Hua Hin used to be a sleepy fishing village, but its popularity among the wealthy of Bangkok increased in the 1920s when the royal family of Thailand began vacationing there. This made Hua Hin known as a royal city. While Hua Hin remains a popular weekend destination for residents of the capital, Hua Hin is also popular with foreign tourists who flock there for its five-kilometer beach and fantastic places to eat and shop. Once you get to know the best of Hua Hin, another popular destination in Thailand is the island of Koh Samui. Here you will find beaches with palm trees that give the island a very tropical feel. Inside, you can explore mountains and jungles and visit temples and monuments. The best thing about Koh Samui is the variety of people it attracts, from tourists on a budget to affluent people looking for luxury resorts and spas. Then we will tell you how to travel from Hua Hin to Koh Samui.
Lomprayah High Speed Ferry © OlegD / Shutterstock.com
Travel options from Hua Hin to Koh Samui
Since Koh Samui is an island, it will be necessary to cross a stretch of water from the mainland. Taking into account the shorter ferry crossing and the journey south, the total distance from Hua Hin to Koh Samui is 570 kilometers. There are several different ways to travel by road and sea. One is to take the longer route across the mainland south until you reach Donsak and take a ferry from there. Thanks to this option, the ferry crossing is shorter, but more time is spent on the bus. Another road option is to take the shorter bus journey to Chumphon and catch the ferry there. This makes the journey longer, but the bus journey is shorter. Finally, you can take a train from Hua Hin to Chumphon, and from there take a ferry. Below are the details.
From Hua Hin to Koh Samui by train and ferry
Hua Hin Train Station © Casper1774 Studio / Shutterstock.com
Most travelers choose to travel by bus and ferry due to price and availability. However, there are tourists who prefer to travel the first section by train, not by bus. Trains have several advantages. The main one is that travelers have more space than in the bus. On the train you can travel in compartments with beds so you can sleep at night. Whether you want to sleep or not, you can always get up and take a walk whenever you feel like stretching. Buses, on the other hand, are not designed for passengers to get up and walk around whenever they want.
The downside of traveling by train from Hua Hin to Koh Samui is that it is more expensive than the bus and it takes no less time to get to your destination. Trains in Thailand run at reduced speed. In Chumphon you would have to take the same ferry you would take the bus. Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal preference.
From Hua Hin to Koh Samui by bus and ferry
The big advantage of traveling by bus and ferry is that you can buy combined tickets for the entire journey. It’s perfect for traveling with more peace of mind if you want to have an organized itinerary before you leave. A combined ticket saves you time and money as you pay one price for the entire trip. You can book it online through travel sites like 12Go.asia.
While there are other ferry companies you can consider, the most recommended option to travel from Hua Hin to Koh Samui is Lomprayah. This is a company with a very good reputation that operates throughout the country and offers tickets for the entire journey, both on the bus and on the ferry crossing. It is also possible to include a van transfer to the hotel.
From Hua Hin they depart twice, one at 8:30 AM and the other at 11:30 PM. If you choose a night departure, the bus will run all night. This is a good option if you can sleep soundly as you can rest a bit on the bus before reaching the pier. The night bus takes almost four hours longer, and you’ll arrive in Koh Samui around 11:20 the next day. The day bus is faster. It departs Hua Hin at 8:30 AM and should arrive in Koh Samui around 5:40 PM the same day, with a total duration of just over eight hours.
As we mentioned earlier, it is also possible to purchase a combo ticket which includes transfer to your hotel in Koh Samui. These tickets are a few euros more expensive, but it might be worth spending a little more as taxis are not usually available at Maenam Pier on Koh Samui. Therefore, unless you have booked a transfer with the hotel staff, you can have a good time in the port until you find a means of transport to take you.
The bus from Hua hin to Chumphon takes approximately 4.5 hours including waiting time. The ferry crossing from Chumphon to Koh Samui takes approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes. Please note that if the weather is bad and the sea is rough, the high-speed catamaran will not be able to travel as fast and the crossing will be longer.
We recommend using a combined bus and ferry ticket to get from Hua Hin to Koh Samui as it can be easily purchased in advance via 12Go. For added convenience, add a transfer to your hotel in Koh Samui and you won’t have to wait at the port.