How to Get to Koh Tao from anywhere in Thailand

No vacation in Thailand would be complete without a visit to its islands. Koh Tao, an island aptly known as “Turtle Island,” is located in the Gulf of Thailand and seems to tick all the boxes for the perfect island getaway. It is the smallest of the popular trio along with Koh Phangan and Koh Samui.

Wether you go for the relaxed island vibe, the amenities in Sairee beach, tropical beaches or the colorful coral reefs and marine life, which offer some of the best scuba diving in Thailand. If you are enticed, you now want to know how to get to Koh Tao? In this guide I cover all your options for getting to Koh Tao from anywhere in Thailand.

How to get to Koh Tao Thailand

Before getting into all the details about how to get to Koh Tao let’s cover the basics that will help you plan your trip with ease.

Koh Tao is the smallest of three popular islands located off Thailand’s east coast in the Gulf of Thailand. These islands are aligned in a north-to-south direction, starting with Koh Tao in the north, followed by Koh Phangan, and then Koh Samui furthest south.

Similarly, the ferry piers on the mainland are positioned at the same orientation along the coast. Ferries from Chumphon offer the shortest route to Koh Tao. Surat Thani is another hub for ferries to the islands and located about 250 km south putting you within a 30 minute ferry journey to Koh Samui.

Regardless if you arrive at Chumphon or Surat Thani it is still possible to reach Koh Tao as some ferry operators, like Lomprayah, service all three islands, stopping at each one to pick up and drop off passengers before moving on to the next.

What’s the best way to get to Koh Tao?

For the majority of routes including from Bangkok to Koh Tao and even Phuket to Koh Tao, the best option is going to be the bus+ferry combo ticket. With these tickets you get a seamless connection from bus to ferry with no in between transfers required.

What is the closest airport to Koh Tao?

The airport on Koh Samui is the closest to Koh Tao and welcomes direct flights from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and even Singapore. Flight tickets are expensive however due to the airport being owned by Bangkok airways and having a monopoly on the price. Low cost airlines such as Air Asia and Nok Air operate via Surat Thani and Chumphon airport and tickets are a lot cheaper.

You can check the flight routes below ⤵

→ Bangkok to Koh Samui flight
→ Phuket to Koh Samui flight
→ Chiang Mai to Koh Samui flight

What is the cheapest way to get to Koh Tao?

The cheapest way to get to Koh Tao is the bus+ferry combo tickets. Unlike the ordinary buses which stop about 1 hour away from the pier (both in Chumphon and Surat Thani), the buses go directly to the pier connecting passengers to the ferries to Koh Tao. This eliminates the cost of paying for a transfer which is also time consuming.

Enter your origin in the search form below to view options ⤵

How to get to Koh Tao by Plane, Bus, Train and Ferry

How to get to Koh Tao by bus

While there are a few ways to reach Koh Tao, the majority of tourists prefer taking a bus to either Chumphon or Surat Thani followed by a ferry or catamaran. With this option there is a bit of an inconvenience because the buses terminate the journey about 1 hour away from the piers. Therefore a taxi is then required for the transfer.

All major destinations have direct buses to either Chumphon or Surat Thani including from Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Ao Nang, and Koh Lanta, making it convenient to reach Koh Tao from various parts of Thailand.

When planning the trip, it’s often best to choose the pier nearest to your starting point:

From the south: Travelers from southern locations such as Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta or Surat Thani itself will find it easier and faster to take the ferry from Surat Thani.

From Bangkok or northern areas: Chumphon is closer and more convenient for those coming from Bangkok or destinations further north.

Lomprayah is a reputable company that offers convenient bus and ferry combo options, with tickets around $40, making it easier and more affordable to reach Koh Tao. With these combo options, you get to ride the bus directly to the pier, avoiding the hassle and extra cost of a taxi.

To plan your trip, you can search routes on the 12Go platform. This website provides comprehensive details, including meeting points, baggage allowances (typically 20kg plus a carry-on), pricing, and departure schedules which will help you plan your trip with ease.

How to get to Koh Tao by train

Traveling to Koh Tao by train isn’t the most convenient option. Trains in Thailand are slow, rarely on time and often the best seats (especially for the sleeper cabins) are booked well in advance.

However, there is no denying that train travel in Thailand is an experience in itself. You’ll get to clickity-clackity down the Thai countryside where food vendors will frequently aboard the train selling anything from cold drinks, rice dishes and even grilled chicken on bamboo sticks.

Railway travel is a good option if you’re traveling from Bangkok to Koh Tao. You will then need to follow this journey with a boat to Koh Tao. But in some cases, train travel can be even cheaper than buses and there is also the option of sleeper trains which will also save a the cost of a hotel night. →check options here

How to get to Koh Tao by air

We have already covered that getting to Koh Tao, regardless of which option you choose, will require taking a ferry for the final leg of the journey. This is no different when traveling by air since Koh Tao has no airport.

There are a few nearby airports however that you can fly to and then take a ferry.

The airport on Koh Samui is perhaps the most convenient because there are frequent flights from various destinations within Thailand including Bangkok and Chiang Mai and even direct flights from Singapore. The ferries from Koh Samui to Koh Tao are located in Bangrak and Maenam which are both within a 20 minute drive from the airport. The bummer is that since Koh Samui airport is owned by Bangkok airways they have a monopoly and tickets are generally expensive.

Alternatively, low cost airlines such as Air Asia and Nok Air have direct flights to Chumphon or Surat Thani. Both are convenient enough to be considered as a more affordable option. Either-way, all options need to be followed by a ferry. So regardless which airport you decide to fly into, the total travel time is ultimately going to be very similar.

Where to stay in Koh Tao

If you’re planning your Koh Tao itinerary, the section below covers the 3 main areas to stay on the island. All areas are well suited if you want to have restaurants, beach bars and entertainment nearby. The table gives you a quick overview of hotels and hostels which have been highly rated and thus are always in high demand. →or read this complete guide

When you arrive in Koh Tao

The ferry to Koh Tao docks at Mae Haad pier. It’s busy and chaotic especially when the ferries arrive. You’ll get bombarded by tuk-tuk drivers to take you to your hotel. Just make sure you negotiate a price before taking a tuk-tuk. Else you’ll have to pay whatever the driver asks for when you arrive at your hotel.

Getting to hotel

When you arrive in Koh Tao you have a few options to make it to your hotel. If you’ve already booked an accommodation in Koh Tao, make sure to ask if they offer shuttle service. Some accommodation offer this service to their guests and if its an exclusive resort it will probably be free.

Another option which mostly applies if you have a backpack is to rent a scooter or motorcycle. There’s lots of shops to rent from in Maehaad, just make sure to check their reviews beforehand. Or in some cases you can even walk to your hotel or hostel as both Maehaad town and Sairee beach are within walking distance. Maybe not so much if you have a lot of luggage though.

The final option would be to travel by songtaew which is basically a pick-up truck with benches in the back. Let the driver know where you’re going and in some cases the driver make group others going in the same direction and you can split the cost. But in most you’ll need to negotiate a price.

Food

If you arrive hungry, stop for a sandwich at Da’s sandwiches right next to the pier. This guy makes the best sandwiches in Thailand (according to us).

Scooter Rental

To rent a scooter go to One Motorbike Rentals.The shop is a 2 minute walk South from the pier. If they don’t have any scooters the next best option is go to Oli’s Motorbike rental about 10 minutes from the pier.

Tours

The only way to do certain activities is by tour. In the case of Koh Tao these activities are most usually water activities like this popular 7 hour snorkeling tour with excellent reviews and costs under $25!

Also for you ⤵

Since you’re going to Koh Tao you may want to consider adding one of these best selling and best rated tours and activities to your Ko Tao itinerary.

How we efficiently plan our trips.

Planning a holiday can be overwhelming, especially for those hands-on in the process. Thankfully, technology has simplified the task, making it easier to organize trips to destinations like Thailand. Here are the resources we use that help simplify our planning process.

Agoda: Our go-to for booking accommodation. It’s user-friendly, offers the best prices, and boasts the largest selection of online properties in South East Asia.

Viator: when planning our itinerary we always go through Viator to find unique activities and paid tours. While we don’t always do activities as a tour, Viator gives us a good idea what there is to do in a particular destination.

12Go: Planning the logistics and transfers from one place to another is always a headache when putting together an itinerary. That is why we always use 12Go when we want to find the best and easiest ways to get from A to B. Just enter the the starting location and where you want to go. eg: Bangkok → Phi Phi island. And in most cases you’ll find combo tickets that handle the entire journey even when various transports methods are involved such as ferries and buses.