Getting from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan

Hello,
We are a group of 9 ( 4 of us are kids from age 5 to 12) and we will be arriving in koh Samui airport at 17:05 7th feb. !! we are going to stay on Thong pan nai yai and I'm just a bit nervous about how to get there at that time in the evening!! Can someone please tell me from where we can get a ferry to thong Sala at that time and then if it's possible to get transport to Thong pan nai yai (Dreamland resort) !! Thanks

there are lotsof ferries to KPN from the port town and it doesnt take long to get there.But it will be dark when you arrive and the transport toTPN will probibnly be expensive because of that.Its a bit of a long windy trip and you would arrive realitively late with kids. Another option if you could cancel your first night at dreamland would be to go to Mae Nam beach for the night in Ko Samui.its probibly the nicest and most peaceful on samui.From there ,there is a ferry directly to TPN at around 9amthe next morning from the main pier on Mea Nam. That way you avoid the busy hassel of Thong Sala and the long ride to the beach at night. The ferry is a pleasent and scenic trip also.. If Dreamland doesnt work out,walk down to the end of the beach and try to book 1-2 family rooms at Candlelight bung,if memory serves me right.they are right next to the little river.We liked our stay there. Have Fun

I stayed at Dreamland and they did a pick up from the ferry for us. They have a couple of big vans. Email them and ask. The staff are really nice and helpful.

If you contact Dreamland directly they will send a car to get you. They have both a pick-up and a mini van.

As for the boat, at that time it will be a little hard to find a ferry over. The only one I am aware of that will still be running at that time is the Haad Rin Queen. It leaves the Big Buddha pier at 6:30pm and arrives at the Haad Rin pier around 7:30pm.

Enjoy! Thong Nai Pan is my favorite place in Thailand.

The Petcherat pier on Samui may still have an hourly speedboat going at that time, but only to Haad Rin, from there you will have to make your way up to Dreamland, they may be able to pick you up there though, if you arrange it before hand.

I'd be inclined to overnight at or near MaeNam, and catch the midday ferry. It stops at a few places before reaching Thong pan nai yai. Egress is via a ladder and knee-deep water. It's a cruisy trip, and a good intro to the island. Takes about 50 minutes.

Where will you have come from, and what is the weather like in that place? (ie: will you be melting in the tropics? Rule number one: Everything takes twice as long. Let it.) (Rule number 2: Hydrate.)

Thank you all !! YOU HAVE ALL given us GREAT advice !!! I think we may stay at Mar nam if we get there late. We may be able to get an early flight arriving around 9 am at Koh Samui just means we would have to make our trip last two extra days!!!! (wouldn't be bad!!) Arriving at that time would it be best to get the midday ferry from Mar Nam to TPNY or an earlier one from another pier?
THANKS ::::CAN'T WAIT

the main pier on Mea Nam
#1, where is that please. The last time I was there, there wasn't one.

Mae Nam is the name of the village/area. It's on the North coast, not far from the NorthWest corner of the island of Samui. The road to where the boat leaves from is only about 200m long, off the main road that loops around the island. Not hard to find.

The pier has been gone for years, last time I was there they said it had been washed away in a storm. Last time I actually used it was in 2001, and it was pretty ricketty then.

It's a wade in to thigh-depth to get on board. Dress (or undress) appropriately.

@ Tahibeachlovers,

Maenam doesn't really have a pier anymore and the only boat leaving from Maenam is the Lomprayah that leaves of the Temple grounds at the Eastern end of Maenam, the Lomprayah at this location has also the only thing that remotely looks like a pier in Maenam.

There's a boat leave from Maenam pier ( Traffic light junction ) everyday @ 12.00 p.m. ( JAN - SEP ) this boat will get to Haadrin stop @ Fullmoon party beach about 13.00 hr. then go to east coast of Koh Phangan ,Haad Yuan,Tansadet and end @ Thongnaipan beach about 13.50 hr. ,there're no pier,so the boat just get near the beach you get off and carry luggage yourself,so please wear short pants and sandal,it'll be easy to get on the boat and get off.At Thong nai pan beach the boat stop in front of Central Cottage Resort,then you can walk on the beach to the right hand side to Dreamland Resort.Incase of windy and bad weather they'll not operate.Another way you can get charter boat cost about 6,000 - 8,000 THB from Airport to Dreamland for all of you.For Lomprayah catamaran ,they've service pick up at the airport for morning boat will meet you about 10.30hr. to get 12.30 hr.boat.its take 20 mins to Koh Phangan at Thongsala pier,from Thongsala pier you can get open tuck taxi ( Songtaew ) for 100 THB - 150 THB /person and take about 40 - 50 mins.The road go up there pass many hills,will make you and kids dizzy.our son always throw up this way,I prefer to go by slow boat from Maenam,if they're nice weather.

Enjoy.

The boat that leaves Maenam is the Thing Nai Pan Express. It leave at 12pm and arrives at 2pm. It stops at all beaches along the East coast of KPN.

Hollybell if you want to arrive earlier there is the Lomprayah at 8am and 12:30pm. This takes approximately 30 minutes and will take you to Thong Sala. There is also the less comfortable Songserm which leaves at 11am and arrives in Thong Sala at 12pm. And the Haad Rin Queen leaves at 10:30am arriving in Haad Rin at 11:30am.
As well, there is a speedboat service that leaves every hour and arrives at Baan Tai. It takes 12 minutes.

Listen to comment No. 10 and 11, they give good advice. Personally I'd say sleep the night in Samui and catch the Seatran to Thongsala in the morning. There are plenty of service taxis going to TNP from the pier on arrival. It's a shame to lose a night in TNP but you don't have much choice. A private speed boat cost a fortune and The TNP express can be hard on the kids if they're sea sick.

Hello to everyone and thanks for the advice !! We have booked our tickets and luckily we will be arriving at 8:50 am so we will be able to take one of the morning ferries. I have heard that there is a ferry from little budda....is this ture?? there seem to be a lot of different options !! now that we are sure of our times if anyone can tell me which would be the best choice !!! THANKS

It is actually Big Buddah, and i believe you are talking about the Haadrin Queen. it is a an old wooden boat and takes about 45 mins to Haadrin. it leaves early. you then must get a taxi or pickup from your resort. if the water is good, it can be nice. if not....

There is also the Seatran, and while another poster called it less comfortable, i believe they are wrong.

It leaves at about 12 30 or 1 pm from very near the airport (10 mins). I travel with child, and have always found the staff very helpful, unlike the lomprayah.

Seatran goes to Thongsala, which is a fair drive away from TNP where you are staying.

avoid the tnp express. avoid hadrin unless you are being picked up by your resort.

I go to phangan 4 or 5 times a year, and unless it is under duress i swear by Seatran.

will the thong nai pan express stop at haad wai nam (the one above haad tien) if coming from samui?

Any updates on this topic ?

Travel agents here that Ive spoken to, don't really know about any ferry leaving Mae Nam beach to Haad Rin (although Ive seen boats being loaded on the beach)... I think its just a "turn up" kind of service.