Surat Thani

Surat Thani: gateway to the Gulf islands and Khao Sok

Surat thani is actually a big Thai province with a town that is like any other in Thailand. In tourism terms, its a hub for some extremely magnificent places surrounding it. Firstly, Surat thani is the key ferry hub for travel between the Thailand mainland and the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Secondly, the province contains the incredible Khao Sok National Park, which is older and more diverse than the Amazon Rainforest and just as spectacular. It is jam packed with great stuff to do there, and Khao Sok also hosts the awesomely beautiful Ratchaprapa Dam and huge reservoir. Suratthani is worth traveling to just for these great experiences alone.

Most travellers pass through Surat Thani on their way somewhere else, and that is exactly what makes it useful. It sits on the eastern side of southern Thailand, within reach of both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman coast, so it works as a natural changeover point between the two sides of the peninsula.

How to get to Surat Thani

Surat Thani is served by air, rail and road, and it is one of the better-connected transfer points in southern Thailand. Long-distance services arrive from other Thai cities and coastal towns, and connecting transfers link the airport, the railway station and the town centre with the piers used for island crossings.

We currently list 95 routes bookable routes touching Surat Thani. Because the same journey can be sold as a through-ticket combining more than one leg, it is worth comparing the full options on the route page rather than booking each leg separately.

Ports and departure points

The main mainland ferry gateway for the Gulf islands is Donsak, roughly an hour's drive east of Surat Thani town. Most island crossings from this area leave from the Donsak piers, with road transfers timed to connect from town, the railway station and the airport.

Check the exact pier named on your ticket before you travel. Operators in this area use more than one pier at Donsak, and the pier is not always the same for every departure or every island.

Popular routes to and from Surat Thani

Surat Thani connects to Ao Nang, Donsak, Khao Sok National Park, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui and several more destinations. The busiest patterns fall into three groups:

• Gulf islands — services towards Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, the classic reason people come here.
• Andaman coast crossings — links west towards Ao Nang and onward to Koh Phi Phi, useful if you are moving between the two coasts.
• Inland and national park — connections to Khao Sok National Park and to the Donsak piers.

Fares start from ฿120, and prices vary by operator, vehicle type and how far ahead you book.

Operators serving Surat Thani

Companies running services here include Lomlahkkhirin High Speed Ferries, Lomprayah High Speed Ferries Co., Ltd. and Phantip 1970 Co., Ltd, alongside other operators listed on individual route pages. Each has its own timetable, luggage policy and pier, so the details shown for several operators at checkout are the ones that apply to your booking.

Practical travel information

• Allow buffer time. Island crossings from the mainland involve a road leg plus a sea leg. If you have a flight or an onward connection the same day, leave margin.
• Travel light where you can. Combined road-and-sea tickets often mean moving your own bags between vehicles at the pier.
• Book ahead in peak season. Popular island sailings fill up around Thai holidays and the high season, and the Full Moon dates on Koh Phangan put heavy pressure on seats in both directions.
• Weather matters. Sea conditions can affect sailings, particularly during the monsoon months. Operators publish changes on the day, so keep an eye on your confirmation.
• Check the conditions on your ticket. Amendment and cancellation rules differ between operators and are shown before you pay.

What to see and do

Khao Sok National Park is the standout inland attraction, with limestone cliffs, jungle trails and the Ratchaprapa Dam reservoir, where floating raft houses sit beneath towering karsts. Wildlife spotting, kayaking and boat trips on the reservoir are the main draws, and many visitors stay overnight rather than day-tripping.

In town, the riverside night market and the local temples are worth an evening if your onward service leaves the following morning. Surat Thani town is not a resort, and that is part of its appeal — it is a working Thai town rather than a tourist strip, and prices reflect that.

Beyond the province, Surat Thani is the natural staging point for the Gulf island trio. Divers and snorkellers usually push on to the smaller islands, while travellers heading west use the province as a crossing point towards the Andaman.

Book your Surat Thani journey

Enter your travel dates to compare departures, prices and operators across every route serving Surat Thani, then confirm your seats online. Search availability to see today's options.

Note: the list of connected destinations above is partial — the booking system reports three further destinations that were not named in the source data, and specific journey times, departure counts and vehicle types were not supplied, so they have been described generally rather than stated. Internal link URLs are assumed slugs and should be checked against the site's actual route pages before publishing.