Surat Thani To Ko Phan Gan

[LivinLOS]

Anyone have any info on the boat timetables or schedules at the moment ???

Will be heading to Phan Gan a couple of days before the next full moon date (Aug 2nd ??) and will probably drive or ride to Surat Thani and take the boat.. Prefer to go direct to Phan Gan rather than mess around with a Samui hop.

Also any idea on pricing to take a Motorbike or even Jeep over ?? Is it possible ?? Dont need it on Phan Gan but will also do a week on Samui after, and having the bike at least with me is appealing and will save on rentals.

Otherwise if anyone is going from Phuket maybe we could split a speedboat out and I may have room in the Jeep for the Surat Thani run.

Please forgive the cross post with the Phuket forum.. Not sure how best to post this.

[sbk]

Raja car ferry is probably your best bet, it goes direct to Koh Phangan, leaves several times during the day. Since you are coming from Phuket you would do best with the one leaving Don Sak at 5pm. There is also the Seatrans car ferry stopping in Samui then onto Koh Phangan, leaving Don Sak at 4pm. The pier is just next door to the Raja Ferry Pier. Once on Koh Phangan the Sea Trans Ferry returns to Koh Samui early morning (5:30 am I think) and 1 pm.

[simey]

Don't forget that the car ferries (if you are taking a car) work on a first come, first served principle. You pull up and queue, then a guy comes along and hands out a fixed number of laminated cards to that number of cars in the qeue. Get there too late and you might not get a card, which means no ticket which means no ride until the next ferry.

The seatrans is a quicker ferry than the Raja, neither are particulary freindly toilet-wise so go before you get on!

[sbk]

Simey, Seatrans stops in Samui first, adding at least a half an hour to the trip. Raja is direct. Also, first come first served doesn't usually apply to motorbikes, only 4 wheeled vehicles. They just stuff a motorbike under the stairs!

Agreed about the Raja toilets (YUCK!) but Seatrans has a flash new ferry running with comfy seats and decent toilets. What are they thinking???

[valentinoxxx]

Don't forget about Songserm...

[sbk]

Songserm does not have a car ferry and, to be honest, as a long term resident of this island, is the last boat I would ever take. 10 years ago one of their boats sank, my husband's uncle died because their pilot was drunk. Not only did they offer his family a pittance (par for the course in thailand) but they raised that boat up and are still using it today. They consistently fill their boats to overflowing and lock up the lifejackets. Their boats were originally used in the Chao Praya river about 25 years ago, and are not designed for the ocean at all. In bad weather they are terrifying. I have not used Songserm unless absolutely forced to in many years. I would not recommend them to anyone.

So, in other words, DO forget about Songserm.

[LivinLOS]

Thanks, serious advice above it seems..

My plans are being forced into change.. Really I wanted to take the bike I am currently using for simple Samui / Phan Gan transport. However with myself and my girl with me clothes then becomes a real issue to move so car it is but... Taking the car on the ferries seemes overload now and probably / possibly more expensive than the renting a scooter at the other side / Samui option (wont need on On Phan Gan as I will only do a few days around Had Rin I expect)..

So it has evolved into a foot passenger plan anyway !!

Looks like I will probably take the Raja option as a foot passenger.

[valentinoxxx]

No argument from me.... I have no idea of the name of the ferries that I have ridden on.