How to Travel from Krabi to Langkawi

how to go from krabi to langkawi
by |Published -Updated

Our next mission was to get from Krabi to Langkawi.  In the off-season, there are many fewer transport options to get to Langkawi from Krabi than in the high season.  The high season is between October and May.  This post covers the details of how to go from Krabi to Langkawi in both the high season and the low season.  It will cover the Krabi Langkawi Ferry and in the opposite direction the Langkawi Krabi Ferry.  We include a section on taking a bus from Krabi to Malaysia and in reverse taking the Satun to Krabi bus.  This primarily land-based route also includes the details on the ferry from Satun to Langkawi.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

That said, it took a few attempts to find our way out of Krabi Town. Our destination was to be Langkawi, Malaysia. It is easy enough if you’re traveling between October and April when you can take a Krabi to Langkawi ferry. (you can book it here)

If you are traveling between the beginning of April and the end of October there is NO DIRECT FERRY.  You can follow the instructions in this post to go from Krabi to Langkawi at these times.

If you want to take the route from Langkawi to Krabi, simply follow the directions in the opposite direction, we have covered step-by-step instructions on Langkawi to Satun and Satun to Krabi.

This service also provides a minivan and ferry service in the low season from Krabi to Langkawi – you can book it 30 days before your travel.

Krabi to Langkawi Distance

The Krabi to Langkawi distance, as the crow flies is around 220 kilometers.  If you are taking the ferry to Langkawi from Krabi, this is roughly the distance you will travel.  If you need to take the land-based route the Langkawi to Krabi distance is 270 kilometers on land and then around 40 kilometers from the Tammalang Port to Kuah Ferry port on Langkawi.

Our guide to the best things to do on Langkawi is here.

There is a Langkawi to Krabi flight, but it goes via Kuala Lumpur and takes nearly 5 hours.  We don’t recommend it.   The easiest way is to get to Langkawi is by ferry.

Book the high-season Krabi Langkawi ferry

If you’re traveling in the high season, Tigerline Ferry is the most popular option.  The easiest way to book your ticket is online via 12AsiaGo > Book Now).  These ferries run from the last week in October until early April each year. 

Powered by 12Go system

You can also book the Langkawi to Krabi ferry for the high season here.  The ferry from Langkawi to Krabi also runs from early April to the end of October.

Where to stay in Langkawi

Since Langkawi is a duty-free island, it’s very easy to find accommodations that are within the budget of locals and foreign visitors. Backpackers can easily find hostels that have great facilities and lots of comforts without paying too much, there are mid-range hotels, and for visitors who prefer luxury, there are plenty of five-star resorts to choose from.

The Four Season Resort in Langkawi is a perfect choice for people looking for comfort, luxury, and privacy. It is located in a secluded area in Jalan Tanjung Rhu surrounded by tall trees and highlighted by mangroves. The Four Seasons Resort has an outdoor pool, BBQ facilities, and a sun terrace.  You can check room and suite availability here.

Stay at SR Villa if you don’t want to spend too much money on a hotel but still want to get quality sleep and be near some of the top things to do in Langkawi such as the Wildlife Park and Galeria Perdana. The room has basic furniture and AC, and there are also kitchen facilities available if you prefer to self-cater.  There’s more on Langkawi’s SR Villa here.

One of the most affordable places to stay in Langkawi is the Tokman Inn which has an impeccable location. It’s right in the middle of Pantai Cenang. Just outside its doors are an incredible amount of places to eat plus it’s only an 8-minute walk to the beach.  We stayed at the Tokman Inn, on our first visit to Langkawi and it’s still receiving excellent reviews, you can see some of them here.

Our guide to what to do in Langkawi is here.

Traveling from Krabi to Langkawi in the low season

How to get from Krabi to Langkawi in the low season, the monsoon, when numbers are light and when the seas are sometimes rough, is a little harder.  There is no direct ferry from April until the end of October.  You will need to take a bus from Krabi to Satun, transfer from Satun to Tammalang Port, and then take a ferry to Langkawi.  It is possible to do this independently, by booking individual buses, taking a taxi, and then booking the ferry from Satun to Langkawi.  You can also book – based on availability – a transfer direct from Krabi to the ferry port, inclusive of the ferry.  We cover details on this option below.

In the low season, you can book your ticket here.

Krabi to Langkawi: Off-Season Options (April to end of October)

1.  Krabi to Hat Yai to Alor Setar to Langkawi Ferry

Options in the off-season included taking a bus to the train line, taking a train to Hat Yai, and then changing on a train to Alor Setar, then a taxi to the ferry.  We seriously do NOT recommend this convoluted option. It’s painful.  Long.

  • Take a bus from Krabi to Surat Thani – book here
  • Take a train from Surat Thani to Hat Yai junction- book here
  • Take a train from Hat Yai to Alor Setar – book locally
  • Take a local bus in Alor Setar to the ferry Terminal at Kuala Kedah – book locally
  • Take the ferry from Kuala Kedah to Langkawi – book locally

The Kuala Kedah / Alor Setar to Langkawi and the reverse Langkawi to Alor Setar ferry are not currently bookable online but run frequently.

Alternatively, book your low-season ticket from Krabi to Langkawi here.

2.  Krabi to Satun, Overnight in Satun, to Langkawi

There is a public bus option from Krabi to Satun (Thailand)) leaving at 11 am, arriving some 5 or 6 hours later, necessitating an overnight in Satun before catching the ferry the next day.  You cannot book these tickets online, you should go to the bus station in Krabi to book this.

(alternatively, you can book a private transfer with Andaman taxis – they also have minibusses – and they will take you directly to the Tammalung pier if you’d like – check details and book here)

You can then take a taxi from Satun to Tammalung port (10 minutes), and then take a ferry from Tammalung to Langkawi.  There are 2 or 3 ferries a day depending on the season.  It should not be full.

2.  Krabi to Satun Bus then ferry to Langkawi (minivan – ferry)

This is the preferred and easiest way to transfer between Krabi and Langkawi in the offseason.

The easiest off-season option is the bus from Krabi to Satun, plus the ferry to Langkawi option at 850 THB which we took, although booking it wasn’t easy.  The van doesn’t run every day, only if there are enough passengers.  It needs a minimum of 5 people.  It will ONLY run if the van has returned from its previous trip, where it was also waiting for 5 passengers.  If you have a group of 5 people wanting to go this route, we recommend you book with Andaman Taxis – check details here

This is the quickest and least hassle route to take, and so that’s what we took.  There’s still no way of booking this online, (unless you have a group of 5 or the money for a private transfer) so you’ll need to find a local agent to buy tickets from.  Here’s how to do that.

Krabi to Langkawi – Review of Offseason Journey.

Buying tickets from Krabi to Langkawi in the offseason

We found our tickets while sitting in a small bar.  The travel agency “Yes, I Can” was next door.  Our tickets were found and served up while we drank our beer lounging on floor mats and swatting at mosquitoes.  We heard another drinker buying tickets and thought why the heck not?

You can buy tickets at ANY ticket agency in Krabi  We’re pretty sure that the agency that we used doesn’t exist anymore, so your best option is to ask in a few travel agencies. Or bars. Good luck!

Krabi to Langkawi – the Journey

An 0640 start saw us the first into the van from our hotel (Yeah!, choice of seats – apart from the front row, which the bags always get the first choice of).  Several pick-ups later, we were full and heading south.

It’s a good road south if a little windy.  There were a couple of stops for drinks mid-way.  We dropped three folks off at the ferry for Koh Lipe and picked up a few others heading south to Satun.

We’d been told we’d get to Langkawi “around 3” – but that didn’t account for the fact that we were traveling during Ramadan.  There is no 1:30 pm ferry during Ramadan, so despite getting to Tammalung Ferry port near Satun at 1 pm, it meant we were waiting for the 3 pm departure.

Tammalang Port

Facilities at the Satun Ferry Terminal (formerly called Tammalung Ferry Port)

There’s seating, a shop, and a money changer.  They had good rates when we were there.  There are toilets (3 THB each, no paper provided) and a small cafe.  There are also of course Thailand immigration departures and arrivals.

Vouchers Need to be Exchanged for Ferry Tickets

At 2 pm we could line up and hand over our passports and voucher from the van driver.  We received ferry tickets, boarding passes, and a returned passport once they’d noted who we were.

Ferry Tickets at Satun Port to Langkawi

Immigration at Satun Ferry Terminal (Tammalung Port)

Then it was another 30-minute wait to line up for immigration and departures. 

Immigration and Information at Tammalang Port

Then we boarded to find that every one of us had been assigned seats on the left-hand side of the ferry.  There was a quick spread out – we were only half full.

Ferry from Satun Port to Langkawi

Satun to Kuah, Langkawi Ferry Terminal

An uneventful 60 minutes later we were in Malaysia, arriving at the port of Kuah on Pulau Langkawi.  Malaysia is an hour ahead of Thailand, so we were hitting 5 pm when we arrived.

Immigration was simple – as British passport holders, we get 90 days in Western Malaysia.  For free.

Arriving in Langkawi

There are no public buses in Langkawi, but taxis operate on a fixed fare.  There’s a sign posted as you exit the Langkawi ferry terminal.  We were quickly on our way to Pantai Cenang (about 20 kilometers from Kuah Ferry port)  for 30 MYR.  So, even with an hour gained in time zone differences, there was still plenty of time to drop our bags and find a beer in this duty-free paradise in time for sunset.

Let us know how your travel goes – and how you got from Krabi to Langkawi!

Map of How to Travel from Krabi to Langkawi

You can see the full map for Krabi to Langkawi here.

How to Travel from Krabi to Langkawi map

Popular Routes in Thailand

Want to know more about different forms of transport in Thailand? Our guide to Thailand transport is here. And here’s how to travel some of the popular routes around Thailand, your options, and how we did it.

Popular Routes in Malaysia

Traveling around Malaysia? Here’s some of the most popular routes and the best ways to go between these places.

Travel Tips for Exploring Thailand

ASocialNomad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, and amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

AUTHOR

Sarah Carter
Sarah Carter is an avid reader, writer and traveller. She loves hiking, sailing, skiing and exploring the world through food. She left a successful career in IT security and compliance in both the UK and US to travel the world with husband and partner in adventure, Nigel.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

6 thoughts on “How to Travel from Krabi to Langkawi”