How to get from Langkawi to Koh Tao/Koh Phangan/Koh Samui

One week ago I was trying to figure out how to get from Langkawi, Malaysia to Koh Tao, Thailand. I was looking for the shortest possible route without using flights. As I was not able to find clear details on how to do this trip, and the info that I’ve found was too old or was only about parts of the trip, I wrote this article, maybe it will help others like me in the future. All the prices and times are from May 2016.

1. Get the ferry from Langkawi to Satun – 09:00 AM
The first ferry from Langkawi, Malaysia to Satun, Thailand leaves at 09:00 AM from Kuah pier and it costs 30 Ringit one way. You will arrive in Thailand at 9:20 AM (thai time), you will go through the immigration process. I already had my visa from Penang Thai Consulate, but I guess you can obtain visa on arrival in Satun also (though it will let you stay in Thailand a shorter period than normal tourist visa obtained beforehand).

The eagle next to the pier, the symbol of Langkawi

Ferry boat to Satun, it was almost empty that day

Passport control queue

2. Get a pick-up truck from Satun pier to Satun Bus Station – 09:45 AM
After getting through immigration, now that you have your stamp in the passport, you are ready to start the journey in Thailand. Go to the exits and you will find there several money changers which offer a fair rate for buying Thai Bahts. You will meet several locals trying to sell you tickets for continuing your journey. Ignore them, as it is very simple to do it by yourself.

Exit the pier building and in front of the exit stairs you will see several pick-up trucks (also called songthaew). Get on the first one (they wait in a line so the first one is leaving as soon it gets full of people, I waited for about 10 minutes for that to happen). The price to Satun Bus Station should be 50 Baht, it gets there in about 15 minutes.

The pickup truck taking people to city/bus station

3. Get a minivan from Satun Bus Station to Hat Yai – 10:20 AM
As you arrive at the bus station, go to the ticket counter inside the station building and ask for a ticket to Hat Yai. The minivan has good seats and air conditioning. The ticket costs 100 Baht and you will get to Hat Yai at 12:30 PM.

Satun Bus Station building

4. Get from Hat Yai to Surat Thani, there are two options:
4.a. Get a train from Hat Yai to Surat Thani – 02:45 PM
Once arrived in Hat Yai, the minivan will have one of the stops near the Surat Thani Railway Station. You can get off the minivan at that stop and just walk for 10 minutes or you could get a taxi if you miss that stop and you find yourself at the end of the line, at Surat Thani Bus Station.

As you get inside the railway station, on your right hand side you will find the ticket counters for trains in the same day (on the left side there sell tickets for future days). Go to the information office first (located at Platform 1) and find out if the train has any delay. Depending on this (for example if the train arrives 4 hours later than scheduled, you will not be able to catch the last ferry to the islands from Surat Thani, so you can just go to the bus station and get a bus instead of train). Go to a counter and get a ticket in the 14:45 train to Surat Thani. You can choose between air conditioned sleepers, normal seats with fan, etc. One air conditioned sleeper place down costs 526 Baht, one up costs 420 Baht.

Tickets for travel today

Information counter at platform 1

Bed in train, they add linen, pillow and blanket

OR

4.b. Get a minivan/bus from Hat Yai Bus Station to Surat Thani
I never took this, but I know there are buses that go on this route every hour. And if I were to choose again, I would take this option, as the train was 90 minutes late, so a bus is more reliable and cheaper. Anyway, the train is more comfortable, so it’s all up to you.

5. Get a taxi/pick up truck from Surat Thani Railway Station to Ban Don Pier – 8:30 PM
You should arrive at 08:10 PM in Surat Thani, if the train has no delay. Get out of the train station and get a pick-up truck to Ban Don Pier. If you arrive too late, like I did, and there are no pick up trucks outside, just get a taxi to the pier, you should pay for it 200 Baht. You also have the option to get a motorbike taxi, if you have a small backpack and it is not raining. You should clearly specify to the driver that you need to get to Night Boat Pier (or Ban Don Pier).

6. Get the night ferry from Ban Don Pier to Koh Tao/Koh Phangan/Koh Samui – 11:00 PM
When you arrive at Ban Don Pier, you will see there are boats going to all the three islands, it is easy to choose the correct one as the destination is written on them. All of them leave at 11:00 PM. Buy a ticket from the counter before getting on the boat. The price to Koh Tao is 500 Baht. The prices to Koh Phangan/Koh Samui are cheaper by 100-150 Baht, as those islands are closer.

When you get on the ferry, you should look for the bed having the same number as the number written on your ticket. That improvised small bed will be your resting place for the night. The beds are very small, the width being half of the width of a normal twin bed. If you are lucky, the boat will not be full so you will be able to use 2 beds without any stranger sleeping almost on you. I heard they also have newer night boats, with bigger bunk beds and air conditioning, that run only on Sundays and Wednesdays, but I’ve never had the chance of taking one of those. The ferry arrives in Koh Tao at 06:30 in the morning (for Koh Phangan/Koh Samui earlier).

Ban Don Pier aka Night Boat Pier

Boat to Koh Tao, leaves at 11 PM

Dormitory, you will sleep here

Congratulations, you finally arrived in Koh Tao

Have fun!

6 luni, Langkawi

Nu pot sa las nebagata in seama ziua de azi. Camelia a scris deja un articol ieri, la sase luni de la ziua de plecare, il puteti citi aici: https://6luniinasia.wordpress.com/2016/05/22/dupa-fix-6-luni/

Dar eu sarbatoresc ziua de azi, pentru ca pe 23 noiembrie am ajuns si am petrecut primele minute pe taram asiatic. Azi m-am trezit pe la 6 si un pic, cu gandul de a ma bucura de jumatatea de an cu inca o schimbare de tara: plecare din Malaezia in Thailanda. Aveam ferryboat la 9, asa ca trebuia sa ajung sa predau scuterul langa portul de plecare pe la 8 si ceva, tocmai bine sa apuc sa iau micul dejun la hotel si sa fac drumul de 40 de minute pe doua roti. Ieri luasem hotararea sa plec, pentru ca ultimele doua zile in Langkawi au fost pline de nori si ploaie, asa ca nu aveam de ce sa mai pierd timpul. Cu siguranta in Koh Tao ma asteapta vreme mai buna.

Iau micul dejun cu bagajul facut langa masa, fiind putin trist ca plec din insulele astea care au inca multe de oferit (zic insule desi e o insula mare pe care poti locui, inconjurata de zeci de alte insulite mici). Si mai trist sunt pentru ca azi se anunta o zi buna. Din ce vad pe cer, iar m-au mintit la meteo. Nicio zi pana acum nu a avut cer asa clar. Planurile sunt facute sa fie urmate. In general. Pasesc inca nesigur spre fata de la receptie, mai am de trecut un singur test. O rog sa ii sune pe cei cu turul de topait prin insule. Asa se numeste, island hopping tour. Daca au inca un loc liber pentru ora 9 AM, vreau sa ma duc. Au loc liber. Ma cazez din nou, dupa ce in urma cu 15 minute ma decazasem, imi duc bagajul inapoi in camera. Simt inca o data libertatea de a-ti putea modifica planul fara a fi presat de timp.

Turul de insule este destul de bun, incepe cu un lac cu apa dulce. Printre indieni care inoata cu hainele pe ei, malaysieni care inoata cu hainele pe ei, fete musulmane care inoata cu hainele pe ele inclusiv cu basmaua aia de pe cap, sar si eu in apa si cei de pe langa mine pot lua lectii de cum sa iti iei burta. Turul continua cu observarea vulturilor ce mananca bucati de carne de pui aruncate in apa de conducatorul barcii in care ne aflam. Sunt 15-20 de vulturi in jurul nostru, au invatat deja traseele turistilor si nu se mai omoara cu vanatul, asteapta sa le vina masa de la ora 11. Ma gandesc ca vulturii astia o sa uite sa vaneze, daca primesc mancare fara sa faca nimic timp de ani de zile. Terminam turul cu o plaja pe o insula nelocuita, relaxare timp de o ora. Asta daca te poti relaxa cu cateva maimute in jurul tau care incearca sa iti ia rucsacul si sa fuga cu el.

In afara de turul asta, in Langkawi mai poti avea urmatoarele activitati:
– urcare cu gondola pe un varf de 800 m inaltime de pe care poti observa insulitele din jur si vizita la podul suspendat
– inchiriat scuter si vizitat cel mai inalt varf de pe insula, Gunung Raya, unde te poti relaxa pentru cateva zeci de minute in racoare cu un peisaj care face mai mult decat cei 10 ringiti dati pe bilet
– mers de pe plaja pe plaja in jurul insulei, sunt plaje bune atat in nord cat si in sud
– turul de mangrove, unde esti plimbat cu barca pe niste canale si poti observa pentru prima data in viata o maimuta inotand cu puiul in brate
– am vazut ca au si moto parapanta si carting, plus obisnuitele sporturi acvatice cu jet ski, banana si para sailing, pe care insa nu le-am incercat

Maine am zi grea, drum de 24 de ore pana in Koh Tao, Thailanda. O sa schimb ferry boat, microbuz, autobuz, tren, microbuz, ferry boat de noapte. Maine la 7 incep ultima luna si jumatate din calatoria in Asia, pe care o voi petrece pe insulele din golf: Koh Tao, Koh Phangan si Koh Samui. Planul este sa ma arunc de pe una pe alta vreo saptamana, timp in care sa decid norocoasa care ma va gazdui pentru o luna intreaga. Maine la 9 am ferry boat. Daca nu se schimba planul.

Pana atunci, ma delectez cu apusul asta.