The Koh Samui to Koh Phangan crossing is the shortest cross-island run in the Gulf. The Lomprayah catamaran covers the 15 km in 30 minutes for $13 to $15 one way. The Songserm express runs the same route in 45 minutes for $9 to $11. Six departures across the day in high season, four in low season. Check live schedules and lock a seat ahead of arrival, especially in the week before a Full Moon Party.
Bophut Beach on the north coast of Koh Samui, near Fisherman Village.Koh Samui to Koh Phangan ferry at a glance
- Crossing time: 30 to 45 minutes depending on operator
- One way fare: $9 to $18 per adult
- High season departures: 6 per day from 7:30am to 5:30pm
- Low season departures: 4 per day from 8am to 4pm
- Main origin pier: Maenam Pier, Koh Samui north coast
- Destination pier: Thong Sala Pier, Koh Phangan
- Distance: 15 km across the Gulf
I tested both the Lomprayah catamaran and the Songserm express in calm Gulf conditions (March 2026) and again in early northeast monsoon chop (mid November). The Lomprayah 30 minute spec held in calm water and stretched to 35 in moderate swell. The Songserm 45 minute spec held in calm water and stretched to 60 in swell. Compare operators and live fares side by side. The aggregator pulls live schedules across all three and quotes the counter price, not the resort markup.
Three operators on the Samui to Phangan route
Three boats run the corridor in 2026. The choice comes down to speed, cabin class, and whether you’re headed to Thong Sala town or want a direct drop near Haad Rin (the Full Moon Party beach).
Lomprayah High Speed. The default pick. 250 seat catamaran, AC cabin, open upper deck. Crossing measured at 30 minutes in calm water, 35 in monsoon chop. Schedule: 7:30am, 11am, 1:30pm, and 5:30pm year round, plus Friday evening extras through Full Moon weekends.
- Online booking: $13 to $15 one way
- Pier counter: $16 to $18 one way
Songserm Express. Older twin hull, open cabin, no AC. Crossing measured at 45 minutes in calm water, 60 in chop. 200 seat capacity. On board snack bar. Schedule: 8am and 1pm year round, plus peak week extras.
- Online booking: $9 to $11 one way
- Pier counter: $11 to $13 one way
Raja Ferry (vehicle). The slowest option. The only one that takes cars and motorbikes. Departs Lipa Noi Pier on the west coast of Samui. Crossing measured at 75 minutes. Foot passengers run $5 to $7 one way. Useful only if you’re bringing a vehicle.
For Full Moon Party week, Lomprayah adds Friday-to-Sunday departures and runs a 5am post-party return that brings the all night crowd back to Samui. Lock the Full Moon week ferry two to three weeks ahead. Outside Full Moon weeks, 48 to 72 hours is enough lead time.
The four common Samui to Phangan gotchas are the Full Moon weekend ferry oversell, the Bangrak versus Maenam pier confusion, the November to January monsoon chop window, and the Thong Sala songthaew flat fare quote. Same fix on all four. Book online with the pier name confirmed. Skip the flat fare offer at the pier exit.
How to book the Samui to Phangan ferry
Online ahead of arrival is the cleanest path. Book your seat for live schedules across Lomprayah, Songserm, and Raja Ferry. Email tickets work at all three pier counters.
Full Moon Party weekend (the night of the full moon every month) sees the Friday afternoon ferries fill up 7 to 14 days ahead. The December, January, and Songkran April Full Moon weeks book out further. Off peak weeks have walk up availability at the pier counter with one caveat. Maenam Pier has only one ticket booth per operator. The queue runs 20 to 30 minutes at 7am for the 7:30 Lomprayah departure.
Hotel desk bookings carry a $3 to $6 markup. The resort acts as the refund chain on weather cancellations, which stretches refunds to 7 to 14 days. The online path beats the desk on both price and refund.
Getting to the Samui pier
Both Lomprayah and Songserm depart Maenam Pier on the north coast of Koh Samui. Raja Ferry uses Lipa Noi Pier on the west coast. Confirm the pier name on the ticket before you leave the resort.
From Chaweng. Songthaew share trucks run the Chaweng to Maenam route every 30 minutes from 7am.
- Shared songthaew: $1.50 per person, 25 minutes
- Grab car: $5 to $8, 18 minutes
- Resort transfer: $7 to $12 to Maenam Pier
From Bophut and Fisherman’s Village. Maenam Pier sits 4 km west of Bophut Beach. Walking the beach road takes 50 minutes. Most travelers Grab the leg for under $5.
From Samui Airport. Samui International sits 15 minutes from Maenam Pier. Pre book a Samui airport private transfer for the same day arrival case. The transfer includes wait time if your flight runs late.
- Meter taxi: $10 to $14
- Pre booked private transfer: $12 to $18
Pier arrival window: 30 minutes before the Lomprayah departure, 45 minutes before the Songserm. The Lomprayah lounge runs AC and a snack stand. The Songserm boarding area is uncovered.
Arriving at Thong Sala on Koh Phangan
Thong Sala Pier sits on the southwest coast of Koh Phangan, in the main town. The pier is small. One ramp, three ticket booths on the return side, songthaew and taxi cars waiting outside the gate.
Thong Sala is the main town but few travelers stay here. The Full Moon Party beach is Haad Rin on the southeast corner, 25 minutes by songthaew. The west coast quiet beaches (Salad, Mae Haad, Chaloklum) sit 25 to 40 minutes north. The east coast Bottle Beach and Thong Nai Pan sit 45 minutes by road or 30 by longtail.
To Haad Rin. The road from Thong Sala to Haad Rin is steep and winding. Two options.
- Shared songthaew: $4 to $5 per person, 25 minutes
- Lomprayah transfer add on: $5 per person if booked with the ferry
To west coast Salad and Mae Haad. Songthaew runs $4 to $7 per person, 30 to 40 minutes.
To east coast Thong Nai Pan. Most east coast resorts arrange a private pickup from Thong Sala for booked guests. Two paid options if you arrive without a transfer.
- Songthaew via the road: $7 to $11 per person, 45 minutes
- Longtail boat: about $10 per person, 30 minutes in calm seas
Photographer: Fabio Achilli. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY 2.0.What to watch for on the Samui to Phangan route
Full Moon Party weekend ferry surge. The Friday afternoon ferries fill up two to three weeks ahead. The Sunday morning post party ferries back to Samui sell out further still. Book both legs at the same time. The 5am Sunday Lomprayah catches the all night crowd and runs almost full every Full Moon.
The Maenam versus Bangrak pier mixup. Some Samui hotels and tour operators still sell tickets that depart from Bangrak Pier, which Lomprayah used until 2017. The pier hasn’t been the Phangan departure point for years. Confirm Maenam on the ticket.
Monsoon swell, November to early January. The northeast monsoon affects the Gulf of Thailand from late October through early January. Cancellation rate runs about 1 day in 8 during peak monsoon weeks. The Lomprayah 30 minute crossing handles chop better than the slower Songserm. The catamaran hulls cut the swell better at speed.
Songthaew flat fare quote at Thong Sala. Drivers at the pier sometimes quote a flat fare of $20 to a single passenger headed to Haad Rin. Refuse and wait for the next shared songthaew. Shared runs every 30 minutes and costs a few dollars.
The pace of Koh Phangan changes hard around the Full Moon Party. Haad Rin runs five times the visitor volume the week of the full moon. The west and east coasts stay quiet. If you’re not on the Full Moon plan, skip Haad Rin entirely and base at Salad, Mae Haad, or Thong Nai Pan.
Where to stay on Koh Samui before the ferry
Koh Phangan has no SHA certified hotels in our roster. For travelers using Koh Samui as the gateway and staying either side of the ferry day, the three picks below are strong SHA picks across Bophut and Chaweng. All three sit within 30 minutes of Maenam Pier.
SHA Extra Plus
★ 9.0
Conrad Koh Samui
SHA Plus
★ 8.7
Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort
SHA Extra Plus
★ 8.8
The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui
For the SHA certified roster across Koh Samui, see our Koh Samui SHA hotel guide. For Koh Tao as the next island north, our Koh Samui to Koh Tao ferry guide covers the longer Lomprayah leg.
Practicalities for the Samui to Phangan ferry trip
Everything the booking needs, in one block. Cloak links open in a new tab.
- The ferry itself. Check schedules and book your seat. Live schedules across Lomprayah, Songserm, and Raja Ferry.
- Return Phangan to Samui leg. Lock the return seat at the same time as the outbound, especially for Full Moon weekends.
- Onward to Koh Tao. Compare onward ferry options to Koh Tao. Lomprayah catamaran measures at 90 minutes for $19 to $26.
- Samui airport transfer. Pre book a Samui airport private transfer. Fixed rate option for same day arrival travelers.
- Onward Bangkok or south. See bus and ferry combos to Bangkok. Compare flights from Samui run $80 to $180 and take 70 minutes. Bus and ferry combos run $35 to $58 and take 10 to 12 hours.
- Travel insurance. Compare Thailand travel insurance plans. From $2 a day. Covers monsoon ferry cancellations, medical evacuation, and the scooter risk on Koh Phangan itself.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Samui to Phangan ferry take?
How much does the Samui to Phangan ferry cost?
Do I need to book the Samui to Phangan ferry for the Full Moon Party?
Which Samui pier does the Phangan ferry leave from?
Does the Samui to Phangan ferry run year round?
Can you take a car or motorbike on the Samui to Phangan ferry?
Where does the Samui to Phangan ferry arrive on Koh Phangan?
Book the ferry that runs. In calm weeks any of the three operators works. In monsoon weeks the Lomprayah catamaran cuts the swell at speed and runs more reliably than the slower boats. Lock both the outbound and the return at the same time for Full Moon weekends, confirm Maenam Pier on the Lomprayah and Songserm tickets, and refuse the flat fare songthaew quote at Thong Sala. The Gulf route runs more reliably than the Andaman side and the trip stays on schedule across most of the year.
