Koh Phangan to Bangkok

Lomprayah's 08:30 catamaran from Thong Sala crosses to Chumphon on the mainland, where its coach takes over for the drive north, and it reaches Khao San Road or Pinklao at 20:30, for ฿1,350, or ฿1,650 for the roomier VIP coach. Its 13:00 boat reaches Khao San at 00:45. Boonsiri runs the same idea, leaving at 08:45 and arriving at Khao San at 20:30, or at 13:15 and arriving at 01:00, for ฿1,350.

The same 08:30 Lomprayah boat also connects with a bus to Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang airport, arriving at 23:00, for ฿1,850, and Boonsiri sells a Suvarnabhumi ticket for about ฿1,600. That's only useful for a flight the next morning, so for anything earlier, fly.

Samui is the airport for a same-day international flight, because Bangkok Airways flies from there to Suvarnabhumi about 20 times a day, and three times to Don Mueang, in 50 to 75 minutes, from about ฿2,800 and more than ฿6,000 in peak weeks. Boats from Thong Sala to Bangrak, the pier ten minutes from Samui's airport, run from 07:30, and Lomprayah sells a ticket straight to the terminal for ฿500 that gets you there about an hour after sailing. Allow 2.5 hours from the boat's arrival at Bangrak to your flight.

It costs more than Surat Thani, but the flights are frequent and land at Suvarnabhumi, where most international flights leave. Our Koh Phangan to Koh Samui and Koh Samui to Bangkok guides have every boat and flight.

If you'd rather keep the day, take an afternoon ferry and sleep on the way. Raja's 14:00 car ferry and Seatran's 14:30 connect with night buses that reach Khao San Road, Ratchadamnoen Avenue or the Southern Bus Terminal at about 04:30 to 06:00, for about ฿810–1,500 depending on the seller and the bus.

The train is the more comfortable night. The 14:30 boat is also sold with a transfer to Surat Thani's Phun Phin station and a seat or berth on a night train, arriving at Krung Thep Aphiwat at about 08:00, for about ฿940–1,920 depending on the class. Nine trains a day head north from Phun Phin between 18:25 and 23:28, so if you book the train yourself, a berth on one of the evening expresses is the one to aim for.

The morning after a Full Moon Party is the busiest of the month at Thong Sala, with the boats full, and there's no Grab on the island, so allow time for a songthaew to the pier. Book your boat when you book the trip out. For an international flight from Bangkok, I'd leave Phangan the day before, or at least take an early boat to Samui and fly straight to Suvarnabhumi with a few hours spare. The boat-and-bus tickets arrive too late for an evening flight, and in the Gulf's rough season from October to December a cancelled boat can cost you a day.