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Thailand- Bangkok to Koh Samui

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  • 13-02-2012 6:01pm
    #1
    ObviouslyJesus
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 94 ✭✭


    Hi,
    Im arriving into Bangkok on the 7th March with 2 mates. We want to go to samui but flights are all booked up as the full moon party is on the 8th. We're not going to it
    What are the alternative forms of transport and what would be the transport times of each


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    #2
    Kamjana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 246 ✭✭Kamjana


    All the flights are booked?,have you checked with Bangkok Air and Thai Air?

    If all else fails get a taxi to Utapo airport and get a flight to Samui from there.


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    #3
    fergald24
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭fergald24


    I used the following ferry company. You can get bus from Bangkok to ferry terminal. The ferry company run the bus as well


    http://www.lomprayah.com/


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    #4
    ObviouslyJesus
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 94 ✭✭ObviouslyJesus


    yeah very hard to get a flight,as we need a return one as we fly out of bangkok to perth a week later at awkward times

    how long does the catamaran take?


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    #5
    killbillvol2
    Registered Users Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭killbillvol2


    Bangkok to Samui by bus + ferry takes 15 hours+. Doing that each way when you only have a week doesn't make a lot of sense.


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    #6
    LK_Dave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 376 ✭✭LK_Dave


    About 10 years back I took a overnight train from Bangkok to Surat Thani, from there we were able to get a ferry to Ko Samui.


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    #7
    LK_Dave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 376 ✭✭LK_Dave


    Also check flights to Phuket and get a bus across the country.....this trip took about 5 hours.


    Or maybe you can fly Bangkok - Phuket - Ko Samui


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    #8
    LK_Dave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 376 ✭✭LK_Dave


    airasia.com have flihghts from Bangkok to Surat Thani


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    #9
    ObviouslyJesus
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 94 ✭✭ObviouslyJesus


    cheers man. where is surat thani?


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    #10
    LK_Dave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 376 ✭✭LK_Dave


    google "surat thani airport map"

    I have never flew to Surat Thani International Airport but I'm sure you can get a taxi to the ferry port. You maybe able to find out more at the ferry website http://www.ferrysamui.com/


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    #11
    ObviouslyJesus
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 94 ✭✭ObviouslyJesus


    good stuff. since we're only there for 10 days approx, we dont want to spend too much time travelling. the two others want to go to pattaya :eek: ,purely because of the ease of getting there and short distance. i was there before, i had to leave it after one day


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    #12
    Stinicker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,102 ✭✭✭Stinicker


    Surat Thani is the closest large city on the mainland to Ko Samui and it is where you get off the overnight train for to take the ferry over to Ko Samui although the pier is miles away from the train station but in my case there was transfers provided as part of the package I booked last year.

    It is a real hacking trip as you get off the train in Surat Thani at like 4.30am and it is another good 4 hours after you have driven from Surat Thani to Donsak and taken the ferry over to Nathon in Samui.

    If you do take the train/bus and ferry option make sure to keep all valuables on your self. I got robbed as my case which was in the hold of the bus was opened and resealed and I had US$200 stolen, which I didn't notice for a few days later so professional were the thieves; after getting to my apartment I looked into my bag and saw the netbook and camera were there so presumed all was ok until I went looking for some cash a few days later.

    The bus company will tell you to check your carryon into the hold citing security reasons but this is so the thai guys underneath can steal peoples stuff from their bags and re-seal them again. Keep all valuables on your person, cash, ipods, etc.

    Check out Bangkok airways for direct flights to Ko Samui from Suvarnabhumi. If you are in Thailand for a while you should check out Songkran which will be on in the middle of April and you should definetly head up to Chiang Mai to experience it or else head to Pattaya for a day or two as it is supposed to be mad.


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    #13
    ObviouslyJesus
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 94 ✭✭ObviouslyJesus


    nice post :)


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    #14
    Benny_Cake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,205 ✭✭✭Benny_Cake


    Given the limited time you have I would not recommend going to Samui unless you are flying, unless you absolutely have to go to the full moon party. It's a long trip! The train journey is ok, but messing around with all the transfers...maybe flying to Surat Thani is an option as other posters have mentioned? Or you could try somewhere such as Ko Samet if you just want to chill on a beach, it's a lot closer to Bangkok.


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    #15
    Kamjana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 246 ✭✭Kamjana


    I find it hard to believe every flight is booked out,but as i said get a taxi from Suvarnabhumi to Utapo airport, its about 2 hours max and will cost about 1500,there is flights from there to Samui everyday.


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    #16
    wilkie2006
    Registered Users Posts: 1,053 ✭✭✭wilkie2006


    ObviouslyJesus wrote: »
    Hi,
    Im arriving into Bangkok on the 7th March with 2 mates. We want to go to samui but flights are all booked up as the full moon party is on the 8th. We're not going to it
    What are the alternative forms of transport and what would be the transport times of each

    You can also get a catamaran from Bangkok down to the islands. It only takes a few hours; much quicker than getting the overnight train to Surat Thani and then the normal boat across to the islands.

    Although before you get any planes or boats, I'd recommend you look at flights via airasia.com


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    #17
    wallpaper12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 173 ✭✭wallpaper12


    Fly to Surat Thani. You should get very cheap flights from AirAsia. When you arrive at the airport you can buy your ticket to Samui about 350-400 baht. A minibus will drive you the hour or two to the pier and from there the boat will take approx 2 hours. If the flights are booked out to Samui then this realistically is your only option in your timeframe.
    By the way Samui is a dump well the main area is anyway.


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    #18
    Stinicker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,102 ✭✭✭Stinicker


    wallpaper12 wrote: »
    Fly to Surat Thani. You should get very cheap flights from AirAsia. When you arrive at the airport you can buy your ticket to Samui about 350-400 baht. A minibus will drive you the hour or two to the pier and from there the boat will take approx 2 hours. If the flights are booked out to Samui then this realistically is your only option in your timeframe.
    By the way Samui is a dump well the main area is anyway.

    +1 it is nothing like I imagined it to be as I was pretty naive and was expecting some sort of tropical island paradise like "The Beach" alas floods of western tourists have wrecked it, Lamai has become almost like a mini Pattaya with beer bars and hookers and Chaweng is the main town really, both places are very underwhelming although towards the north of the island is slightly quieter.

    Taxi's are a rip off in Ko Samui no difference in price from Ireland, 400-500bt from Lamai to Chaweng to hell with that, I took the Songthaewk (song-chew) instead as it was much cheaper in comparison although takes longer as it is stopping to pick up people and leaving them off etc. and if the driver hasn't a full load he will circle around town again until he has before setting off for his ultimate destination. These are ubiquitous in Thailand except in Bangkok where the tuk-tuk and motorbike taxi reign supreme, my advice is stick to car taxis in bangkok as they cheaper, less air pollution and you won't end up at the drivers mates dodgy indian tailor shop. <This happened to me! :rolleyes:


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