Private Boat - Surat Thani - Koh Tao

[djlowz]

Hi all,

I am hoping someone can help me out. It's been a little while since i've visited Thailand and i'm a little bit out of the loop.

I have a flight to Surat Thani from Bangkok that lands at 7pm. From there myself and some friends are going to Koh Tao where we have accomadation booked. Unfortunately it looks like the only boat that leaves after 7pm is the 11pm (8 hour) night boat. Personally I don't mind taking this boat but my friends are a stickler for comfort and would rather not.

Is there any chance of taking a private boat from Surat Thani, or even Chumphon to Koh Tao? And if so does anybody know the name of any company?

All help would be great.

Cheers, DJ

[joe84330]

i've got four luxury motor yachts that can make that trip quite comfortably. how comfortable do you want to make it?

[H2oDunc]

As long as your friends that are sticklers for their comfort don't mind the cost then it shouldn't be a problem. Expect to pay around the 25-35,000 baht for your own boat though. I think you will find that they are not that particular when you tell them how much it is going to cost. You also have to ask yourself do you really want to be going to Tao at that time of night in a small boat ? You would be better off making a party of the overnight boat like we used to going from Chumphon. Get some beers and some food and enjoy the sail. The boat from Chumphon was ideal as you could set up on the top deck and had the most wonderful views of the heavens as you chugged along.It would also be cheaper from Chumphon as its closer

[djlowz]

As long as your friends that are sticklers for their comfort don't mind the cost then it shouldn't be a problem. Expect to pay around the 25-35,000 baht for your own boat though. I think you will find that they are not that particular when you tell them how much it is going to cost. You also have to ask yourself do you really want to be going to Tao at that time of night in a small boat ? You would be better off making a party of the overnight boat like we used to going from Chumphon. Get some beers and some food and enjoy the sail. The boat from Chumphon was ideal as you could set up on the top deck and had the most wonderful views of the heavens as you chugged along.It would also be cheaper from Chumphon as its closer

Cheers for the replies guys.

Hmm sounds a bit pricey. Not too sure how much they're expecting to pay but I'm certainly not going to pitch in with them if it's that much!

That's OK I guess we'll have to see how it goes when we arrive. My hopes are that one of the locals will do it for a good price but I might be clutching at straws!

Thanks anyway guys

[richard_smith237]

Years ago against my wishes, a group of us took a speed boat from Phuket to Kho Phi Phi... Perhaps a similar distance. The cost was 10,000 Baht for 6 of us.

I'd never do this again. It was pitch black, the girls (my sister and her friend) were scared to tears. At one point the speed boat hit something and the pilot had to take a swim with an underwater torch to check the propellor - So much could have gone wrong and that night I learnt a sharp lesson about going against my better judgement.

The night boat is certainly the best option - As someone has already mentioned, make the best of it. Alternatively, take a hotel in Surrathani and take a boat the following morning.

[joe84330]

the night boat is certainly the most realistic choice for those who aren't ready to spend some money, since if there was a regular need for this service then people like myself would offer it. unlike the previous post however, some of us do care about our guests comfort and safety. as for 10k baht for that trip, i'd probably let you sit on one of my yachts and drink some beers for 10k baht. low season obviously.