Planning · 1 November 2026 · 6 min read
Krabi to Koh Samui: from one coast to the other
Krabi is on the Andaman Sea, Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. In between there is a short flight, or a morning on the road and a crossing from Donsak.
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Fly if you want the day: the direct flight takes under an hour in the air. Take a combined bus and boat ticket if you would rather save money and do not mind a long morning: a van or coach crosses the peninsula to Donsak pier, near Surat Thani, and a boat takes you over to Samui. Both run in either direction.
There is no boat from Krabi to Samui: the two islands are on opposite coasts of southern Thailand, so every ticket by sea starts with the road. Timetables and fares change with the season and the operator, so we do not print them; the times below are orders of magnitude from booking sites and travel guides, checked in November 2026.
By air: the direct flight
Bangkok Airways flies direct between Krabi Airport and Samui Airport, about 50 minutes in the air. It is the only airline on the route, and the 2026 schedules show about two flights a day, in the afternoon and early evening.
The fares seen on booking sites in 2026 are several times the price of the bus and boat tickets, so compare before you decide. If the direct flights are full, flying through Bangkok works, but it turns a short hop into most of a day.
Krabi Airport: getting to your base
By road and sea: the combined tickets
Everything else is a combined ticket: a van or coach from Ao Nang or Krabi Town to Donsak pier, then a boat to Samui. Several companies sell it, among them Lomprayah, Seatran, Raja and Phantip, and most collect from hotels in Ao Nang and Krabi Town. The departures are in the morning; one travel guide puts the whole trip at five to eight hours door to door.
The road leg to Donsak takes roughly two and a half to four hours, depending on the company and on how many hotels the van stops at. The crossing then depends on the boat: under an hour on Lomprayah's catamaran, about an hour and a half on the car ferries. Lomprayah is the quickest and usually the dearest; the car ferry tickets are slower and cheaper.
Read the ticket for both ends: where you are picked up, which pier at Donsak, and where the boat lands on Samui. One traveller on a booking site went to the wrong pier because the same company uses two, and missed the boat.
Where you land on Samui
The boats do not all land in the same place, and the beaches most people stay on are on the other side of the island from the main piers. Check the landing pier against your hotel.
| Nathon | The main town on the west coast, where Lomprayah and several other boats land. From here the north and east-coast beaches are a drive across the island. |
|---|---|
| Lipa Noi | South of Nathon on the same coast, where the Raja car ferry lands. Quieter, and further still from the east coast. |
| Maenam (Pralarn) | On the north coast. One company's van and speedboat ticket lands here, closer to the northern beaches. |
Which one suits your day
With children or heavy bags. Fly, or buy the combined ticket with pickup at both ends: a van, a coach, a boat and another van in one day is a lot with a pushchair.
On a budget, with time. The car ferry tickets via Lipa Noi or Nathon. Leave early, and do not plan anything for the evening.
With a flight to catch on the other side. Do not hang an international flight on a boat. Travel the day before, or fly the whole way.
Going on to Koh Phangan or Koh Tao. The same boats from Donsak serve the other Gulf islands; one ticket can take you past Samui. Check how many changes it involves.
Two coasts, two seasons
The two coasts do not get their rain at the same time. On the Andaman side, the southwest monsoon runs from about May to October. The Gulf coast gets its heaviest rain later, towards the end of the year. A trip that combines both is easiest from about January to April, when both coasts are usually in their dry season.
Whatever the month, keep a spare day before a flight home: a boat delayed at Donsak or a slow van can cost you the connection.
When to go to Krabi, month by month
Read nextKrabi Airport (KBV): getting to Ao Nang, Railay, Krabi Town and Lanta ▸
Read nextKrabi ferries: which pier, which island, which season ▸
These places on the map
- Krabi International Airport (KBV) Practical
- Krabi Town Towns and markets
- Ao Nang Beach Beaches
Common questions
Is there a boat from Krabi to Koh Samui?
Not directly: Samui is on the other coast, in the Gulf of Thailand. The combined tickets go by road from Krabi or Ao Nang to Donsak pier, near Surat Thani, then by boat to Samui.
How long does it take from Krabi to Koh Samui?
About 50 minutes in the air on the direct flight. By bus and boat, travel guides and booking sites give roughly five to eight hours door to door, depending on the company and the boat.
Which airline flies from Krabi to Koh Samui?
Bangkok Airways is the only airline flying the route direct, with about two flights a day in its 2026 schedules.