By joint bus and ferry service the journey from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan is scheduled to take from 5 hours 40 minutes to 11 hours depending upon which service you take.
Bus Times from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan
There are currently 14 services a day from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan available to book online.
| Cheow Lan Lake | Koh Phangan | Ticket | Company |
| 07:00 | 13:30 | ฿864 | Phantip 1970 |
| 09:30 | 16:30 | ฿780 | Raja Ferry |
| 09:30 | 16:30 | ฿864 | Phantip 1970 |
| 09:30 | 16:30 | ฿853 | 12Go Transport |
| 10:30 | 16:30 | ฿1,755 | Khaosok Evergreen House |
| 11:00 | 17:30 | ฿918 | 465 Surat Thani Phuket Transport |
| 11:00 | 16:45 | ฿923 | Nor Phuangphet Transport |
| 11:00 | 16:50 | ฿986 | PL Travel |
| 12:00 | 19:00 | ฿948 | 465 Surat Thani Phuket Transport |
| 12:30 | 20:30 | ฿864 | Phantip 1970 |
| 12:30 | 21:30 | ฿853 | 12Go Transport |
| 13:00 | 20:00 | ฿948 | 465 Surat Thani Phuket Transport |
| 13:30 | 20:30 | ฿780 | Raja Ferry |
| 18:00 | 05:00 | ฿1,147 | 465 Surat Thani Phuket Transport |
- All services depart from the same place near Cheow Lan Lake and arrive in Koh Phangan at a ferry pier in the main town, Thong Sala.
Buy Tickets from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan
Use the Search Box to buy your tickets from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan.
Tickets for other journeys in Thailand, and across Asia, are also available for purchase through the Search Box above.
Cheow Lan Lake Bus Stop
Services from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan depart from Cheow Lan Pier (also known as Ratchaprapha Pier).
Koh Phangan Bus Stop
Services from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan arrive in Koh Phangan at the main ferry pier in Thong Sala.
About Travel to Koh Phangan
There are several different travel companies providing joint bus and ferry services from Cheow Lan Lake, in Khao Soak National Park, to Koh Phangan. Different companies use different vehicles, all however follow almost exactly the same route to get from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan.
Journey from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan
The journey by joint bus and ferry service from Cheow Lan Lake to Koh Phangan has three stages:
- Journey by road from Cheow Lan Pier to Surat Thani City (1 hour 15 minutes).
- Journey by road from Surat Thani City to a ferry pier in Donsak (1 hour).
- Ferry crossing from Donsak to Koh Phangan (2 hours 30 minutes).
The sea crossing is completed by either of two car ferry services, Raja Ferry or Seatran Ferry.
Local Transport in Koh Phangan
Long distance ferry services arrive in Koh Phangan at a ferry pier in the main town, Thong Sala. The only public transport available in Koh Phangan is private taxis, motorbike taxis, and shared taxis.
Compared to many mainland locations in Thailand, taxi prices in Koh Phangan are relatively expensive. For this reason many visitors will make arrangements with the resort, hotel, or guesthouse where they are staying to pick them up at the pier. For the same reason, after arriving at wherever they are staying they will rent a motorbike.
Motorbikes can be fun, and a lot of people enjoy riding them around the island’s quieter roads, however, they also cause a lot of problem ranging from physical injuries (which insurance companies are unlikely to pay for) to disagreements over costs for damages or penalties for late returns.
Shared taxis wait for the arrival of ferries at the car park close to the main pier in Thong Sala. As passengers walk from the ferry pier towards the town they will pass taxi operators holding up signs saying which say part of the island they will be travelling to. The way it works is that the driver will try to fill their car before departing. If passengers want to depart earlier the driver will normally ask them to pay extra. Assuming the car is full expect to pay the following amount per person for shared taxi journeys from Thong Sala:
- Haad Rin – 300 THB
- Sri Thanu and Haad Yao – 400 THB
- Thong Nai Pan – 400 THB
Beautiful Thong Nai Pan beach in Koh PhanganWhere to Stay in Koh Phangan
One of the reasons why Koh Phangan is so popular is because the island offers lots of different types of experiences which appeal to a wide range of visitors. Not all experiences will appeal to all people. We recommend doing some research before you go to Koh Phangan to help you decide which part of the island might suit you best. Are suggestions on where to stay are:
- Haad Rin or Ban Tai: Best locations for nightlife.
- Bottle Beach, Haad Sadet Beach, or Haad Thien: Isolated beach experience.
- Chaloklum or Thong Sala: Best places for culinary experiences.
- Thong Nai Pan Noi: Best luxury destination.
- Haad Salad: Popular family holiday destination.
- Sri Thanu or Hin Kong: Popular for it’s yoga and wellness centres.
- Thong Sala: Main area for Muay Thai camps.
What to See in Koh Phangan
The main attractions in Koh Phangan are its 34 beaches and famous parties, particularly the half moon and full moon parties. There are, however, also some cultural attractions on the island which are worth visiting:
- Koh Raham Restaurant
- Phantip Food Market
- Kuan Yin Temple
- The Giant Tree
- Wat Nai
- Fisherman’s Village
- Than Sadet National Park