Koh Samui to Koh Phangan Ferry

Between 20 minutes and 1.5 hours, depending on the boat. Lomprayah's catamarans from Pralarn pier are fastest at roughly 20–30 minutes. Seatran Discovery from Bangrak takes 30–45 minutes, the Haad Rin Queen about 50 minutes, and Raja's car ferry from Lipa Noi 1–1.5 hours.

Usually 130–420 baht ($4–13) one way. Raja's car ferry is cheapest from about 130 baht, conventional ferries run 200–300, the Haad Rin Queen 250–300, and the fast boats 190–420: Lomprayah from about 190 booked online, Seatran up to 420 paid at the pier. Vehicles cross only on Raja Ferry, priced separately.

Four different ones, so match the pier to your hotel. Lomprayah uses Pralarn pier in Maenam (plus some Nathon sailings), Seatran Discovery and the Haad Rin Queen use Bangrak (Big Buddha pier) near Chaweng and the airport, Songserm uses Nathon town pier, and Raja's car ferry uses Lipa Noi on the west coast. Nearly all arrive at Thong Sala on Phangan, except the Haad Rin Queen, which sails direct to Haad Rin.

Yes: the Haad Rin Queen, a wooden double-decker running four daily round trips between Bangrak (Big Buddha pier) on Samui and Haad Rin beach itself, about 50 minutes each way. Every other ferry lands at Thong Sala, a 20-minute songthaew ride from Haad Rin. On party dates it's first-come at the pier desk, so arrive early.

Normal weeks, no. Turn up 20–30 minutes before a sailing and buy at the pier. The exceptions are Full Moon Party dates and the December–January peak, when popular sailings sell out days ahead. Book 3–7 days early then, especially if you're timing a crossing to a Samui flight.

Only on Raja Ferry from Lipa Noi, the route's one car ferry. Check your rental agreement first, though: many Samui scooter rentals prohibit taking the bike off-island, and the deposit is where that argument gets expensive. My advice is to rent again on Phangan, it's simpler.

No. The last crossings in either direction leave around 17:30–18:30, and there's no overnight service on this route (the night boats you'll see mentioned run from Surat Thani on the mainland). After the last ferry, the only way across is chartering a private longtail or speedboat, which is expensive and weather-dependent. Plan around the schedule instead.

Yes, two. Lomprayah's high-speed catamaran from Pralarn pier in Maenam (or Nathon) reaches Thong Sala in about 20–30 minutes, and Seatran Discovery's fast ferry from Bangrak (Big Buddha pier) takes 30–45 minutes, both around 250–300 baht. The Songserm ferry, the wooden Haad Rin Queen and Raja's car ferry are the slower boats at 45–90 minutes.

Bangrak (Big Buddha) pier is the closest dock to the airport, a short Grab ride away. Seatran Discovery sails from there to Thong Sala in 30–45 minutes, and the Haad Rin Queen direct to Haad Rin in about 50 minutes. Going the other way, leave more buffer than feels necessary. The last boats leave Thong Sala by early evening, and a missed crossing is the classic way to miss a Samui flight.

Sailings start around 08:00 and the last crossings in either direction leave about 17:30–18:30. Each operator runs roughly 3–5 departures a day, with exact times shifting by season, so confirm the day's timetable when you book. There's no overnight boat on this route.