Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
VIP
1058
13
Hat Yai
air-con
556
6-7
Ko Samui
air-con
430
8 (bus/boat)
Krabi
air-con
150
3½
Phang-Nga
ordinary
90
2½
Ranong
ordinary
209
6
air-con
270
5
Surat Thani
ordinary
195
6
air-con
220
5
Trang
air-con
240
5
FERRY & SPEEDBOAT
Phuket's Tha Rasada, southeast of Phuket Town, is the main pier for boats to Ko Phi-Phi,
connecting onward to Krabi, Ko Lanta, the Trang Islands, Ko Lipe and even as far as
Langkawi Island in Malaysia (where there are further ferry connections to Penang). For
additional services to Krabi and Ao Nang via the Ko Yao Islands, boats leave from Tha
Bang Rong north of Tha Rasada.
MINIVAN
Phuket travel agencies all around the island sell tickets (including ferry fare) for air-con
minivans down to Ko Samui and Ko Pha-Ngan. Air-con minivan services to Krabi, Ran-
ong, Trang, Surat Thani and several other locations are also available. Prices are slightly
more than the buses, which all stop in Phuket Town.
Getting Around
Local Phuket transport is terrible. The systems in place make tourists either stay on their
chosen beach, rent a car or motorbike (which can be hazardous) or take overpriced private
car 'taxis' or túk-túk (pronounced
đúk đúk
). There are
sŏrng·tăa·ou
(passenger pick-up
trucks) which run to the beaches from Phuket Town but often you'll have to go via Phuket
Town to get from one beach to another (say Hat Surin to Hat Patong), which can take
hours.
That said, when it comes to transport to and from the airport, the stranglehold local
drivers have enjoyed may be coming to an end. At research time, Phuket authorities had
evicted the legions of drivers who used to gather at the doors to baggage claim and haggle
