Phuket to Koh Lanta

How to Go from Phuket to Koh Lanta

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There’s no doubt about it Phuket is pretty busy, and so the laidback calm atmosphere on Koh Lanta is completely different.  Lanta is, more for me, a place where you could live rather than just holiday.  Don’t get me wrong there are some great beaches, fabulous places to eat, and definitely a Thai island vibe,  but there are also some fabulous places to stay long-term.  Koh Lanta is a larger island, but it’s also pretty different from the neighboring islands.  It’s chilled and laidback but has a big infrastructure.  We recently traveled this route and compared the different routes, for cost, time spent, and level of comfort, so here’s our guide on how to get to Phuket from Koh Lanta.

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#1 BUS + FERRY TICKET COMBO

bus and boat combo ticket

Fastest Way to Go from Phuket to Koh Lanta

The fastest and easiest way to get to Koh Lanta from Phuket is to take the combined Bus + Boat ticket – all connections are guaranteed. And it’s really easy.

Book your combined bus + ferry ticket here

        

The best way to travel from Phuket to Koh Lanta depends on how quickly you want to get there, and whereabouts you are in Phuket, and where you’re going to on Koh Lanta.  Read on for more details.

Where is Koh Lanta?

Koh Lanta is actually comprised of 52 different islands, but when people say they’re going to Koh Lanta they generally mean Koh Lanta Yai, or secondly Koh Lanta Noi.  Koh Lanta Yai is where 99% of visitors travel. Koh Lanta is in the Krabi Province of Thailand just south of the town of Krabi on the Andaman coast of Thailand.

Phuket to Koh Lanta Distance

Koh Lanta is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Phuket, but that’s as the crow flies, or the boat runs.  Take the overland route via Krabi and it’s more than 200 kilometers (125 miles).  I don’t recommend that option and have NOT included it in this guide.  Remember though Phuket is a big island too, so you have to consider whereabouts on the island of Phuket you are when booking tickets from Phuket to Koh Lanta.

All the ferries from Phuket arrive in Koh Lanta at Koh Lanta’s Saladan Pier.

How to Go from Koh Lanta to Phuket

While there is an international airport on Phuket, the closest airport to Koh Lanta is Krabi to the north and while you can fly from Phuket to Krabi you’ll connect via Bangkok, so I’m not even going to contemplate that as a route option.  Nope.  To go from Phuket to Koh Lanta you’ll need to combine overland and a boat to get there, the only choices are the time spent and the amount of travel you do overland.

Some of the speedboats that run this route will stop at other islands on the way (like Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai – which you should consider as places to visit – my guide to Koh Yao Noi is here)

Generally speaking the shorter the trip in terms of time spent, the more expensive it is.  So a direct speedboat from Phuket to Koh Lanta can take as little as 90 minutes, but it costs more than the bus and the boat that takes 5 hours.  Here are the details.

Decide how to get from Phuket to Koh Lanta

Generally what will help you figure out the best way for you to go from Phuket to Koh Lanta is how much you want to spend, how much time you have and how little hassle you want. However, a major consideration is where you are on the island of Phuket, as you’ll need to get to the ferry piers to take the boat.  Phuket speedboats to Koh Lanta leave from Rassada Pier in the south and Bang Rong Pier in the north.  If you are near Phuket town you will be closer to Rassada pier and if you’re traveling from the area around Phuket Airport, then you’ll probably want Bang Rong Pier which is closer.  However there are more daily departures from Rossada pier than Bang Rong pier.

Phuket Town to Koh Lanta Combined Ticket – QUICK ROUTE

If speed is of the essence take the combined ticket, with a transfer from your hotel in Phuket Town to the Rassada ferry pier and then the speedboat to Koh Lanta’s Saladan Pier.  This combined ticket means you can’t miss the boat you’re ticketed on and it takes just two hours to go from your Phuket Hotel all the way to Koh Lanta.  This is the quickest route from Phuket to Koh Lanta.  

This route only goes via the Rassada Pier in the south of Phuket and arrives at Koh Lanta’s Saladan Pier.  This is the BEST, QUICKEST option if you’re staying in Phuket Old Town.  You can reserve your seats here.

You should note that your transfer on this option leaves you at Saladan Pier on Koh Lanta.  However, it’s easy to get a transfer from there to your hotel on Koh Lanta.

Phuket Bus Terminal to Koh Lanta Combined Ticket – SLOWER ROUTE

This is the best-combined ticket option if you’re traveling from Phuket Bus Terminal and want to travel a little slower and save some money. You’ll be dropped in the north of Koh Lanta near the At Lanta Restaurant, and there are plenty of transport and accommodation options here. This route takes about 5.5 hours to go from the bus terminal in Phuket to the At Lanta Restaurant on Koh Lanta.   This is a popular way to travel from Phuket to Koh Lanta and is run by Good Luck Lanta.  The van transfers take 13 people, so you’ll want to book tickets soon!

Phuket Airport to Koh Lanta – Boat + Transfer

If your route is between Phuket Airport and Koh Lanta (we have done this route), then there are two companies that run this route as a combined ticket.  You’ll get picked up from the airport with both companies and taken to the ferry pier, where your combined ticket covers the boat trip too.   Both companies run at the same time – ChaoKoh and Bundhaya.  We’ve traveled with both of them, and they’re both absolutely fine. 

You’ll be leaving Phuket Airport Domestic Terminal at 09:30 and will arrive at Koh Lanta’s Saladan Pier at 13:30.  You can book these tickets here.

Phuket to Koh Lanta by Speedboat – other options

If you prefer to make your own way from the airport or your hotel on Phuket to the ferry pier, then you can just book a speedboat to Koh Lanta from Phuket.   Ferries and speedboats (the terms are used interchangeably) leave from two different piers on Phuket – they are marked on the map.

If you are starting from the airport area you will probably want to go to Bang Rong Pier which is closest. It costs 600 THB for a taxi for up to three people to go from the airport area to Bang Rong Pier or you may be able to find a Grab which may be a little cheaper (and of course, you can pay by card that way). 

Book a transfer from Phuket Airport Area to Bang Rong Pier here.

Book the boat from Bang Rong Pier to Koh Lanta here

The alternative route is from Rassada pier near Phuket Town. If you are staying in the south of Phuket this will be the best option. If you are in the north of Phuket (or at the airport) you should also consider this option as there are more daily departures from Rassada pier and the boat trip is usually faster.

Book a transfer from Phuket Airport Area to Rassada Pier here.

Book the fast boat from Rassada Pier to Koh Lanta here

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.

Map of Bus Stops and Train Stations for going from Phuket to Koh Lanta

You can also see the airport, ferry ports, and bus station from Phuket to Koh Lanta here

Map of How to Go from Phuket to Koh Lanta

The quickest way to get from Phuket to Koh Lanta

The quickest way to go from ANYWHERE in Phuket to Koh Lanta is a two hour trip and for that, you need to take a combined ticket transfer from any hotel in Phuket Town, that will take you to the speedboat for Koh Lanta, and then take you directly to Saladan pier on Koh Lanta.  You can check prices and book tickets from Koh Lanta to Phuket here.

The easiest way to go to Phuket from Koh Lanta

The easiest way to get from Koh Lanta to Phuket is to book a combined ticket for a shared transfer and a ferry to Koh Lanta.  You can check here for your options.

The cheapest way to go from Phuket to Koh Lanta

The cheapest way to get to Phuket from Koh Lanta is probably to book separate tickets for transfers and for the ferry although you are unlikely to save much money.  Which route you go will depend on whereabouts you are in Phuket and you can see all about this in the details above.

Travel Tips for Exploring Thailand

Final Words on How to Go from Phuket to Koh Lanta

This was an easy route for us to travel.  We’ve used several of the ferry and speedboat companies in the last few visits to this part of Thailand and they are all pretty decent and similar in terms of cost and reviews.  The boats are relatively comfortable, although if you get a full boat it can be a little bit cozy, especially if you’re a bit taller.  Boats tend to leave on time, arrive just about on time and this is an easy itinerary to use.

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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.

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