After admiring the fabulous scenery of Krabi, head northeast until you reach Koh Samui, one of Thailand’s most famous islands. Koh Samui is the second largest island in the country and is famous for its nightlife, wonderful beaches, coconut plantations and inland jungles, offering a wide variety of things to see and do.
What are the travel options from Krabi to Koh Samui?
The route from Krabi to Koh Samui is very popular with tourists, so there are several transport options between the two places. Without a doubt, this is something very good for travelers as it is easy to find an option for all budgets and timetables.
At the most expensive end are flights, although this is the best way to get to Koh Samui if you’re in a hurry or don’t have much time. If you are more relaxed, you can travel by bus and ferry like most tourists. It will take more time to arrive, but you will save a lot of money.
Flights from Krabi to Koh Samui
Bangkok Airways plane at Koh Samui Airport © islandboy_stocker / Shutterstock.com
Let’s explain the first option in more detail. The only airline offering flights from Koh Samui to Krabi is Bangkok Airways, although this is not surprising as Bangkok Airways built the airport in the 1980s to meet the growing demand of tourists visiting the island. Samui International Airport, as it is officially called, is located just outside the main city of the island, Chaweng, so it is very central and therefore very easy to reach any hotel or resort.
Bangkok Airways operates this route once a day around noon, so you don’t have to worry about getting up early. The flight from Krabi to Koh Samui takes less than an hour, so it’s a very quick option. But when you think about the duration of your trip, don’t forget the extra time it takes to check in and pass through security, as well as baggage claim at your final destination. All in all, you can add almost two hours more to your trip, so flying isn’t always as fast as it sounds.
Ferry from Krabi to Koh Samui
Tourists boarding the Lomprayah Ferry © charnsitr / Shutterstock.com
Ferries are the most used means of transport from Krabi to Koh Samui, mainly because they are very cheap and offer many time options. The journey is longer than by plane, but if you are in Thailand to see as much of this beautiful country as possible, traveling by bus and ferry will allow you to enjoy much more scenery than if you travel by plane.
Any travel agent in Krabi can help you plan your itinerary, but you’ll save some money if you book your tickets yourself. We recommend buying a combined ticket that includes both the bus and the ferry, making your journey easier and less worrying.
You can choose the exact route and company you want to travel with depending on where you are in Krabi. The ticket can include a bus from Krabi Airport or a car that will take you directly to your hotel, so you don’t have to worry about getting to the station. If you are near the Lomprayah office (one of the ferry companies), you can buy a ticket from them and take a bus from their office to the port, or even a minibus that will take you to your hotel when you arrive in Koh Samui. Lomprayah is one of the most famous and respected ferry companies. There are four or five daily departures from their office in Krabi, and if you opt for bus and ferry only, the journey time will be around 4 hours with Lomprayah’s high-speed catamarans that run from Krabi to Koh Samui. These are comfortable and well-maintained boats, with numerous toilets and a shop where you can buy food and drinks.
Ferry Songserm © woraatep suppavas / Shutterstock.com
Seatran Discovery is another reputable company operating the route from Krabi to Koh Samui. Their fast ferries are also of high quality with comfortable seats and good facilities, so it’s a comparable service to Lomprayah, and it takes a bit longer to cover the route as the fast ferry is not as fast as a catamaran.
The third ferry company is Songserm. Unlike the previous ones, Songserm operates a standard ferry that takes longer and is not as well equipped. The seats are not as comfortable and there may not be services on board, although Songserm ferry tickets from Krabi to Koh Samui are usually a bit cheaper.
Keep in mind that when traveling from Krabi to Koh Samui you will always have to cover part of the journey by bus or minibus as Krabi is on the west coast of southern Thailand and Koh Samui is on the east coast. You can’t make the entire trip by boat, but you’ll have to cross the country from one coast to another until you reach the ports where the ferries depart for Koh Samui.