Koh Lipe is one of the most stunning travel destinations in Thailand but how to get to Koh Lipe is the big question. Due to its beautiful beaches in sparkling waters, it is not less than paradise on Earth. Its unmatched beauty attracts tourists worldwide; however, it is not easy to get to Koh Lipe due to its location in the extreme South. It is often a long tiresome journey with a combination of different transports.
It can be hard to find reliable information on how to get to Koh Lipe; that is why we have prepared this guide. This guide will help you get to Koh Lipe from everywhere in Thailand; the north, south, and central.
Before you start your journey to Koh Lipe, you might want to consider a few things.
Long Tail Boat to Koh Lipe
Now that you know the basics let’s get started. Here is how to get to Koh Lipe from different destinations in Thailand and Malaysia, so you can choose the one that works best for you.
Langkawi is an excellent option for travelers coming from Malaysia or even Thailand. Langkawi is a Malaysian island in the very north of Malaysia, making It only 50km away from Koh Lipe. This route is an easy and fast way to get to Koh Lipe; in just 90 minutes!
You need to first get to Langkawi whether you are in Thailand or Malaysia. For that, you can book a flight from the many budget travel airlines that fly there.
Once you’re in Langkawi, there are two piers from where you can take a ferry; Telaga and Jeti Kuah. Two daily direct ferries depart from these piers to Koh Lipe, departing at 9.30 AM and the other at 2.30 PM.
The journey from Langkawi to Koh Lipe, through the ferry, takes 90 minutes and costs around 1000 Baht. However, you can take a direct ferry to Koh Lipe from Langkawi only in the high season, i.e., November to May.
If you are wondering how to get to Koh Lipe from Langkawi in the low season, then you have to opt for the connecting ferries. You can first travel to Pak Bara Pier through about in Kuah Jetty, Langkawi. This journey will take about an hour and cost 350 Baht. From there, you can take the ferry to Koh Lipe that will cost you 650 Baht and take around 90 minutes.
Make sure to arrive at the departure pier in Langkawi an hour before the departure. Since traveling to Koh Lipe from Langkawi means that you will be crossing borders hence you will have to stop at passport control. Make sure you carry your passport at all times and hand it over to the captain when boarding the ferry. It will be given back to you when you arrive at the island.
Shared ferry from Langkawi to Koh Lipe
Another answer to how to get to Koh Lipe is from Hat Yai. Hat Yai is a growing destination in South Thailand loved especially by the Asian tourists because of the food, shopping, and relaxing vibe. Hat Yai has an international airport, so you can easily get to it by flight or even a bus. From there, you can start your journey to Koh Lipe.
To get to Koh Lipe from Hat Yai, you can choose from two possibilities. One is a combination of van+ ferry, and the other is bus+ ferry.
You can take a van (minibus) from the Hat Yai Bus station. There are around ten vans those departures from the bus station so you can catch any of them. This van will take you to Pak Bara Pier, and from there, you can take a ferry and reach Koh Lipe. It takes almost four and half hours to get to Koh Lipe from Hat Yai. The journey will cost you 700-750 Baht, including the van ride to Pak Bara and the ferry ride to Koh Lipe.
The other option to get to Koh Lipe from Hat Yai is by taking a bus from Hat Yai airport. The buses depart at 8 AM, AM, and 11 AM and take around 5 hours to reach the destination. Once the bus arrives at Pak Bara Pier, you can take a ferry to Koh Lipe. The cost of the journey will be around 750-800 Baht in total.
Bangkok is an incredible city to have the time of our life. After having crazy fun in Bangkok, you can head to a more relaxing place like Koh Lipe.
The journey from Bangkok to Koh Lipe can be a bit long, but it's worth it. You will travel through a combination of different transport like the flight + bus/van +ferry. At first, it might sound not very easy, but it'll be accessible once you understand the procedure.
There are two travel options you can choose from if you prefer flying:
You start by booking a flight from Bangkok to Hat Yai through Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang airport. Once you land, take a bus or van from the airport to Pak Bara Pier. From there, a ferry will take you to Koh Lipe.
You have to be careful with the time. Don't do things last minute. Book our bus journey from Hat Yai airport to Pak Bara in advance so that the buses aren't full. Book our flight accordingly so that you leave time to collect luggage, get on the bus and arrive at the pier half an hour early before the ferry departures.
The second option to travel to Koh Lipe from Bangkok is much more convenient. You have to buy a combination ticket from a budget airline like Thai Lion Air or Nok Air. The great thing about the combination ticket is that it includes the flight to Hat Yai and the bus ride to Pak Bara Pier, and the ferry ride to Koh Lipe. This option can be costlier than the first option, but it makes the journey tension-free.
If your flight delays, the airline will be responsible for arranging a bus and a ferry accordingly. All you have to do is enter Koh Lipe as your final destination when booking a flight.
The total journey from Bangkok to Koh Lipe will take around 6-9 hours. The cost also varies, although fling from Muang Airport can be cheaper than others.
However, flying is not the only option; you can also take the train.
If you're not able to fly, then you can also take a train from Bangkok. Instead of booking a flight to Hat Yai, take the train from Hua Lampung station. The journey will take about fifteen hours and can cost up to 1800 Baht depending on AC or fan compartments. The trains depart from the Station six times a day, between 1 PM to 10:50 PM; once in Hat Yai, take a bus to Pak Bara and then a ferry to Koh Lipe.
Train+Ferry to Koh Lipe
You can also take a bus if not a train. Traveling to Koh Lipe by bus will take around 18 hours in total (including the bus and ferry ride). Several bus companies leave from Bangkok mainly from 5 PM -7.30 PM and arrive at Hat Yai the following day. The bus ticket costs around 1,000 baht. Once again, take the bus from Hat Yai to Pak Bara and then the ferry to Koh Lipe.
If you are looking for the cheapest way to get to Koh Lipe from Bangkok, the bus and train will be it.
Phuket is a great tourist attraction; it is huge, busy, and packed with lots of fun things to do. Since Phuket is one of the most visited islands, the journey to Koh Lipe isn’t very difficult.
Let’s explore the multiple options you have when traveling from Phuket to Koh Lipe.
There are multiple options to get to Koh Lipe. You can take a direct ferry or a speedboat from Phuket to Koh Lipe. During high season you will have multiple departure times, while in low season, it's only one ferry per day. The ferry leaves from Rassada Pier and arrives at Pattaya Beach.
The best option is to take a ferry; however, it's the most time taking one. This journey can take up to 7hours. However, it is a comfortable journey with air-conditioned rooms and a great view and costs around 2000-2800 Baht.
Taking a speedboat is your fastest option. It only takes around 3 hours. It can be a bumpy ride, but if you love a little adventure, then don't hesitate to take the speedboat. It will cost around 3400 Baht.
Another option you have is to take a combination of bus/van+ferry under one ticket. All you have to do is book a van ticket, follow the instructions, and they will directly drop you at your destination. This trip takes from 7 to 9 hours; prices can vary from 800 to 1,200 baht.
The last option is a one-hour flight flying. You can book a flight from Phuket to Hat Yai. Once you're in Hat Yai, take the bus to Pak Bara Pier and the ferry to Koh Lipe. The total journey can take 5-6hours. However, flying can be a costlier option; take the road instead if you don't get a cheap flight.
Shared Speedboat from Phuket to Koh Lipe
The journey from Krabi to Koh Lipe is relatively easy to organize. To make it easier, we have listed four different ways to get to Koh Lipe from Krabi so you can choose from them.
The cheapest option to get to Koh Lipe is through a combination of bus/van+ferry. The bus from Krabi will take you to Pak Bara Pier in about 4 hours. From there you can take a ferry to Koh Lipe. A combination ticket can cost you 1,100 – 1,200 baht. In that case, the bus will pick you up from the hotel.
Instead of the bus, you can also choose to take a taxi. The taxi will be more expensive (around 4000-500 Baht) but a more comfortable ride.
Another option is to get to Koh Lipe from Krabi is by ferry. It takes around 4 hours and can cost about 2000-3000 Baht. The ferry departs from Krabi Klong Jilad Pier and arrives at Pattaya Beach. From there you can take a boat to Koh Lipe. However, this is not the best way to travel since you have to stop at Koh Lanta to board more passengers or change boats. The ride can also be bumpy and uncomfortable.
You can also opt for flying. Fly your way from Krabi to Hat Yai, and from there, you can take a bus to Pak Bara Pier and then a ferry to Koh Lipe. This journey will take around 5-6 hours in total. However, you will have to go through airport security; hence, travel by land if you don't want to go through that hassle.
Bus+Ferry to Koh Lipe
If you enjoy your time in Koh Lanta and want to travel to Koh Lipe, you can take a ferry. The ferries from Koh Lanta arrive in Koh Lipe directly since both places are close. The journey takes around 3 hours and can cost between 1400 to 2000 baht. All ferries depart from Saladan Pier in Koh Lanta.
If you are going in high season, you don't even have to worry about catching a ferry since there are multiple departures daily; however, in low season, book your ticket ahead of time since the ferry may leave once in two days.
The Koh Phi Phi Islands are also located in Southern Thailand, making them close to Koh Lipe, another easy route. Like Koh Lanta, you can take a ferry from TonSai Pier in Koh Phi Phi and arrive at Koh Lipe. The journey takes roughly around 4 hours. Traveling from the ferry will cost about 2000 baht while the speed boat will cost between 2000-2600 baht.
The ferry is a better option since it doesn’t stop anywhere except Koh Lanta and costs less. You can plan to depart either in the morning or in the afternoon.
Shared Ferry from Koh Phi Phi to Koh Lipe
If you are not in any of the destinations mentioned above but somewhere else in Thailand, we’ve got you covered.
Are you traveling from Northern Thailand, from Chiang Rai, or from Chiang Mai? If that is the case, then flying is our best, easiest and cheapest option. You can book a flight to Hat Yai and then follow the route to Koh Lipe mentioned above.
People often travel to Thailand to visit Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phagan, and Koh Lipe. The best option from Koh Samui to get to Koh Lipe is to take a flight to Krabi and then follow the rest of the route mentioned above in the article.
If you're in Koh Tao or Koh Phagan, you can either take a ferry to Koh Samui and then get a flight to Krabi or take the other option, which is a bit long and tiring. You can buy a combination ticket to Krabi, Hat Yai, or Koh Lanta. This combination ticket will include a ferry trip, a bus ride, and again a ferry trip. The journey can take you up to 16 hours and will cost around 2500-3000 baht.
If you are anywhere else in Thailand or outside and figuring out how to get to Koh Lipe, your best options are to fly to Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, or Hat Yai. From there, you can continue your journey to Koh Lipe. Book your tickets in advance to avoid any inconvenience and follow all the instructions given by the company.
Koh Lipe is undoubtedly a beautiful place to relax and enjoy nature. If you are a tropical lover, then this island is a must-see. Often people hesitate to visit Koh Lipe due to the hassle of getting to Koh Lipe; however, if you follow our guide, you will easily reach Koh Lipe without any problems.
Our creative itinerary ideas will give you some travel inspirations. We will definitely tailor make unique trip for you and there are many more options available.