How to go → PHUKET to KOH TAO? ☀️

1. Bus + Ferry to Koh Tao
2. Taxi + Ferry to Koh Tao
3. Flight + Ferry to Koh Tao
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From Phuket to Koh Tao you can travel by bus/van + ferry or plane + ferry.

• • The distance from Phuket to Koh Tao spans approximately 380 km via Surat Thani (Donsak Pier) when traveling by bus and ferry. The most popular method of reaching Koh Tao from Phuket is via bus and ferry/boat through Surat Thani. This option offers the most economical transportation to Koh Tao, with tickets costing around $37-52 per person. The journey by bus and ferry to Koh Tao via Surat Thani typically takes about 8-16 hours. For a more comfortable journey, travelers can opt for private car or taxi travel combined with ferry transport, also via Surat Thani town. This alternative typically costs about $100-200 and takes a similar amount of time.
  • While there is no direct train route to Surat Thani from Phuket, tourists can access the destination via minivans, buses, and private cars. The fastest transportation option from Phuket to Koh Tao involves taking a direct flight to Koh Samui and then ferrying from Koh Samui to Koh Tao. This journey, including plane and ferry travel via Koh Samui Airport, takes approximately 7-8 hours and costs about $120-170 per person, making it the most expensive transfer option.

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• • Koh Tao (Turtle Island) is situated approximately 60 km north of Koh Samui. It offers tranquility amidst unspoiled nature and stunning sandy beaches. Renowned as one of East Asia’s premier diving destinations, the waters surrounding Koh Tao boast visibility of up to 25 meters. Diving courses, including instructor certification, are available, with boat trips regularly circling the island to access prime snorkeling and swimming spots. Koh Tao does not have an airport; the nearest one is located on Koh Samui. Travelers can reach Koh Tao via boat from Koh Samui. There are three main ways to travel to Koh Tao from Phuket: bus and ferry, taxi and ferry, or flight and ferry via Koh Samui.

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How do I get from Phuket to Koh Tao?

1. BUS/VAN + FERRY from Phuket to Koh Tao

The most used and cheapest way to transfer from Phuket to Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand is by bus/minivan and ferry via the city of Surat Thani. This transportation option has 2-3 steps, the first step is a bus trip to Surat Thani, then a boat transfer from Surat Thani to Koh Tao. Most of these connections are operated via the city of Surat Thani or the port of Don Sak, which is about 60 km from the city.

Companies that offer you this combined transport option to Koh Tao from Phuket are 465 Surat Thani Phuket Transport, Lomprayah or Call Me Taxi. Boat transfers are then provided by companies such as Lomprayah, Raja Ferry or Seatran Ferry, or other companies with high-speed boats.

If you are looking for 2 separate tickets for this transport option, it is possible to search from the offers of several companies. Transportation by bus and ferry from Phuket to Koh Tao takes about 8-16 hours, but this time may vary if you travel with a transfer in Surat Thani, for example.

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You can take a bus from Phuket Bus Terminal 2, Phuket Lomprayah or minivans from various places such as Phuket Airport, Bang Rong Pier, Patong, Kata Karon and others. After that, boats depart from the city of Surat Thani or from Don Sak to Koh Tao, and usually Mae Haad Koh Tao or Koh Tao Lomprayah arrive here.

You will see this information about departure points in Phuket and arrival points in Koh Tao when searching for tickets. Bus transfer and ferry from Phuket to Koh Tao costs between $37-52/pp, these prices may vary slightly during the year.

Bus and boat tickets from Phuket to Koh Tao via Surat Thani can be easily searched and purchased online in advance. Arrive at the departure point in Phuket at least 30-60 minutes before the bus departs.

2. TAXI/CAR + FERRY from Phuket to Koh Tao

Another option for a land transfer from Phuket to Koh Tao is to travel by private car/taxi again via the city of Surat Thani. This option has 2-3 steps, first it is a trip from Surat Thani to Surat Thani (or Don Sak), from there a boat transfer to Koh Tao and then any transport to Koh Tao to your accommodation.

Companies that offer private transfer by modern cars from Phuket to Surat Thani are, for example, Bangkok Taxi24, Van2Travel, 12GO Transport, Call Me Taxi Thailand, GB Limousine, Ramon Transport, Koh Ngai Camping, Andaman Taxis, Kanokwan Travel, Phuket Transfer Travel Andaman, CrabShuttle.

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For boat transfers from Surat Thani to Koh Tao, you can use the services of Lomprayah, Phantip 1970, Fame Tour, or others. Transportation by private car/taxi and boat from Phuket to Koh Tao takes about 8-15 hours, this time varies by company. Transportation by private car from Phuket to Surat Thani costs in the range of $100-200/pp, and boat transportation from Surat Thani to Koh Tao is about $20-35/pp.

You can split the fare for a private car/taxi with a driver from Phuket to Surat Thani and calculate it per passenger. So, for example, transportation in a modern minivan / minibus for several people can be an advantageous transportation option in the case of group travel.

If you would like to use this transfer option, you need to search for and reserve your own private car to Surat Thani and a separate boat transfer from Surat Thani to Koh Tao. Transportation by private car is a more expensive transfer option and will not be a suitable transfer option for low-cost travelers. However, it can be a good option for group travel.

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3. FLIGHT + FERRY to Koh Tao (via Koh Samui)

Another and more convenient transportation option from Phuket to Koh Tao is air and boat transfer via Koh Samui. Koh Samui is another popular island in the Gulf of Thailand and is served by Bangkok Airways direct flights from Phuket. From Koh Samui to Koh Tao, you can use a boat transfer from various companies.

Between Koh Samui and Koh Tao is the popular Koh Phangan. So this transport option has 2 steps, first a direct flight from Phuket to Koh Samui and then a boat transfer from Koh Samui to Koh Tao. The total time of air and boat transfer from Phuket to Koh Tao via Koh Samui can be approx. 8-10 hours, but this time can vary and depends on the connecting boat connection from Koh Samui.

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The direct flight from Phuket to Koh Samui itself takes about 1 hour, if you include the transfer to the airport and waiting before departure, the total transfer time can be about 4-5 hours. A minor disadvantage is the more limited flight schedule between Phuket and Koh Samui.

A direct flight from Phuket to Koh Samui will then cost you in the range of $90-250/pp, prices may change throughout the year and are not fixed. From Koh Samui to Koh Tao, you can use boat transfers from companies such as Lomprayah, Seatran Discovery, Raja Ferry or Songserm.

Alternatively, other companies that offer you a combined minivan or private transfer to the pier and a subsequent boat transfer to Koh Tao. The boat / ferry transfer from Koh Samui to Koh Tao takes about 1.5-3 hours and you will arrive at Mae Haad Pier again. If you want to use an air and boat transfer via Koh Samui, you must separately search for a plane ticket to Koh Samui and a separate boat ticket for Koh Tao.

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❓ FAQ + TIPS – Travel route from Phuket to Koh Tao:

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🎫 Book and buy your tickets from Phuket to Koh Tao + Schedule:

(You can change your departure, arrival, e.g. Phuket to Koh Phangan, Phuket to Hanoi…)

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