All ferries land at Mae Haad pier on the west coast of Koh Tao.
Koh Tao travel guide
Koh Tao has no airport, so every journey ends with a ferry. Here are the routes from Bangkok, Koh Samui, Surat Thani and Chumphon — with rough times, costs, and the easiest options for 2026.
All ferries land at Mae Haad pier on the west coast of Koh Tao.
The short version: fly to Koh Samui, Chumphon or Surat Thani, then take a high-speed ferry across to Koh Tao. Every route ends at Mae Haad pier, where LUM guests are met and driven to the villa.
Tell us where you are flying in from and we will book the flights, ferries and pier transfer for you — it is part of looking after LUM guests.
Bangkok has two airports: Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang (DMK), the low-cost hub. There is no direct way to Koh Tao — you fly (or take a bus/train) to the coast, then ferry across.
Bangkok Airways flies from Suvarnabhumi to Koh Samui (USM) in about 1 hour 15 minutes. From Samui's Nathon or Maenam pier, the Lomprayah catamaran reaches Koh Tao in around 1.5–2 hours, usually stopping at Koh Phangan on the way. This is the smoothest door-to-door route, though Samui flights are the priciest.
Budget airlines (AirAsia, Nok, Thai Lion) fly from Don Mueang to Chumphon (CJM) or Surat Thani (URT) for much less. From Chumphon it is the shortest ferry to Koh Tao; from Surat Thani it is a longer crossing. Both airports run joint air-and-ferry tickets, and there are shuttle transfers between the airport and the pier.
The cheapest option is a combined bus-and-ferry ticket from Bangkok (often departing the Khao San Road area) that travels overnight to Chumphon and connects to the morning ferry. There is also an overnight train to Chumphon or Surat Thani. It is long, but it saves a night's accommodation.
If you are already island-hopping, ferries run daily from Koh Samui (about 1.5–2 hours) and Koh Phangan (about 1–1.5 hours) up to Koh Tao. Lomprayah and Seatran both serve this route. It is a popular chain — Samui → Phangan → Koh Tao — so plan Koh Tao as the calm, quiet end of the trip.
Surat Thani is the mainland gateway for the whole Gulf archipelago. From the airport or town, you take a coach to the Donsak pier and then the ferry, or a through-ticket that bundles it all. It is a longer, multi-leg day than the Chumphon route, but flights into Surat Thani are frequent and cheap.
Chumphon is the closest mainland ferry port to Koh Tao and the shortest, calmest crossing — roughly 1 hour 45 minutes on the Lomprayah catamaran, or about 2.5 hours on the slower Songserm boat. If you are prone to seasickness, this is the route to choose.
| Route | Operator | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
| Chumphon → Koh Tao | Lomprayah / Songserm | 1h45 – 2h30 |
| Koh Samui → Koh Tao | Lomprayah / Seatran | 1h30 – 2h |
| Koh Phangan → Koh Tao | Lomprayah / Seatran | 1h – 1h30 |
| Surat Thani → Koh Tao | Songserm / Seatran (via Donsak) | 3h – 4h+ |
Lomprayah runs the fastest high-speed catamarans and is the most popular. Songserm is slower and a little cheaper. Seatran mainly serves the Samui–Phangan–Tao chain. Times and prices shift with the season, so treat these as a guide, not a timetable.
Every passenger ferry lands at Mae Haad pier, the island's main pier on the west coast. It is small and easy — you walk straight off the boat into the village. LUM is a short drive south, up on the quiet Sai Nuan hillside.
We meet LUM guests right at Mae Haad pier and drive you to the villa, so there is no haggling with taxis after a long travel day. Just send us your ferry details when you book and we will be there. You can read more about the island's layout in our guide to where to stay on Koh Tao, and see the best time to visit for how the seas change through the year.
No. Koh Tao has no airport, so every route ends with a ferry. The nearest airports are Koh Samui (USM), Chumphon (CJM) and Surat Thani (URT), and you take a high-speed catamaran across from there. All ferries land at Mae Haad pier on Koh Tao.
The fastest route is to fly from Bangkok to Koh Samui (about 1 hour 15 minutes) and take the Lomprayah catamaran from Samui to Koh Tao (about 1.5 to 2 hours via Koh Phangan). Door to door it is usually the quickest, though Samui flights cost more than the Chumphon or Surat Thani options.
The Chumphon to Koh Tao crossing is the shortest at roughly 1 hour 45 minutes by Lomprayah, so it is the gentlest if you are prone to seasickness. The high-speed catamarans (Lomprayah, Seatran) are steadier than the slower Songserm boat. On rough days, ask us and we will suggest the calmest option for your dates.
As a rough guide in 2026: the ferry alone is around 600 to 900 baht per person depending on the route. A combined overnight bus and ferry from Bangkok is the cheapest way, often around 1,000 to 1,300 baht. Flights to Samui, Chumphon or Surat Thani vary widely by season and how early you book.
All passenger ferries arrive at Mae Haad pier, the main pier on the west coast of Koh Tao. LUM guests are met at Mae Haad pier and driven to the villa, so there is nothing to arrange on arrival.
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Search routes on 12Go →Tell us where you are flying from and your rough dates, and we will book the flights, ferries and pier transfer — then meet you at Mae Haad. Book direct with the owners; no agents, no OTA fees.