How to Get From Koh Samui to Khao Sok National Park: Ferry, Bus & Transfer Guide
From Koh Samui's beaches to Khao Sok's jungle
Koh Samui and Khao Sok make a great island-and-jungle combo. They're about 188 km apart, with a sea crossing in between. The journey takes most of a day.
You can buy a combined ferry-and-bus ticket, do it yourself with separate tickets or book a private transfer. This guide compares every option with prices in baht, departure times and tips for Malaysian travellers.
- Most booking sites only show prices in US dollars. 12Go and CheckMyBus list Koh Samui to Khao Sok fares in US dollars only, so I've left those out. The baht prices here come from Travelfish (updated April 2026), Visit Thailand Today, 12Go's page title and Cheow Lan Lake Travel.
- Combined ticket prices vary. Travelfish lists ฿620 to ฿1,200. 12Go's page title says "from ฿770." Prices depend on the operator and whether hotel pickup is included.
- Travel times vary. Travelfish says 4 to 6 hours. 12Go's timetable shows 5 to 8 hours, depending on the operator. 12Go also claims a 3 hour 45 minute fastest option, which doesn't appear in its own timetable.
- I couldn't find a baht price for the Donsak Pier to Surat Thani town leg on its own. Travelfish says tickets bought at Donsak don't include the roughly one-hour bus into town.
- Lomprayah has no direct Koh Samui to Khao Sok service that I could confirm. Its Khao Sok service starts from Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.
Koh Samui to Khao Sok: quick comparison
| Option | Price | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined ferry + bus/van ticket | ฿620 to ฿1,200 per person | About 4 to 8 hours | Most travellers |
| DIY: ferry + minivan or bus | About ฿350 to ฿530 per person, plus transfer to Surat Thani town | About 6 to 7 hours | Tight budgets |
| Ferry + private transfer from Donsak | Ferry ฿230 to ฿250, plus ฿3,500 per car to the lake | About 4 to 5 hours | Groups going straight to the lake |
| Private transfer from Koh Samui (to the lake) | ฿8,000 per vehicle | About 2 to 2.5 hours from Donsak, plus the ferry | Families and groups |
The route
Every option follows the same basic route:
- Ferry from Koh Samui to Donsak Pier on the mainland, about 1.5 hours
- Road to Surat Thani, about 1 hour
- Road from Surat Thani to Khao Sok village, about 2 to 2.5 hours
Option 1: combined ferry + bus ticket (easiest)
Many combined tickets start from Nathon Pier
A combined ticket covers the ferry and the road trip to Khao Sok. You don't have to arrange each leg yourself.
- Price: ฿620 to ฿1,200 (Travelfish). 12Go lists fares "from ฿770."
- Operators: 12Go lists Phantip, Raja Ferry, Siamese Trans, Faiz Travel and others.
Sample departures from Koh Samui (12Go):
| Operator | Departs | Arrives Khao Sok | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raja Ferry | 05:30 | 13:00 | 7.5 hours |
| Phantip | 06:00 | 12:00 | 6 hours |
| Phantip | 08:00 | 14:00 | 6 hours |
| Phantip | 10:00 | 16:00 | 6 hours |
| Raja Ferry | 11:30 | 19:00 | 7.5 hours |
| Phantip | 12:00 | 18:00 | 6 hours |
| Siamese Trans | 13:00 | 18:30 | 5.5 hours |
| Phantip | 14:00 | 20:00 | 6 hours |
- Pickup points: CheckMyBus lists Nathon Pier, the bus terminal, Chaweng Beach and some Chaweng hotels, depending on the operator.
- Drop-off: Thailandee says buses and vans usually stop at the minivan station on the road to the park entrance.
Option 2: DIY with separate tickets (cheapest)
Raja Ferry leaves hourly from Lipa Noi
Step 1Ferry to Donsak. Travelfish lists Seatran from Nathon Pier, hourly from 05:00 to 19:00, 1.5 hours, ฿230. Raja Ferry leaves from Lipa Noi Pier, hourly from 05:00 to 19:00, 1.5 hours, ฿250.
Step 2Donsak to Surat Thani town. It's about an hour by road. Travelfish says tickets bought at Donsak don't include this bus. A ferry ticket that includes the transfer to town is easier.
Phantip minivans run hourly from Surat Thani to Khao Sok
Step 3Surat Thani town to Khao Sok. The Phantip minivan costs ฿250 and runs hourly from 08:30 to 16:30, taking about 2.5 hours (Thailandee). The public bus from Talad Kaset bus station costs ฿120 to ฿150 (Khao Sok Jungle Hostel) or ฿280 (Backpackers Thailand).
Total: about ฿350 to ฿530 per person, plus the transfer to Surat Thani town.
Good to know: Visit Thailand Today says ferry-and-van tickets from Koh Samui to Surat Thani's train station cost about ฿500 to ฿900. Phantip minivans to Khao Sok also leave from the train station.
Option 3: private transfer
A private transfer from Donsak saves time with luggage
- From Donsak Pier to Cheow Lan Lake: ฿3,500 per vehicle, about 2 to 2.5 hours (Cheow Lan Lake Travel). Take the Seatran or Raja ferry first.
- From Koh Samui to Cheow Lan Lake: ฿8,000 per vehicle (Cheow Lan Lake Travel), for the road leg from Donsak. Confirm whether the ferry is included.
Best for: Families, groups and travellers heading straight to a floating raft house.
Coming from Koh Phangan or Koh Tao?
Lomprayah runs a ferry-and-minivan service to Khao Sok:
- From Koh Phangan: leaves 08:05, arrives 12:30, ฿1,350 (Visit Thailand Today)
- From Koh Tao: leaves Mae Haad Pier at 09:30, arrives 16:30, ฿1,450 (FerrySamui)
Which option should you choose?
The road into Khao Sok
- Easiest: a combined ferry and bus ticket with hotel pickup
- Cheapest: Seatran or Raja ferry plus a Phantip minivan or public bus from Surat Thani
- Going straight to a raft house: a ferry plus a private transfer from Donsak to the lake
- Families and groups: a private transfer, which saves changes with luggage
Tips for Malaysian travellers
- Leave early. Morning ferries give you time to catch the last Phantip minivan from Surat Thani town, which leaves at about 16:30.
- Pack light. Minivans have limited luggage space.
- Bring snacks and water. It's a long travel day.
- Bring halal snacks for Khao Sok. MileHacker says halal food is rarely available there.
- Allow for weather delays. FerrySamui says times can change because of the weather.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Taking an afternoon ferry and missing the last minivan to Khao Sok.
- Buying a ferry ticket at Donsak and assuming it includes the bus to Surat Thani.
- Going to the wrong pier. Seatran leaves from Nathon and Raja Ferry from Lipa Noi.
- Bringing a large suitcase on a shared minivan.
Sourced from Travelfish Ko Samui Ferry Timetables and Fares, 12Go Koh Samui to Khao Sok, 12Go Vans from Koh Samui to Khao Sok, CheckMyBus Koh Samui to Khao Sok, Thailandee Getting to Khao Sok, Thailandee Surat Thani to Khao Sok, Visit Thailand Today Koh Samui to Bangkok, Visit Thailand Today Khao Sok Guide, Cheow Lan Lake Travel, FerrySamui Koh Tao to Khao Sok, Khao Sok Jungle Hostel Surat Thani to Khao Sok, Backpackers Thailand Surat Thani to Khao Sok and MileHacker Restaurants in Khao Sok.