GET TO PHA NGAN ISLAND

The ferry from the Gulf coast leaves Ban Don pier in Surat Thani at 11pm every night for the ferry pier at Thong Sala, tickets are available from the pier on the day of departure. One Songserm express boat a day runs from Tha Thong to Thong Sala. Three express boats a day take 45-minute trip from Na Thon on Samui Island, while two of them cover the same route. Two vehicle ferries a day sail from Don Sak, 68km east of Surat Thani, to Thong Sala, with connecting busses form Surat to Don Sak, run by Samui tour. Small boats also shuttle between Samui Island and the eastern side of Pha Ngan Island, and speed boats form Bophut, Maenam and Nathon on Samui call in at Thong Sala after thirty minutes on their way to Tao Island.

Three kinds of vessel run between Pha Ngan Island and Tao Island, though form roughly June to November they are occasionally cancelled due to bad weather. At least two speed boats a day cover the distance in 50min, two express boats a day take 1hr 30min, and one slow boat spends 3hr over it. From Bangkok, bus and train packages similar to those for getting to Samui Island are available.