Best Way To Get To Koh Phangan From Chiang Mai

[davidvoyage]

Hi!

I want to go to Koh Phangan in mid-august, what is the best and cheapest way from Chiangmai?

According to my old Lonely Planet, it seams like the train 3rd class would be cheaper froom Bangkok to Surat Thani.

Then, from Surat Thani is it cheaper to get a direct boat to Koh Phan Gan, or to go to Don Sak?

-David

[bergen]

Hi!

I want to go to Koh Phangan in mid-august, what is the best and cheapest way from Chiangmai?

According to my old Lonely Planet, it seams like the train 3rd class would be cheaper froom Bangkok to Surat Thani.

Then, from Surat Thani is it cheaper to get a direct boat to Koh Phan Gan, or to go to Don Sak?

-David

The best way from CM........plain to Bkk/Koh Samui and boat further on.

The cheapest way.........depends on the time you have available, and how little money you have!

[wjmark]

Really the best way is to take a 6:00am bus/ferry combo from a company called Lomprayah

They have a very good VIP bus that leaves KaoSan rd at 6am, and connects with their own high-speed catamaran in Chumporn which gets you to Koh Pangan about 4:00pm. I always go to Koh Tao, and it gets there around 2:30 and then goes on...

About 1000 baht from Bkk

Do not take their evening service - it stops for about 4 hours of waiting for the ferry - really a drag. But the morning service is great

http://www.lomprayah.com/E/index.htm

[machlad]

I guess the cheapest way is to get a non A/C bus via Bangkok and I guess that would take you a couple of days.

The best surely would be to fly direct from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui with Bangkok air, then take the ferry.

Edited July 30, 2008 by machlad

[bergen]

I guess the cheapest way is to get a non A/C bus via Bangkok and I guess that would take you a couple of days.

The best surely would be to fly direct from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui with Bangkok air, then take the ferry.

If there are direct flights from CM to Koh Samui.........the above is the best way

[meadish_sweetball]

A third class train from Bangkok to Surat may be cheap, but it is also dangerously close to violating a few UN conventions, notably the ones on torture, cruelty to people and animals, etc.

Second class sleeper to Bangkok, second class to Surat, bus/tuktuk to ferry. Both reasonably cheap and reasonably comfortable. Watch out for the annoying touts around mainland Surat. Don't let anybody stress you out.

I prefer going by train to flying if I have the time to spare, I think train travel adds to the experience - it's nice to walk around, to watch the scenery and to get drunk with old or new friends.

Just not third class for any trips longer than 2 hours.