Bangkok to the Islands: Every Option I’ve Tried

The decision that shapes your whole trip

Getting from Bangkok to the Gulf islands (Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan) or the Andaman islands (Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta) involves different routes entirely. A lot of first-timers book Bangkok accommodation before they’ve figured out which coast they’re headed to. Don’t do that — the two coasts are in opposite directions.

Bangkok to Koh Samui / Koh Tao / Koh Phangan (Gulf Coast)

The classic combination ticket: overnight train from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong or Surat Thani station, then ferry from Surat Thani pier. The overnight train to Surat Thani takes about 9 hours and costs ฿500–800 for a sleeper berth. Then a ferry to your island. Total trip: 12–14 hours but you sleep through most of it.

Flying is faster (Bangkok to Samui is 1.5 hours) but the airport on Koh Samui is privately owned by Bangkok Airways and prices are gouging — ฿4,000–8,000 one way, vs ฿1,500 total for the train-ferry combination.

Bangkok to Phuket / Krabi (Andaman Coast)

Flying makes more sense here — the distance is greater and there’s no overnight train option to these destinations. Bangkok Airways, AirAsia, and Lion Air all fly Bangkok–Phuket for ฿800–2,500 if booked ahead. Check with Aviasales for current prices across all carriers.

There’s also a bus-ferry combination from Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal, which takes 14–16 hours. Good for the budget-conscious, genuinely long.

What I do now

I fly to Phuket or Krabi for the Andaman coast. I take the overnight train to Surat Thani for the Gulf islands. The train-ferry combo to Koh Tao in particular feels like the right way to arrive — you pull into Surat Thani at dawn, transfer to a ferry, and approach Koh Tao by water as the sun comes up. Worth the extra hours over flying.