Surat Thani is a large city in southern Thailand, near the mouth of the Tapi River into the Gulf of Thailand. Despite its excellent location, the city itself does not have many tourist attractions. Despite this, many tourists stroll its streets, as Surat Thani is the connecting point with the nearby island of Koh Samui. If you’re heading south from Bangkok, you’ll probably pass through Surat Thani at some point in your journey, especially if you’re feeling like exploring the beaches of Koh Samui. Traveling from Surat Thani to Koh Samui is easy and cheap as there are many different transportation options.
Raja Ferry, Koh Samui © Andmir / Shutterstock.com
Different ways to travel from Surat Thani to Koh Samui
There are several routes to get to Koh Samui, and they all include a ferry section. Although there is an airport in Surat Thani and Koh Samui, no airline operates a route between the two airports as they are very close destinations: they are only 35 kilometers (22 miles) apart.
If you want to fly to Koh Samui, you will have to do so from another city (e.g. Bangkok), but with so many shipping companies serving the ferry route, flying would be quite an expensive option and not necessarily faster.
You can also travel on your own with a rental car. Two ferry operators have car ferries running from Surat Thani to Koh Samui (Raja Ferries and Seatran), so if you already have a rental car and like the convenience of it, you may want to consider bringing one to the island
Take the ferry from Surat Thani to Koh Samui
Ferry Songserm © woraatep suppavas / Shutterstock.com
All things considered, ferries are undoubtedly the best way to travel between these two places. There are many different ferries to choose from, so you can choose the one that departs from the port that suits you best. All companies offer combined bus and ferry tickets, so you don’t have to worry about getting to the port which is out of the way. If you arrive at Surat Thani Airport, you can go to Koh Samui from there or from Surat Thani Railway Station if you arrived by this means of transport. You can also travel from downtown Surat Thani, which is a good option if you stayed overnight in the city. The latter option is even more practical as you can add hotel pickup to your ticket, so you don’t have to worry about getting to the official departure points.
Which ferry company to use
Lomprayah High Speed Ferry © Vasit Buasamui / Shutterstock.com
The four ferry companies operating this route are Songserm, Lomprayah, Seatran and Raja Ferry. As we mentioned earlier, each company offers different pick-up and drop-off locations, so your choice will depend on where you are in Surat Thani. The important thing to remember is that combined bus and ferry tickets are always available. They’re not necessarily cheaper than single tickets, but it’s more practical to buy them in combination so you don’t have to worry about buying multiple tickets. If you like being guided door-to-door, you can even buy a combined ticket that also includes travel from your arrival point in Koh Samui to your hotel.
If comfort is a priority for you, you will certainly be interested in the fact that the ferries are different from each other. Fast ferries tend to be newer and better equipped than car ferries operated by Raja Ferry. The duration of the journey (ferry crossing) is approximately 90 minutes and the seats are comfortable enough, but the rest of the amenities are limited and may not meet the standards of the most discerning traveller.
Ferry departure locations in Surat Thani
To add some confusion to your Surat Thani to Koh Samui ferry trip, there are several different departure ports, depending on which company you choose to travel with, that also have different Koh Samui arrival points. Therefore, where you go on Koh Samui can influence your decision on which ferry to choose. If you have booked your accommodation in advance, be sure to check the nearest port to avoid an unnecessarily long journey to your hotel.
Surat Thani’s main ferry port is Don Sak, which is about 60 kilometers (37 miles) away by road, and transportation from the city to the port can take a long time. There are two companies from Donsak that end their routes at Nathon Port on Koh Samui: Songserm and Seatran. Raja Ferries departing from Donsak terminate at Lipa Noi Harbour, a few kilometers south of Nathon.
Overnight ferry from Surat Thani to Koh Samui
There is another option to take a ferry from Surat Thani to Koh Samui. The overnight ferry departs from Ban Don Harbor in the center of Surat Thani. This is the only way to travel at night, so it can be a good alternative if you’ve arrived late into the city and don’t want to pay for the night. These ferries are pretty basic, so don’t expect to find a very comfortable place to sleep. But if you prefer to travel at night and want to reach Koh Samui first thing in the morning, this is a good option. The ferry departs at 10:00 PM and arrives at Nathon Port on Koh Samui at 4:00 AM.