Lipa Noi Pier

This is a transit point, nothing more, and it's better to arrive knowing that. Ferries run from here across to Don Sak on the Surat Thani mainland, which is where you pick up buses and trains heading further into southern Thailand. If you're leaving Samui by road rather than by plane, this is very likely the pier you'll be standing on.

Facilities are basic and the mood is functional. It gets busy around public holidays and in high season, when the line for vehicles and foot passengers builds well before departure. The upside of the western-facing position is the view out over the Gulf as you pull away, though nobody comes here for the scenery. Give yourself a buffer, especially with luggage, because missing a sailing means a long wait for the next one.