Getting Here & Around

Getting Here & Around

By Air: There are daily, relatively inexpensive flights from Bangkok to all of the major beach destinations: Surat Thani, Trat, Koh Samui, Phuket, Pattaya, and Krabi. It is generally less expensive to fly to Phuket and Surat Thani than to other southern airports. There are some flights from Chiang Mai to the beaches. Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, and Phuket Air have regular flights, as do the budget carriers Air Asia and Nok Air. All of the airports in this region are small and much easier to deal with than Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi.

By Boat & Ferry: Boats depart from the mainland to the islands from Chumporn and Surat Thani. There are a number of ferry services, including high-speed catamarans, slower passenger ferries, and "speed boats," as well as large "slow boats," which are car ferries. The main boat operators are Lomprayah, SeaTran, Songserm, and Raja.

By Bus: Buses travel regularly between Bangkok and all major destinations in southern Thailand. There's also good bus service within the south. Private buses are less reputable than public buses.

By Car: Eastern Gulf resorts are fairly close to Bangkok, making a car trip here reasonable (assuming you can get out of Bangkok). It's a long and potentially exhausting drive farther south to Chumphon, Surat Thani, or Krabi. Most hotels and tour operators can arrange car rentals. However, it may be cheaper, safer, and more convenient to hire a car and driver. It's easiest to arrange this while in Bangkok; you can also ask your hotel to help make arrangements.

Contact

Lomprayah (02/629-2569; 02/629-2570 in Bangkok; 077/427765 in Samui; 077/456176 on Koh Tao. www.lomprayah.com). Raja Ferry (077/471151 up to 53 Donsak Pier; 077/377452 up to 53 Koh Phangan). Seatran Ferry & Express (02/240-2582 in Bangkok; 077/275060 Surat Thani; 077/471174 Donsak Pier; 077/426000 up to 02 Koh Samui; 077/238679 Koh Phangan. www.seatranferry.com). Songserm (02/280-8073 up to 74 in Bangkok; 077/377704 Tha Thong Pier in Surat Thani; 077/420157 Koh Samui. www.songserm-expressboat.com).