Getting here
No airport. That's the point.
Every route ends with a ferry across open water. Here is every combination of night train, bus, plane and boat.
Getting here
Every route ends with a ferry across open water. Here is every combination of night train, bus, plane and boat.
The journey
Koh Tao has no airport, and that's rather the point: every route here ends with a boat across open water. It keeps the island small, and it means arriving already feels like part of the trip. From Bangkok it's an overnight bus or train to Chumphon and the morning catamaran; from the south, you fly into Koh Samui or Surat Thani and connect to the ferry.
Already island-hopping? The high-speed catamarans link Koh Tao to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan several times a day, an hour or two across the Gulf. One thing to plan around: November and December are monsoon months, when rough seas occasionally cancel ferries, so leave yourself a buffer before an onward flight.
Every route below links straight through to 12Go, where you can compare times, prices and companies and book the whole chain, bus, train, plane and boat, on one ticket. Pick the combination that fits your budget and your patience.
Routes
Overnight VIP bus to Chumphon, then the morning catamaran. The most popular combo ticket.
Night train to Chumphon in a sleeper berth: slower, comfier, more romantic.
Fastest door-to-door: fly to Koh Samui or Surat Thani, connect to the ferry.
Direct high-speed catamarans several times a day via Koh Phangan.
The shortest hop: perfect after Full Moon recovery.
The long haul south, or break it with a cheap flight to Surat Thani.
Want the detail on a specific route? Read our full guides: Bangkok to Koh Tao, Koh Samui to Koh Tao and Chiang Mai to Koh Tao.
The classic run
Night bus or sleeper train south from the city.
Transfer to the pier. Coffee strongly advised.
1h45 across the Gulf. Sit outside, watch the horizon.
Taxi, scooter or a barefoot walk to your bed.
Good to know
Bus + ferry or train + ferry combos are cheaper and guarantee your connection if the leg runs late.
November and December bring rough seas; ferries occasionally cancel. Build in a buffer day.
Piers involve gangplanks, sand and stairs. Backpacks beat wheeled suitcases every time.
The Gulf can chop. Take a tablet 30 minutes before boarding and sit low, middle of the boat.
Arriving in the morning? Drop your bags and make the afternoon count: the Nang Yuan half-day trip departs at 13:00.