Here’s everything you need to know for how to get from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi and Maya Bay.

Island shangrilas abound in Thailand, and in the Gulf of Thailand, you’ll find Koh Samui which is the second-largest island in the country. 

The Thai islands are a luxurious treat for a vacation and many travellers are awed by their pristine palm hemmed beaches. They are mountainous as well and laden by dense inland rainforest.

You’ll find lavish spas and resorts dashing along the beaches, yet budget travellers can grab affordable accommodations, too.

If you love partying at the beach or revelling in the tropical nightlife, you can indulge in Koh Samui.

Koh Phi Phi in the Andaman sea has similar enjoyments to offer, but it differs from Koh Samui in terms of its stunning limestone cliffs and gorgeous bays with exciting interior jungles.

There are some things that Koh Samui have that cannot be found in Phi Phi Islands and vice versa, and these two fantastic islands remain to be two of Thailand’s best destinations.

Do you want to travel to Phi Phi Island from Koh Samui? This article will guide you about your itinerary.

What Are Your Options For Travelling From Koh Samui To Koh Phi Phi and Maya Bay?

If you measure in a straight line, you’ll find that Koh Phi Phi is 240 kilometers or 150 miles away from Koh Samui. It isn’t that bad. However, you need to cut across land and water to be able to get to and from these points.

Koh Samui is situated in the Gulf of Thailand that happens to be on the east side of Kra Isthmus, while Koh Phi Phi is on the west.

Koh Samui, being of considerable size has its own airport, but Koh Phi Phi which is smaller does not. So if you’re planning to fly direct from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi, you cannot.

As the main option, you can fly from Koh Samui to Krabi and then travel by van to get to the pier, and from this spot take the ferry or boat to Koh Phi Phi.

Ferry to Phi Phi From Koh Samui

If you have plenty of time in your hands, you can travel by land and water to get to your destination. Basically, from Koh Samui, you can take the ferry and go by bus or van to span the land and take another ferry to reach Koh Phi Phi.

Travelling By Plane From Koh Samui To Koh Phi Phi 

Koh Phi Phi may not have its own airport, but you have the option of flying from Koh Samui to bring you to its nearest point. What you should do is to catch a flight from Koh Samui to Krabi which is closer to Koh Phi Phi. This is a much faster way of journeying than taking a bus or van to travel by land and ultimately take the ferry.

It takes less than an hour, 55 minutes to be exact, to travel by plane from Koh Samui to Krabi. The drawback of this option, nonetheless, is that it is expensive. If you want a better deal, it makes sense to book in advance.

There’s only one airline that offers this route, and that’s only for 1 flight a day. That’s Bangkok Airways (also see how to get from Bangkok to Phi Phi), and under this condition, they charge more.

When you arrive at the Krabi airport, you can buy combined tickets for a van and ferry to get to Koh Phi Phi.

Taking a plane from Koh Samui to Krabi completes your journey in record time. But going by van and ferry to get to Koh Phi Phi takes about 4 to 5 hours of travel time. It depends on how much money you are willing to spend because going by this route is quite costy.

Travelling By Bus or Van and Ferry From Koh Samui To Koh Phi Phi

The first option cited above may not be as simple or as cost-effective as you want it to be. If you want to save money and be spared from a lot of hassle, you can travel by bus or van and then ferry to reach Koh Phi Phi from Koh Samui. If everything is efficient, you can even save time.

Wherever in Koh Samui you come from and what part of Koh Phi Phi you want to dock, your locations dictate your travel time. For the most part, it is 7.5 hours to 10.5 hours.

It is a smart idea to buy combined tickets early on so that all sections of your journey can be covered. You’ll steer clear of independently changing ferries or buses because you will be properly assisted. Really, this will take a lot of stress on your foreign expedition.

You can choose from 4 different companies to serve your itinerary from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi, and they are Seatran Discovery, Raja Ferry, Lomprayah and Phantip 1970. Depending on the service and amenities offered by these companies, the prices vary. Taking Seatran, for instance, may be more expensive because they use high-speed ferries compared to Raja Ferry that utilizes standard ferry or Lomprayah that operates a catamaran.

You can opt to include hotel pickup in Koh Samui in your ticket which is very convenient. If you leave this location in the morning, you can reach Koh Phi Phi in the afternoon or evening.

As an example, if you take Raja Ferry, your hotel pickup will be at 6:00 am, allowing you to arrive in Koh Phi Phi at 4:30 pm. If you go by Phantip, you’ll be departing from Na Thon at 7:30 am and land at your destination at 3:30 pm.

koh samui to phi phi island travel time

Conclusion

Getting a combined ticket to travel by bus or van and ferry to get to Koh Phi Phi from Koh Samui in advance can bring you more convenience because you will be properly assisted. Then again, if you go by plane, you’ll economize on time despite paying a bit extra.

Everything taken into consideration, you can choose the best way to travel from Koh Samui to Koh Phi Phi depending on your budget and streak for adventure. You can also see other useful guides like, how to get from Chiang Mai to Phi Phi.