Flying Suratthani To Kl, Can I Make It In Time From Samui?

[CaptainS]

Hi,

I am staying in Samui and flying from Suratthani to Kuala Lumpur on the 11th this month.

My flight departs Suratthani at 11:35 in the morning.

Does any of you have experience if there is any problem to make it? Will there be any bus or shuttle in Donsak waiting early in the morning or I need to take a taxi? Should I leave Samui on Seatran or Raja Ferry?

Any help highly appreciated.

[ikbenhet]

Depends on departure time of the ferry you take.

If you take the 5 am boat you will be on time for sure

[U235]

I always take a late ferry and spend a night in Surat Thani - much more comfortable

[notmyself]

I always take a late ferry and spend a night in Surat Thani - much more comfortable

Beats getting up at the crack of dawn too.

[Amusements]

I was just looking at something on lomprayah's site, and remembered this post, so I checked the OP's requirements while I was there out of curiosity.

It is 600 baht from Nathon to the airport, but they seem to be offering free hotel pick up. There earliest boat leaves at 8am and arrives at the airport at 10.30am

[Rooo]

I was just looking at something on lomprayah's site, and remembered this post, so I checked the OP's requirements while I was there out of curiosity.

It is 600 baht from Nathon to the airport, but they seem to be offering free hotel pick up. There earliest boat leaves at 8am and arrives at the airport at 10.30am

I had a problem with that, they cancelled the 8am & gave it to charter cruise & ferried us by speed boat. Ended up getting to the airport just before 1pm.

[CaptainS]

Thanks folks for all your replies so far!

I dont have a problem waking up early and getting the 5am ferry, will there be any cheap transport in Donsak or only taxi available?

[Rooo]

Thanks folks for all your replies so far!

I dont have a problem waking up early and getting the 5am ferry, will there be any cheap transport in Donsak or only taxi available?

Should have airport bus. I am sure you can get combo ticket from Seatran ferry.

[cicinette]

I ll do the same in may. I checked with some travel agents and they don t organize any pick up from samui, since it would be very early.

But I was advised to catch the 6am ferry in nathon, then a bus from pier to surathani airport, there are some mini van that do the trip. With the 6am ferry, you ll cath your flight...At least, let us know, since I ll plan to do that in may:)

[islandguy]

I have taken the Lomphraya ferry to the airport before. The bus is waiting (a separate one for different destinations) at their ferry port in Donsak. I worried about getting there in time but when we got there it was obvious that the check in staff was waiting for the bus - many of the passengers on the two flights leaving shortly after our arrival were on the bus.

[CaptainS]

Thanks for all your replies. I will report later.

[CaptainS]

Here is the promised update:

I took the 5am Seatran ferry from Nathon, I think it was about 120-140 baht, arrived 6.30am.

In Donsak there was no bus or van to the airport yet, they told me they have one at 8.30am , which means its probably possible to make it, using the 6am or maybe even 7am ferry (from Nathon) if anyone wants to play it risky. The fare would have been 280 baht from Donsak to the airport.

I decided to take transport to Surat Thani Town instead and Taxi from there, unfortunately there was only one van which was full already.

So I ended up in sharing a Taxi (actually also a van) with 4 funny russians, 1700 baht total, which meant 340 baht for me, which I was quite happy with.

Of course we arrived quite early at Surat Thani Airport, plenty of time for breakfast and coffee. About 2 hours later many people arrived at the airport which probably took the 8.30 van from Donsak, they all still made it easily. Anyhow I was happy to be on the safe side, since there is only one flight a day to KL and I didnt wanna miss my connecting flight there.

[Rooo]

Thank you for taking the time to post an update.

[CaptainS]

I was just looking at something on lomprayah's site, and remembered this post, so I checked the OP's requirements while I was there out of curiosity.

It is 600 baht from Nathon to the airport, but they seem to be offering free hotel pick up. There earliest boat leaves at 8am and arrives at the airport at 10.30am

I had a problem with that, they cancelled the 8am & gave it to charter cruise & ferried us by speed boat. Ended up getting to the airport just before 1pm.

I also wouldnt recommend the lomprayah option, both times I used it it was delayed about 30-40 minutes each. Luckily I didnt have to catch a flight then.

[cicinette]

thanks for the update, I was gonna ask for it since going soon to kl.

So I ll catch the 6 am ferry, I am a bit scared by the 7 am :}

[Razzler1973]

I will also be in KL next month aiming for KL to Surat for Koh Pha-Ngan, which airline did you use, seems like only Air Asia from KL to Surat?

I have left Koh Pha-Ngan on that early, early, super early ferry before like 6am or 7am, whichever and had it all organised to the airport for midday or 1pm ... then I found out the flight was put back until 5pm but hey, I still would have made it

[PoorSucker]

I will also be in KL next month aiming for KL to Surat for Koh Pha-Ngan, which airline did you use, seems like only Air Asia from KL to Surat?

I have left Koh Pha-Ngan on that early, early, super early ferry before like 6am or 7am, whichever and had it all organised to the airport for midday or 1pm ... then I found out the flight was put back until 5pm but hey, I still would have made it

You can also travel with firefly from KL's old airport (subang) to Samui for 4000 baht (16th june)

http://www.fireflyz.com.my/

[Razzler1973]

Cool, I will check that out

Annoying thing is I will be in Malaysia doing some work stuff so not quite sure on the exact date of flight until much nearer the time ... grrrrr

May get stuck with the train, which I assume would be more expensive booking from KL to Surat than somewhere in Thailand? Wondering if it would be worth KL to Haad Yai and then Haad Yai to Surat ... probably not worth the hassle

[cicinette]

Update :

I bought few days before my trip a ferry+bus ticket to surattani airport at a shop nearby seatrans pier in Nathon. I paid 500 b, surely over rated but too lazy to look around. So I had to be at the pier at 6.30 am to catch 7am ferry, then minivan driver was waiting for us at donsak pier, we got to the airport around 10am, on time to catch 11.30 flight to kuala lumpur.

On the way back, I bought the ferry + bus ticket at the surrathani airport. 350bahts.

Hope it helps

CHEERS

[oldsailor35]

Thanks folks for all your replies so far!

I dont have a problem waking up early and getting the 5am ferry, will there be any cheap transport in Donsak or only taxi available?

Airport bus .

[BigC]

Option a) get the 5am ferry from seatran takes about 1 hour 40 minutes that shall leave u in donsak 6 30 am then about another 1 h 30 mins or 2 hours to air port makes it 830 am then check in

so yes but u shall have to be up0 at the crask of dawn.

the alternive is to go the night before stay in hiotel 100 islands in surat which is cheap spa resort for about 600 to 800 baht per night ten cruse on own to the airport at t reasonable time plus tescos is over the road from the hotel and u can have a massage while u r there