Koh Tao, Thailand is a tropical paradise full of palm-lined beaches, coral reefs and spectacular diving spots. Thanks to its peaceful surroundings, Koh Tao is ideal for families and couples, but if you’re looking for nightlife, there’s also no shortage of places to eat and drink. After spending a few days here, why not head to another of Thailand’s most visited islands? Koh Phi Phi has a very different landscape, characterized by limestone cliffs and beautiful beaches in tranquil bays. In addition to spending relaxing hours, you can also go diving or have fun at night on one of the beaches. If you like this combination, read on to find out how to get from Koh Tao to Koh Phi Phi.
Travelers walking towards the ferry at Tonsai Pier, Koh Phi Phi © SIHASAKPRACHUM / Shutterstock.com
Transfer options from Koh Tao to Koh Phi Phi
Since Koh Tao is on the Gulf of Thailand and Koh Phi Phi is on the other side of the Malacca Peninsula in the Andaman Sea, you need to cross several straits of water to travel between these islands. Both Koh Tao and Koh Phi Phi are small islands and neither have an airport, so there is no direct flight from Koh Tao to Koh Phi Phi. Anyway, you could take a ferry to Koh Samui to fly from there to Krabi, but then you’d have to take another ferry to Koh Phi Phi. While this is a viable option, the journey is very long and much more expensive than by ferry and bus.
From Koh Tao to Koh Phi Phi by ferry and bus
Although the journey is long, taking the ferry and bus from Koh Tao to Koh Phi Phi is the most common, easiest and cheapest way to get from one island to another. Tourists often travel this route, so you can always meet other travelers along the way and even get recommendations for places to visit, accommodation or attractions.
You need to allocate a whole day to go from Koh Tao to Koh Phi Phi, as the entire journey takes 10 to 10.5 hours, including early rise. The two main companies offering services on this route, Seatran Discovery and Lomprayah, have a good reputation for safety and reliability, and ticket prices are the same with both companies. The services they offer are also comparable. To facilitate the search and booking of tickets, it is advisable to use a travel site such as 12Go.asia. Making a reservation on this site is easy, so you can have tickets in advance to keep everything organized. We recommend buying them as far in advance as possible as these ferries can fill up quite quickly.
When you make a reservation with 12Go, you receive an immediate confirmation of purchase. In addition, this site offers refund options for any changes to plans closer to the departure date.
With Seatran Discovery, you will leave Koh Tao by ferry at 6:30 AM. There are two changes along the way. The first is to get off the ferry and take a bus that crosses the Malacca peninsula to the west coast. The second involves transferring to another ferry to go to Ton Sai Pier on Koh Phi Phi. The entire trip takes about 10 hours with Seatran.
In the case of Lomprayah, the departure is planned a little earlier. Their ferry leaves at 6am and once you are on land you need to transfer to a van until you reach the west coast to take the ferry to Koh Phi Phi. For Lomprayah, the planned duration of the route from Koh Tao to Koh Phi Phi is 10.5 hours.
It is important to note that companies such as travelers arrive at the pier before the scheduled departure time, usually 30 minutes earlier, so set your alarm clock and stay awake!
Traveling by ferry in Thailand is very popular for getting around the islands, and ferries are usually very reliable on routes such as Koh Tao to Koh Phi Phi. From Seatran and Lomprayah, booking on 12Go, all connections are secured. This way you can travel with peace of mind, even if there is a delay. Combination tickets cover all legs of your journey, so you save yourself the hassle of buying each ticket separately. Do an online search and compare the options of both companies before booking.