Samui sits in the Gulf of Thailand, so every route ends with either a short flight or a ferry hop. Here are your options from Bangkok - from the fast-but-pricey direct flight to the budget fly-and-ferry combo - plus how to arrive from the neighbouring islands.
| Route | Bangkok → Samui time | Rough cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct flight (USM) | ~1h 10 flight | $$$ high | Speed & comfort, short trips |
| Fly to Surat Thani + ferry | ~5-8h door to door | $ low-mid | Saving money, still fairly fast |
| Overnight train + ferry | ~12-15h | ฿1,000-2,600 | Scenery & sleeping en route |
| Bus + ferry | ~12-15h | ฿619-1,750 | Cheapest through-ticket |
| From Phangan / Tao | 20 min - 2h+ | ฿200-850 | Island-hopping |
The quick, comfortable way - and the most expensive. Bangkok Airways owns and runs Samui's pretty garden-style airport and operates the vast majority of flights, from both Bangkok airports (Suvarnabhumi BKK & Don Mueang DMK) plus Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Singapore and Hong Kong. Scoot also flies non-stop from Singapore.
This route exists to beat the monopoly fares. Budget airlines (AirAsia, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air) fly cheaply from Bangkok's Don Mueang to Surat Thani (URT) on the mainland; from there a coach takes you to Donsak pier and a ferry finishes the journey.
The mainland departure point is Donsak (Surat Thani). Samui has three arrival piers: Lipa Noi and Nathon on the west, and Bangrak/Big Buddha in the north-east.
| Operator | Type | Route | Crossing | Indicative fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raja Ferry | Car ferry | Donsak → Lipa Noi | ~1h 30 | ~฿210 foot pax |
| Seatran Ferry | Car ferry | Donsak → Nathon | ~1h 30 | ~฿180-450 |
| Lomprayah | High-speed catamaran | via Donsak → Nathon | ~45 min crossing | ~฿500-850 (bus+ferry) |
| Seatran Discovery | Passenger catamaran | → Bangrak | Fast | Island routes |
| Songserm | Express boat | → Nathon | ~2.5h incl. bus | Cheapest combos |
Seatran Ferry is the car ferry to Nathon; Seatran Discovery is the passenger catamaran to Bangrak. Guides often mix them up - check which one your ticket is for.
A classic: an overnight sleeper from Bangkok's Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal down to Surat Thani (Phun Phin station), then coach + ferry to the island. Train #85 and the faster #9 are the usual choices.
Joint bus + ferry tickets leave mainly from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai). The government Bus 999 is the cheapest; Lomprayah runs a comfier coach + catamaran, including from Khao San Road.
Very cheap Khao San Road combos are repeatedly linked to luggage theft from the hold and bait-and-switch minivans. Book through official channels (Bus 999 at Sai Tai Mai, SRT for trains, or a vetted platform) and keep valuables on you.
Very frequent catamarans (Lomprayah, Seatran Discovery, Raja, Songserm) from Thong Sala into Maenam, Nathon or Bangrak. Crossing is roughly 20-45 minutes; fares ~฿200-500. Boats run morning to late afternoon.
High-speed catamarans from Mae Haad take about 1.5-2 hours (usually routing via Koh Phangan); fares ~฿550-850, roughly four a day. Seas on this open-water leg get rough in the monsoon - plan a buffer.
Pick a ferry that lands closest to your base to save on the transfer. Hotel drop-off isn't automatically included - confirm per booking, and agree taxi prices before you set off (metered taxis are rare on Samui).
North-east. Closest to Chaweng, the airport & north-east padel clubs (~10 min).
North. Handy for the north shore, Bophut & Bantai Padel.
West. The main hub with most facilities; best for town & the west coast.
South-west. Quiet car-ferry pier; ~20 min to Chaweng, close to Taling Ngam.
The Gulf monsoon runs roughly October-December (wettest in November) - rougher seas and the odd cancellation, so leave buffer time around connecting flights. Samui is at its driest and calmest from about January to April.
Match your pier and your padel club to the right beach - our area-by-area guide breaks down the north, east and south coasts.