Thailand forum

Night Ferry - Surat Thani to Ko Phangan

trixieb

newbie
Posts: 3

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has ever taken the night ferry from Surat Thani to Phangan? Anything to look out for or any advice I should heed? I'm travelling alone on this leg of the journey and as a lone female I really am a tad worried about safety etc.

Also, I understand there is some travel desk at the airport itself to sort out combo tickets from the airport to the ferry pier. Just wondering if this travel desk will be open at 7pm? My plane lands at about 630pm.

Any help will be appreciated! Thanks :)

#1 Posted: 26/12/2006 - 23:58
marcus_schm-
arcus

newbie
Posts: 2

hi,
did it a few weeks ago, was quite enjoyable and social. The bedding is a stretch of foam matresses all butted up against one another. whilst the night i travelled, the boat was virtually empty, you ought to be prepared to share you bed with a backpacker on each side. berths are assisgned at the ticket counter, so if possible you really should make an effort to wangle yourself an individual bunk. Phangan gets some pretty scummy punters at or around full moon (and NYE).
take a mask, earplugs, and sleeping sheet.
฿300 tickets from the pier.
฿50 transfer to haad rin.
have fun

#2 Posted: 27/12/2006 - 17:31
exacto

mahout
Posts: 1797
Located in:
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trixieb,

i haven't taken the overnight ferry from surat to phangan since 1992, but from marcus' description, it hasn't changed that much. if you get good weather and calm seas, it is delightful. the suggestion to que up early and get an individual bunk is a good one. i remember having a good time hanging out on the docks at a night/food market too.

my guess is that the travel desk at the airport for bus and ferry tickets is manned for every arriving flight in surat thani. that certainly was the case when we flew in there this past july. i can't say if the company that runs the bus into town will have the exact combo ticket you want for the overnight ferry, but i suspect that the worst case is that you take the bus into town, then purchase a second ticket for the ferry once you arrive. if anyone has done this more recently, please chime in. cheers.

#3 Posted: 28/12/2006 - 11:13
trixieb

newbie
Posts: 3

Sounds good! I'm taking the ferry on 2nd jan, the night before the fmp. So I'm guessing it will be pretty packed. I doubt I'll get any sleep anyways.

I'm just hoping I manage to get the bus to the pier if the travel desk isn't open.

Thank you so much for your help, marcus and exacto! My mind's alot more at ease now that I know this is doable. :)

#4 Posted: 28/12/2006 - 11:40
kiwigazza

backpacker
Posts: 11

Anybody know the current price for this ferry and if it still leaves Ban Don Pier 11pm daily?

have read 100/250/300/400bht...........

#5 Posted: 7/12/2011 - 12:07
guava_girl

tuk tuk driver
Posts: 237

The combined ticket will take you to Don Sak pier, which is not the pier you want to go to. The pier for the night boat is in Surat Thani town. I can't say of a tour desk will still be open as the last boat for the combined bus/boat option leaves at 6pm. You may have to get a taxi.

The night boat leaves at 11pm and arrives around 5am. It is 400 Baht.

#6 Posted: 8/12/2011 - 06:53
kiwigazza

backpacker
Posts: 11

So...

Took the overnight ferry last night, Arrived on train at 10pm took taxi (180bht) 20 min to pier, Bought ticket at pier (400bht) and there is a food market.It leaves approx 11pm arrives 7am. If you were to arrive on a train in the day you could take the local bus downtown but don't think there is any at night.

There is about 75 'beds'(mats on floor, a few small bunks) but was only maybe 15 passengers and a lot of freight, was an interesting trip pretty rough though.

It returns from Ko Phangan at 12pm next day

#7 Posted: 11/12/2011 - 00:33
guava_girl

tuk tuk driver
Posts: 237

The water must have been quite rough for it to have taken that long. It should arrive around 5am.

I am not sure where this information comes from:
It returns from Ko Phangan at 12pm next day

The night boat leaves KP at 10pm, arriving back in Surat Thani at 4am.

#8 Posted: 11/12/2011 - 19:44
kiwigazza

backpacker
Posts: 11

Yep was pretty rough, The guy that was selling tickets said it returns at 12...... But that doesn't seem right

#9 Posted: 11/12/2011 - 23:05
Captain_Bob

under-employed
Posts: 950
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Nov-Dec seas can get rough in the lower gulf. So yes allow extra time for ferry transport and (word of caution) avoid the temptation to take a speedboat off KPG day after after any of the big parties (FMP, NYE, etc) when loads of hungover kids are trying to escape. Every year vastly-overloaded speedboats crash or sink and people drown (still making big box small box with techno beat in their heads - boom chka boom chka..)

#10 Posted: 12/12/2011 - 00:28
bjarni

newbie
Posts: 1

Is there a webpage that I can buy tickets to this night ferry??

#11 Posted: 13/1/2012 - 07:54
guava_girl

tuk tuk driver
Posts: 237

No. You must buy the ticket at the pier. Be sure to go a few hours early because if it fills they will still sell you a ticket but you will be on the wood floor.

#12 Posted: 13/1/2012 - 19:37