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Home » Reader question » Reader question: By bus and ferry to Koh Samui
Reader question: By bus and ferry to Koh Samui
Dear readers,
Together with my girlfriend we are going to Thailand for a month. We want to spend the last week of the holiday on Koh Samui and Koh Tao.
We want to fly from Bangkok to Surat Thani to take the bus and ferry from there to Koh Samui. Do you have to book the bus and ferry in advance or can that be done on the spot? What are the bus and ferry costs? In Koh Samui we want to stay in Chaweng. Is there a ferry that arrives near Chaweng?
Recently I read something about Koh Taen on Thailandblog. What is there to do on this island and is it possible to spend the night on Koh Taen?
Thank you in advance.
Yours faithfully,
Wessel
Dear Wessel,
The easiest way to go to Koh Samui is a combination ticket: Bangkok-Suratani-Koh Samui. For sale in almost every travel agency.
The ferry arrives in Nathon and from there it is a 45 minute drive to Chaweng. Can be done in different ways: minibus, taxi ... Keep in mind that Chaweng is very busy.
Koh Taen: there is very little to do there. There is one restaurant, there is a French writer who sells home-made drinks (tasty), there is one shop and there is an old temple… There is also a “little hospital” without any staff…. a ruin of a house, once built by a farang who started walking there after a few months because it was too lonely…. that will be about it.
You can spend the night there, there are a few bungalows for rent. Nice trip but that's about all. Been there several times: some snorkeling, a walk around the island, a dinner in the only restaurant and …. pack up and go… unless you like total peace and quiet, you can stay overnight.
Lung addie
Upon arrival at Surat-Thani there are a number of offices of the somewhat different boat companies. You can buy a combi-ticket bus-boat to 1 of the islands there. Booking in advance is possible, but has no added value.
NOK-air even offers combination tickets Plane-Bus-Boat. That might be worth considering.
Have a nice trip, Arjen.
Airasia also has combi tickets, works perfectly, just done. Around 7 o'clock flight from Don Muang and around 12 o'clock I was already on Koh Samui.
The easiest is indeed a combination ticket (from Nokair). This one flies from Don Muang. The arrival on Samui is in Nathon, from here you can take a songtaew to your destination. On the high-speed catamaran they also sell minibus tickets. You can also buy a combination ticket at Thai airasia, only these arrive at the Raja verry pier. No songtaews here and if there are any taxis they are outrageously expensive.
If you have never been to Thailand you probably don't know what a Songtaew is (this is an open taxi that circles around the island of Samui) these taxis are cheap during the day.
I would advise you to fly from Bangkok to Samui with Bangkok airways, a bit more expensive, but it saves you more than half a day of vacation.
Why not fly directly from BKK to Samui?
The airport on Samui is owned by Bangkokairways, so they also determine the landing rights. So you are always stuck with an expensive ticket.
Many people don't do that because it is very expensive, compared to Asia and Nok Air.
And why would you pay more, if you have enough time. Fly in that hour with Bangkok Air
you see nothing.
1. Bus and boat tickets can also be purchased on the spot without any problem. So booking in advance is not necessary.
2. With the Lompraya ferry you can go to Maenam. That's closer to Chaweng.
3. On Koh Tan there are 2 restaurants, 1 of which is often closed due to the stormy weather.
4. 1 restaurant does indeed have some bungalows on offer, but during my last visit they were building new bungalows in various places.
5. On the former uninhabited island of Koh Madsum (opposite Koh Tan) a new (illegally built) luxury resort has arisen some time ago. (found on Google)
Dear Lou,
since when is that second restaurant open? When I was recently on Koh Taen, a few months ago, "something" was under construction. Reminds me of a restaurant. So it's open now, at least when it doesn't storm apparently....
You are very right about a transfer by Lomprayah ... with arrival in Meanam you are right next to Chaweng . I didn't bring this up as the questioner was talking about the ferry.
regards,
lung addie
There are (were) even 3 restaurants on Koh Tan. I live on Samui in Taling Ngam. A friend of mine (Sunee) sails with tourists to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum. I often go with him when I have visitors. The 1st time at the restaurant (with the Beo) at the toilets. They also have bungalows.
A few months ago, a little further on the same stretch of beach, I had dinner at a restaurant that was new to me.
If you walk through the mangrove forest to the other side of the island, you come to a cove with a restaurant, which according to Sunee was closed some time ago due to bad weather. I last ate there in February 2014. They were building new (luxury) bungalows nearby.
I hope the boss finds this valuable info and doesn't think I'm chatting. I have been “deleted” several times because it is not a direct answer to the question asked.
Dear Lou,
To the reader: if people wish to travel overland, please respect this wish and do not suggest the simple flight route. These people probably want to see something and not just arrive on Koh Samui as quickly as possible. Everyone spends their well-deserved holiday the way they want.
and, dear Lou, this is not chatting because it is useful to the questioner. Honestly, I've always been too lazy to explore the other side of Koh Taen. I keep going from Ban Taling Ngnam with a long tail to Koh Taen… who knows, it might be with Sunee. It is an elderly Thai couple with whom I go all the time. I'm a bit surprised that I don't know you… you may know us: Mister Alan (aka poejaaibaan Lamai) Werner, Guido…. these last two Belgians live there in the vicinity of Ban Taling Mgnam …. on a private property … Alan lives 6 months/year in Lamai, not far from Spa Village …. I believe Moo 3…. opposite Peter Mayer House, well known by the Germans. I come several times a year and still discover new things on Koh Samui that are worth visiting. I hope Wessel can find a good guide who can show him the island in a different way than what most visitors see. That must be up to him … according to his own wishes and contacts he wants to address.
Lung addie ail
if you are at bangkok airport, you can also book a ticket at the bali of bangkok airway, and pay directly, that is in the top left corner, you have to go upstairs when you are in the departure hall, when you are there in the afternoon you can you often fly along in the evening, and you land on Samui, it costs about 125 euros there, one way
the bus takes a long time and transfers etc,
A few weeks ago (June 25th?) there was a movie on this blog about a longtail boat trip to the 5 islands. It's a nice video that was posted on the blog a few years ago.
The skipper who sails along the 5 islands is Sunee's brother. Due to health problems, the brother no longer sails, but the trips along the islands are great fun and then lunch at one of the restaurants on Koh Tan is highly recommended. There are several "captains" who offer the tours, but I like Sunee the best.
In Ban Taling Ngam there is a "harbor" where the longtail boats are located, near the restaurant "Island View". Colin Burgess's 5 Islands restaurant has closed after conflicts with his wife, mother-in-law, staff and land owner. A well-known Thai story 🙂