Koh Tao is a small island in Thailand located on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. The island has beautiful beaches, good nightlife, and a popular place to learn to scuba dive. If you are planning to visit the small island of Koh Tao and are now wondering how to get to Koh Tao?
Koh Tao does not have an airport with the nearest airport on Koh Samui. Koh Tao is well serviced by 2 ferry companies called Lomprayah and Seatran. Once you are in either Surat Thani, Koh Samui, or Koh Phangan, it is quite easy to get to Koh Tao by boat.
In this post, we will go through how to get to Koh Tao in Thailand in more detail. So let’s get started!
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Where Is Koh Tao Thailand?
Koh Tao is an island that is part of the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. And is best known for scuba diving and its long white beaches.
Best Time To Travel To Koh Tao
Koh Tao has an average temperature of between 25°C to 33°C all year round. The dry season is from January to April, while the wet season runs from May to December.
The best time to visit Koh Tao is between December to April.
Travel Times Can Vary To Koh Tao
The weather can affect the ferry services to Koh Tao. In extreme cases where the weather is very bad and not safe to provide the service, it will be canceled.
The ferry service is provided by 2 companies called Lomprayah and Seatran. Each company has its own journey times. With Lomprayah Catamaran is a lot faster but smaller.
Just remember to book the ferry in advance as soon as you know what your plans are.
Does Koh Tao Have An Airport?
No, Koh Tao does not have an airport. The nearest airport is on the island of Koh Samui with Surat Thani the nearest airport on the mainland. Both airports offer onward ferry connections to Koh Tao.
How To Get To Koh Tao From Bangkok?
Going from Bangkok to Koh Tao, there are 3 main options.
Option 1 – This is the fastest way to Koh Tao but the most expensive. Is got a flight to Koh Samui from Bangkok. Then get a ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao. Koh Samui is an international airport serviced by Bangkok Airways.
Option 2 – Get a flight to Surat Thani. From the airport, there are ferry services provided by Lomprayah or Seatran. That will bring you to the pier from where you catch the ferry to Koh Tao.
Option 3 – This takes the longest. You can get a bus directly from Bangkok to Surat Thani. With a connecting ferry service to Koh Tao. Lomprayah provides this service with combined tickets which include both bus and ferry.
How To Get To Koh Tao From Koh Samui?
Assuming that you are already in Koh Samui. There is only one way to get to Koh Tao, which is by ferry. There are 2 ferry companies that provide this service which are Lomprayah and Seatran
These can be booked at the airport or with any tourist agent or hotel on the Island.
Going from Koh Samui to Koh Tao, there is 1 option.
Option 1 – The only way to get to Koh Tao, is by ferry. If using the Seatran Discovery ferry that leaves from Bangrak pier. While the Lomprayah High-Speed Catamaran ferries users from another pier.
How To Get To Koh Tao From Phuket?
Going from Phuket to Koh Tao, there are 2 options.
Option 1 – Firstly, get a flight to Surat Thani or Koh Samui. And find the ferry companies at the airport which are Lomprayah and Seatran. They will bring you to the pier to catch the ferry to Koh Tao.
Option 2 – Get the bus or minivan from Phuket to Donsak pier in Surat Thani and get the next ferry to Koh Tao.
How To Get To Koh Tao From Krabi?
Going from Krabi to Koh Tao, there is 1 option.
Option 1 – Get the bus or minivan from Krabi town or An Nang to Donsak in Surat Thani. Donsak is a pier, from there catch the ferry to Koh Tao.
Things To Do On Koh Tao Thailand
Koh Tao is not really a party island but is more for diving and snorkeling. It is a great place if you want to relax at the beach and go diving.
Here is our list of things to do in Koh Tao Thailand.
- Scuba diving and snorkeling in Koh Tao.
- Join the Koh Tao pub crawl.
- Visit John Suwan Viewpoint.
- Watch the sunrise.
- Go To the beach.
- Rent a motorbike.
Read more about things to do in Koh Tao here.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, Koh Tao does not have an airport with the nearest airport on Koh Samui. Koh Tao is well-serviced by 2 ferry companies called Lomprayah and Seatran. Once you are in either Surat Thani, Koh Samui, or Koh Phangan, it is quite easy to get to Koh Tao by boat.
And that’s it for now! I’d love it if this post on how to get to Koh Tao Thailand was helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there are any other ways to get to Koh Tao.