands. Only to feel stranded once the journey ends at the train station or bus terminal about 40 minutes drive away from the piers.
In this case an option is to take a taxi since no public transport goes to the piers from the city. However be prepared to negotiate a fare price because taxis don’t use meters down there and the driver will just throw any price that comes to mind. Similar to the options in Surat Thani, here I would also suggest booking a ferry that will include pick up from most places in the city including the bus terminal, train station and airport.
Getting to Koh Phangan from Bangkok
By Air+Ferry
The easiest way to get to Koh Phangan from Bangkok is through Koh Samui. Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports both offer direct flights to Koh Samui. The ferries to Koh Phangan operate from Bangrak pier. A taxi from the airport should cost around 400/500THB for the 10 minute drive.
It is much cheaper to fly to Surat Thani airport however. Then take a taxi to the piers in Donsak, where the boats and ferries depart from. Or alternatively book a boat ticket which includes a transfer from the airport and will be cheaper than a taxi. View schedules here.
By Bus+Ferry
Getting to Koh Phangan can be done by bus followed by a ferry via Chumphon. If you want to know how to get Koh Phangan on a budget, this is the best option.
From Bangkok the buses depart from Mochit bus terminal and the Southern bus terminal which is locally known as Sai Tai Mai. The trip down to Chumphon will take around 7 hours. But some operators have a duration of 12 hours.
I suggest checking schedules online. If you can’t entertain the idea of having to wait for a bus with available seats, I suggest also booking in advance at your preferred departure time. →check tickets and schedules
The buses to Chumphon have a few stops. Preferably book a bus to Suwannatee because this stop is directly in the city centre. Other options are to Pathomporn Intersection and Chumphon bus terminal/station which are slightly outside the city.
The boats in Chumphon depart from Tung Makham pier which is located about 40 minutes drive outside the city. A taxi, which is one of the only options will cost around 700/1000THB. Ferry tickets can be bought at the bought next to the pier. Usually it shouldn’t be a problem finding available tickets. But often is the case that the upcoming departing ferry may already be sold out so it would be necessary to wait for the next which may not depart until a few hours later.
Getting to Koh Phangan from Phuket
By Air+Ferry
Getting to Koh Phangan from Phuket can be done by air via Koh Samui. There are regular flights with a travel duration under 1 hour. Bangrak pier is where the ferries and speedboat depart from and take around 30 minutes to complete the journey. A taxi from Koh Samui airport to Bangrak costs around 400/500THB for the 10 minute drive.
By Bus+Ferry
Take a bus to Surat Thani from Phuket bus terminal 2, close to the old town. It’s a 6 hour journey that will take you through the beautiful landscapes in the Krabi region. The first bus departs at 6:00am and the last departure is at 1:40pm. The buses make 2 stops, in Surat Thani town and Surat Thani train station. It won’t really matter where you stop because to get to the ferries it is necessary to take a taxi to Donsak which is about 1 hour drive away. As long as tickets are available, they can be bought directly at the pier in Donsak. The boat journey takes approximately 2 hours.
Getting to Koh Phangan from Krabi/Ao-Nang/Koh Lanta
The only sensible way to get from either of the above destination to Koh Phangan is takig a bus or minivan to Surat Thani and then using the ferries to reach Koh Phangan.
There are also direct flights from Krabi to Koh Samui. However, from what I have found, there is no fixed daily flight schedule. Also, it is such a short journey that flying will take almost the same time as using a bus. But obviously would be much more expensive.
From Krabi the buses depart from the Krabi bus terminal. And from Ao Nang, which isn’t too far away there are also transfer options meaning you book the ticket and a van picks you at your hotel or hostel.
What I strongly advise is no matter where you are traveling from, your first step should to first visit the 12Go website, enter your origin and destination and make a quick search. This is the easiest way to get a quick visualization for all the transport option along with departure times, prices, detailed information and the option to book in advance which is crucial if you have fixed travel dates.
Arriving in Koh Phangan
The public ferries and catamarans dock in Thongsala on the west coast of Koh Phangan. Thongsala is the main town on the island and consequentially the most developed area. But don’t expect anything crazy, it’s still relatively laid. Some tourists choose to stay in Thongsala for all the amenities such as bars, restaurants, cafes, co-working spaces and so on. However if you’re looking for a beach, this isn’t the best place to stay. More about this later on.
When you arrive it can be a crazy especially if multiple ferries arrive around the same time. Expect some confusion and possibly pushy sellers to offer you tours, scooters, transport and so on. I would avoid these as you have no idea who they are or from which shop/company they are.
If you have already booked your accommodation or you know which part of Koh Phangan you are going to, there are shared minivans that group passengers together and for most areas it will be 150THB each which is quite reasonable.
Scooters can be rented from just outside the port. I always rent my scooter from Seamew rentals. It is basically a restaurants but they also have rentals and the place is located just across the street outside the port. The shop is somewhere between the 7 Eleven and Dots cafe.
Where to stay in Koh Phangan
While Koh Phangan is a relatively compact island it can still take over 30 minutes (or more) to get from 1 place to another. Therefore its important to correctly choose where you stay on the island.
Below is an overview for the different areas to stay in Koh Phangan ⤵
Haad-Rin
Compact – Bars – Restaurants – Lively – Beach – Chaos on Full Moon
Haad Rin is the most popular beach on Koh Phangan. Known for its stunning crystal-clear waters, it’s often considered the island’s finest beach. This area is also home to the monthly Full Moon Party, making it a lively spot. Despite being relatively small, it boasts plenty of restaurants and bars, all easily accessible on foot. If you’re seeking tranquility, it’s best to steer clear during Full Moon Party dates.
Thongsala
Main town – Port – Markets – Bars – Central
Thongsala is the port town on Koh Phangan and the island’s most developed area. However, that doesn’t mean it’s overcrowded or overly bustling. It’s also the arrival point for ferries and offers a variety of amenities, including restaurants, bars, trendy cafes, local food spots, and even a night market.
Sri Thanu
Cool town – Hip Town – Cafes – Market – Zen Beach – Retreats
Sri Thanu is the answer if you are looking for the coolest part of the island. There a nice combination of hip cafes, local eateries and western restaurants. Zen beach is a popular hangout where you can enjoy breathtaking sunsets while sipping on a cheap (but good) cocktail from the laid back beach bar. On Friday’s there is an instrumental event spontaneous music with bongs and such.
Chaloklum
Peaceful – Isolated – Traditional Fishing Village – Gorgeous Beach
Up North Chaloklum is a traditional fishing village with a long pontoon in the middle of a nice beach. There’s a handful of restaurants most of which serve fish just brought in by the locals. It’s a great option if you want to go sort of off grid but still have a few dining options.
Thong Nai Pan
Resort Town – Nice Beach – Very Compact – Isolated
This part of the island is rather isolated and is where you’ll find exclusive resorts facing a gorgeous beach with minimal development. It’s is sort of a resort area with all restaurants and bars within a 5 minute walk. 5 minutes away, the town offers a few cheaper option.
The Bottom Line
In short, getting to Koh Phangan is straightforward: Fly to Koh Samui and then take a 30 minute ferry from Bangrak pier which is just 10 minutes drive from Koh Samui airport. Otherwise, travel to Chumphon if you’re in Bangkok or to Surat Thani if you’re in Phuket, Krabi, Ao Nang or anywhere in South Thailand. And then take the ferry.
Alternatively, book the bus+ferry combo ticket. It’s easier and usually works out cheaper than booking everything separately. And no matter where you are traveling from and to in Thailand, always check what is available on the 12Go platform. As it will show you all the options with departure times and prices and you can plan accordingly.
HEY, just so you know…
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