If you are catching a Bangkok Airways flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui and your final destination is Haad Salad you will have to arrange transport from the airport to Haad Salad. Much of the journey can now be booked online to make your trip less fraught with stress. The entire journey takes about two hours. This post will detail the stages of the journey.
Koh Samui Airport to Thongsala in Koh Phangan
You can buy a joint minivan and ferry ticket from the search box below. The cost of which is about 450 Thai Baht per person. For this you get taken from Koh Samui Airport by air-con minivan to Bangrak Pier in the north of the island and transferred on to a Seatran ferry that takes you to the main town in Koh Phangan called Thongsala.
There a number of advantages to booking tickets online. The first is that it saves you time having to haggle with taxi drivers at the airport, who will no doubt charge you more for the short journey to the ferry pier than you would pay for a joint minivan and ferry ticket. Secondly, you avoid running the risk of not getting a ticket for the ferry because it is full. And, thirdly, you will be tired from your flight (especially if you have just done a long haul into Bangkok) and will be grateful for one less thing to worry about.
Seatran have medium sized boats that are quick and generally run on time. The boat has plenty of seating, has a small shop that sells drinks and snacks, and can run in all conditions. The boat journey takes about 40 minutes. Below are the times available for joint tickets:
- Depart 7.30 Arrive 8.30
- Depart 12.30 Arrive 13.30
- Depart 16.00 Arrive 17.00
- Price 450 Thai Baht per person
If you arrive at Koh Samui Airport after 16.00 you might be able to catch the 18.30 Haad Rin Queen at Maenam or the 17.00 Lomprayah ferry from Nathon. Ferry schedules change regularly so it is best to check in advance before making plans.
Thongsala to Haad Salad
This is the last part of the journey. Once you get off the ferry you will be met by several Thais shouting out the names of destinations in Koh Phangan. Ask any one of these for the taxi to Haad Salad. Don’t worry you won’t be charged more by the taxi driver for not finding the shared taxi by yourself. The price is 150 Thai Baht per person if the taxi is relatively full. If not you will be given the option to wait for the next ferry (which they know you won’t do) or pay a little more.
The shared taxi is the famous Thai songthaew. This is a pickup truck with 2 rows of benches in the back for passengers. Sometimes the luggage goes on the roof and sometimes in the songthaew with the passengers.
Tell the taxi driver the name of your hotel, resort or bungalow outfit in Haad Salad and they will take you up to the front door.
The road between Thongsala and Haad Salad is flat and concreted with a few potholes. The trip takes about 20 minutes and has great scenery to enjoy.
Once you have unpacked, got in your swimming costume and had a dip in the warm sea you will soon forget about the rigours of your journey.
