Located in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Samui is the second largest island in Thailand. Like many islands in the country, it is known for its beautiful palm-fringed beaches and dense mountain jungles in the interior. Beaches are lined with luxury hotels and spas, but cheap accommodation for tourists is also easy to find. Koh Samui is the perfect place for beach parties and nightlife. It is larger than the Phi Phi Islands, and you can relax by the turquoise water during the day and dance at night. Unlike Koh Samui, Koh Phi Phi has a landscape full of limestone cliffs and impressive bays with a jungle in the interior. These are two different places worth exploring. Here we will tell you what are the best transport options to go from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi.
Raja ferry on its way to Koh Samui © Andmir / Shutterstock.com
Options to go from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi
As the crow flies, the distance from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi is 240 kilometers. It doesn’t look like much, but you have to cross the water to get there. Koh Samui lies in the Gulf of Thailand, east of the Karst Isthmus, and Koh Phi Phi is on the other side of the Isthmus. Although Koh Samui has its own airport, Koh Phi Phi is too small to have one, so flying between these islands is not an option. Of course, you can get very close to Koh Phi Phi if you fly to Krabi and from there continue by van and boat. Another option is to travel by land and water only, by ferry from Koh Samui, then by bus or van to the other side of the isthmus and from there by ferry to Koh Phi Phi. You can buy combined tickets for the entire trip, but due to the large number of transfers, this is a rather time-consuming solution.
From Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi by plane
Bangkok Airways plane at Koh Samui Airport © islandboy_stocker / Shutterstock.com
As we mentioned earlier, there is no airport on Koh Phi Phi, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the option of taking a large part of your travel by air. You can fly to Krabi to get closer to Koh Phi Phi. Compared to traveling by ferry, van or bus, you’ll get there in record time.
The flight from Koh Samui to Krabi takes only 55 minutes, although it has some disadvantages. First, flying is quite expensive. You can find better prices by booking in advance and being flexible with your departure date. But in general, a ticket from Koh Samui to Krabi is usually expensive. The main reason it’s so expensive is that Bangkok Airways only runs this route once a day, so since there’s no competition, they charge slightly inflated prices.
Upon arrival at Krabi International Airport, you need to find a way to get to Koh Phi Phi. You can buy combined van and ferry tickets online 12Go.asia. The problem is that even if you save time by flying to Krabi, the van and ferry crossing add another 4-5 hours to the trip. If we add up the cost of each means of transport, you will probably come to the conclusion that it is not worth flying from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi.
From Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi by bus or van and ferry
Knowing the details of flying from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi, you realize that it is not as easy or cheap as it may seem. If you choose to travel by van or bus and ferry, buying a combination ticket with 12Go can save you a lot of money, the hassle of buying each section separately, and even some time.
It will all depend on where you start your Koh Samui tour and where you are going on Koh Phi Phi, but the duration of the tour will be between 7.5 and 10.5 hours in total. The advantage of buying a combined ticket in advance is that all parts of the tour will be organized and you don’t have to worry about finding separate tickets for each mode of transport. It’s a fantastic option for comfortable traveling abroad.
There are four companies that offer transport services from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi: Lomprayah, Seatran Discovery, Phantip 1970 and Raja Ferry. Prices vary slightly between different companies as they operate different types of boats which affect both the cost and duration of the trip. For example, Raja Ferry uses a conventional ferry, while Lomprayah operates a catamaran and Seatran has a high-speed ferry.
To make it even easier and more convenient, you can choose where to start your adventure, including transfer from your hotel to Koh Samui. You can also start at Na Thon Pier or Bangrak Seatran (if traveling with Seatran Discovery), on the north coast of Koh Samui. Each company has scheduled departure times, but all tours from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi start in the morning, continue throughout the day, and arrive in Koh Phi Phi in the afternoon or evening.
If you want to arrive in Koh Phi Phi in the early afternoon, you must choose one of the earliest departures of the day. Exact departure times vary by company. For example, if you are traveling with Raja Ferry, you will be picked up from your hotel around 6:00 AM and arrive in Koh Phi Phi around 4:30 PM, which is a duration of 10.5 hours. You can also leave Na Thon with Phantip at 7:30 AM and arrive in Koh Phi Phi at 3:30 PM, eight hours later.
The advantage of booking through 12Go is that their search results show options for four companies serving this route. This makes it easy for you to compare prices and timetables and book instantly on their website. If you decide to fly from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi via Krabi, on the one hand, you will need to book tickets and arrange van and ferry transfers. Given the additional costs and inconvenience of flying, we recommend combining a bus or van with the ferry.