About 10 hours · Via Chumphon

Bangkok to Koh Tao

There's no airport on Turtle Island — and that's the charm. Sleep south on the train, catch the dawn catamaran, dive by lunchtime.

Part of the guides for: Bangkok · Koh Tao

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The sleeper + catamaran combo

The route everyone ends up loving: evening sleeper from Krung Thep Aphiwat, arrive Chumphon before dawn, transfer to the pier and ride the first catamaran out — you're on Sairee Beach before your Bangkok hotel would have served breakfast. Book it as one combined ticket.

Boats at the Koh Tao pier

Transport

Tickets & connections

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Route at a glance

Bangkok to Koh Tao

Standard route: overnight to Chumphon + morning catamaran
Total: about 10–12 hours door to door
Lomprayah catamaran: 1½–2 hours Chumphon–Koh Tao
Night boat from Chumphon: the budget classic

Good to know

Good to know

Gulf seas run rough November–December — the big catamarans handle it best.
Full Moon Party weeks sell out every seat and berth; book well ahead.
Keep valuables with you on the night boat.
Prone to seasickness? Take the pill before the pier, not on the boat.

Your options

Your options

Train + catamaran — overnight

Second-class sleepers to Chumphon connect with Lomprayah's dawn catamaran. The combined ticket includes the pier transfer and holds the boat if the train is late.

Bus + catamaran — overnight

VIP coaches leave Bangkok's Khao San area each evening, timed for the same morning boats — often the cheapest joined-up ticket.

The night boat — for the story

A slow boat with mattresses on deck leaves Chumphon near midnight and reaches Koh Tao at first light. Basic, memorable, and the fallback when everything else is full.

Travel guides

Travel guides

Step-by-step transport guides for this stretch of the Gulf coast.

Part of the guides for

Bangkok · Koh Tao