Rated 
Ferry Companies Compared
Every way to Koh Samui, from where you start
Pick where you start. Each bar is one way in, drawn to scale: the flight, the bus, the ferry and the waits between, with the times and fares we checked.
Latest transport guides
Rated 
Rated Getting here
Compare the ways from your start
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Fly Bangkok Airways from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang
Fastest
1h15-1h35 2,300-6,600 THB
- Flight 1h15-1h35
-
Fly to Surat Thani, then minivan and ferry
3h-6h 1,500-3,900 THB
- Flight 1h15-1h25
- Airport wait 30 min-1h30
- Minivan to Donsak 45 min-1h
- Ferry 45 min-1h40
-
Night train and ferry via Surat Thani
14h-17h 1,100-1,900 THB
- Night train 10h30-11h
- Station wait 30 min-1h
- Van to Donsak 45 min-1h30
- Ferry 1h20-1h40
- Taxi 30 min-1h
-
Government bus and ferry via Surat Thani
Cheapest
11h-16h 620-1,100 THB
- Bus 9h30-12h
- Pier wait 30 min-1h30
- Ferry 1h20-1h40
- Taxi 30-45 min
-
Fly from Phuket
55 min-1h 2,500-6,800 THB
- Flight 55 min-1h
Guide: Domestic Flights to Koh Samui From Pattaya, Phuket and More
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Fly from Krabi
Fastest
55 min-1h 3,700-5,500 THB
- Flight 55 min-1h
Guide: Domestic Flights to Koh Samui From Pattaya, Phuket and More
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Phuket bus and ferry via Donsak
7h-9h 800-1,400 THB
- Bus 4h-5h
- Pier wait 45 min-1h30
- Ferry 1h25-1h35
- Taxi 20-40 min
-
Krabi minivan and ferry via Donsak
Cheapest
4h-9h 500-1,500 THB
- Minivan 3h-5h
- Pier wait 30 min-2h
- Ferry 45 min-1h35
-
Scoot from Singapore
Fastest Cheapest
1h55-2h05 4,500-8,000 THB
- Flight 1h55-2h05
-
Bangkok Airways from Singapore
Paused 25 Oct 2026 to 28 Mar 2027
1h55-2h05 5,500-10,000 THB
- Flight 1h55-2h05
-
Bangkok Airways from Hong Kong
3h15-3h30 8,000-15,000 THB
- Flight 3h15-3h30
-
Berjaya charter from Subang, Kuala Lumpur
A charter, not a scheduled flight
1h55-2h05 16,000-32,000 THB
- Charter flight 1h55-2h05
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Nonstop to Bangkok, then Bangkok Airways
Fastest
15h-17h 14,400-28,000 THB
- Flight to Bangkok 10h40-11h20
- Change in Bangkok 2h-3h
- Flight to Samui 1h05-1h25
-
Via a Gulf hub
19h-24h 14,400-26,000 THB
- Flight to the hub 6h40-8h
- Change at the hub 2h-4h
- Flight to Bangkok 6h40-8h
- Change in Bangkok 2h-3h
- Flight to Samui 1h05-1h25
-
Via Istanbul
Cheapest
18h-22h 14,400-26,000 THB
- Flight to Istanbul 3h20-3h50
- Change in Istanbul 1h30-3h
- Flight to Bangkok 9h10-9h40
- Change in Bangkok 2h-3h
- Flight to Samui 1h05-1h25
-
Via Helsinki
16h-19h 16,000-28,000 THB
- Flight to Helsinki 2h30-2h50
- Change in Helsinki 1h-2h
- Flight to Bangkok 9h30-10h
- Change in Bangkok 2h-3h
- Flight to Samui 1h05-1h25
-
Via Singapore
Fastest Cheapest
9h30-11h30 5,500-14,000 THB
- Flight to Singapore 5h30-7h
- Change in Singapore 2h-3h
- Flight to Samui 1h55-2h05
-
Via Bangkok
10h30-14h 7,000-16,000 THB
- Flight to Bangkok 7h-9h30
- Change in Bangkok 2h-3h
- Flight to Samui 1h15-1h35
-
Via Kuala Lumpur
13h-16h 6,000-14,000 THB
- Flight to Kuala Lumpur 5h35-8h
- Change in Kuala Lumpur 1h30-3h
- Flight to Bangkok 2h-2h10
- Change in Bangkok 2h-3h
- Flight to Samui 1h15-1h35
-
Lomprayah speedboat from Tapee Pier
Fastest
1h30 700 THB
- Speedboat 1h30
Guide: Surat Thani to Koh Samui
-
Lomprayah bus and catamaran from town
2h30 600 THB
- Bus to Donsak 55 min-1h
- Pier wait 40-45 min
- Catamaran 45 min
Guide: Surat Thani to Koh Samui
-
Airport minivan and Seatran car ferry
3h30-4h15 550 THB
- Minivan to Donsak 1h-1h15
- Pier wait 30 min-1h
- Car ferry 1h20-1h40
- Taxi 30-40 min
Guide: Surat Thani to Koh Samui
-
Town minivan and car ferry via Donsak
Cheapest
2h30-3h30 350-500 THB
- Minivan to Donsak 45 min-1h
- Pier wait 20-45 min
- Car ferry 1h20-1h40
Guide: Surat Thani to Koh Samui
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Koh Phangan, Lomprayah catamaran
Fastest Cheapest
25-35 min 250-350 THB
- Catamaran 25-35 min
-
Koh Phangan, Seatran Discovery catamaran
30-45 min 300-355 THB
- Catamaran 30-45 min
-
Koh Tao, Lomprayah catamaran
1h25-1h35 650-700 THB
- Catamaran 1h25-1h35
Guide: Samui to Koh Tao
-
Koh Tao, Seatran Discovery catamaran
1h55-2h05 600 THB
- Catamaran 1h55-2h05
Guide: Samui to Koh Tao
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Shared minivan to your hotel
Cheapest
30 min-1h 150-250 THB
- Shared minivan 30 min-1h
Guide: Samui Airport Transfer
-
Grab to Chaweng
Fastest
10-20 min 200-350 THB
- Grab 10-20 min
-
Airport taxi counter to Chaweng
10-20 min 300-500 THB
- Taxi 10-20 min
Guide: Samui Airport Transfer
-
Pre-booked private transfer to Chaweng
10-20 min 435-800 THB
- Private car 10-20 min
Guide: Samui Airport Transfer
Bar length is time, on one scale for every way from the chosen start. Per person, one way. Flight times are gate to gate. Checked 1 October 2026.
Flights and ferries
The lines into Samui
Every direct flight and every ferry line into the island. The lines from your starting point stay bright; tap a station for its guide.
Sea by month
The sea year
Every boat to Samui crosses open water. Each month shows the roughest of the island's four coasts, what that means for the ferries, and which seasonal flights are running.
Right now on Samui
- Sunset
- 17:58
- Boats this month
- Some sailings cancelled
- Jan Choppy , Bumpy speedboats, some delays , This month
- Feb Calm , Boats run normally , This month
- Mar Calm , Boats run normally , Seasonal flights: UTP SIN , This month
- Apr Calm , Boats run normally , Seasonal flights: UTP SIN , This month
- May Choppy , Bumpy speedboats, some delays , Seasonal flights: UTP SIN , This month
- Jun Choppy , Bumpy speedboats, some delays , Seasonal flights: UTP SIN , This month
- Jul Choppy , Bumpy speedboats, some delays , Seasonal flights: UTP SIN , This month
- Aug Choppy , Bumpy speedboats, some delays , Seasonal flights: UTP SIN , This month
- Sep Choppy , Bumpy speedboats, some delays , Seasonal flights: UTP SIN , This month
- Oct Rough , Some sailings cancelled , Seasonal flights: UTP SIN , This month
- Nov Rough , Some sailings cancelled , This month
- Dec Choppy , Bumpy speedboats, some delays , This month
Seasonal flights
- UTP Pattaya (Bangkok Airways), Mar-Oct
- SIN Singapore (Bangkok Airways), Mar-Oct
Sea state is our reading of the beach seasons, not a buoy record. Speedboats are the first to stop; leave a spare day before a long-haul flight from October to December.
Once you land
Which wheels?
Seven ways to get around the island, side by side: what a ride or a day costs, the licence you need, how dry you stay and how much the road can hurt you.
-
- Songthaew, a short hop
- 30-60 THB
- Songthaew, airport to a beach
- 50-100 THB
-
150-300 THB a day
- Licence
- Motorbike, plus IDP
- Rain-proof
- Rain-proof: 0 of 3
- Risk
- Risk: 3 of 3
-
850-1,050 THB a day
- Licence
- Car, plus IDP
- Rain-proof
- Rain-proof: 3 of 3
- Risk
- Risk: 1 of 3
Rain-proof and risk are our own bands from 0 to 3. Scooter and car prices are the smallest class, low to high season.
What a ride costs from your beach
Pick where you are staying. Samui taxis have no meters, so these are the ranges drivers and the airport counter charge, for the whole car.
| To | Taxi, whole car |
|---|---|
| The airport | 300-500 THB |
| Lamai | 250-400 THB |
| Bophut | 200-400 THB |
| Maenam | 400-550 THB |
| Nathon | 400-500 THB |
| Choeng Mon | 150-350 THB |
| To | Taxi, whole car |
|---|---|
| The airport | 400-900 THB |
| Chaweng | 250-400 THB |
| Bophut | 400-500 THB |
| Maenam | 500-600 THB |
| Nathon | 600-800 THB |
| Choeng Mon | 650-850 THB |
| To | Taxi, whole car |
|---|---|
| The airport | 350-500 THB |
| Chaweng | 200-400 THB |
| Lamai | 400-500 THB |
| Maenam | 300-400 THB |
| Nathon | 550-800 THB |
| Choeng Mon | 300-500 THB |
| To | Taxi, whole car |
|---|---|
| The airport | 400-800 THB |
| Chaweng | 400-550 THB |
| Lamai | 500-600 THB |
| Bophut | 300-400 THB |
| Nathon | 400-650 THB |
| Choeng Mon | No published fare |
| To | Taxi, whole car |
|---|---|
| The airport | 300-500 THB |
| Chaweng | 150-350 THB |
| Lamai | 650-850 THB |
| Bophut | 300-500 THB |
| Maenam | No published fare |
| Nathon | No published fare |
| To | Taxi, whole car |
|---|---|
| The airport | 500-1,140 THB |
| Chaweng | 400-500 THB |
| Lamai | 600-800 THB |
| Bophut | 550-800 THB |
| Maenam | 400-650 THB |
| Choeng Mon | No published fare |
Grab usually quotes the low end of each range; the airport taxi counter sits at the high end. Taxi fares checked October 2026
Rentals
Rental companies, rated
We read the public reviews of the biggest car and scooter rental companies on the island and scored the ten things a renter checks. These are the top five of each.
- Samui Cars Group
Island wide delivery
8.9 out of 10 - Drive Car Rental
Samui Airport
8.1 out of 10 - ASAP Car Rentals
Samui Airport
7.8 out of 10 - Europcar Koh Samui
Samui Airport
6.8 out of 10 - Sixt Koh Samui
Airport
6.5 out of 10
8 companies ranked from 648 reviews read, checked October 2026
Scooters
Full ranking of 10 scooter shops- Expat Rentals Maenam
Maenam
8.6 out of 10 - CHANG Samui Rentals
Bophut
8.5 out of 10 - Tonton Samui Rental
Bophut
8.4 out of 10 - Samui Rental Service
Bophut
8.2 out of 10 - AuBanan Rentals
Lamai
8.1 out of 10
10 companies ranked from 1,594 reviews read, checked October 2026
Ride safe
Before you ride
Five habits that head off the usual trouble on Samui roads.
-
Carry the right licence
Your home licence plus an International Driving Permit with the right category. Police checkpoints ask for both, and insurers ask after a crash.
Driving in Koh Samui -
Wear the helmet on every ride
Helmets are the law for rider and passenger, with fines up to 2,000 THB each. Ask for one that fits and has a working strap.
Scooter rental guide -
Keep your passport
Many shops ask to hold it as a deposit. Offer cash and a passport copy instead, and try the next shop if they refuse.
Scooter shops, rated -
Film the vehicle before you leave
Every side, the tyres and the fuel gauge, with the owner watching. It is the best answer to a damage claim on return.
Car rental companies, rated -
Agree the fare before you get in
Taxis have no meters, so settle the price for the whole car first. Book through Grab and the price is fixed before you ride.
Taxi, Grab and Bolt
All guides
Every transport guide
All our transport guides, grouped by where you are in the trip: getting here, the airport, the boats, the island roads and the rentals.
Start here
Getting here
The airport
Ferries and boats
On the island
FAQ
Transport questions
What is the fastest way from Bangkok to Koh Samui?
Fly. Bangkok Airways flies to Samui from Suvarnabhumi about 21 times a day and from Don Mueang about 3 times a day, 1h15 to 1h35 in the air. Flying to Surat Thani and taking a minivan and ferry costs less but takes 3 to 6 hours.
What is the cheapest way from Bangkok to Koh Samui?
The government bus and ferry via Surat Thani, at 620 to 1,100 THB and 11 to 16 hours door to door. The night train and ferry costs 1,100 to 1,900 THB and 14 to 17 hours, but you sleep most of the way.
Is there Grab on Koh Samui?
Yes. Grab works across the island, with the most drivers in Chaweng, Bophut, Bangrak and Lamai and fewer on the west coast. Bolt barely operates here. From the airport to Chaweng, Grab quotes 200 to 350 THB against 300 to 500 THB at the taxi counter.
Do I need a licence to rent a scooter on Koh Samui?
Yes. You need a motorbike licence from home and an International Driving Permit with the motorcycle category. Police checkpoints fine riders without one, and travel insurers often refuse claims from unlicensed riders.
Do ferries to Koh Samui run in the monsoon?
Most days, yes. The sea is roughest in October and November and still choppy in December; some sailings are cancelled and speedboats stop first. Leave a spare day between the ferry and any long-haul flight in those months.