Koh Lipe to Krabi

Two speedboats leave Pattaya Beach at 09:00 for Krabi. Tigerline's reaches Railay East's floating pier at about 13:45 and Ao Nam Mao pier, just east of Railay, at about 14:00, for about ฿1,950, and the same ticket with a van drops you at Krabi airport, Krabi Town or an Ao Nang hotel at about 14:30. Bundhaya's runs north to Saladan on Koh Lanta by 12:00, where you change to its Krabi boat, which leaves at 13:30 and reaches Railay East at 14:50 and Nopparat Thara pier at Ao Nang at 15:00. It's ฿2,400, ฿2,000 for a child, and runs every day from 1 November to 20 May.

Satun Pakbara's 10:30 is the one that goes to Krabi Town, landing at Klong Jilad pier at about 15:35 for about ฿2,700, and some dates add a stop at Railay. All of these are long open-sea rides. Be at your operator's check-in on Pattaya Beach half an hour early, expect a longtail out to the speedboat, sit near the back, and take something for seasickness if you need it.

The overland ticket starts with the 1 hour 30 speedboat from Lipe to Pak Bara pier, at 09:30 or 11:30, then a van north. From the 09:30 boat, the vans reach Krabi airport at about 14:30 to 15:30, Krabi Town and the bus terminal at about 15:00 to 16:20, and Ao Nang hotels at about 15:20 to 16:30. The 11:30 boat's vans arrive about two hours later. Most tickets cost about ฿1,100–1,450 on 12Go, from a dozen small operators, and they're still listed in June, so this is the way back in the low season.

It's the cheaper ticket by about ฿1,000, and to the airport or Krabi Town it's also the quicker one. It's a van for four hours or so, though, so it suits travelers who'd rather spend less time at sea. In the rainy season the Lipe boats often leave from the Sunrise Beach side of the island, so check where your ticket says to board.

Bundhaya's Krabi boats run on an odd calendar. The boat south from Ao Nang and Railay stops on 4 May, but the boat north from Lipe keeps running every day until 20 May. So if you sailed down in late April, you can still sail back in mid-May. From 21 May to the end of October no speedboat runs from Lipe to Krabi, and the speedboat and van via Pak Bara is the way, about 5 to 6.5 hours. It's the rainy season on the Andaman coast, so the crossing to Pak Bara can be rough and many places close; check your Krabi hotel is open before you book.

Going south, Bundhaya's speedboat leaves Nopparat Thara pier at 10:10 and Railay East at 10:30 and lands on Lipe at 15:30, from 1 November to 4 May, and vans leave Ao Nang for Pak Bara at about 06:00 all year. My Krabi to Koh Lipe guide has both, and getting there from Krabi airport.