So you have read our blog on what you should do when you are in Koh Lipe, but are wondering how to reach there? Here we answer exactly that.
Koh Lipe is part of the Tarutao National Marine Park, situated in the Andaman Sea, very close to the Malaysia border. To be honest, Koh Lipe is easier to reach from Malaysia, via Langkawi, than from Thailand.
But, that should not deter you from including Koh Lipe in your itinerary when visiting Thailand. It is a beautiful place with lovely beaches, crystal clear waters, nice places to party, great places to eat... the list goes on - truly, a paradise on earth with a laid-back lifestyle.
Reaching Koh Lipe from Bangkok is pretty easy. All you need is some planning and choosing the right connections. The best way to reach Koh Lipe from Bangkok is to fly into Hat Yai, drive to Pak Bara and sail to Koh Lipe - sounds easy?
In the next sections we will elaborate on each of the three modes of transport that we mentioned above. But, we will do it in the reverse chronological order - first, speedboat/ferry to Koh Lipe from Pak Bara; next, taxi/van to Pak Bara from Hat Yai; and finally, flight to Hat Yai from Bangkok. This is because, the number of speedboats/ferries are limited and time bound and you should first pick that and plan the other two based on that.
Speedboat/Ferry from Pak Bara to Koh Lipe: There two options to travel from Pak Bara to Koh Lipe - speedboat and ferry. While a ferry ride is more comfortable, travelling by speedboat is fast and more adventurous. Below I will lay out the timings and fare of both speedboat and ferry so that you can pick what is the most beneficial for your travel needs.
Speedboat Timings: 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm
Speedboat Fare: THB 650 per adult, THB 550 per child
Ferry Timing: 10:30 am ONLY
Ferry Fare: THB 450 per adult, THB 400 per child
As there are no proper piers on Koh Lipe and only makeshift ones, only speedboats come directly to island. If you are travelling by ferry you would have to change into a longtail boat, which will bring you and your luggage separately to the island. This service would additionally cost you THB 50 per person.
We would always suggest you to travel to Ko Lipe in a speedboat if that suits you, as it is much more convenient.
It is best to pre-book your seats as the demand is high and seats are limited. The voucher that you receive to pre-book your seat can be shown at the pier to get your tickets.
Important things you must remember:
- When entering the Pak Bara pier you will have to pay THB 200/person which is the entry fee to the Tarutao National Marine Park. Do NOT lose the ticket that they hand you against the fee as that could be asked for any time during your stay in Koh Lipe and must be presented
- As you would traveling to Koh Lipe from within Thailand and not from Langkawi, Malaysia, you would not have to go to the immigration desk at Koh Lipe. You can directly head to your resort without wasting time here
Taxi/Van from Hat Yai to Pak Bara: Reaching Pak Bara pier from Hat Yai airport is very easy. You can either take a private taxi (seats up to four), a private van (seats up to eleven) or a shared van. The drive to Pak Bara is about 2 hours but is quite comfortable. If you pre-book the transport your driver will be waiting for you at the airport to pick you up.
If you are planning to stay a night at Hat Yai and travel to Pak Bara the next morning you can always do that. Then you would need to book two transports - first, to take you to your hotel in Hat Yai; and next, to pick you up from your hotel in Hat Yai and take you to Pak Bara.
Below, I will lay out all the costs for private taxi, private van and shared van so that you can pick the one that best fits your itinerary.
From Hat Yai Airport (or Hotel) to Pak Bara:
Private Taxi: THB 2000/vehicle (seats up to four)
Private Van: THB 2500/vehicle (seats up to eleven)
Shared Van: THB 400/person (Timings: 8:30 am, 9:30 am, 1:00 pm)
From Hat Yai Airport to Hotel in Hat Yai City:
Private Taxi: THB 1100/vehicle (seats up to four)
Private Van: THB 1200/vehicle (seats up to eleven)
Shared Van: THB 400/person (Timings: 8:30 am, 9:30 am, 1:00 pm)
Flight from Bangkok to Hat Yai: Based on your flight into Bangkok, and your decision to stay or not to stay in Hat Yai, you can pick one of the 12+ direct flights that fly daily from Bangkok to Hat Yai, staring at 6:00 am with the last flight flying at 10:20 pm.
Just be careful to see which airport of Bangkok your flight to Hat Yai is flying out of - Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) or Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) - as the distance between the two is nearly an hour. While Thai Air Asia, Nok Air and Thai Lion Mentari fly out of Don Mueang International Airport (DMK), Thai Smile operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK).
If you are visiting Koh Lipe and need any help booking your speedboat/ferry, hotels in Koh Lipe/Hat Yai, car rides to/from Pak Bara Pier/Hat Yai Airport, you can get in touch with us and we will help you with the bookings.
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