Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
170B; hourly
6am-5pm; 3hr
Surat Thani
12 daily
BOAT
You have many boat options for getting to Ko Tao, though departure times are limited to
mainly morning and night. Most ticket prices include pier transfer. If you buy a combina-
tion ticket, make sure you have a ticket for both the bus and the boat.
Slow boat
- the cheapest, slowest and most scenic option as everyone stretches out on the
open deck of the fishing boat with the stars twinkling overhead. This boat doesn't run in
rough seas or inclement weather.
Car ferry
- a more comfortable ride with bunk or mattress options available on board.
Songserm
( 0 7750 6205;
www.songserm-expressboat.com
; 9am-8pm)
express boat - faster, morn-
ing option leaving from Tha Talaysub, about 10km from town, but the company has a
growing reputation for being poorly organised and for not providing promised free trans-
port into town if you are coming from the islands.The ticket office doesn't seem to open
often; book tickets through guesthouses.
Lomprayah
( 0 7755 8214;
www.lomprayah.com
; 5am-9pm)
catamaran - the best and most
popular bus-boat combination that leaves from Tha Tummakam, 25km from town; the
ticket office is beside Chumphon train station.
BUS
The main bus terminal is on the highway, an inconvenient 16km from Chumphon. To get
there you can catch a
sŏrng·tăa·ou
(50B) from Th Nawamin Ruamjai. You'll have to
haggle with the opportunistic taxi drivers for night transit to/from the station; no matter
what they tell you, it shouldn't cost more than 200B.
There are several in-town bus stops to save you a trip out to the main bus station.
Choke
Anan Tour
( 0 7751 1757; soi off of Th Pracha Uthit)
, in the centre of town, has departures to
Bangkok, Phuket and Ranong.
Suwannatee Tour
( 0 7750 4901)
, 700m southeast of train sta-
tion road, serves Bangkok, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan. Buses to Hat Yai depart
from near the petrol station on Th Nawamin Ruamjai.
All minivans for Surat Thani, Bang Saphan Yai and Prachuap Khiri Khan leave from
the unnamed soi opposite Salsa Guesthouse.
TRAIN
There are frequent services to/from Bangkok (2nd class 292B to 382B, 3rd class 235B,
7½ hours). Overnight sleepers range from 440B to 770B.
