Koh Lipe Boats Ferries

Koh Lipe Boat & Ferries

Koh Lipe is a small island in the Andaman Sea, 60 Km to west the coasts of the Saturn Province, southern Thailand. The tiny island is a real tropical paradise, one of the most beautiful in Thailand. Almost unknown until a few years ago, Koh Lipe is still outside the mass tourism but nevertheless offers good guest accommodation and white sandy beaches. The nearest access to Koh Lipe is the Pak Bara Pier at Pak Nam, a small costal town in La-ngu District. Several private companies operate boat services connecting Koh Lipe to mainland throughout the year, some of the boats making a stop-over even at Tarutao. In high season, from 1st November to late May, the boats are increased with six daily departures. The journey from Pak Bara to Koh Lipe takes 90 minutes and costs 650 THB one-way and 1,200 THB for the round trip; 45 minutes to reach Tarutao with a cost of 400 one-way and 700 THB for the round trip. Koh Lipe does not have piers, so ferries and speedboats moor to a floating dock off Pattaya Beach; during the monsoon season, the boats often moor off the sheltered Sunrise Beach. To reach the Pak Bara Pier from Bangkok, or other tourist resorts in Thailand, you can choose between several different travel options, which are a combination of plane, train or bus plus the ferries, of course. Pak Nam is located about 77 km north of Satun, 112 km south of Trang, 125 km west of Hat Yai and 225 km south of Krabi, cities where are the nearest airports, railway stations and bus terminals. From these provincial cities there are several local buses, minivans services and, as a last choice, even taxis to reach the Pak Bara Pier. Local buses are very cheap, between 50 and 80 THB; minivans have a cost between 150 and 400 THB depending on the city of departure; Taxis are the most comfortable solution, but the most expensive, between 1,500 and 2,500 THB. Nok Air offers two daily flights to Trang with the option to include an island transfer package, which includes the bus to Pak Bara and the ferry to Koh Lipe. Air Asia offers the same package as option at its flights from Bangkok to Hat Yai.

In high season, from 1st November to 1st May, you can travel from Phuket to Koh Lipe, and vice versa, without ever setting foot on land. Satun Pakbara Speedboat and Tigerline Ferry operate two daily ferries leaving early in the morning from Rassada Pier in Phuket and stopping at Phi Phi Don, Koh Lanta, Koh Ngai, Koh Kradan, Koh Mook and Trang before reaching Koh Lipe in the afternoon. Tigerline offers also a combo-ticket to reach the small pristine island from Bangkok and other seaside resorts in Southern Thailand, which consists of a minibus service to the Had Yao Pier in Trang and then the ferry to Koh Lipe. In the same season, since on the southern tip of Pattaya Beach was opened a seasonal office of Thai Immigration, there is also the possibility to reach Koh Lipe from Langkawi, a beautiful Malaysian island located only 42 km to south, which is in turn well connected with flights to Bangkok, Penang and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and even Singapore. Read More