Samui Airport (USM) has direct flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi (about 1 hour 15 minutes), Phuket, Chiang Mai and several regional cities, but fares are high because the airport is privately owned. The budget route is a low-cost flight to Surat Thani (URT) or Nakhon Si Thammarat with a joint bus-and-ferry ticket via Don Sak pier; allow four to five hours from landing to your hotel.
By rail, overnight trains from Bangkok reach Surat Thani in around 9–12 hours, connecting with buses to the ferries. Car ferries from Don Sak take about an hour and a half to Samui and two and a half to Phangan. High-speed catamarans link Samui, Phangan and Koh Tao several times a day.
Routes at a glance
| From | Best route | Time | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok | Direct flight to Samui (USM) | About 1 h 15 min | Usually the costliest domestic route |
| Bangkok | Flight to Surat Thani + bus and ferry | About 5–6 hours in total | Flight plus around 400–600 THB |
| Bangkok | Overnight train to Surat Thani + bus and ferry | About 14–16 hours | Roughly 1,000–1,800 THB in total |
| Samui ↔ Phangan | High-speed catamaran or ferry | 30–45 minutes | Around 200–400 THB |
| Samui ↔ Koh Tao | High-speed catamaran | About 2–3 hours | Around 600–800 THB |
| Krabi or Khao Sok | Minivan to Don Sak, then ferry | About 5–8 hours | Around 600–900 THB |
| Phuket | Direct flight, or bus and ferry | 1 hour by air; 7–8 hours overland | Varies |
Getting around Koh Samui & Koh Phangan
On Samui, songthaews circle the ring road during the day for a modest fare; taxis rarely use meters, so agree the price or use a ride-hailing app. On Phangan, songthaew taxis run from Thong Sala to the main beaches at fixed per-person prices, and remote bays are reached by longtail. Both islands have steep, sandy hill roads where scooter accidents are frequent — rent only if you are licensed, experienced and insured.
