Thailand answers, getting around
How do I get to Koh Tao from Phuket or Krabi?
Phuket and Krabi are on the Andaman coast and Koh Tao is in the Gulf of Thailand, so the trip crosses the peninsula by road before it reaches a pier. Nothing sails direct. The times below are the ones Ticket2Attraction listed for 4 October 2026, read on 2 October 2026.
From Phuket
| Departure | Arrival at Mae Haad | Duration | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:30, Phuket airport or the Lomprayah office | 17:45 | 8 hours 15 minutes | bus and catamaran, from 1,600 THB |
It is one sailing a day, so a missed bus costs a full day. Phuket Ferry shows the same 09:30 departure, with three stops on the way.
From Krabi
| Departure | From | Arrival at Mae Haad | Duration | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Klong Jilad pier | 14:15 | 6 hours 15 minutes | bus and catamaran, from 1,300 THB |
| 09:30 | Ao Nang | 16:00 | 6 hours 30 minutes | bus and speedboat, from 1,400 THB |
| 11:30 | Klong Jilad pier | 17:45 | 6 hours 15 minutes | bus and catamaran, from 1,300 THB |
| 13:00 | Ao Nang | 18:00 | 5 hours | bus and speedboat, from 1,400 THB |
The 13:00 departure is the fastest and the last of the day. Ticket2Attraction sells all four as Lomprayah; Phuket Ferry lists the two Ao Nang speedboat departures under the operator name Lomlahkkhirin, so read the operator on your ticket.
Can you fly instead?
Not to Koh Tao, which has no airport. Wikipedia's destination table for Koh Samui airport lists Bangkok Airways routes to Phuket and Krabi, so you can fly to Samui and finish by boat. The last Lomprayah sailing from Samui that day was 16:00 from Nathon pier, so check the flight against the boat before paying for either. Our answer on getting to Koh Tao from Bangkok in one day sets out the Samui leg from the airport.
Before you book
- Fares move with the date. Treat the prices above as a floor, and compare operators in our Koh Tao ferry price post.
- From October to December the gulf is at its roughest. Do not connect this trip to a flight on the same day; do ferries to Koh Tao get cancelled in the monsoon has the rules.
- Check in early: Phuket Ferry asks for 30 minutes before departure, with ticket and identification.
Our Koh Tao page covers the first days on the island, and Currency Check turns the fares into your own currency.
Sources
- Ticket2Attraction, Lomprayah Phuket to Koh Tao, sailing of 4 October 2026 (one departure at 09:30 from Phuket airport or the Lomprayah office, arrival 17:45 at Mae Haad, 8 hours 15 minutes, bus and catamaran, from 1,600 THB), accessed .
- Ticket2Attraction, Lomprayah Krabi to Koh Tao, sailing of 4 October 2026 (08:00 and 11:30 from Klong Jilad pier in 6 hours 15 minutes from 1,300 THB, 09:30 and 13:00 from Ao Nang in 6 hours 30 minutes and 5 hours from 1,400 THB), accessed .
- Phuket Ferry, Phuket to Koh Tao (Lomprayah, 09:30 to 17:45, one departure a day, three stops, from 1,600 THB, operates all year), accessed .
- Phuket Ferry, Krabi to Koh Tao (four daily departures between 08:00 and 13:00, 5 to 6.5 hours, 1,300 to 1,400 THB, the 09:30 and 13:00 listed under Lomlahkkhirin, check in 30 minutes before departure), accessed .
- Wikipedia, Samui Airport, airlines and destinations (Bangkok Airways serves Phuket, Krabi and Chiang Mai from Samui), accessed .
- Ticket2Attraction, Lomprayah Koh Samui to Koh Tao, sailing of 4 October 2026 (last departure 16:00 from Nathon pier, arrival 17:45), accessed .
Facts in this answer last verified .
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