Times, prices, piers and the fastest operator — plus how to fit in an Ang Thong Marine Park tour without wasting a day. Updated August 2026.
The Koh Samui–Koh Phangan crossing is short and frequent: 20–45 minutes on a scheduled ferry, with roughly 8–15 daily departures across four main operators, and one-way fares of about 200–400 THB. Almost all boats land at Thong Sala, Koh Phangan's main town and pier.
The fastest and most reliable option is Lomprayah's high-speed catamaran (~30 min, standard 350 THB, 8 departures a day from Maenam, Bangrak and Nathon piers). Heading straight for the Full Moon Party beach? The Haad Rin Queen is the only boat that lands directly at Haad Rin.
Sell the two as separate days. The Ang Thong Marine Park day trip is a full-day round trip that returns to its starting island — it doesn't combine cleanly with a one-way transfer. See how to sequence it below.
Choose the pier nearest your accommodation rather than chasing the lowest fare — road-transfer time usually outweighs small savings.
| Operator | Crossing time | Fare (one-way) | Departs from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lomprayah | ~30 min | ~350 THB | Maenam, Bangrak, Nathon |
| Seatran Discovery | ~30–45 min | 300–330 THB | Bangrak |
| Songserm | ~45–50 min | 250–350 THB | Nathon |
| Raja Ferry | ~60–90 min | 150–200 THB | Lipa Noi (carries cars/scooters) |
| Haad Rin Queen | ~50 min | ~200 THB | Bangrak → Haad Rin direct |
Buy tickets at the pier or online via 12Go, Bookaway, or the operator's own site — online prices match pier prices and give an e-ticket with QR check-in. Lomprayah requires check-in 1 hour before departure, and standard tickets are strictly non-refundable if you're late. Book 1–2 days ahead in low season; 1–2 weeks ahead around Full Moon Party dates and in the December–April peak.
Once the crossing is booked, here's what to do on either side.
From Koh Phangan or Koh Samui, the standout day trips are the limestone islands and Emerald Lake of Ang Thong Marine Park, the reef-diving and turtle snorkelling of Koh Tao, and the postcard sandbar at Koh Nang Yuan. Add the easy family trip to Koh Madsum (Pig Island) and Koh Tan, a private speedboat charter, or a sea-kayaking adventure. Live options across all of these are below.
The fastest, most frequent option: 8 sailings a day, all landing at Thong Sala, standard fare 350 THB.
| Departs | Pier | Arrives Thong Sala |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Maenam | 08:30 |
| 09:30 | Bangrak | 10:00 |
| 11:00 | Maenam | 11:30 |
| 12:15 | Nathon | 12:45 |
| 12:30 | Maenam | 13:00 |
| 12:30 | Bangrak | 13:00 |
| 14:30 | Bangrak | 15:00 |
| 16:00 | Nathon | 16:30 |
Return sailings (Koh Phangan → Koh Samui) run a similar 8-per-day schedule between roughly 08:00 and 18:30. Schedules expand in high season (Jun–Sep) and thin out Oct–May — always confirm current times with the operator or a booking platform before travelling.
An Ang Thong day tour departs Samui or Phangan in the morning (typically ~7:30–8:30am pickup), leaves the park around 15:30, and returns to its starting island by 16:30–17:00 — a full-day round trip. Because it returns to where it started, it doesn't combine well with a one-way transfer on the same day.
The clean approach: do the Ang Thong tour one day, then take a scheduled morning ferry to Koh Phangan on a separate day. Better yet, since tours also depart directly from Koh Phangan, transfer first and book the Ang Thong trip from Thong Sala — a natural upsell that skips an extra early-morning crossing.
Typical Ang Thong day-tour length
Returns to its own departure island
The most-reviewed direct Koh Phangan departure, covering the Emerald Lake, snorkelling, kayaking and the viewpoint hike, with Thong Sala pickup included.
A kayaking-focused speedboat trip built around the park's caves, cliffs and the Emerald Lagoon.
Book the Haad Rin Queen (Bangrak → Haad Rin direct) or a shared round-trip speedboat transfer with hotel pickup, and reserve both legs at least 1–2 weeks ahead of the party date. Extra boats run late into the night around party dates; if you're staying on Samui, buy the return leg (typically 01:00–07:00) upfront, since these fill fast.
For late-night arrivals or luggage-heavy groups, private speedboat charters run door-to-door 24/7. Expect roughly 8,500–28,000 THB per boat depending on size, plus a night-fee for arrivals after ~17:30 or departures before ~06:00 — get a written quote confirming what's included.
Lomprayah is the main operator running through to Mae Haad Pier on Koh Tao.
From Koh Phangan (Thong Sala), the crossing to Koh Tao takes roughly 1 to 1.5 hours. A direct Koh Samui–Koh Tao catamaran also runs, about 1.5–2 hours, with only around 2 departures a day — book 48 hours ahead as these sell out. If you'd rather book your onward leg as a fixed ticket in advance, both routes are bookable online:
Koh Samui ↔ Koh Tao Catamaran Transfer → Koh Phangan ↔ Koh Tao Ferry →
Once there, our Koh Tao day trip guide covers the best snorkel spots, fees and seasonal conditions.
The Gulf of Thailand monsoon runs roughly October–December, heaviest October to mid-December.
Calmest, most reliable crossings all year, with the fullest departure schedules.
Departure schedules expand for the summer season; occasional rough patches but rarely disruptive.
Rough seas can delay or cancel sailings — favour morning departures and larger vessels. See our full Koh Samui weather guide for month-by-month detail.
Bangrak/Big Buddha Pier is 10–15 minutes from Samui Airport and closest to Chaweng/Bophut; Maenam Pier serves the north shore; Nathon is the main west-coast town pier. Road-transfer time to the "wrong" pier usually costs more than the fare you'd save.
Compare direct Ang Thong departures from Koh Phangan and Koh Samui — inclusions, prices, ratings and free-cancellation policies.