The city of Surat Thani is a place with many transport links, so it is possible that at some point in your trip to Thailand you will pass by. Surat Thani, 650 kilometers (406 miles) south of Bangkok, is a good place to see some of Thailand’s most beautiful islands, including Koh Tao with its coral reefs, lush nature, and spectacular beaches. Traveling from Surat Thani to Koh Tao is relatively easy and inexpensive, and there are several options to get there. Read on to find out how to travel from Surat Thani to Koh Tao.
What are the travel options from Surat Thani to Koh Tao?
There is not a great travel distance from Surat Thani to Koh Tao, but since it is an island, it is not possible to make the entire journey by land. There are 120 kilometers (75 miles) between the two destinations, and while there are various travel options, you will eventually need to take a boat as there is no airport on Koh Tao. The nearest airports are Koh Samui, Chumphon and Surat Thani. Many tourists fly from Bangkok to one of these airports and then go to Koh Tao. There are many operators that offer tickets from Surat Thani Airport, making this a very practical option if you have arrived by plane, although you can also make your own way to the port. More details are provided below.
From Surat Thani to Koh Tao by bus and ferry from the airport
Songserm offers a cheap ferry ride © woraatep suppavas / Shutterstock.com
Let’s start with the option of getting from Surat Thani airport to the island of Koh Tao, which is chosen by many tourists. There are three companies that offer ferry trips on this route: Lomprayah, Seatran Discovery and Songserm, which we recommend for this trip. All three charge about the same per ticket, so you won’t save money if you choose one or the other. However, the hours and service offered may influence your decision. Services begin at 8:00 am, although there are usually other times scheduled throughout the morning. The last bus of the day leaves in the early afternoon, so check your arrival time before booking in case it doesn’t match Koh Tao’s bus and ferry schedules.
Journey times vary slightly throughout the day: some take 4 hours and 45 minutes and others can exceed 7 hours, although the actual journey time depends on traffic and weather conditions. In choppy water, the ferry will travel slightly slower than in calm water. In addition, ferries are notorious for delays, meaning you may have to wait several hours for your ship to arrive.
The company you choose will also depend on the level of luxury you want to have while traveling. In many ways, all three companies offer similar services, but Songserm, which is usually the cheapest, has limited on-board services. So if you prefer to travel by ferry where you can buy something to eat and drink, perhaps you should choose one of the other companies.
Bus and ferry from Surat Thani railway station to Koh Tao
Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran © Vasit Buasamui / Shutterstock.com
If you arrive at Surat Thani train station and want to continue your journey to Koh Tao, you can buy a bus and ferry ticket directly at the train station. The only downside is that there are only two agencies that provide this service and both have scheduled early morning departures. Songserm is the cheapest option and will save you a few euros on the ticket, but they offer a standard ferry with limited services on board. It takes about 6.5 hours to travel from Surat Thani railway station to Koh Tao, and traveling from Lomprayah will save you about 15 minutes and you will have better services on board, as well as travel by a more comfortable and modern high-speed ferry. However, this option is a bit more expensive.
From Surat Thani to Koh Tao by ferry
Seatran ferry port can be reached by bus from Surat Thani © somsak suwanput / Shutterstock.com
If you have been traveling for some time or have been staying in the Surat Thani area for a few days, you can buy a ferry-only ticket. As with the ferry options above, there are several different routes and services to get from Surat Thani to Koh Tao. One option is the night ferry available from Songserm. It takes approximately 7 hours from Night Boat Port in Surat Thani. The advantage of this option is that you won’t lose time during the day on the tour, although it’s not a particularly comfortable journey and you may have difficulty resting.
Lomprayah is certainly a better option as the fast ferries they use are convenient. They depart from Tapee Port, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and the trip takes between 3 hours and 15 minutes to 3 hours and 45 minutes. You can also choose to travel with Seatran Discovery which operates a bus service from Seatran Bus Terminal on Talad Mai Road which will take you to the port. The bus part of the journey extends the journey time and in this case the total duration is 6 hours.
All ferries arrive at the same place on Koh Tao, Mae Haad Port, which is centrally located on Koh Tao’s west coast, from where you can easily reach other parts of the island.