Koh Samui to Koh Phangan Ferry: Schedules, Tickets, and Operators

The Koh Samui–Koh Phangan crossing is the most frequent inter-island route in the Gulf of Thailand. On a normal day you have a dozen options; on Full Moon Party weekend the route turns into a well-organised (if crowded) shuttle service. Here is how to navigate it.

The Route

Koh Samui and Koh Phangan sit roughly 15 km apart in the Gulf of Thailand, with Koh Tao a further 47 km north. The crossing between Samui and Phangan takes 30–50 minutes depending on the departure pier. Main arrival point on Phangan is Thong Sala Pier on the west coast, which has songthaews and taxis onward to all beaches. For Haad Rin (Full Moon Party beach), the Haad Rin Queen service lands directly at the beach, avoiding the Thong Sala detour.

Departure Piers on Koh Samui

Big Buddha Pier (Ban Don Pier) - northeast corner of Koh Samui, near the Big Buddha temple. Most convenient for resorts on the north and east coasts. This is the busiest departure point and runs the most frequent services.

Na Thon Pier - west coast of Koh Samui, the main commercial port. Used by vehicle ferries (Raja Ferry) and some Seatran passenger services. Convenient if you’re in Na Thon or the west.

Maenam Pier - north coast, used mainly by the Haad Rin Queen speedboat service. Convenient for Maenam, Bophut, and Fisherman’s Village resort areas.

Operators and Schedules

Seatran Discovery

Most popular regular service. Departs Big Buddha Pier to Thong Sala approximately:

Departure (Samui)	Arrival (Phangan)	Notes
08:00	~08:45	First service
10:00	~10:45
11:30	~12:15
13:00	~13:45
15:00	~15:45
17:00	~17:45	Last regular service

Return services from Thong Sala to Big Buddha Pier run at similar intervals. Journey time approximately 45 minutes. One-way ticket approximately ฿160–฿220.

Songserm

Slightly slower boat, runs Na Thon Pier to Thong Sala. Good option if you’re on the west side of Samui. Departures less frequent than Seatran - typically 4–5 per day. One-way approximately ฿200–฿300.

Lomprayah

Premium catamaran service, often used as part of Surat Thani–Samui–Phangan–Tao through-ticketing. Lomprayah stops at Big Buddha Pier on its Bangkok-to-island combo routes. One-way Samui–Phangan on Lomprayah approximately ฿350–฿500 (pricier because it’s part of a longer route segment).

Haad Rin Queen (Raja Ferry)

The dedicated Full Moon Party boat. Departs Maenam Pier directly to Haad Rin Beach (bypassing Thong Sala). Journey approximately 30–40 minutes. Particularly relevant on Full Moon nights when extra sailings begin from early evening until the early hours of the morning. Ticket approximately ฿300–฿500 return; prices rise closer to Full Moon.

Price Overview (as of 2026)

Route	Operator	Price (one-way)
Big Buddha → Thong Sala	Seatran	฿160–฿220
Na Thon → Thong Sala	Songserm	฿200–฿300
Big Buddha → Thong Sala	Lomprayah	฿350–฿500
Maenam → Haad Rin Beach	Haad Rin Queen	฿300–฿500 return
Samui → Phangan (night, Full Moon)	Various	฿300–฿600

Full Moon Party Logistics

The Full Moon Party at Haad Rin Beach happens on the night of each full moon, drawing anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 people. The ferry crossing gets crowded in both directions.

Getting there: Book the Haad Rin Queen return ticket in advance - it often sells out. Departures from Maenam start from around 19:00 on Full Moon night, with services roughly every 30–45 minutes until around 22:00.

Getting back: Return ferries from Haad Rin Beach to Samui run from approximately 04:00 through to 09:00 the following morning. The 04:00–06:00 boats are the most crowded. If you want a more comfortable return, wait for the 07:00 or later crossing.

What to carry: Bring enough cash for the party (ATMs on Koh Phangan run dry on Full Moon weekend), a waterproof bag for your phone, and wear clothing you don’t mind getting paint, mud, or seawater on. The beach access fee is approximately ฿100–฿200 depending on entry point.

Getting to Koh Tao from Koh Phangan

If you’re continuing north to Koh Tao, Lomprayah runs a fast catamaran from Thong Sala Pier to Koh Tao in approximately 1 hour (approximately ฿350–฿500 one-way). Departures from Thong Sala typically at 08:30 and 12:00 in high season - confirm current schedule on arrival.

Moving Around Koh Phangan

From Thong Sala Pier, songthaews (shared pickups) and motorbike taxis cover the island. Key beach areas:

• Haad Rin: approximately ฿150–฿200 by songthaew from Thong Sala, around 30 minutes
• Thong Nai Pan: approximately ฿200–฿300 by songthaew, 40–50 minutes over the mountain road
• Ban Tai / Bantai Beach: approximately ฿80–฿120, 15 minutes south of Thong Sala

Motorbike rental is widely available on Koh Phangan and is the most flexible way to explore. Daily rates approximately ฿200–฿300 for a standard automatic.

Low Season Notes

The Gulf’s main monsoon period runs October through December, with rough weather peaking in November. Some ferry services reduce frequency during this period. The Full Moon Party still runs year-round, but the crossing and the night itself can be very wet in November. Check weather forecasts before booking non-refundable onward tickets.

For airport connections and mainland transfers: Book transfers in Thailand.