Koh Lanta to Samui

[alt]

We're going to samui on the 24th and will be in lanta before that. Realistically were going to have to stop over night in either ao nang in krabi, or Surat thani.

Any idea which would make more sense? Anything to do in Surat thani?

When we land in samui the pier is on the west but we're staying in the main spot just east of the airport (forget name of it, starts with a c). Is there a shuttle bus / van that does regular transports?

Thanksane're going to samui on the 24th and will be in lanta before that. Realistically were going to have to stop over night in either ao nang in krabi, or Surat thani.

Any idea which would make more sense? Anything to do in Surat thani?

When we land in samui the pier is on the west but we're staying in the main spot just east of the airport (forget name of it, starts with a c). Is there a shuttle bus / van that does regular transports?

Thanks

[samuijimmy]

Personally I would choose to stop over in the Krabi area... Use a VIP bus, rather than Mini Van, to get there.

Surratthani city is not really exciting or a tourist destination....

Shuttle buses available at all ferry terminals and Airport!

[khunPer]

My friends (a pair/2 persons) did the transfer from Koh Lanta to Samui earlier this year. They bought tickets for a private minibus transfer in a local travel agency and was driven directly to the ferry at Don Sak, very fast and convenient, 4 hours (good road on the mainland between Krabi and Don Sak), and the costs was around 5,000 baht (their actual price was 4,500 baht in February).

There are two ferry routes from Don Sak Pier, Raja Ferry and Seatran, almost next to each other. They are about equal good but docks little apart at Samui, Raja in Lipa Noi (South of Nathon) and Seatran in Nathon. Transfer time 1½ hour, both lines departs every full hour from 6am to 6pm. A passenger ticket is around 150 baht (I’m not fully updated with price). From Lipa Noi or Nathon you will need transport to your accommodation in Chaweng, a taxi can be around 600 baht (some may try to charge more, but that will be way overpriced). A normal song thaew (pick-up car “bus”) fee in daytime shall be around 100 baht each person to Chaweng, but may not drop you off at your accommodation, but on a major road.

A VIP bus from Krabi to Samui (or Don Sak Pier) may also be a possibility, probably a bit cheaper than a private minibus, but check with a local travel agency about price and if direct, so you avoid to change to another bus en-route; some bus terminals can be little confusing if you are not used to the Thai bus system.

Edited December 21, 2014 by khunPer

[Mole]

Personally, I would have stayed in Ao Nang, then take the Lompraya bus+catamaran over to Samui.

You get to ride in a proper bus than the smaller minivans.

Just call them and ask about their timetable from Krabi

http://www.lomprayah.com/surat/surat.html

[khunPer]

Personally, I would have stayed in Ao Nang, then take the Lompraya bus+catamaran over to Samui.

You get to ride in a proper bus than the smaller minivans.

Just call them and ask about their timetable from Krabi

http://www.lomprayah.com/surat/surat.html

Agree (thanks Mole for bringing this suggestion up), Lomprayah is indeed a favorite - sorry I did not know they had a Krabi service.

Lomprayah may also do a transfer service by their minibusses to Chaweng (probably need advanced booking).

On-line ticket booking (and timetable) here:

http://www.lomprayah.com/E/booking_buffet_1.aspx

[South]

Why not fly direct from Krabi? PG has a daily am flight if I remember correctly. A little more expensive but will save you quite a few hours traveling ..... and Chaweng is only a few minutes from USM too.

[Mole]

I tried to search on bangkokairways site and it appears that their flights are fully booked during these dates.

But when I tried in January, the price is 3150 (including all fees) per person!

Edited December 22, 2014 by Mole

[alt]

Thanks guys. Going to do a night in ao nang and then lompraya bus and ferry to samui. Will try to book bus and ferry while in lanta but may have to wait until ao nang to do that.

Thanks for tip and price re. song thaew once we teach samui

[alt]

Yeah we tried flights but fully booked

[jabis]

Also re: song thaew - if your party is pale as sheet, even the song thaew driver might try to up the price. If you want to confirm the price, asking the driver how much it is to chaweng would be 'bpai chaweng thao rai khrap' - I've learned that when you initiate the conversation in Thai you might get less of them double pricing woes

[alt]

Thanks for the tip, how do you pronounce Chaweng? Cheers!!

[khunPer]

Thanks for the tip, how do you pronounce Chaweng? Cheers!!

Always heard it like sjah-weng...

[Mole]

From the catamaran pier to Chaweng, the price that we Thai locals pay is 60. I'm not supposed to tell you this though.

Don't ask about price at all. Just tell you wanna go to Chaweng, and they'll direct to you to the one going there. When you have arrived and is going off, make sure you have the exact amount you need to pay and just give him that. No need to say anything. For example, 2 persons, give the driver 120. There won't be any problem because he'll know that you know this exact price of 60. It's probably the most graceful way because if you starts to negotiate with 60 bath before going on, other people may get some idea...

Just tell them your hotel name and if it's on their normal route, they'll stop in front of your hotel. If not, they may be able to drive a detour to your hotel, but in this case, you'll have to negotiate the price before you get on. Don't expect to get 60 though. Depending on distance, probably 100-150.

[alt]

We are staying at behind the scene hostel club, Chaweng. It appears to be close to main rd so should be on route.

Thanks for the tips

[alt]

http://goo.gl/maps/3KBmp

Here's a link to eexact location

[Mole]

Not exactly because he'll have to drive you back to deliver you. That road is a one way road, and the normal route will be to drive along the lake road.

You'll probably just need to pay that 100 to get him to deliver you to your hotel.

[Gulfsailor]

If the songthaew takes the backroad next to the lake then get of at Central Festival. Walk through there to the beach road entrance and turn left. It's not far to walk to the hostel. Had a friend staying there last week and I paeked the car at Central when meeting him.

[khunPer]

http://goo.gl/maps/3KBmp

Here's a link to eexact location

I think, if my memory serves me right, ”Behind the Scene” is the newer guesthouse next to the cabaret show, pointer at map slightly out of mark. If you can get by song thaew to Central Festival at the 2nd Road near the roundabout – they are so new as it do not appear on the Google satellite – then you can easily walk from there. I have pinned the route on the map-image, starting at the roundabout.

Walk down the road (going straight through the roundabout) and pass the Central Festival entrance (ca. 150m total), then on the right you’ll see a new street restaurant in front of a deserted building. Walk up the narrow dirt road after the restaurant (not the concrete one before, it’s too narrow and with much traffic without any space for pedestrians) about 100m almost to the end, at right you will see a narrow concrete lane with some small restaurants/shops on one side, turn up there and pass through the portal. Now you are in the entertainment area with bars, turn left and left again round the Green Mango disco at left hand, you are at Soi Green Mango and follow the soi with bars, turning slightly right, little more than 100m to the Beach Road. Turn left and about 50 meters you’ll find a narrow soi at left with a sign for Moulin Rouge Cabaret, your guesthouse is down there with reception opposite the cabaret.

Total distance to walk is around 400-500 meters.

If you later just cross the Beach Road and continue straight, you will get to the beach and Ark Bar, they use to have some fire-show around 10pm to 11pm. The party in Soi Green Mango begins after midnight.

Edited December 23, 2014 by khunPer

[alt]

khunPer thank you so much for the map, it brought us right to our hotel where we just landed. I owe you a beer, pm me.

Got a song thaew for 100 baht each which dropped us at central festival... Didn't feel ripped off considering the length we were being transported for