Short answer
A ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao takes about 2 hours by catamaran and costs 850 baht with a van pickup from any hotel on Samui, according to Lomprayah's timetable valid from 25 August 2026. Wikipedia gives about 2.5 hours as a general figure. Coming back, the same timetable lists 700 baht for the catamaran between piers. A ferry suits you if you want to stay on Koh Tao. A day trip suits you if you want one day of snorkelling: our speedboat day from Samui is from $55 per person and returns you to your hotel.
Which Samui pier do the Koh Tao boats leave from?
Boats to Koh Tao leave from three Samui piers. Koh Nangyuan Resort's guide says most ferries leave from Maenam Pier, Bangrak Pier or Nathon Pier and take around two to three hours, depending on the service and the sea. Wikipedia places the high-speed ferries to Koh Tao at Maenam Beach Pier, about 6 km north-west of the airport, and Lomprayah's timetable has pickup pages for the Pralarn, Nathon and Bangrak piers.
Bangrak Pier, also called Big Buddha Pier, is the one nearest the airport and Chaweng. Seatran Discovery calls it a 10-minute drive from the airport. Lomprayah's timetable marks one Bangrak speedboat as direct to Koh Tao, at 14:30, while a note on the same page says other Bangrak sailings change onto a catamaran at Koh Phangan. Check the type of boat before you book, because it changes the length of the journey.
How long does the ferry take?
Plan on about two hours of boat time. Wikipedia's article on Ko Tao gives approximately 2.5 hours from Ko Samui, and Lomprayah's timetable shows the catamaran leaving Koh Tao at 09:30 and reaching Samui's Pralarn Pier at 11:30. The direct speedboat to Bangrak Pier, leaving Koh Tao at 11:30, is listed as arriving at 13:00. The slower ferry is listed from Koh Tao at 16:30 and reaching Pralarn Pier at 19:30.
Add the transfers. On Lomprayah's Samui pickup page the first catamaran to Koh Tao is listed at 06:30 with arrival at 09:30, so a three-hour morning for a boat that crosses in about two. Our own speedboat takes about 1 to 1.5 hours each way, according to the operator who runs our Koh Tao day, and the way back takes about 90 minutes, depending on the sea.
What does the ferry cost in 2026?
Lomprayah's timetable, valid from 25 August 2026, lists 850 baht from Samui to Koh Tao on its pickup pages, with a van from any hotel on Samui, for the catamaran and for the speedboats from Bangrak. The slower ferry from Pralarn Pier is listed at 700 baht. Coming back, the Koh Tao page lists 700 baht for the Pralarn catamaran and 550 baht for the slow ferry. A catamaran round trip comes to 1,550 baht per person.
Older guides will not match. Wikivoyage's Ko Tao guide quotes 600 baht for a Seatran ferry as of 2017 and 700 baht for Lomprayah as of May 2022, and says so. If a website shows a lower price, look for its date. Ferry fares are before any food, snorkel hire or island fees, and the fares are in baht, so compare them with our dollar price at the exchange rate of the day you book.
Can you do Koh Tao as a day trip on the public ferry?
On paper, yes, but the day is short. By Lomprayah's timetable the 06:30 catamaran from Samui reaches Koh Tao at 09:30, and the last catamaran back leaves Koh Tao at 15:30 and reaches Pralarn Pier at 17:30. A slower ferry leaves at 16:30. That gives roughly six hours on the island, with no snorkelling gear, lunch or boat to Koh Nang Yuan included. Check the day's timetable before you rely on a late boat home.
Nang Yuan adds steps. The island's own guide says day visitors can enter from 10 AM to 3 PM, that the entrance fee is 250 baht per person, and that a longtail boat from Mae Haad or Sairee takes around 10 to 20 minutes. It also advises confirming your return boat time before you start snorkelling or hiking. If you want both islands by public boat, you need to plan the connections yourself.
What our day trip includes instead
Our Koh Tao and Nang Yuan day trip is from $55 per person. A minivan collects you from your hotel on Koh Samui between about 7:30 and 8:30 am, and the speedboat leaves a pier in the north of the island at about 9:00. You snorkel in one bay of Koh Tao, have a Thai-style lunch ashore at about 12:00, then spend about 2.5 hours on Koh Nang Yuan. The boat leaves at about 3:00 pm and you are back at your hotel between about 4:00 and 5:00 pm.
On our tour the price covers the hotel transfer, the speedboat with a guide, a light snack, coffee, tea and water at the pier, the lunch, drinking water and soft drinks, mask, snorkel and life jacket, and accident insurance. Island entrance fees are not included. They are paid in cash on the day: 250 baht per adult and 120 per child. The bay and the order of the stops change with the sea, so treat the programme as a plan.
Ferry or day trip: who should choose which?
Take the ferry if you are staying on Koh Tao, want to dive, or want the day to follow your own pace. Wikipedia says the island's economy is centred on tourism, especially scuba diving, and that it has a little over 25 dive sites. Take the day trip if you want one day of snorkelling from your Samui hotel with the boat, lunch and gear arranged. Wikivoyage says snorkelling directly off Samui is generally mediocre because of silt, while the islands around it are much clearer.
Our day does not suit everyone. It is not suitable for guests with back problems or heart conditions, or for pregnant women, and the Nang Yuan viewpoint is a steep climb of 15 to 20 minutes that is hard for small children and older guests. The crossing is over open sea and can be bumpy, so take a seasickness tablet if you need one. If that describes your group, a calmer day on Samui may be the better choice.
Rough seas from October to December
Weather decides more than the timetable. Wikipedia says the heaviest rain on Samui falls from mid October to early December, and the notes for our tour say the crossing can be bumpy in wind and swell, mostly in the wetter months from late October to December. On our tour, if the sea is unsafe the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it. Public ferries have their own rules, so ask what happens to your ticket before you pay.
If your dates fall in that window, leave a spare day in your plan and avoid a Koh Tao ferry on the day of your flight home. Our guides to Koh Samui in November and Koh Samui in December cover those months, and the best time to visit Koh Samui compares the whole year.
Practical checklist
- Decide first: sleeping on Koh Tao means the ferry, one day of snorkelling means a day trip.
- Check the pier and the boat type: only some Bangrak speedboats are direct to Koh Tao.
- Budget Lomprayah's 2026 fares of 850 baht out and 700 baht back, and cash for the 250 baht Nang Yuan entrance fee.
- Confirm your return boat time before you start snorkelling on Nang Yuan.
- From mid October to early December, leave a spare day and avoid a Koh Tao ferry on the day of your flight.
Questions and answers
How long is the ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao?
Wikipedia gives about 2.5 hours. Lomprayah's 2026 timetable shows the catamaran from Koh Tao to Pralarn Pier taking 2 hours, and a direct speedboat to Bangrak Pier taking 1 hour 30 minutes.
How much is the ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao?
Lomprayah's timetable valid from 25 August 2026 lists 850 baht with a van pickup from any hotel on Samui. Older guides quote lower prices from 2017 and 2022.
Which pier is best for Koh Tao?
It depends on your hotel. Bangrak Pier is the nearest to the airport and Chaweng, and Lomprayah's catamarans leave from Maenam Beach Pier on the north coast. Check the boat type before booking.
Is snorkelling better on Koh Tao than on Samui?
Wikivoyage says snorkelling directly off Samui is generally mediocre because of silt and poor visibility, while Koh Tao and Ang Thong have clearer water. That is the main reason people take a boat to Koh Tao.
Does the day trip price include the Nang Yuan entrance fee?
No. On our tour the island entrance fees are paid in cash on the day: 250 baht per adult and 120 per child. The Koh Tao and Nang Yuan day is from $55 per person.
Can I take the day trip in November?
Yes, but the crossing can be bumpy from late October to December. If the sea is unsafe, the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it. We confirm the total before you pay.