“The islands on the eastern coast of Thailand have long been a popular tourist destination. This popularity has created a demand for a seamless bus and boat connection that departs from the busy street of Khaosan road”
Known for gorgeous beaches, warm tropical waters teaming with colorful marine life, a laid back vibe and a compact size making navigation easy, the 3 islands in the Gulf sea of Thailand are apparently on everyones bucket-list.
After all, island hopping in Thailand is the ultimate adventure. Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui are the best islands to do just that.
You’ll first need to reach one of the islands in order to kick start your dreamy island hopping adventure in Thailand. This can be done via a convenient and comfortable VIP bus followed by high speed catamaran.
About the VIP Bus and Catamaran to the islands in East Thailand
Every evening the corner of Soi Rambuttri, a street parallel with Khaosan road, is packed with dozens of tourists, families, travelers and budget backpackers on their way to the islands.
They’re all going to the Lomprayah meeting point to check-in for the all-inclusive bus+ferry combo tickets which is the most comfortable and convenient way to reach the popular trio island in Thailand.
The process is similar to that of airlines. Tickets are bought online and on the day of travel, passengers must be at the meeting point an hour ahead of departure to do check-in in exchange for the boarding passes.
Any big luggage gets tags to indicate which island it’s going to. Passengers get shirt stickers to make it easy for staff to indicate which bus and seat number. It’s a sort of organized chaotic confusion due to all the crowd of people going to the same place. But it works.
Getting to the islands can also be done by taking an ordinary bus down to Chumphon. Then taking a ferry from one of the piers. It’s possible, but takes much longer due to having to transfer in Chumphon bus terminal to the pier. This will also add an additional expense and in the end the journey won’t be much cheaper.
All inclusive bus and ferry tickets can be purchased online. For anyone with specific travel dates, it is best to buy the tickets in advance.
All-Inclusive ticket options ⤵
Bangkok to Koh-Tao – Bus → Ferry
Bangkok to Koh-Phangan – Bus → Ferry
Bangkok to Koh-Samui – Bus → Ferry
The bus from Bangkok to Chumphon
There is morning and evening bus departures. Personally we prefer the evening bus which departs from near Khaosan at 9:00pm. It’s cheaper and saves time to take the night because we save 1 night accommodation. And because the journey is done at night, it also save time traveling during the day. Win, win!!
The buses are big, spacious and even have a luggage compartment. Just don’t throw all your valuables in there too. Instead take a hand luggage on board with all the important stuff like passports, cash, electronics, etc.
On board the seating has good leg room that allows almost a complete flat recline. Perfect if traveling at night. A small goody box with a few Thai snacks and a drink is handed out to passengers. A blanket, which is very much needed because air condition is set to freeze mode and also a pillow. There’s is even a clean western toilet onboard.
It’s approximately a 7 hour bus journey from Bangkok to Chumphon along an almost straight highway once outside of the city. Halfway through, there is a 30 minute break for a snack, toilet or just to stretch your legs. →view ticket options
Boarding the Catamaran
The bus journey from Bangkok terminates at the pier in Chumphon. There is no additional transfers from a bus station to the boat. Just 1 journey that connects passengers to the boats.
Arriving at the pier, there may be some waiting time. We waited for about 1 hour. Apparently our driver was fast and we got their early. But there’s a small coffee shop serving decent coffee, yet really good croissants. We just grabbed a coffee and pastry and sat on the deck chairs watching the sunrising over the distant islands. For a pier, there’s a pretty amazing view!!
A word of advice, once the gate to board the boat opens up, don’t linger around, just go in line. As with flights, we never wait in line. It’s just stupid to stand there, inching forward with someone breathing down our neck or coughing, sneezing, stepping on our flip-flop, since there is place for everyone. And that is true, even in this case.
However, while there is room on board for everyone that has tickets, there is a few thing to know. The catamaran has 3 sections. Inside with air-condition. An upper level that has a roof over it. And the top floor which is completely exposed. It isn’t possible to book tickets in a particular section of the boat.
Therefore, because the seats are first come first serve, it is best to be among the first in line in order to have the option where to sit. →view ticket options
Chumphon to the islands catamaran
The catamaran goes to all the 3 islands dropping off and picking up passengers as it goes. Travel duration will depending on which island you’re stopping on. It’s around 1 hour 45 minutes to Koh Tao, 3 hours 45 minutes to Koh Phangan and 4 hours 20 minutes to Koh Samui.
It’s a big and spacious boat with comfortable seating inside. Not comfortable enough for a 4 hour journey, but quite good. While there is nobody with a wok cooking delicious pad thais, there is a small canteen selling snacks, crisps, and soft drinks. And there’s toilets and a smoking area at the back. →view ticket options
Arriving on the island
Regardless if you’re going to Koh Tao, Koh Phangan or Koh Samui, it’s pretty much the same situation at all the piers.
The staff unload the checked in luggage for each island which is recognized by the tags indicating the island. Then passengers just collect their luggage placed on the pier.
The piers are Maehaad in Koh Tao, Thongsala in Koh Phangan, and Maenam Pier in Koh Samui. And outside each pier you’ll find various transport options to reach your hotel including taxis and shared minivans.
You can also purchase a transfer on board the catamaran. A staff will go around asking passengers if they need this service. A ticket costs THB150. This is not a private transfer. Instead passengers are grouped in vans depending on their destination and the driver then goes round dropping everyone off at their hotel. →view ticket options
Final note
We have travelled all over Thailand in various ways including cheap local transport and more comfortable and mainly tourist oriented options like this mentioned above.
And honestly, we are quite impressed by these all-inclusive tickets. The whole journey is straightforward and doesn’t require any logistical planning since the company handles everything. If there is something missing, or you need further detail, just drop a comment below. →view ticket options
For your trip (useful resources)
If you’re putting together your island hopping adventure, below are a few useful articles that we wrote. The articles about where to stay on the island are super useful if you can’t decide which part of the island is best for your travel plan.
Koh Tao
Things to do in Koh Tao
When to visit Koh Tao
Where to stay in Koh Tao
Koh Phangan
Things to do in Koh Phangan
When to visit Koh Phangan
Places to stay in Koh Phangan
Full moon part guide
Koh Samui
Things to do in Koh Samui
When to visit Koh Samui
Where to stay in Koh Samui
Best beaches in Koh Samui
Best beachfront resorts in Chaweng
HEY, just so you know…
This article contains affiliate links. That means that if you purchase anything from the links, I may get a small commission. Affiliates do not affect the final price and help cover the costs to maintain this website and keep it free for everyone.
