Ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao

Ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao at a glance

Everything travellers ask about the ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao in one place. Lomprayah, Seatran Discovery, Songserm sail the route on high-speed catamarans via Koh Phangan, with a crossing time of about 1 hour 45 minutes, 6-8 a day. Boats leave from Maenam, Nathon or Bangrak pier and arrive at Mae Haad pier, Koh Tao. Haqqi Tours offers the ticket, and confirms the sailing, the seats and the cost through WhatsApp before any payment.

• Route: Koh Samui to Koh Tao (about 60 km by sea)
• Operator: Lomprayah, Seatran Discovery, Songserm
• Crossing time: about 1 hour 45 minutes
• Vessels: high-speed catamarans via Koh Phangan
• Frequency: 6-8 a day
• Departure port: Maenam, Nathon or Bangrak pier
• Arrival port: Mae Haad pier, Koh Tao
• Vehicles: passengers only
• Booking: form on this page, confirmation by WhatsApp, e-ticket by message

All boats call at Koh Phangan on the way; Koh Tao is the diving island, and the morning boats leave time to check in and snorkel the same afternoon. The sea can be rough from November to January, when the bigger Lomprayah catamarans are the steadier choice.

Timetable and season of the Koh Samui to Koh Tao ferry

6-8 a day - that is how often the ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao runs, with more departures in summer and fewer, sometimes weather-dependent, in winter. Allow about 1 hour 45 minutes at sea plus check-in at the port. Timetables change between seasons, so we send the exact departures for your date rather than a list that may be out of date.

For a connection at Koh Tao - a flight, a train or another ferry - let us know and we choose a sailing with a comfortable margin.

Departure: Maenam, Nathon or Bangrak pier

The ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao leaves from Maenam, Nathon or Bangrak pier, in Koh Samui - Koh Samui is the palm island of the Gulf of Thailand, with Chaweng and Lamai beaches, the Big Buddha and the Ang Thong marine park. Foot passengers should be at the port 45 to 60 minutes before departure, earlier on international crossings where passports are checked. Getting there: Songthaews circle the ring road and airport minibuses serve the main beaches, but there is no rail or metro, and songthaews are slow and crowded with luggage; a private car is simpler for families, villas, the west and south coasts, and connections to the Phangan and Tao boats.

• Haqqi Tours provides a private transfer from your accommodation in Koh Samui to the port on request
• Just ask which gate or terminal your sailing uses - big ports have several
• Foot passengers: at the port 45-60 minutes before departure
• Keep the e-ticket and the ID or passport used for booking together

Arrival: Mae Haad pier, Koh Tao

You step off at Mae Haad pier, Koh Tao. Taxis and buses meet the boats. If you would rather not think about it, we book a driver to meet the ferry and take you to the door of your accommodation.

Onward journeys from Koh Tao - another ferry, a flight or a train the same day - can be added to the booking; tell us and we time the crossing to fit.

On board the Koh Samui to Koh Tao ferry: seats, cabins and luggage

On board, the ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao is relaxed: you can walk about, sit inside or on deck, eat at the café and watch the coast. Seat classes differ in space and quiet - economy, airline seats, lounge or business on the fast boats; cabins of two to four berths on overnight ferries. The fast boats are passenger-only, so bags stay with you.

• Passengers only - luggage stays with you
• Children's fares by age; infants generally free
• Pets accepted on many ships in carriers or kennels - let us know if one is travelling
• Seats: economy, airline-style, lounge and business on the fast boats; deck seats on the slow ferries

Things to do in Koh Tao after the ferry

Koh Tao is the small diving island of the Gulf of Thailand, where more divers are certified than almost anywhere in the world. Start with Sairee beach, the dive sites of Chumphon Pinnacle and Koh Nang Yuan viewpoint, then Shark Bay snorkelling.

Haqqi Tours can provide guided tours, tickets, transfers and private drivers in Koh Tao; ask when you book the ferry and we send the options.

Best time to take the ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao

For the ferry itself, late spring and early autumn bring calm seas, full timetables and reasonable fares; July and August are the busiest and the most expensive, and the windiest weeks can cancel the fast boats. Winter schedules are thinner on many crossings, so we verify before you plan.

Ferry or flight from Koh Samui to Koh Tao?

Ferry versus plane between Koh Samui and Koh Tao comes down to time, luggage and the view: the ferry has the deck, the luggage and the town-centre arrival; the plane has speed. On this route the ferry is the option Haqqi Tours recommends first for families and anyone with a car.

Return ferry from Koh Tao to Koh Samui

We book the return crossing from Koh Tao to Koh Samui just as easily, normally on the same confirmation. Round-trip fares and open returns are cheaper on many operators, so booking both directions together saves money. Tell us the day you want to come back on the form and we send both directions with the cost.

How much does the ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao cost?

"How much is the ferry ticket from Koh Samui to Koh Tao?" has several answers, because the operators price the slow boat and the fast boat differently, charge separately for vehicles and cabins, and raise fares in high season. Haqqi Tours arranges the current cost for your dates and party - foot passengers, seats or cabin - quickly of receiving the form, and tells you which sailing is the best value.

What we include in the price we send: the ticket for each passenger, any reserved seat or cabin you asked for, port taxes, and our service - checking the timetable, booking, sending the e-ticket and answering questions before and during the crossing.

Cheapest ferry ticket from Koh Samui to Koh Tao: how to pay less

A cheap Koh Samui to Koh Tao ferry ticket is not luck - it is the right boat on the right day. Here is how we find it:

• Compare operators - on this route the cheapest company changes with the date
• Travel light - some fast boats limit luggage per passenger
• Book the return with the outbound - open returns and round-trip fares are cheaper on many operators
• Ask about children's, student and resident fares, and about vehicle offers outside high season
• Choose the conventional ferry over the high-speed boat when time allows - it is cheaper, steadier and often more scenic
• Book early for July, August, Easter and holiday weekends, when sailings sell out and fares rise

When you fill in the form, say if you can move your dates. We compare the sailings around them and send the cheapest Koh Samui to Koh Tao ferry first, then the alternatives.

How to book ferry tickets from Koh Samui to Koh Tao with Haqqi Tours

Booking a ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao with us takes minutes and one conversation. Fill in the booking form on this page with the date you travel, one-way or return, the number of adults and children. Our booking desk messages you on WhatsApp to check your booking: we confirm the sailings that day, the vessel, the seats or cabin and the cost. You choose, we book, and the electronic ticket arrives in the same chat.

• Step 1 - fill out the form: date, one-way or return, adults and children
• Step 2 - we message you in the WhatsApp chat with the sailings, vessels, seats or cabins and the cost
• Step 3 - you confirm the sailing you prefer and we arrange payment in the same chat
• Step 4 - we issue the electronic ticket and send it; we stay in touch until you land in Koh Tao

Because a person books it, we can line the Koh Samui to Koh Tao ferry up with a flight or a train the same day, choose the sailing that leaves a safe margin, and warn you if the weather forecast makes the fast boat a risk.

Why book your Koh Samui to Koh Tao ferry ticket with Haqqi Tours

What we offer on the ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao: live fares checked across every operator for your travel date, fast boat and slow boat explained plainly, seats and cabins reserved, vehicles booked with the right dimensions, the e-ticket delivered through WhatsApp and a team that answers at any hour if the weather changes the plan. Send the form and let us take the ferry off your list.