air asia to surat thani and ko phangan

[femi fan]

Has anyone done this journey? Fly from chiang mai to surat thani, bus transfer to donsak, then the car ferry to ko phangan. Just wondering about their experiences.

For example, the flight arrives in surat thani at 1420, will the bus transfer get me to donsak in time for the 1600 ferry?

Is the ferry an ailing boat or is it nice and new? I hate long boat journeys!

Trouble is the ticket price by air asia is a fraction of the price on bangkok air straight to samui.

Travelling next month.

Thanks.

[Lite Beer]

The busses meet you at the airport and take you to the ferry.

New ferry? No chance.

Most are ancient old Chinese rejects.

http://www.suratthaniairporthotels.com/how-to-get-from-surat-thani-airport-to-koh-phangan/

Edited January 23, 2016 by Lite Beer

[sharktooth]

The busses meet you at the airport and take you to the ferry.

New ferry? No chance.

Most are ancient old Chinese rejects.

http://www.suratthaniairporthotels.com/how-to-get-from-surat-thani-airport-to-koh-phangan/

And full of pretentious little pricks 'doing asia.' On mummy and daddy's coin.

[samuijimmy]

The busses meet you at the airport and take you to the ferry.

New ferry? No chance.

Most are ancient old Chinese rejects.

http://www.suratthaniairporthotels.com/how-to-get-from-surat-thani-airport-to-koh-phangan/

The Lomprayah High speed ferry from Donsak, to Samui, are newer .... takes 45 minutes to Samui... Half their web pages seems to be down, so can't get info to KP...

I also cannot find connection timing for Lomprayah at airport, but they do have connecting buses to the boat, but perhaps with different airline? ... perhaps try their web site later.....

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

Air Asia, looks like it ties in with Raja ferry which are old ships... but used by thousands every day... if I remember it's about 2.5 hours Donsak, to Tongsala KP.

[FolkGuitar]

If you aren't bringing a car, why rely upon the car ferry? It's a much slower ride on a much older boat.

There are several companies operating high-speed ferries these days, cutting off 3/4 of the crossing time.

It's often advisable though, if using the smaller high-speed boats, to take some motion sickness medicine an hour or two before the ride.

The boat jockeys often manage to hit every dip and trough, especially if the sea is a bit rough...

The REALLY fast smaller boats often have open backs, and people sitting towards the rear can get very wet. If you see the older Thai ladies scurrying forward to get the seats near the driver, you know you are on one of these. Have a disposable rain poncho handy.

[femi fan]

The busses meet you at the airport and take you to the ferry.

New ferry? No chance.

Most are ancient old Chinese rejects.

http://www.suratthaniairporthotels.com/how-to-get-from-surat-thani-airport-to-koh-phangan/

The Lomprayah High speed ferry from Donsak, to Samui, are newer .... takes 45 minutes to Samui... Half their web pages seems to be down, so can't get info to KP...

I also cannot find connection timing for Lomprayah at airport, but they do have connecting buses to the boat, but perhaps with different airline? ... perhaps try their web site later.....

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

Air Asia, looks like it ties in with Raja ferry which are old ships... but used by thousands every day... if I remember it's about 2.5 hours Donsak, to Tongsala KP.

Hi mate! You're always on hand with my questions for my three-yearly trips down your way!

I did manage yesterday to find out that lomprayah run from donsak to KS and KP. I don't think it was on their site, but the times i came across were Surat Thani City to Donsak to KP: 0900 to 1010 to 1145 and 1430 to 1600 to 1730.

I'll post up my ideas for others who may be interested, and for any comments from you...

My idea now is to fly to Surat from CM arriving at 1420, check in at a hotel in the town and then get that 9am connection to Donsak the next morning. I will feel much safer on the lomprayah, although probably the old car ferry to KP is fine. I got ruined on boats back in the early to mid-90s taking the had rin queen from maenam to had rin. They were the pre-lifejacket days and a storm arrived from nowhere in the middle of the two islands. Since the waves were twice the height of the boat i decided death was imminent, and calmly sat down in the bottom of the boat and simply waited to die! I no longer think of boat journeys rationally.

I did kiss the had rin sand like the pope when we finally got there.

[femi fan]

If you aren't bringing a car, why rely upon the car ferry? It's a much slower ride on a much older boat.

There are several companies operating high-speed ferries these days, cutting off 3/4 of the crossing time.

It's often advisable though, if using the smaller high-speed boats, to take some motion sickness medicine an hour or two before the ride.

The boat jockeys often manage to hit every dip and trough, especially if the sea is a bit rough...

The REALLY fast smaller boats often have open backs, and people sitting towards the rear can get very wet. If you see the older Thai ladies scurrying forward to get the seats near the driver, you know you are on one of these. Have a disposable rain poncho handy.

Well, the best i can find is using Lomprayah which seems to take an hour and a half to KP, but via KS. This does knock off three quarters of an hour, perhaps an hour's worth of actual sailing time. That calms me somewhat! And i like those cats of theirs.

I have not found any other option, so if you have any names let me know. However, it's not speed i'm after in the boat, just a sense of safety. As per my above post i cannot rationally think when it comes to boat journeys any more. Once i'm there, and the skies are blue, then i'm fine. However, any dark clouds and i get in a bit of a state!

But it's roughly 18,000 baht return on bangkok air, and about 6000 on air asia. For two of us that's a massive difference in price.

[femi fan]

According to the Lomprayah website they have one journey leaving Donsak at 1230 and getting into KP at 1400, via Nathon.

I make the assumption KP means Tong Sala, and not Had Rin! However, i shall phone them before i leave Chiang Mai.

Looks like a good option for me, i can avoid the age-old ferry that i probably used to get in the early 90s, and all it means is staying overnight in Surat town for a night on my way down and on my way back.

If you have any cheapo but clean hotels to recommend for Surat town, let us know!

Age huh. I just used to get a train down to Surat and let it all happen from there!!

[FolkGuitar]

One other thought...

I used to travel these water often about in the 90's and early 2000's and never paid any attention to schedules as my time was my own.

There are several fast boats to Koh Tao these days. I don't know schedules these days, but what about a boat to Koh Tao, and from there onward to Koh Phangan?

[samuijimmy]

According to the Lomprayah website they have one journey leaving Donsak at 1230 and getting into KP at 1400, via Nathon.

I make the assumption KP means Tong Sala, and not Had Rin! However, i shall phone them before i leave Chiang Mai.

Looks like a good option for me, i can avoid the age-old ferry that i probably used to get in the early 90s, and all it means is staying overnight in Surat town for a night on my way down and on my way back.

If you have any cheapo but clean hotels to recommend for Surat town, let us know!

Age huh. I just used to get a train down to Surat and let it all happen from there!!

Yes, assumption correct! goes to Tongsala... the trip from Nathon, would be a slower ride, because of distance... from Maenam Pier (Napalan Temple) it takes half an hour...

Haad Rin Queen, goes from Ban Rak, to Had Rin... avoid that one, it's like the slow boat to China!

I know they are supposed to be moving Lomprayah to Ban Rak, from Maenam pier at some point, which maybe why the time table is / was down.... so it makes it a little difficult to answer right now!

I will try to stop by Lomprayah office tomorrow and see what I can find out!

Seas are fairly calm right now, but a bit blustery today and things can change~!

Personally I would stay on Samui overnight, near the terminal and head to KP next morning....

All boats now have life jackets....

[naboo]

Arriving at Surat Thank airport, there are three desks selling tickets to the islands from the airport. 300B a person one way including bus and ferry to Samui.

[LivinLOS]

I have done his journey twice (return) before I knew the BKK air direct was operating.. My feeling was it was +- the same time as transiting bangkok for 2 flights, a bit cheaper, and you get to stretch your legs, walk about the boat, enjoy the open air, etc etc.. It wasnt a rough option.

Above quote about quentins on gap years is very apt.. Some of the stuff I could overhear on the bus leg was hard to stifle my groans.. But still, young and dumb, I am sure I must have seemed the same.

Given the option of a direct flight, I doubt I would do it again.. But between a cnx bkk samui bounce ?? Probably nicer than an airport for me.

[femi fan]

According to the Lomprayah website they have one journey leaving Donsak at 1230 and getting into KP at 1400, via Nathon.

I make the assumption KP means Tong Sala, and not Had Rin! However, i shall phone them before i leave Chiang Mai.

Looks like a good option for me, i can avoid the age-old ferry that i probably used to get in the early 90s, and all it means is staying overnight in Surat town for a night on my way down and on my way back.

If you have any cheapo but clean hotels to recommend for Surat town, let us know!

Age huh. I just used to get a train down to Surat and let it all happen from there!!

Yes, assumption correct! goes to Tongsala... the trip from Nathon, would be a slower ride, because of distance... from Maenam Pier (Napalan Temple) it takes half an hour...

Haad Rin Queen, goes from Ban Rak, to Had Rin... avoid that one, it's like the slow boat to China!

I know they are supposed to be moving Lomprayah to Ban Rak, from Maenam pier at some point, which maybe why the time table is / was down.... so it makes it a little difficult to answer right now!

I will try to stop by Lomprayah office tomorrow and see what I can find out!

Seas are fairly calm right now, but a bit blustery today and things can change~!

Personally I would stay on Samui overnight, near the terminal and head to KP next morning....

All boats now have life jackets....

Just pmed you mate. I could of course stay on samui overnight rather than in surat town, i wasn't thinking about that. More choice.

Yes, the modern times we live in with the luxury of knowing life jackets are on the boat with you! I"m pretty sure it was that Had Rin Queen boat that i thought i was going to die on! Never again. I never want to go on the songserm express boat either. Used to do it so many times until my bad trip, and have never been on it since!

[samuijimmy]

According to the Lomprayah website they have one journey leaving Donsak at 1230 and getting into KP at 1400, via Nathon.

I make the assumption KP means Tong Sala, and not Had Rin! However, i shall phone them before i leave Chiang Mai.

Looks like a good option for me, i can avoid the age-old ferry that i probably used to get in the early 90s, and all it means is staying overnight in Surat town for a night on my way down and on my way back.

If you have any cheapo but clean hotels to recommend for Surat town, let us know!

Age huh. I just used to get a train down to Surat and let it all happen from there!!

Yes, assumption correct! goes to Tongsala... the trip from Nathon, would be a slower ride, because of distance... from Maenam Pier (Napalan Temple) it takes half an hour...

Haad Rin Queen, goes from Ban Rak, to Had Rin... avoid that one, it's like the slow boat to China!

I know they are supposed to be moving Lomprayah to Ban Rak, from Maenam pier at some point, which maybe why the time table is / was down.... so it makes it a little difficult to answer right now!

I will try to stop by Lomprayah office tomorrow and see what I can find out!

Seas are fairly calm right now, but a bit blustery today and things can change~!

Personally I would stay on Samui overnight, near the terminal and head to KP next morning....

All boats now have life jackets....

Just pmed you mate. I could of course stay on samui overnight rather than in surat town, i wasn't thinking about that. More choice.

Yes, the modern times we live in with the luxury of knowing life jackets are on the boat with you! I"m pretty sure it was that Had Rin Queen boat that i thought i was going to die on! Never again. I never want to go on the songserm express boat either. Used to do it so many times until my bad trip, and have never been on it since!

Sorry for late response... we've had lousy weather here for last few days..... any boat new or old would have been a rough ride!

Lomprayah's terminal in Maenam was closed for the stormy weather.... I think perhaps open again today... as it seems more settled weather!

Their mini bus service would know which terminal is operating in the event of bad weather and get one to the right spot for pickup or departure! They charge 150 baht for pickup or drop off service ....(perhaps 200 baht in high season?) Must be booked a day in advance...

Hope that helps!

[femi fan]

Sorry for late response... we've had lousy weather here for last few days..... any boat new or old would have been a rough ride!

Lomprayah's terminal in Maenam was closed for the stormy weather.... I think perhaps open again today... as it seems more settled weather!

Their mini bus service would know which terminal is operating in the event of bad weather and get one to the right spot for pickup or departure! They charge 150 baht for pickup or drop off service ....(perhaps 200 baht in high season?) Must be booked a day in advance...

Hope that helps!

Just replied to your pm mate.

Not quite following you on what you say about the mini bus service. Do you mean picking us up from our hotel in surat and taking us to the correct terminal for lomprayah? And 150 or 200 baht for the journey from hotel to donsak ferry terminal?

My hope is that they will be running from Donsak through to KP. We will stay in surat rather than samui.

Have you travelled much in choppy seas? I assume these big lomprayah cats are okay in them?! Any experiences you relate will help me with my dread of boats in dodgy weather!

[samuijimmy]

Sorry for late response... we've had lousy weather here for last few days..... any boat new or old would have been a rough ride!

Lomprayah's terminal in Maenam was closed for the stormy weather.... I think perhaps open again today... as it seems more settled weather!

Their mini bus service would know which terminal is operating in the event of bad weather and get one to the right spot for pickup or departure! They charge 150 baht for pickup or drop off service ....(perhaps 200 baht in high season?) Must be booked a day in advance...

Hope that helps!

Just replied to your pm mate.

Not quite following you on what you say about the mini bus service. Do you mean picking us up from our hotel in surat and taking us to the correct terminal for lomprayah? And 150 or 200 baht for the journey from hotel to donsak ferry terminal?

My hope is that they will be running from Donsak through to KP. We will stay in surat rather than samui.

Have you travelled much in choppy seas? I assume these big lomprayah cats are okay in them?! Any experiences you relate will help me with my dread of boats in dodgy weather!

Sorry... no the Mini bus service, is only on Samui, to or from Hotel/ resort.... But one can book joint ticket from Surrat airport to Samui, but if I remember the Mini bus on Samui is extra to hotel or resort (150 to 200 baht PP) On KP, the taxi situation is different, it depends how many people heading to same area in a pickup that has seats in back....

Missed reading this before sending you a PM reply! (more to come! ) ...

[Ricardo]

If you aren't bringing a car, why rely upon the car ferry? It's a much slower ride on a much older boat.

There are several companies operating high-speed ferries these days, cutting off 3/4 of the crossing time.

It's often advisable though, if using the smaller high-speed boats, to take some motion sickness medicine an hour or two before the ride.

The boat jockeys often manage to hit every dip and trough, especially if the sea is a bit rough...

The REALLY fast smaller boats often have open backs, and people sitting towards the rear can get very wet. If you see the older Thai ladies scurrying forward to get the seats near the driver, you know you are on one of these. Have a disposable rain poncho handy.

Well, the best i can find is using Lomprayah which seems to take an hour and a half to KP, but via KS. This does knock off three quarters of an hour, perhaps an hour's worth of actual sailing time. That calms me somewhat! And i like those cats of theirs.

I have not found any other option, so if you have any names let me know. However, it's not speed i'm after in the boat, just a sense of safety. As per my above post i cannot rationally think when it comes to boat journeys any more. Once i'm there, and the skies are blue, then i'm fine. However, any dark clouds and i get in a bit of a state!

But it's roughly 18,000 baht return on bangkok air, and about 6000 on air asia. For two of us that's a massive difference in price.

Mrs Ricardo did the trip with Bangkok Airways last year, but it only cost B5k-B6k return, because we booked her ticket during their annual 70%-off points-redemption offer. Just a thought !

[Ricardo]

Well, the best i can find is using Lomprayah which seems to take an hour and a half to KP, but via KS. This does knock off three quarters of an hour, perhaps an hour's worth of actual sailing time. That calms me somewhat! And i like those cats of theirs.

I have not found any other option, so if you have any names let me know. However, it's not speed i'm after in the boat, just a sense of safety. As per my above post i cannot rationally think when it comes to boat journeys any more. Once i'm there, and the skies are blue, then i'm fine. However, any dark clouds and i get in a bit of a state!

But it's roughly 18,000 baht return on bangkok air, and about 6000 on air asia. For two of us that's a massive difference in price.

Mrs Ricardo did the trip with Bangkok Airways last year, but it only cost B5k-B6k return, because we booked her ticket during their annual 70%-off points-redemption offer. Just a thought !

[femi fan]

Hey Ricardo, that sounds a deal! What time of the year did she book the tickets do you recall? I wonder if they do this promotion at the same time each year?