TL;DR: You island-hop in Thailand by picking one coast per trip, not by stringing together whichever islands sound best. The Gulf triangle (Koh Samui to Koh Phangan to Koh Tao) runs on frequent, cheap, short ferries and works June-September; the Andaman chain (Phuket to Phi Phi to Koh Lanta to Koh Lipe) needs longer ferry legs and works November-April. There’s no direct ferry between the two coasts, so combining both means a domestic flight through Bangkok or Phuket-to-Samui, plus a transfer day you should actually plan for. Ferries run ฿200-1,200 (US$6-36) one-way depending on the route and operator (Lomprayah, Seatran, Raja Ferry), and speedboats save time but hit rough water harder than the slower big boats. Budget 10 days for either single-coast circuit done properly, or 2 weeks if you want to add a flight-linked leg on the other coast. All prices at ฿33 = US$1 (July 2026).
For a ranked comparison of which individual island is best for diving, parties, families, or quiet, see outthailand.com’s best islands in Thailand guide. This guide is about the routing: which islands to string together, in what order, with how many nights on each, and where a trip like this actually goes wrong.
Table of Contents
- Route comparison table
- Why you don’t mix coasts in one week
- The Gulf triangle: Samui to Phangan to Tao
- The Andaman chain: Phuket to Phi Phi to Lanta to Lipe
- Which ferry operator should you book?
- Day-trip islands vs. stay-islands
- Sample 10-day and 2-week routes
- Honest downsides of island hopping
- FAQ
Route comparison table {#route-comparison}
The two workable circuits are the Gulf triangle and the Andaman chain; pick the one that matches your travel dates.
| Route | Islands, in order | Total ferry time | Best season | Core operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf triangle | Koh Samui → Koh Phangan → Koh Tao | ~1-2 hrs across both legs | June-September | Lomprayah, Seatran, Raja Ferry |
| Andaman chain | Phuket → Phi Phi → Koh Lanta → Koh Lipe | ~4-6 hrs across three legs | November-April | Various local ferry companies via Krabi/Pak Bara |
| Andaman + Langkawi extension | …Koh Lipe → Langkawi (Malaysia) | +1-1.5 hrs | November-April (seasonal service) | Seasonal speedboat operators |
Ferry times are one-way, foot-passenger, point-to-point crossing time only, not including pier transfers or wait time. See each section below for per-leg pricing and Sources for citations.
Why you don’t mix coasts in one week {#why-not-mix-coasts}
Thailand’s Andaman and Gulf coasts sit on opposite sides of the peninsula with no direct ferry between them, so combining islands from both means a domestic flight and a lost travel day, not just a longer ferry ride.
The Andaman coast (Phuket, Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe) and the Gulf coast (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao) also run on opposite monsoon calendars: the Andaman is calm and dry November-April, the Gulf is calmest June-September. A one-week trip barely covers one coast’s islands properly once you count transfer days; trying to add the other coast’s islands to the same short week means spending a disproportionate share of your trip on a flight and two airport transfers instead of beaches.
If you do have 2 weeks or more, the workable version is one coast per leg, connected by a single domestic flight (commonly Phuket to Koh Samui, about 55 minutes on Bangkok Airways, or routing back through Bangkok), covered in more detail in outthailand.com’s Thailand itinerary guide. Treat that flight day as a transit day, not a bonus beach day, since check-out, airport transfer, the flight itself, and check-in at the next island easily eat a full day.
The Gulf triangle: Samui to Phangan to Tao {#gulf-triangle}
The Gulf triangle is the easier circuit to run: three islands, short frequent ferries, and a single home base you can day-trip from if you don’t want to pack and move every few days.
Koh Samui is the natural entry point, since it has its own airport (USM) served by Bangkok Airways, with frequent flights from Bangkok and Phuket. From Samui, Koh Phangan is a 30-45 minute ferry from about ฿200-300 (US$6-9), and Koh Tao is a further 1-1.5 hour ferry from about ฿390 (US$12), both run several times daily by Lomprayah, Seatran, and Raja Ferry.
A workable pace: 3-4 nights on Koh Samui as your base (beaches, resorts, easy food and nightlife), 2-3 nights on Koh Phangan (beaches by day, Full Moon Party if the date lines up), and 2 nights on Koh Tao if you’re diving, since a PADI Open Water course there takes 3-4 days and most people build the whole trip around it. If you’re not diving, Koh Tao works as a 1-night stop or even a day trip from Phangan.
Two nearby destinations worth working into the route rather than treating as separate stops: Ko Pha-ngan itself has quieter beaches on its northeast coast beyond the Full Moon Party strip, and Koh Nang Yuan, the twin-beach sandbar islet a short longtail ride from Koh Tao’s main pier, is a genuine day-trip highlight rather than an overnight stop, since it has limited accommodation and gets crowded by mid-morning.
The Andaman chain: Phuket to Phi Phi to Lanta to Lipe {#andaman-chain}
The Andaman chain runs longer and less frequent ferries than the Gulf, so it needs more slack in the schedule, but it rewards that with quieter, less developed islands the further south you go.
Phuket International Airport (HKT) is the gateway, with direct international flights from across Asia and frequent domestic connections. From Phuket, Phi Phi is a 1-1.5 hour ferry from about ฿450 (US$14), reachable from Phuket or Krabi. From Phi Phi (or direct from Krabi), Koh Lanta is a further 1-3 hour ferry from about ฿450 (US$14) depending on the service and season. From Lanta, continuing to Koh Lipe means routing back through a Krabi or Trang pier to reach Pak Bara pier near Satun, then a 1.5 hour ferry from about ฿1,200 (US$36) to Lipe, the only realistic way in without a private charter.
A workable pace: 2-3 nights on Phi Phi (it’s touristy and pricier than its neighbors, so most people don’t linger longer), 3 nights on Koh Lanta (long beaches, a slower pace, a good base for day trips to smaller islands), and 3-4 nights on Koh Lipe if you’re making it that far south, since the extra travel time to reach it only pays off with a longer stay.
Along the way, Ko Lanta Yai is Lanta’s main island and where you’ll actually stay; Ko Ngai and Koh Jum are smaller, quieter stopover islands between Krabi and Lanta worth a night if you want a slower link in the chain instead of going straight through. Near Lipe, Ko Adang, part of Tarutao National Park, is a common day trip from Lipe for jungle trails and a quieter beach, not an overnight base itself.
The Langkawi extension: from Koh Lipe, a seasonal speedboat runs to Langkawi, Malaysia (roughly 1-1.5 hours), detailed in outthailand.com’s Koh Lipe to Langkawi guide. It only operates in the Andaman’s open season and involves a Thailand exit stamp and Malaysia entry, so keep your passport handy and confirm the current schedule before counting on it as your only way out.
Which ferry operator should you book? {#ferry-operators}
Lomprayah, Seatran, and Raja Ferry cover most of the routes on both coasts; the honest difference between them is boat type and comfort, not brand loyalty.
- Lomprayah runs high-speed catamarans on the Gulf triangle routes (Samui-Phangan-Tao) and some Andaman connections; steadier in chop than a small speedboat, with actual seating and a toilet on board.
- Seatran covers similar Gulf routes with a comparable ferry-and-catamaran fleet, often sold as combined bus-ferry-bus tickets from Surat Thani or Bangkok.
- Raja Ferry and smaller local operators fill in Gulf and some Andaman gaps, particularly shorter hops and car ferry crossings.
- Small speedboats, common for Phi Phi day trips, Krabi-Lanta, and Pak Bara-Lipe, are faster but sit low in the water and slam into chop harder, which matters if you or anyone in your group gets seasick. On longer or rougher legs (especially Pak Bara-Lipe and any Andaman crossing outside November-April), the slower big boat is the more comfortable call even if it costs a bit more or takes longer.
Combined tickets (one ticket covering minivan-plus-ferry, or ferry-plus-ferry through a connecting pier) are usually cheaper and simpler than booking each leg separately, and they’re how most operators actually sell routes like Krabi to Koh Lanta or Surat Thani to Koh Phangan. Buy through the operator’s own site or a reputable local agent at the pier rather than an unofficial reseller.
Luggage and wet landings: pack light if you can manage it. Several island piers, most notably on Koh Lipe and Phi Phi, involve a wet landing, wading from a longtail boat through shallow water to shore, or a walk down a sandy path to your accommodation with no vehicle access. A backpack or soft duffel handles this far better than a hard-shell suitcase you’ll be dragging through sand or carrying overhead through water.
Day-trip islands vs. stay-islands {#day-trip-vs-stay}
Not every island on a route needs an overnight stay; some are genuinely better as a half-day or full-day trip from a base island.
Stay-islands have enough accommodation, food, and infrastructure to be a comfortable base for several nights: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Phuket, Phi Phi Don, Koh Lanta, and Koh Lipe all qualify. Day-trip islands are usually smaller, have limited or no accommodation, and are best visited from a nearby stay-island: Koh Nang Yuan (from Koh Tao), Ko Adang and Ko Rawi (from Koh Lipe, both inside Tarutao National Park), and the smaller islands around Krabi like Ko Poda, Chicken Island, and Bamboo Island (from Ao Nang or Phi Phi) all fall in this category.
The practical rule: if an island shows up on multiple “day tour” listings rather than as a place people book multi-night hotels, treat it as a day trip and keep your base island bookings for where you’ll actually sleep. This also keeps your luggage moving less often, since a day trip means leaving your main bag at your guesthouse rather than repacking.
Sample 10-day and 2-week routes {#sample-routes}
A 10-day trip covers one coast well; a 2-week trip is the realistic minimum for linking both coasts with a flight.
10-day Gulf triangle: Fly into Koh Samui (day 1-4, base, beaches, day trip to Koh Mat Sum), ferry to Koh Phangan (day 4-7, beaches, Full Moon Party if the date lines up), ferry to Koh Tao (day 7-10, diving or snorkeling, day trip to Koh Nang Yuan), fly out from Koh Samui or Bangkok via a return ferry-and-flight combination.
10-day Andaman chain: Fly into Phuket (day 1-2, arrival and one day trip), ferry to Phi Phi (day 2-4), ferry to Koh Lanta (day 4-7, day trip to Ko Ngai or Koh Jum), ferry via Krabi/Pak Bara to Koh Lipe (day 7-10, day trip to Ko Adang), fly out from Trang or Hat Yai, or backtrack to Krabi/Phuket.
2-week combined route: Andaman chain first (Phuket → Phi Phi → Lanta → Lipe, days 1-9), domestic flight or overland-plus-flight connection to Koh Samui (day 9-10 as a transit day), then a shortened Gulf leg (Samui → Phangan, days 10-14). This favors the Andaman chain with more days since it has more islands and longer ferries; flip the split if the season favors the Gulf side during your travel window instead.
Honest downsides of island hopping in Thailand {#honest-downsides}
- A transfer day is a real day, not a footnote. Check-out, pier transfer, ferry queue, and check-in at the next island easily consume half a day even on a short crossing; a longer or connecting route can eat the whole day.
- The two coasts almost never share good weather. Planning a trip that spans both means accepting a rainier window on at least one leg, unless you’re building in a flight-linked gap of several weeks.
- Ferries get cancelled or delayed in shoulder season. September-October on the Andaman side and October-December on the Gulf side both see rough seas; build slack before any onward flight.
- Popular legs sell out around specific dates. Full Moon Party nights on Koh Phangan and any route into Koh Lipe during shoulder season both sell out and see price spikes; book ahead for these.
- Wet landings and limited luggage transport are real on some islands. Koh Lipe and Phi Phi in particular involve wading ashore or a foot transfer with no vehicle road to many guesthouses.
- Cash still rules many piers and longtail transfers, so carry small baht notes for the last-mile leg even if you booked your main ferry ticket online.
FAQ
How do I plan an island-hopping route in Thailand?
Pick the coast first, based on your travel dates: Gulf (Samui-Phangan-Tao) for June-September, Andaman (Phuket-Phi Phi-Lanta-Lipe) for November-April. Then choose 2-3 islands on that coast within realistic ferry reach rather than mixing islands from both coasts into one short trip.
Can I do both the Gulf and Andaman islands in one trip?
Yes, with a domestic flight in the middle, commonly Phuket to Koh Samui, since no ferry crosses the peninsula. See outthailand.com’s Thailand itinerary guide for routing this. Count the flight day as transit, not a bonus beach day.
How many islands should I visit in 10 days?
Two to three. A 10-day trip works best as 3-4 nights on one island, 2-3 nights on a second, and day trips to smaller islands from either base, rather than sleeping on four or five islands.
Are Thailand’s inter-island ferries reliable?
Mostly, on main routes with major operators, but expect delays or cancellations in shoulder season (September-October Andaman, October-December Gulf). Build a buffer day before any onward flight.
Should I book ferry tickets in advance?
For short, frequent routes like Krabi to Koh Lanta or Samui to Phangan, day-before or same-day booking usually works outside peak dates. For Full Moon Party nights or Pak Bara to Koh Lipe in shoulder season, book a few days ahead.
What’s the difference between a speedboat and a big boat ferry?
Speedboats are faster but rougher, hitting chop harder; the slower catamarans and ferries run by Lomprayah and Seatran are steadier and better for anyone prone to seasickness, especially on longer Andaman legs.
Can I take a lot of luggage island hopping?
Travel light where possible. Some piers, notably Koh Lipe and Phi Phi, involve wet landings or a foot transfer with no vehicle access, where a backpack or soft duffel works far better than a hard-shell suitcase.
Is Koh Lipe to Langkawi a good way to extend the trip?
Yes, a seasonal speedboat (roughly 1-1.5 hours) lets you continue south into Malaysia instead of backtracking to the mainland. It only runs in the Andaman’s open season and involves an immigration stop, so confirm the current schedule and carry your passport.
Before you book
Island hopping in Thailand comes down to one decision made early: which coast, for which dates. Get that right and the rest is logistics, ferries, nights per island, day trips versus overnight stops. Get it wrong and you’re either fighting rough seas on the “wrong” coast or burning a flight day you didn’t budget for.
For how each individual island stacks up on its own merits, see outthailand.com’s best islands in Thailand guide; for fitting an island leg into a wider mainland trip, see the Thailand itinerary guide. Once your route is set, check outthailand.com’s live events listings for what’s on at each stop while you’re there.
Sources
- Direct Ferries: Phuket to Koh Phi Phi: ~1-1.5 hr crossing, ฿450 fare reference
- Aonangtravel.co.th: Krabi Town to Koh Lanta ferry ticket: ฿450 fare, schedule
- KoLanta.net: Ko Lanta Ferry Schedule 2026: route and timing reference
- Ferry Lipe: Ferry Timetable: Pak Bara to Koh Lipe schedule and operators
- Direct Ferries: Pak Bara to Koh Lipe: ~1.5 hr crossing, fare range
- Direct Ferries: Koh Samui to Koh Phangan: 30-37 min crossing time
- Phanganferries.com: Koh Samui to Koh Phangan: fares from ~฿200
- Lomprayah: Timetable 2026: Koh Phangan-Koh Tao schedule and catamaran fleet
- Phanganferries.com: Koh Phangan to Koh Tao: fares from ฿390, ~1-1.5 hr
- Seatran Ferry: official routes: Gulf coast combined bus-ferry ticket routes
- FlightsFrom.com: Phuket to Koh Samui direct flights: Bangkok Airways frequency and duration
- Xe.com: USD/THB Currency Converter: exchange rate reference, July 2026